How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License in Washington?

In this guide, we walk you through the process of calculating how long to get a real estate license in Washington.

We’ve taken the guesswork out of estimating your time commitment to get your real estate license in the state — from completing the required coursework to renewing your real estate license.

Keep reading to learn about how long each part of the process will take.

Estimated Timeline to Get a Real Estate License in Washington

Before you start pursuing your real estate license in Washington, it’s important to understand what the process entails.

This includes looking at the commitment each step is going to require, from your time to the cost.

The best place to research this essential information is the Washington State Department of Licensing.

This site covers everything from how to get your broker’s license to WA real estate license renewal requirements. The same goes for managing brokers.

Once you’ve looked through this site and compiled all the necessary information to understand what you need to do to get your license, you’re ready to kick off the process.

Both the broker (the equivalent of a salesperson) and managing broker license have a 90-hour pre-licensing education requirement, but they’re broken down into different courses.

For a broker license, the 90 hours are made up of a 60-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course and a 30-hour Real Estate Practices course.

The managing broker requirement is broken down into three 30-hour courses:

• Brokerage Management
• Business Management
• Advanced Real Estate Law

All classes must be taken through an approved educational institution.

How long each course takes to complete depends on how frequently the class meets if it’s in person, or how fast you’re able to work if you’re learning remotely at your own pace.

If you’re able to treat this requirement like a job, and devote 40 hours each week to it, you could be done in less than a month. Other formats will take longer.

Compare the pros and cons of real estate courses online vs classroom to pick the best learning format for you.

The Washington State Department of Licensing requires you to submit fingerprints for a background check as part of your application process.

This must be completed within a year from passing your Washington real estate licensing exam, but you can’t submit your application until it’s complete, so it’s best to do it early.

You’ll need to schedule your fingerprints through IdentoGo and the actual appointment won’t take long at all.

It then takes 14 days to get into the Washington State Department of Licensing’s system, but once it’s there, the background check can be completed.

This is a task you’ll have to complete every six years while you’re licensed.

If you’re worried that your past criminal history may impact your chances of getting licensed, read our tips for applying for a Washington real estate license with criminal record.

In order to be eligible to schedule your real estate license exam in Washington, you must complete your pre-licensing education.

Once you create an account with PSI, your course records can then be uploaded into the PSI system. PSI proctors the exam, and will enable you to schedule your test at this point.

You’ll use the online portal to schedule your exam, which will be administered at any of the 12 Washington State test centers.

To know how long you should study for the real estate exam, you can refer to the Washington Candidate Handbook.

This resource provides information about the topics covered on the exam, so you can allocate enough study time for each.

The exam fee is $210.

Completing the real estate license exam in Washington, no matter what license you’re getting, actually only takes a few hours.

For the broker exam, the total time you have to test is 3.5 hours. The exam is a combination of questions that focus on state and national topics. All questions are multiple choice.

The state questions total 30, while there are 100 questions on national topics. To pass, you need a minimum scaled score of 70.

For the managing broker exam, the two parts of the test are separated. The state section has 44 multiple-choice questions, and you have 90 minutes to complete it.

The national section has 90 multiple-choice questions, and you have 2.5 hours to finish.

The minimum passing scaled score for both sections is a 75.

If you pass the exam on the first try, you’ll not only receive your results but also the application for licensure, which you can start working on if you’ve sent in your fingerprints already.

If you don’t pass, you can reschedule a retake as early as the next day going through the same process you did initially.

If you pass one portion but not the other, you have six months to pass the second portion before having to retake the entire exam over.

Part of the real estate license application process in Washington is to find an active, licensed broker to sponsor you.

To find a brokerage firm that feels like the right fit, you’ll need to research real estate brokerages in Washington. Consider interviewing your potentials to find a firm you’re compatible with.

For a few things to think about throughout this process, check out our detailed guide on how to choose the right real estate brokerage firm to work for.

To submit your application, you’ll need to set up an online account with the Washington State Department of Licensing. Once logged in, there will be a list of to-do’s to complete.

This list will include paying the application fees. For a broker, the application fee is $223. For a managing broker, the fee is $320.

Both of these costs include an additional $10 research fee that’s mandatory.

After your license gets approved, you can print it out.

The average time to complete this process, and wait for approval from the Washington State Department of Licensing, is anywhere from 1-2 weeks.

How often does a Washington real estate firm license expire? It happens every two years starting from the date it was issued.

Washington real estate license renewal requirements include the completion of continuing education (CE) hours.

Washington real estate agents are required to take at least 30 hours of CE, with three hours being in a core course, and the other 27 being in approved CE courses.

At least 15 hours must be completed within 24 months of your WA real estate license renewal date.

You do not need to submit proof you’ve completed these classes when it’s time to renew, but the process for how to renew your real estate license does include:

• Completing the renewal form
• Resubmitting fingerprints if it has been six years
• Answering a few questions about your legal background
• Paying the renewal fee (which is the same as the initial application fee)

The best time to begin studying for the real estate exam is once you’ve enrolled in your Washington real estate classes. It should continue afterward, up until the day you take the test.

The more you study, the better your chance of passing the exam on your first attempt, so make sure you’re taking good notes in class and checking out supplementary materials, too.

Use that information to create topic outlines and flash cards for more streamlined study sessions. It’s also a good idea to review the Candidate Handbook for an outline of the test.

Studying somewhere where it’s quiet, and there’s limited risk of interruption, is key to being productive. It also helps to schedule study time every day.

If you need a little extra motivation, consider forming a study group with some of the other students in your classes.

When you feel ready, that’s when you should schedule your real estate exam.

Refer to this guide as you begin planning your schedule when obtaining a Washington real estate license.

To know the expenses associated with getting licensed in the state, read — How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate License in Washington?

While for your license to get approved, use the time to check out useful resources designed to give your real estate career a boost:

• The benefits and drawbacks of being a real estate agent
• The next step after passing the real estate exam
• Pros and cons of joining a real estate team

To help you build and grow your real estate career quickly, we at Real Estate Bees created a directory for real estate professionals.

It’s designed to help you get more exposure for your business, including receiving leads. Create a free profile by signing up here.

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About the Author

Kristina Morales is a REALTOR® with over 20 years of professional experience. She actively practices real estate in Ohio but also has practiced real estate in California and Texas. Conducting her real estate business in three states has allowed her to gain unique experiences that make her a well-rounded realtor. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and her MBA with a concentration in Banking and Finance. Prior to real estate, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking and treasury. She ended her finance career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX.