How to Get a North Dakota 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 Dakota Real Estate License. No matter where you live, from Fargo to Bismark or Minot to my favorite town, Grand Forks, or anywhere in between, becoming a real estate agent may be the best decision you ever make.
All the information, documents and links you’ll need to get your North Dakota real estate salesperson 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 Dakota requires before you can get a Real Estate Salesperson License.
Complete Licensing Education
North Dakota requires only 90 hours of Real Estate Education to get licensed. Find the best Real Estate School for you.
Pick a Sponsoring Broker
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.
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.
Submit Fingerprint Cards
Time this step right. Once you get fingerprinted, you only have 90 days to complete the entire process.
Get a Background Check
It takes a few weeks to process your background check once you submit your fingerprints for review.
Pass the State Exam
Learn the fastest and easiest way to pass the North Dakota Real Estate Salesperson License Exam the very first time.
Get E and O Insurance
Get E&O Insurance coverage through your Real Estate Broker, the state program or shop around on your own.
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 Dakota Real Estate License?
1. Meet The State Requirements
To get your North Dakota Real Estate Salesperson License you must meet the following requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age.
- Must bear a good reputation for honesty, truthfulness, fair dealing and competence.
- Have a Social Security number.
- Must pass a background check.
- Must pass a credit check.
- Take and Pass a North Dakota approved Real Estate Salesperson Course.
- Pass the National Portion of the Real Estate Salesperson Exam
- Pass the North Dakota State Portion of the Real Estate Salesperson Exam.
2. Complete Pre-Licensing Education
North Dakota has one course that must be completed before you can be issued a North Dakota Real Estate License:
- North Dakota Real Estate Salesperson Course – 90 Hours of Coursework
They have 4 levels of instruction.
I don’t recommend the basic level at all because it doesn’t included the most valuable part, 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 Dakota Real Estate Exam on your first try. I think these practice tests are the easiest way to ensure you pass.
3. Pick a Sponsoring Broker
All Realtors must work under the supervision of a Broker who’s responsible for supervising their activities. The good news is that you get to pick a broker to place your real estate salesperson license under.
When you fill out your real estate salesperson application, finish your part of the form and save the application. Then notify the Broker with whom you will be associated (your employing Broker), so they can go on the NDREC website to fill out their part of the application. Your application will not be final until your broker completes their section and the completed application is submitted successfully.
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.
4. Submit Your Application
North Dakota Salesperson Applications must be submitted online at the NDREC website.
You can start your application at this NDREC website link.
To get your North Dakota real estate license, the following items need to be submitted to the North Dakota Real Estate Commission:
- Personal information – place of birth, cell phone number, email address, home address, mailing address.
- Social Security Number to run personal credit history and criminal history.
- Past 3 years’ employment and student history.
- History of real estate and other occupational licenses and license numbers
- Certificate of licensure for any state you have ever had a real estate license
- History of civil or criminal convictions.
- History of criminal convictions, pending charges or probations.
- History of any bankruptcies, unpaid court judgments, mechanics or tax liens.
- Bankruptcy documentation includes Final Discharge of Bankruptcy or Order confirming court-approved payment plan.
- Highest level of formal education achieved.
If you completed the pre-licensure course, you upload the course completion certificate with the application. You can complete the course and forward NDREC the certificate after you have applied and before NDREC issues you a license.
Complete your part of the form. Where directed, save the application. Then notify the Broker with whom you will be associated (your employing Broker), so they can review the application, complete their part and submit the application.
5. Submit Fingerprint Cards
North Dakota requires 2 Fingerprint Cards to be submitted and processed before they will issue you a real estate salesperson license.
After receiving your online application, NDREC will send you materials and instructions to submit your fingerprints.
The fingerprinting process is completed through the regular mail, not online.
You’ll receive 2 blue “hard cards”. You’ll then make an appointment with a local Law Enforcement Agency to be fingerprinted. Follow all the instructions given by the NDREC and make sure that the hard cards and envelopes are signed and sealed correctly by the LEO taking your fingerprints and mail them back to the NDREC.
