How to Get a Real Estate License in NH: 2024 Requirements for Taking the New Hampshire Exam

This guide will walk you through the specific process of getting a real estate license in New Hampshire.

Read on as we break down each step, from basic qualifications all the way through to submitting your application for licensure.

Let’s begin with what’s required to be licensed as a real estate salesperson.

To begin the process of getting a salesperson real estate license in New Hampshire, you must be at least 18 years old.

Additional requirements include:

• Getting a background check
• Finding a sponsoring broker
• Completing the pre-licensing course requirement

To authorize the background check, you must submit a notarized authorization form, giving the state permission to access your records.

The cost for this is $25 and the report is only valid for six months.

If you have a felony or misdemeanor conviction on your record, you’ll have to submit additional forms as well.

Your sponsoring broker will also have to complete some paperwork to verify your connection with them.

Finding the right broker is an important first step to your real estate career, and it’s best to take your time selecting the right support.

Make sure to research the top real estate brokerages in New Hampshire, and take advantage of available resources like our detailed guide — How to Choose the Right Real Estate Brokerage to Work For as a New Agent — to make the selection process easier.

The pre-licensing course requirement, for those interested in getting their real estate salesperson license in the state, totals 40 hours.

You must take the course from any of the accredited realtor schools in New Hampshire.

All 40 hours are combined into a single course which you can complete in a hybrid format.

The New Hampshire Real Estate Commission requires that at least 32 total hours are in the classroom. Up to eight hours of distance education is okay.

Once all these requirements are complete, you’re eligible to take the real estate license exam. In New Hampshire, PSI Exams offers the test.

You can register online or by calling 855-340-3711. The exam fee is $67 and you’re required to get a minimum score of 70% to pass.

The exam is broken into two parts, a national section and a state section, with a total of 120 questions.

When you pass both parts of the exam, you can then submit your real estate license application.

Once you have all your paperwork in order, you mail in your application along with the $90 fee. Your license is then valid for 24 months before you’ll have to renew it.

If a broker license is what you’re after in New Hampshire, there are some additional requirements necessary to become eligible for the exam.

You must be at least 18 to be eligible.

You have to submit the paperwork and pay the fee for the background check, which is only valid for six months from the report date.

Then, there’s more pre-licensing hours of study to complete as well as some professional requirements to meet.

To qualify for a broker license, real estate agents in New Hampshire must have either worked full time with an active principal broker for at least one year.

Or, they must have worked at least 2,000 part-time hours as a licensed salesperson in New Hampshire.

All this must take place within the five years leading up to the date of your application.

Additionally, you must provide evidence of six separate real estate transactions where you were actively involved in the sale and compensated for your contribution.

Pre-licensing coursework must total 60 hours to get your real estate broker license in New Hampshire.

While these hours must take place in an approved institution, certain classes and degrees, completed no more than five years before applying for your license, can replace or be applied toward your total.

These include:

• A law degree where you practiced real estate law
• A bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree with a major in real estate
• Completion of enough college courses to equal a major in real estate, even if not declared as an official major

Each of these can fully replace your pre-licensing requirement, but all must come from an accredited college, university, or institution of higher learning.

For partial credit you can apply approved real estate continuing education courses and/or real estate classes taken for credit at the college level.

Upon completion of the 60 hours, you can schedule your real estate license exam through PSI. The exam fee is $78.

The test consists of two parts — national and state — with a total of 115 questions.

After passing the exam, you’re able to mail in your completed license application along with the $110 fee.

You’ll then have a real estate broker license that’s valid for 24 months before you’ll need to renew.

What Is Real Estate License Reciprocity?

As a current real estate agent, there might come a time when you want to relocate to another state.

Reciprocity enables you to transfer your license to that state, either with or without some additional requirements.

The states New Hampshire currently has a reciprocity agreement with (and this is subject to change) are:

• Georgia
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Tennessee
• Vermont

If you’re moving to New Hampshire, but don’t have a license from any of these states, you can still check to see if you qualify for reciprocity.

You’ll need to submit a license application along with a Letter of Good Standing for review.

US States Having a Reciprocal Agreement with New Hampshire

Reciprocity also works for those with a New Hampshire license thinking about moving to another state.

Relocating somewhere that will accept your current license can make the transition easier.

However, not every state does so without asking you to meet some additional requirements.

You may have to take the state portion of the real estate exam for your new state, or complete some additional coursework.

These states currently recognize a New Hampshire license with full or partial reciprocity:

• Alabama
• Colorado
• Georgia
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• Virginia

Pre-Licensing Classroom Courses

When it comes to the salesperson real estate license, the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission is very specific as to where you can complete your 40 hours of pre-licensing coursework.

They provide a list of accredited institutions where you can complete the course.

What’s unique about the structure of this course is that you must complete a minimum of 32 hours going to class.

You’re only able to take up to eight hours of distance education.

You must complete all 40 hours within the six months before taking the real estate license exam.

Different schools offer different programs, allowing you to complete the course in the time frame that works best for you.

Some allow you to spend entire days in class, finishing the program in just a week. Others will space it out to last the entire six months you have available.

Based on your schedule, and your availability, you can find a program, at one of the approved institutions, to suit your needs.

Pre-Licensing Online Courses

Although you can’t take your entire 40 hours of pre-licensing education online, you are able to take up to eight hours in this format.

