How to Get a North Carolina Real Estate License
Jay Gallagher
Real Estate Broker (Advice from an agent like you, not some tech nerd who never sold a home!)
This is a Step by Step Guide on how to get your North Carolina Real Estate License. No matter where you live, from Winston-Salem to Raleigh-Durham or Charlotte to my favorite town, Wilmington, or anywhere in between, becoming a real estate agent may be the best decision you ever make.
Note: North Carolina issues new licensees a Provisional Broker license. This license is equivalent to what most states call a Real Estate Salesperson License.
All the information, documents and links you’ll need to get your North Carolina Provisional Broker license are below.
I also answer all your burning questions at the bottom of the page.
Click on a question to see the answers:
Meet the State Requirements
Learn exactly what the State of North Carolina requires before you can get a Real Estate Salesperson License.
Complete Licensing Education
North Carolina requires only 75 hours of Real Estate Education to get licensed. Find the best Real Estate School for you.
Submit the Application
Make sure you get it right the first time. Check the list, make sure you jumped through all the right hoops and hit send.
Get a Background Check
It takes a few weeks to get your background check back and the NDREC will review them after you pass the tests.
Pass the State Exam
Learn the fastest and easiest way to pass the North Carolina Real Estate License Exam the very first time.
Final Application Review
North Carolina waits until you’ve submitted every thing and then they send your application for the final review.
Get Your License
The NDREC will now issue you an Inactive Provisional Broker License. Just one more step to activate your license.
Pick a Broker in Charge
Meet the new boss! The good news is you get to pick the broker you want to work with. Learn how to pick the best.
Launch Your New Career
Now the fun begins. Learn how to get your new Real Estate Career off on the right foot by doing the right things to get business.
So, How Do You Get a North Carolina Real Estate License?
1. Meet The State Requirements
In North Carolina, a Provisional Broker is the entry-level license status for an individual broker license. After satisfying all the license qualification requirements (including passing the license examination) most license applicants are initially issued a provisional broker license, which is technically a broker license on provisional status.
A provisional broker must be under the supervision of a broker-in-charge to be on active status and legally provide brokerage services.
To get your North Carolina Provisional Broker License you must meet the following requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age.
- Satisfy the Commission that you possess the requisite character for licensure.
- Be a United States citizen or have a lawful presence in the U.S. and be authorized to work in the U.S. in the real estate field.
- Have a Social Security Number.
- Take and Pass a North Carolina approved Broker Pre-Licensing Course.
- Pass the National Portion of the Real Estate Salesperson Exam
- Pass the North Carolina State Portion of the Real Estate Salesperson Exam.
Print out the North Carolina Real Estate Licensing Booklet here.
To remove provisional status, a provisional broker must complete the 90-hour Post-licensing education program but this doesn’t have to be done until after you are licensed.
2. Complete Pre-Licensing Education
North Carolina has 1 course that must be completed before you can apply for your North Carolina Real Estate License:
- North Carolina Approved Broker Pre-Licensing Course – 75 Hours of Coursework
The best thing about The CE Shop Pre-Licensing Course are the Real Estate License Practice Tests.
These practice tests actually guarantee you will pass the Real Estate Exam. Just take the practice tests until you consistently score 90 or higher and you are guaranteed to pass the North Carolina Real Estate Exam on your first try. I think these practice tests are the easiest way to ensure you pass.
3. Submit an Application
The North Carolina Real Estate Commission has an online portal to submit your application. To get your North Carolina real estate license, the following items need to be submitted to the NCREC:
- Create an account at the NCREC Website here.
- Submit personal info including Social Security Number.
- Submit Proof of completion of the Pre-Licensing Course.
- Submit any License history in any state.
- Submit any Criminal Offense history in any state.
- Submit any Professional License Disciplinary Action history.
- Submit any Liens or Unpaid Judgment history.
- Pay the Application Fee.
4. Get a Background Check
The NCREC uses a private third party vendor, CriminalRecordCheck.com (CRC) to process their background checks.
You can start the process by creating an online account at the CRC website here.
You can also start the process by mailing or faxing the completed NCREC Background Check Form here.
You can mail the completed form to: CriminalRecordCheck.com (CRC), PO Box 90998, Raleigh, NC 27675-0998, or fax it to: 800-650-5992.
If you’re concerned that your past history may keep you from being licensed you can file a Petition For Pre-Determination of whether your criminal history will likely disqualify you from obtaining a real estate broker license.
This petition can be made at any time, including before taking the 75-hour North Carolina Broker Pre-licensing Course. Asking for a Pre-Determination can save you the time and expense of going through the entire licensing process just to be denied at the end.
Before submitting your petition, please read the Real Estate Licensing in North Carolina Booklet.
Because they charge $15.00 for each individual background check, there may be substantial costs for criminal record reports if you’ve lived in multiple states or outside the United States within the previous 7 years or if you have used multiple names.
5. Pass The Exams
After you send in your completed application, the NCREC will send you a Notice of Exam Eligibility within 2-3 days by email. You then contact the testing service to pay the examination fee and to schedule and take the license examination.
North Carolina Real Estate tests are proctored by PSI, a third party examination company. There are two ways to schedule your examination.
- For Online Scheduling go to the PSI Website here.
- For Telephone Scheduling call 855-579-4638.
North Carolina has two exams you must be pass before you can apply for your North Carolina Real Estate License:
- Real Estate Salesperson National Exam.
