Berks Real Estate Institute
Licensing Requirements

The Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission has established the requirements to qualify for a real estate sales or broker license.  The following is intended only as a summary of those requirements and is subject to change by the Commission.  Candidates for licensing are advised to contact the Commission for complete details:

Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA  17105-2649
(717) 783-3658
Real Estate Commission Website

NOTE: PSI  has been contracted by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission (Commission) to provide examination services.  For questions concerning the administrative process or the examination contact:

PSI Examination Services
3210 E. Tropicana
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Phone: 1-800-733-9267
Fax:  (702) 932-2666
Web: www.psiexams.com

BROKER REQUIREMENTS

I.  All real estate broker candidate qualifications MUST be submitted to the State Real Estate Commission for review and approval prior to examination.   Candidates must possess, prior to the examination, the required education and experience and be authorized by the Commission to take the examination.    Contact the Commission office in Harrisburg to secure an application for "Brokers Examination Authorization" (Form SPOA 2103).  Candidates should not make an examination reservation until this review process is completed.  The determination of eligibility is a lengthy process and candidates should allow several weeks for its completion.

II.  The criteria outlined below must be met to qualify to take the broker examination.  Candidates must:
    a.  be at least twenty-one (21) years old;
    b.  be at least a high school graduate or equivalent;
    c.  have at least three (3) years of experience as a licensed salesperson or at least 3 years of equivalent experience; and,
    d.  have completed 16 credits or 240 hours of real estate instruction within ten (10) years prior to successful  completion of the licensing examination.

Summary of the Broker Requirements (.pdf format)

III. Submit form SPOA 2103, all required documents and a $40.00 qualification review fee, payable by check or money order to the "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" and mail to:

Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA  17105-2649

SALESPERSON REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications needed for approval are as follows:

The candidate
1. must be eighteen (18) years of age or older,
2. must complete and submit to PSI at the address above, an "Examination Registration Form" including the $56 examination fee,
3. must qualify under one of the following and submit the required documentation to PSI with the registration form:

        A.  must have completed four (4) credits or sixty (60) hours of real estate instruction in Real Estate Fundamentals (30 hours) and Real Estate Practice (30 hours) within ten (10) years prior to the date of successful completion of the licensing examination.  The original copy of the Pennsylvania Uniform Real Estate Transcript must be submitted to PSI.  A copy will be needed for the Commission when applying for your license.

or

        B.  must possess a bachelor's degree with a major in real estate or its equivalent from an accredited college, university or institute of higher learning.  A certified transcript must be submitted to PSI (Certified means that the document was obtained directly from the school with the raised seal.)  A copy of the transcript will be needed for the Commission.

or

    C.  must complete four (4) credits or sixty (60) hours of acceptable basic real estate courses at an accredited college, university or institute of higher learning located outside this Commonwealth or a real estate school outside this Commonwealth that has been approved by the real estate licensing authority of the jurisdiction where the school is located.   A certified transcript must be submitted to PSI.  A copy of the transcript will be needed for the Commission.

or

        D.  must submit a Letter (letter) of Certification from the licensing authority if you have been licensed in another jurisdiction within the last five (5) years.  This letter must include the license number, date of issuance, proof of successful completion of the jurisdiction's licensing examination, office address and name of employer.  In this manner, you will only need to take the Pennsylvania State Specific Examination.  The letter must be submitted to PSI.  A copy will be needed for the Commission.

or

        E.  must possess a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school. A certified transcript from the law school showing when you obtained your Juris Doctor degree or a certified Certification of Good Standing from the Supreme Court of the state where you practice law must be submitted to PSI.  A copy of the transcript or Certificate will be needed for the Commission.

REAL ESTATE LICENSING FOR SALESPERSONS

A.  Once you have completed the educational credits and have successfully passed the State Exam, you can apply for licensing.

B.  This must be done through the Real Estate Broker for whom you are going to be working.

APPRAISER REQUIREMENTS

1. Education Requirement for Residential Certification:  as of 1/1/2008, 200 hours of classroom instruction is required. Forty five of the 200 hours must be completed before the two year Apprenticeship begins.  Fifteen of the 45 hours must be the USPAP course.
   
   
2. College Level Course Requirements - as of 1/1/2008, an applicant for residential certification must possess an associate's degree from an accredited college, university, or institute of higher learning or have completed 21 semester credit hours at the college level.
   
   
3. Apprenticeship requirements:  Serve a two-year apprenticeship with a Certified Appraiser.
   
   
4. Documentation requirement:  Document 2,500 hours of on-the-job appraising with a Certified Appraiser during the two-year period.  Be prepared to show a sample appraisal from every quarter during that two-year period.
   
   
5. Successfully pass the Pennsylvania State Exam for Appraisers.

STATE EXAM PROCEDURES

• EXAMINATION REGISTRATION & SCHEDULING PROCESS
• TEST CENTER LOCATIONS
• ADMISSION TO THE TEST CENTER
• COMPUTER TESTING SYSTEM

EXAMINATION REGISTRATION & SCHEDULING PROCESS

To register, candidates applying for licensure must submit the registration form and supporting documentation, as previously outlined, to PSI.  You must mail to PSI Examination Services, 100 West Broadway, Suite 1100, Glendale, CA 91210.   The examination fee of $56 is to be sent to PSI with the Registration Form.

Upon approval of eligibility, you will be mailed a confirmation notice containing instructions for scheduling an appointment to take the examination.   If you are denied eligibility, PSI will notify you via first class mail.

TEST CENTER LOCATIONS

The examinations are administered at the centers listed below:

ADMISSION TO THE TEST CENTER

You should arrive at the test center thirty (30) minutes prior to your scheduled examination(s).  If you fail to appear on time for your scheduled examination(s), you may not be admitted to the examination site and you will forfeit your examination registration fee.

To be admitted you must provide two (2) forms of identification.  One must be a VALID form of government issued identification such as a driver's license, state ID, passport or military ID which bears your signature and has your photograph.  The second ID must have your signature and preprinted legal name such as a credit card or social security card.  All identification provided must match the name on the Examination Registration Form and your Registration Notice.

COMPUTER TESTING SYSTEM

The General and State Specific examinations are administered on a personal computer.  Before you start your examination, an introductory tutorial to the computer and keyboard is provided on the computer screen.  The time you spend on this tutorial, up to 15 minutes, DOES NOT count as part of your examination time.  Sample questions are included following the tutorial so that you may practice using the keys, answering questions, and reviewing your answers.

After you have entered responses on the exam, you will later be able to return to any question(s) and change your response, provided the examination time has not run out.  Your score will be given to you immediately following completion of the examination.