You may decide to do this in order to speed up the time necessary to complete the requirement.

Completing coursework online enables you to work at your own pace, and pick the environment in which you study. You can opt for a quiet room rather than a full class.

However, working independently online also makes it harder to network since you’re not face-to-face with future colleagues and your instructors.

Weighing the pros and cons of each course format is the best way to decide what will work for you. Our guide, Real Estate Courses Online vs. Classroom, can help with this process.

As you prepare for the licensure exam, read our guide on how to pass the real estate exam the first time for study tips.

PSI Exams, a third-party test administrator, proctors the real estate license exam in New Hampshire.

You can register for the test, once you’ve completed your pre-licensing education, by creating an online account or by calling 855-340-3711.

Exam fees vary based on the type of license you’re interested in getting. For a salesperson exam, the cost is $67, and for a broker it’s $78.

PSI testing center locations, in New Hampshire, can be found in:

• Concord
• Manchester
• Nashua
• Portsmouth

The time for the test is 240 minutes no matter what license you’re applying for, and you need a minimum score of 70% to pass.

The total number of questions varies between the tests. The salesperson test consists of 120 questions, broken into 80 in the national section and 40 in the state.

The broker test has five fewer questions which come out of the national section total of the test.

You’ll receive your score immediately after you’re finished, at the testing location. If you pass, you get a complete score report.

If you do not pass, you’ll receive a diagnostic report showing your specific strengths and weaknesses.

For topics covered in the test, read our article on what to study for the New Hampshire real estate exam.

To file for you real estate license in New Hampshire you must submit two items:

• The original score report from your exam
• A complete license application

There are different application forms for a salesperson and a broker as well as different fees. A salesperson application fee is $90, while a broker application fee is $110.

Complete paperwork must get submitted via mail to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission at 7 Eagle Square, Concord, New Hampshire, 03301.

While waiting for your license to arrive, prepare for how you want to run your real estate business by getting insight into the life of a real estate agent as a career.

Once your application is complete, reviewed, and you pass the background check, you’ll receive an email with your real estate license.

The whole process typically takes 5-10 days total upon receipt of your documents.

Your license is valid for two years. During this time you must complete 15 hours of continuing education coursework that includes at least three core hours, and 12 elective hours.

Core courses cover topics including license law, property disclosure, and fair housing regulations, among others. Elective topics vary.

When it comes time to renew, you’ll need to fill out additional paperwork and submit a renewal fee. This fee is the same price you paid for your initial application.

After getting your license, you are now qualified to join a real estate team. Being part of one allows you to meet experienced agents who can guide you as you start your career.

It is also important to know what to do when you get your real estate license, so you can get a good start on your real estate career in New Hampshire.

With 40 total hours of pre-licensing coursework required for a salesperson license, how quickly you complete the requirement is based on the structure of the class you take.

Some are more intensive, allowing you to get everything done in a single week. Others are more spaced out, and can take a few months.

Add on time to study, taking the actual test, and waiting for your license to get processed, and you’re most likely averaging between 1-6 months.

Because of the structure of the pre-licensing course in New Hampshire, you can’t fully take the course online.

However, some of the accredited schools offer different schedules, enabling you to go through instruction at a faster pace, as if you were working completely online.

This could speed up the course so you can complete it in as little as a week, cutting down the overall time to getting the license significantly.

For an estimated timeline to complete the licensing process in the state, read our guide on how long to get an NH real estate license.

Yes. You’re required to provide authorization for the state to run a background check. The cost is $25.

For a salesperson license, costs average out at about $270 for all your fees.

You need to add onto that a few additional hundred dollars for coursework and study materials, bringing the total up to somewhere around $650.

Broker license fees are more, topping out at $305. Add in additional costs related to coursework and study materials and the average cost is most likely around $800.

To know the financial investment involved in obtaining a license in the state, read our guide detailing all real estate license in NH costs.

You must wait at least 24 hours before scheduling a retake, but can then schedule your test for the next available slot.

For example, if you fail the test on a Wednesday, you can call on Thursday, and retest as early as Friday.

If you fail the exam in New Hampshire, you have six months, and eight attempts to pass.

Failure to do so within this period means going back and starting over by retaking the pre-licensing course.

Yes, whether taking one or both parts, you must pay each time you retake.

The price is slightly lower when you retake the exam. It’s $65 for salespeople and $75 for brokers.

If you have a felony in New Hampshire, which has not gotten annulled by a court, you must submit an Arrest and Conviction Form to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission.

You must also include a thorough explanation of the circumstances around each incident.

This information is then reviewed by the commission and a decision on your eligibility gets made.

We discuss this topic in detail in our guide on getting a New Hampshire real estate license with violations.

You can get a real estate license in New Hampshire with a misdemeanor, but eligibility is decided on a case-by-case basis.

You must submit an Arrest and Conviction Form to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission, along with a detailed explanation of the circumstances around each incident for review.

In order to get a real estate license if you have a DUI, you need to submit an Arrest and Conviction Form to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission.

A thorough explanation of the circumstances around each incident is needed when you submit your application.

Once the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission reviews your document, they’ll inform you of your eligibility.

While you must be 18 years old to apply for a real estate license in New Hampshire, you do not need a high school diploma to begin the process.

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.