- North Carolina Real Estate Broker State Exam
6. Final Application Review
If your application has any negative criminal history or anything the NDREC considers a character issue the NDREC will put your application through a final review. This review only takes place after you’ve passed the license examination and satisfied all the license qualification requirements other than that of demonstrating good character.
At this point, all applications involving a character issue is evaluated by the Commission’s Executive Director and License Application Analyst and, if necessary, the Commission itself at the next monthly Commission meeting after you’ve passed the examination. After they decide, you’ll be notified in writing of the Commission’s decision within 45 days.
At any point during the process of considering an applicant’s character issues that the Commission determines the applicant possesses the requisite good character, the applicant’s license will be promptly issued. If the Commission determines that an applicant has NOT affirmatively demonstrated that the applicant possesses the requisite truthfulness, honesty and integrity for licensure, then action will be deferred on the application. You have 60 days to reply to the NDREC’s decision.
7. Inactive License Issued
Once you’ve passed the license examination, and satisfied the Commission that you are of good character, you’ll be deemed qualified for licensure and will be sent an Inactive Provisional Broker License Certificate to the address on the application.
You’ll be access your digital pocket cards immediately upon licensure.
You should expect to receive your license in about 10 days after the license examination, if there are no character issues.
You still have one last step to activate your Provisional Broker License so you can start your new career.
8. Pick a Broker-in-Charge
North Carolina is an “All Broker” state, meaning that all licenses are broker licenses but both Provisional Brokers and full Brokers must work under the supervision of a “Broker in Charge” who’s responsible for monitoring their activities. The good news is that you get to pick your Broker in Charge to place your broker license under.
Before any provisional broker can begin work in the real estate business, the provisional broker and a broker-in-charge must file a “License Activation/Affiliation” form with the NCREC office and have the provisional broker license placed on active status.
This is done by accessing the Commission’s website here and using the online forms.
If you’re a new agent, I recommend you go with one of the big box real estate brokerages. ReMax, Keller Williams and Century 21 are a good place to start. The reason I recommend these brokerages for new agents is because the big box brokerages have training programs in place to help you make the transition from Rookie Agent to seasoned pro.
9. Launch Your New Real Estate Career!
Now the real fun (and work) begins. The best thing about being a Real Estate Agent is the freedom it gives you. You’re your own boss and you get to decide how to move your real estate career forward.
Books
Continuous learning is the hallmark of all successful agents. Here are some resources to get you going in the right direction.
Below are my best suggestions:
- Best Books to Learn Principles of Success.
- Best Books for Real Estate Agents.
- Best Books for Real Estate Agent Social Media Marketing
Tools
You’ll need some tools to get the job done. At the very least, you’ll need a good Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and a Real Estate Agent Website.
Jay Answers Your Questions...
The best (and worst) thing about being a realtor is the freedom you have. Many agents just work part-time and only do 1-3 transactions a year. Other agents work 60+ hours a week and sell hundreds of homes a year.
The best way to answer the question of how much a North Carolina realtor makes is to show how much you are likely to make per transaction.
The average price of a home in North Carolina is $330,000. Say the average commission per side of the transaction is 5.5% and the average broker/agent split is 15/85. That means you will earn, on average, about $7000 per transaction. Not bad.
Of course this number will vary based on the average cost of real estate in your area, your commission rate and your broker split but that’s a good number to start with. Now you can dial up your income based on how hard and how effectively you work.
North Carolina requires 68 hours of coursework. If you elect to take these courses in a classroom setting, you’ll have to go to a designated place and sit for the entire time.
For this reason, most people take the courses online so they can take the courses at their own pace and any time they wish.
Most people find they can complete the online coursework in a fraction of the 68 hours. A motivated person can complete it in as little as one week but most people will take a month or more if they do a little bit every day.
The North Carolina Real Estate Exam is not difficult IF you buy a test prep course.
The best test prep courses include practice tests that you can take over and over again until you know the material. If you can consistently take a practice test and score a 90 or higher, then you are practically guaranteed to pass the actual exam.
If you’re someone who gets nervous and their mind goes blank during testing, then maybe you should wait until your score on the practice tests is consistently 95 or better.
The best brokerage is the one that’s the best fit for you.
Call up a few local brokerages and schedule a time to sit down and talk to them. Discuss things like E&O insurance, commission splits, leads and don’t forget to find out about any desk fees, tech fees or insurance fees.
Remember, if you don’t like the brokerage, you can easily change brokers.
I don’t recommend that you use any brokers CRM or email address because those things are the heart of YOUR real estate business and if your clients information is locked into your broker’s CRM, then it will be harder to make the move. That’s why the tools are “free” or included in a tech fee, to make it difficult for you to leave.
Let’s break it all down.
- Fingerprint/Background check – $15.00
- Pre-licensing Educational courses – $320.00 – $1245.00
- Exam Prep Courses – $0.00 – $99.00 – (Some Pre-Licensing Includes Exam Prep)
- Exam costs – $56.00
- Errors and Omission Insurance – $225.00
- North Carolina Application Fee – $100.00
The cost of getting your Wyoming real estate license can vary depending on your situation and your needs.
If your Responsible Broker will be covering you with their Errors and Omissions Insurance, that will save you about $225.00. The cost for most agents including E&O will be as low as $739.00 to as high as $1998.00.
Most agents who follow my recommendations will pay about $880.00, not including E&O and about $1100.00 with E&O.
