Schlicher Kratz Institute
 
Licensing Requirements

 
Salesperson Requirements
Broker Requirements Appraiser Requirements
State Exam Procedures

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 (Details of Broker Experience Requirements); 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 (Details of Broker Education Requirements).

   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

Your paperwork will be reviewed by the Commission.  If you are deemed eligible, the Commission will send you a Certification of Examination Eligibility Registration Form, including instructions for contacting PSI about scheduling/paying for the Broker Examination. The Commission will also fax a copy of this registration form to PSI at the same time it is sent to you.  If you are not eligible, you will be so notified by the Commission.

DETAILS OF BROKER EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
The education requirement for all applicants is 16 Credits or 240 hours of instruction. Please note that 1 credit is equivalent to 15 hours. The Commission will apply the following standards in determining whether an applicant has met the requirements.

1.  All education must be obtained at:
A.  An accredited college or university;
B.  A Commission-approved Pennsylvania real estate school; OR,
C.  A real estate school, approved by the real estate licensing authority of the jurisdiction where the school is located.

2.    An applicant who has obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree with a major in real estate or a Juris Doctor degree will be deemed to have met the requirements.

3.    All other applicants must obtain at least 2 credits in the Commission-developed Real Estate Office Management course (Schlicher-Kratz offers Real Estate Brokerage and Office Management I or II course) and at least 2 credits in the Commission-developed Real Estate Law (Schlicher Kratz offers a Real Estate Law course that is 3 credits). At least 6 additional credits shall be in 3 or more of the Commission-developed courses (also called Prescribed courses) listed in this paragraph and the remaining 6 credits in real estate courses, Prescribed or Elective Category.

A.    The Commission-developed (Prescribed) courses are:
1)    Valuation of Income-Producing Property
2)    Valuation of Residential Property
3)    Non-Residential Property Management
4)    Residential Property Management
5)    Real Estate Finance
6)    Real Estate Investment
7)    Real Estate Construction
8)    Real Estate Sales

B.    Credit will not be allowed for courses used to qualify for the salesperson examination.

C.    A maximum of four (4) credits will be allowed for each course and/or area of real estate study.

D.    Two (2) credits will be allowed for each full year of active practice that the applicant has had as a licensed real estate broker in another jurisdiction. To obtain credits for active broker experience, submit a certificate of licensure from the real estate licensing authority of that jurisdiction, issued within the past thirty (30) days, ALONG WITH A NOTARIZED STATEMENT FROM THE APPLICANT INDICATING SPECIFIC DATES OF ACTIVE PRACTICE.

Summary of Education Requirements:
1. Broker course credits are good for 10 years.  Therefore, applicants must take the Broker’s Exam within 10 years of completing the first course or the first course credit expires.
2. A total of 16 credits are required: at least 10 credits must be in the Prescribed Category. Real Estate Law and a Real Estate Office Management course are required.
3. Credits must be from 5 different areas of study
4. No more than 4 credits are allowed from any one area of study.



DETAILS OF BROKER EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

1.     An applicant must document a MINIMUM of three (3) years of real estate experience.

2.     An Applicant must acquire 200 points in order to qualify for the real estate broker licensing examination. Points will be acquired based upon the following system:

A.    Commercial/Industrial:
1)     Sale.......................................5 points
2)    Exclusive listing which sold......5 points
3)    Unsold exclusive listing........... 1 point
4)    Lease..................................... 5 points

B.        Residential:
1)    Sale..........................................5 points
2)    Exclusive Listing which sold...    5 points
3)    Unsold exclusive listing...........   1 point
4)    Lease........................................1 point

3.  Property Management Assistance:
For each month of full-time employment in property management assistance, an applicant will be granted six (6) points. A month of full-time employment is defined as a month in which the applicant devoted his/her full time to performing in this capacity and which the applicant did not perform or earn points for any other real estate activity.

4.  An applicant who is not a licensed salesperson may be considered to have fulfilled the requirement if the applicant has three (3) years experience that is the equivalent to three (3) years experience as a licensed salesperson. This experience cannot be in activity that was performed in violation of the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act or the Commission’s Rules and Regulations. Each applicant’s qualifications will be individually evaluated based upon his/her documented activities.

Applicants who may qualify under this section may include, but not be limited to, attorneys, builder-developers, and government employees.

An applicant who offers experience as an attorney in fulfillment of the requirement should have experience beyond such typical real estate-related legal services as preparing deeds, contracts and leases; performing title searches; representing principals at settlement; and conducting settlements. Relevant experience would include, but not be limited to, counseling in real estate issues or areas where the advice is not primarily legal in scope; selling, purchasing or managing real estate, whether for personal use or not; and actively participating in negotiations - other than for legal issues - regarding the sale, purchase or sale of real estate.

5.  An applicant who possesses a real estate broker’s license in another jurisdiction that has been active for at least three (3) full years prior to submission of a properly completed license application is deemed to have fulfilled this experience requirement provided he/she has submitted a notarized statement indicating the specific dates of active practice and a certification of licensure from the real estate licensing authority of that jurisdiction which indicates active licensure of at least three (3) full years.

For further information you may contact:
Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission
PO Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
Phone: 717-783-3658
FAX:    717-787-0250


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.  An original copy of the Pennsylvania Uniform Real Estate Transcript must be submitted to PSI.  At copy will be needed for the Commission.

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 National USPAP course.
  2.  
  3. 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.  For specifics and questions on college course requirements, please refer to the Appraisal Foundation web site at:  www.appraisalfoundation.org
  4.  
  5. Apprenticeship requirements:  Serve a two-year apprenticeship with a Certified Appraiser.

  6. 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.

  7. Successfully pass the Pennsylvania State Exam for Appraisers.


STATE EXAM PROCEDURES


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, 3210 E. Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV  89121.  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.

Once you have received your eligibility notice, you are responsible for contacting PSI to schedule your appointment to take the examination.  You may schedule for an examination via the Internet 24 hours a day at www.psiexams.com.  Or, using a touch-tone phone, call PSI 24 hours a day at (800) 733-9267. To schedule with a  PSI registrar, call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time.  If space is available in the examination site of your choice, you may schedule an examination 1 day prior to the examination date of your choice, up to 7:00 p.m. ET.

TEST CENTER LOCATIONS

The examinations are administered at the centers listed below:

Allentown, PA - 1620 Pond Road, Suite 50, Allentown, PA  18104
Bristol, PA - 1200 New Rodgers Road, Suite B4, Bristol, PA 19007
Clarks Summit, PA - 1125 Lackawanna Trail, Clarks Summit, PA  18411
Harrisburg, PA - 2300 Vartan Way, 2nd Floor, Harrisburg, PA  17110
King of Prussia, PA - 601 South Henderson Road, Suite 205, King of Prussia, PA  19406
Philadelphia - One Bala Avenue, Suite 315, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

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.

Only non-programmable calculators that are silent, battery-operated, do not have paper tape printing capabilities, and do not have a keyboard containing the alphabet will be allowed in the examination site.  Cell phones, pagers, and children are not allowed in the examination site. No smoking, eating, or drinking will be allowed in the examination site.

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.

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