How to Obtain a Real Estate License in Indiana 2024: All Requirements for Taking the Exam

This article will let you in on the complete process of acquiring a real estate license in the state of Indiana.

We’ve compiled everything you need to know about the licensing process to make it easy for you to become a real estate agent in the Hoosier state — from the basic requirements to how to file for your license once you pass the real estate exam.

Let’s start with the licensing requirements for brokers.

In Indiana, the only real estate license exam you can take is to become a broker. Eligibility requirements include:

• Being at least 18 years old
• Having a high school diploma or GED

Once you meet the initial requirements, you’ll need to complete a 90-hour pre-licensing broker course.

This course covers the essential topics all applicants need to know to get their broker license in Indiana.

You’ll complete the course having the basics of real estate sales and law at both the national and state levels.

Choose from the best real estate schools in Indiana that offer the course near your location.

After completing the course, you’ll get a course completion certificate and be able to schedule your real estate license exam.

To do this, you can contact PSI services, a leading private administrator of state licensing exams.

The cost for the real estate license exam in Indiana is $53. Once you pass the test, you’ll need to pay the application fee of $60 as well.

This covers the processing fee for your paperwork and activates your license. At this stage in the process, there’s also a background check.

In addition to the exam and pre-licensing coursework, you’ll also need to be affiliated with a managing broker.

This individual must have a current license and be an active Indiana sponsoring broker.

Picking the right managing broker means doing research. You should look at, and interview, brokers from multiple firms.

You should assess their professional integrity, success record, commission split structure, and how they onboard new hires.

For some additional tips, read through our detailed guide discussing how to choose the right broker to work for as a new agent.

You can then browse our directory of the best real estate brokerages in Indiana to narrow down your search.

To receive the designation of being a Managing Broker, Indiana real estate agents do not have to take a real estate license exam.

Instead, they’re required to have an active broker license for at least two years. They’ll also need to complete a 24-hour managing broker course before applying to the Indiana Real Estate Commission for eligibility.

A managing broker is someone who’s designated, within a broker company, as the person responsible for that company.

You can receive the designation without managing a company or branch if you’re a sole proprietor.

Once you are eligible for the designation, you must complete 12 hours of continuing education each year.

Four of those 12 hours must cover business and management skills and the legal knowledge necessary for a managing broker to be successful in their role.

What Is Real Estate License Reciprocity?

When one state allows a licensed real estate salesperson or broker from another state to transfer their license over, it’s known as reciprocity.

This occurs when two states have similar requirements as far as eligibility and pre-licensing coursework goes.

Indiana offers reciprocity to licensed agents coming from a set list of states. These include:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Wisconsin

If you live outside of these states, you may still qualify for reciprocity, especially if your current state’s licensure requirements are substantially similar to those in Indiana.

You’ll need to put in a request with the Indiana Real Estate Commission to check.

US States Having a Reciprocal Relationship with Indiana

Once you get your Indiana real estate license, you might find yourself needing to relocate.

If you’re hoping to transition your license as easily as possible, these states offer full reciprocity when you’re coming from Indiana:

• Alabama
• Colorado
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Virginia

These states offer partial reciprocity if you’re coming from Indiana, so you may have a few additional requirements to complete.

However, you won’t have to start from scratch.

• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Nebraska
• Wisconsin

Pre-Licensing Classroom Courses

Indiana requires applicants to complete their 90-hour pre-licensing broker course from an approved list of education providers.

The course itself covers essential areas related to having a broker license in Indiana, but topics may include:

• Real property
• Forms of ownership
• Property value
• Real estate contracts
• Agency, property disclosures
• Financing
• Closing transactions
• Real estate math
• Indiana real estate license laws and regulations
• Real estate office procedures
• And more

Taking this lengthy course in person can offer multiple benefits. Firstly, it’s easier to schedule a regularly occurring, in-person class.

You’ll know exactly when it’s offered each week, and where you need to be.

You can add it to your existing responsibilities without having to worry about finding the time to work independently.

You’ll also have the opportunity, in an in-person setting, to meet future colleagues and network with industry professionals.

This may prove useful as you begin looking for a managing broker and a job. It may also be helpful should you need to form a study group to prepare for the exam.

It’s often easier to make friends and connect with others face-to-face.

Pre-Licensing Online Courses

The biggest perk to taking your pre-licensing course online is getting it done faster.

Ninety hours is a long time to complete a course, but having the flexibility of working independently, on at least a portion of the course, could speed things along.