6. Pass Background Checks
Once your fingerprint cards are received by the NDREC, they will send your fingerprints to the ND Office of Attorney General for analysis and receive your criminal history background reports from the state and FBI databases usually within 1-2 weeks. They’ll review your application, credit and criminal history background reports, and approve, table or deny application.
The NDREC will contact you if the commission tables or denies your application.
Conviction of an offense does not always disqualify a person from licensure unless the commission determines that the offense has a direct bearing upon a person’s ability to serve the public as a real estate salesperson, or that, following conviction of any offense, the person is not sufficiently rehabilitated.
Once your application is approved, the NDREC will contact the testing company and issue a test code so you can take the state and national examinations.
7. Pass The State Exams
After you’ve received your notification of eligibility to take the exams from the North Dakota Real Estate Commission, you can register for the exams by submitting an examination application and pay the exam fees to PSI, NDREC’s third party private testing company. You can schedule an examination appointment online at the PSI website link here or you can call PSI at 855-834-8747.
You can download the NDREC Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin here.
North Dakota has two exams you must be pass before you can apply for your North Dakota Real Estate License:
- Real Estate Salesperson National Exam
- Real Estate Salesperson North Dakota State Exam
If you’re already licensed in another state, you only have to take the North Dakota State portion of the exam.
If you are worried about passing the real estate exams then make sure you follow my recommendation and purchase a Pre-Licensing Education package that includes the online practice tests. These tests are the very best tool to make sure you pass the exams the very first time. If you can consistently score a 90 or higher on the practice tests, then you are guaranteed to pass the actual exams the very first time.
8. Get Errors and Omissions Insurance
The NDREC requires proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance before they will issue your license. You can download the NDREC Errors and Omissions Fact Sheet at this link.
Check with your sponsoring broker and see if you will be covered under their insurance. If you are covered by your Sponsoring Broker, have your broker give you a copy of the firm’s Certificate of Insurance ACORD25 form with a list of all licensees covered by the policy or with a statement on the form that all licensees are covered by the policy.
If your Sponsoring Broker requires you to supply your own insurance you can buy insurance through a Group Insurance Program that is sponsored by the NDREC.
You’re also free to shop around chose your own Insurance provider as long as it meets the NDREC minimum insurance standards. Simply submit proof of insurance to NDREC.
Now you just have to submit your final application to the NDREC for them to issue your license. Simply go back on the NDREC website, open your account and then:
- Pay the $20 Real Estate Education, Research and Recovery Fund Fee.
- Supply proof of errors and omissions insurance.
- Double check that your broker has approved your application to issue license.
- If you haven’t uploaded your Pre-Licensing Completion Certificate yet, do that now.
NDREC staff will now approve the application and issue your license and email notification of license to both you and your broker.
Congratulations!
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.
10. 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 Dakota realtor makes is to show how much you are likely to make per transaction.
The average price of a home in North Dakota is $290,000. 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 Dakota requires 90 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 90 hours. A motivated person can complete it in as little as one month but most people will take 2 months or more if they do a little bit every day.
The North Dakota 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.
- Fingerprinting – $39.00
- NDREC Credit History Fee – $8.00
- Attorney General Fingerprinting Analysis Fee – $41.25
- Pre-licensing Educational courses – $547.00 – $945.00
- Exam Prep Courses – $0.00 – $99.00 – (Some Pre-Licensing Includes Exam Prep)
- Exam costs – $131.00
- Errors and Omission Insurance – $187.00
- North Dakota Application Fee – $150.00
- Real Estate Education, Research and Recovery Fund Fee – $20.00
The cost of getting your North Dakota 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 $187.00. The cost for most agents including E&O will be as low as $936.00 to as high as $1521.00.
Most agents who follow my recommendations will pay about $989.00, not including E&O and about $1176.00 with E&O.
