How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate License in Maine?

Looking into a career in real estate in Maine means understanding the process you’ll go through as well as how much it’s going to cost.

There are fees and expenses at every stage, but knowing your estimated costs early can help you budget.

Keep reading for a complete cost analysis to get a real estate license in Maine and be prepared.

Pre-Licensing Classes: $395-$450

This price range encompasses classes for those going for their sales agent license. You’ll be at the higher end if you’re going for an associate broker or broker license.

Costs will also vary based on whether you decide to complete this requirement in person or online.

To narrow down the best options to complete your 55-hour sales agent course, you’ll want to look at the education providers in Maine, and find the ones closest to you.

Many of these schools will also offer the 60-hour associate broker course or the 50-hour designated broker course should you simply be advancing your existing license.

Regardless of license type, this will be the largest expense of your licensing process.

Exam Fee: $85

The next expense, after completing the education requirement, is the exam. Pearson VUE administers the test and you can register either online or by calling 877-543-5220.

The fee is $85 regardless of what license type you’re testing for.

Make sure you arrive at your testing location at least 30 minutes early the day of your exam in order to check in. You’ll want to review the required materials to bring with you here.

You’ll have four hours to complete the entire exam, which is broken down into two parts.

Two-and-a-half hours are assigned for the general section, and 1.5 hours are assigned for the Maine Law portion.

The general portion consists of 80 graded questions and five pretest items that aren’t scored, but aren’t separated out. You’ll need to answer each question like it counts.

The Maine Law portion has 40 scored items and anywhere from 5-15 pretest questions.

The minimum passing score is 75.

Exam Retake: $85

Should you need to retake the real estate exam, you’ll pay the same $85 fee each time whether you’re taking one or both sections over again.

You must wait 24 hours after receiving a failing grade before contacting Pearson VUE to schedule your next test. You can then take the next available spot.

You have one year to retake the exam as many times as necessary. After that, your course completion certificate expires and you’ll have to redo your pre-licensing education.

License Application: $100

You have one year to submit your license application after passing the Maine real estate exam. You can apply online or submit a paper application.

With your application, you’ll need to submit your exam score report and the completion certificate from your pre-licensing education course.

You’ll pay the $100 application fee at this time as well as the fee for the background check for a total of $121.

Background Check: $21

Due with your application, the $21 background check fee goes directly to the Maine Real Estate Commission.

They then initiate a criminal records check through The State Bureau of Identification. Results can come back as quickly as within 24 hours, so this won’t hold up your application review.

Know how this process is being undertaken by referring to our guide on the background check for a real estate license in Maine.

Apart from completing the background check, you will also need to choose a broker to work for to activate your license. You can pick one from our directory of the best real estate brokerages in Maine.

Continuing Education: $100-$210

Prior to each license renewal, Maine real estate agents need to complete 21 hours of continuing education. This will have to be done every two years.

Within these 21 hours, you must complete a three-hour core course. This can change between renewal periods and is assigned by the Commission.

The other hours are up to you to fill, so make sure to see course options online to find the ones that sound most interesting and beneficial.

Many real estate schools in Maine offer package deals, which is a great way to save. These range between $100 to a little over $200.

Individual classes can cost anywhere from $15 per class up to $55.

License Renewal: $100

Your license is up for renewal every two years and you can renew either online via the Maine Regulatory Licensing & Permitting website or by paper application.

You’ll receive notification your license is ready for renewal at least 30 days before your expiration date. However, you can renew up to 60 days ahead of time.

If you miss your renewal window, you have up to 90 days past the expiration date to still complete the process, but you’ll pay an additional $50 fee.

After that, you must retake the real estate license exam, and pass with a minimum grade of 75 in order to successfully renew.

Based on the cost estimates for each component of a Maine real estate license, it’s easy to see that the biggest expense is in education.

Classes can get pricey, but this is also the one area where you have options as to how much you pay.

Fees associated with your real estate license are fixed, but you can compare prices for your educational requirements to make this expense more budget-friendly.

The first thing to look at is format. Classes that don’t meet in person, and are self-paced, can cost less.

However, cost shouldn’t only be your consideration when comparing between remote and traditional classroom learning. Each format comes with its own pros and cons.

We discuss this in detail in our A-to-Z guide on online vs in-person real estate classes.

The next thing to take into account is add-ons. Are you just paying for the class itself, or does it come with additional resources?

Even if this costs more, it might end up improving your chances of passing the real estate exam the first time, which could save you from paying for exam retakes.

Taking these key issues into account will help you find the right course for your budget and learning needs.

Refer to this guide to check for cost estimates when getting a real estate license in Maine. Our article on how long to get a Maine real estate license, meanwhile, provides detailed information on the timeline for completing the licensing process.

When you get your license, make sure to check out our resources on what happens after you pass your real estate exam.

Your plans may include learning how to join a real estate team where you can meet and learn from experienced realtors about being a real estate agent as a career.

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 both a licensed mortgage loan originator and real estate agent in the State of Ohio. Inspired by her years of working with buyers and sellers and seeing a need for more consumer education, Kristina created loanfully.com, an online educational resource for borrowers and industry professionals. In addition to real estate sales and mortgage lending, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking, treasury, and corporate finance. She ended her corporate career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX. Kristina obtained her MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and her B.A in Business Management from Ursuline College.