You’ll also have the flexibility to pick what time of day you want to work on your courses and how many hours each day you spend “in class.”

There’s also the ability to alter your schedule from day to day. You’re able to work without distraction as well, not having to sit in a classroom.

Should you treat the course the same as having a job, and devote 40 hours per week to it, you’ll finish in as little as three weeks.

If you’re not sure which of these two formats is best for you, gain more insight from our article discussing the pros and cons of real estate online classes vs. classroom courses.

The real estate exam in Indiana is offered by PSI and consists of two sections – the national portion and the state. You need at least a 75% on each section to pass the whole exam.

You’ll have 150 minutes to answer 75 questions on the national portion, and 90 minutes to answer 50 questions in the state section.

To register for your exam, you can go online or call PSI at 1-800-733-9267. There are testing centers throughout the state of Indiana, specifically in these cities:

• Anderson
• Avon
• Columbus
• East Chicago
• Evansville
• Fishers
• Fort Wayne
• Goshen
• Indianapolis
• Kokomo
• Lafayette
• Lawrenceburg
• Madison
• Muncie
• Richmond
• South Bend
• Terre Haute
• Valparaiso
• Warsaw

Make sure that you are well prepared before scheduling your exam. We have an article that shares tips on how to pass the real estate exam the first time, which can help you prepare for the test.

You should also read our article discussing Indiana real estate exam pass rate, what questions will be given, and other information about the test.

Knowing these particulars can help you prepare better for the exam.

Once you’ve passed both parts of the Indiana real estate license exam, you’ll need to submit a completed application to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.

This is the organization that houses the Indiana Real Estate Commission.

Specific instructions on how to file are included in the Score Report you’ll receive at your testing center after passing.

As you wait for your license to be issued, know what being a real estate agent as a career is like.

This is to help mentally prepare yourself for the kind of work commitment that is needed to become successful in this job.

After your application is reviewed and approved, you’ll receive an email letting you know that your real estate license has been issued.

You can then order a license card and/or download your license files.

Once you have your license, you’ll have to complete a state-approved, 30-hour broker post-licensing course as well.

You have two years from the date your real estate license gets issued to do this.

Read our guide on what to do after you get your real estate license to set you up for a successful real estate practice in Indiana.

We also recommend that you join a real estate team once licensed, so you can gain more knowledge about the business from experienced agents.

When taking your 90-hour pre-licensing course in person, the speed at which you’ll complete the class depends on how frequently you meet.

Most likely, it will take you 1-2 months.

Pre-licensing coursework can potentially get completed much faster when working online since you have the flexibility to set your own schedule.

This means the speed at which you finish is based on how many hours per day you can be “in class.”

Treating it like a regular work week, you could be done in as little as three weeks.

To get an idea of the time commitment involved to complete the entire licensing process, read our guide on how long it takes to get your real estate license in Indiana.

Yes, a background check is conducted while your application gets processed once you’ve passed the real estate license exam.

Read our guide on getting a real estate license in Indiana with violations on your record to understand how this process is being conducted.

Prices will vary based on the overall cost of the coursework you’re required to take, but between the exam and application, you’ll have to pay $113.

For a complete breakdown of the expenses associated with getting licensed in the state, read our article on how much a real estate license in Indiana is.

Should you need to reschedule the real estate license exam, you must wait 24 hours after failing one or both sections.

At that point, you can contact PSI and take the first appointment available.

If you fail the exam, you can retake it as many times as necessary within one year of your course completion certificate date.

You will have to pay a fee each time you retake the Indiana real estate license exam.

It costs $53 each time you register for an exam retake.

If you answer “yes” to any criminal history/discipline questions on the real estate license application, you’ll need to submit a statement for review.

The statement should include all the details related to your felony charge. You also need to submit court documents.

All information is then reviewed and approved or rejected prior to licensure.

It is possible to get a real estate license in Indiana with a misdemeanor charge on your record.

You’ll need to submit a statement you write yourself for review that includes all the details surrounding your charge, and any relevant court documents.

This information then gets reviewed and approved or rejected prior to licensure.

You can get a real estate license if you have a DUI as long as you’re forthcoming with the details of the charge in an official statement detailing the situation.

Relevant court documents must also get submitted for review where you’ll either be approved or rejected for licensure.

In Indiana, you’re required to have your high school diploma, or GED, to be eligible to get your real estate license.

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.