How to Get a Rhode Island Real Estate License
Jay Gallagher
Real Estate Broker (Advice from an agent like you, not some tech nerd who never sold a home!)
You’re in the right place to learn how to get your Rhode Island Real Estate License. No matter where you live, from Providence to Newport or Woonsocket to my favorite town, Weekapaug, 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island requires before you can get a Real Estate Salesperson License.
Pre-Licensing Education
Rhode Island requires only 45 hours of Real Estate Education to get licensed. Find the best Real Estate School for you.
Pass the State Exam
Learn the fastest and easiest way to pass the Rhode Island Real Estate Salesperson License Exam the very first time.
Pick a Principal 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.
Get E and O Insurance
Get E&O Insurance coverage through your Real Estate Broker, or you can shop around on your own.
Get a Background Check
It takes a week or two to process your background check once you submit your information for review.
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.
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 Rhode Island Real Estate License?
1. Meet The State Requirements
To get your Rhode Island Real Estate Salesperson License you must meet the following requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age.
- Have a State or Federal issued Identification.
- Must pass a background check.
- Take and Pass a Rhode Island approved Real Estate Course.
- Pass the Real Estate Salesperson Exams
Print out the Rhode Island Real Estate Salesperson Application here.
2. Complete Pre-Licensing Education
Rhode Island has one course that has a minimum of 45 hours of coursework that must be completed before you can apply for your Rhode Island Real Estate License.
In Rhode Island, all pre-licensing courses must be taken in a classroom or a live virtual classroom. On demand, self paced and pre-recorded instruction is not allowed. Unlike most other states where you can take online courses at any time of the day and you can stop each course anywhere and just pick it up where you left off, Rhode Island requires live interactive courses where attendance is taken, questions are asked and classes are scheduled. This means you have to fit the Pre-Licensing Education into your schedule and stick to the classroom timetable.
One option is to get licensed in another state first, take the online Pre-Licensing Education for that state and then apply for a Rhode Island license through reciprocity. Getting licensed in Massachusetts and then Rhode Island is a popular option. Yes, live instruction is that much of a pain in the a$$ in today’s world. Seven Saturdays in a row from 9 am – 3 pm listening to an instructor drone on about the different types of buyer agency? No thanks.
After reviewing all the Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course Providers, I found Real Estate Institute of Rhode Island to offer the best combination of value and quality. The only downside is that they don’t offer any Real Estate License Practice Tests. You can get the practice tests through The CE Shop here.
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 Rhode Island Real Estate Exam on your first try. I think these practice tests are the easiest way to ensure you pass.
This pre-licensing education must be completed prior to taking the examination. You actually have to bring your Pre-licensing Education Completion Certificate on the day of testing or they won’t allow you to take the exams.
3. Pass the Real Estate Salesperson Exams
Rhode Island has two exams that must be passed in order to apply for a real estate license:
- National Real Estate Salesperson Exam
- Rhode Island Real Estate Exam
Rhode Island Real Estate tests are proctored by Pearson VUE.
You can schedule the exam by contacting Pearson VUE at (800) 274- 8922 or by visiting their website. You must pass the exam before submitting your application to the Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Division of Commercial Licensing, Real Estate Section.
You can download the Rhode Island Real Estate Candidate Handbook for all the exam details.
Most people worry about passing the exam. This is why I recommend the online practice test so much. If you take the practice test then you won’t have any issues passing the exam the first time. The CE Shop actually guarantees you’ll pass. That’s how confident they are.
4. Pick Your Principal 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.
Your Principal Broker must sign your Rhode Island Salesperson Application for License. Make sure you get a copy of your Principal Broker’s Errors and Omissions Insurance to submit with your application.
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.
5. Get a Background Check
Rhode Island only requires a State Criminal History from the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office. You can get one by going to the Rhode Island Attorney General Customer Service Center at:
4 Howard Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920
You will need to bring one of the following:
- Valid state issued driver’s license or
- Valid state issued identification card or
- Valid United States passport
I suggest you call them first at 401-274-4400 or email them at bcifingerprints@riag.ri.gov before you make the trip.
To get a background check by mail, you’ll need to mail the following:
- A signed and notarized BCI Release/Disclaimer Form.
- A copy of one of the valid forms of photo identification below
- Valid state issued driver’s license or
- Valid state issued identification card or
- Valid United States passport
- Check or money order for $5.00, payable to “BCI.”
- Self-addressed, stamped return envelope so your request can be sent back.
Mail all documents above to: Rhode Island Office of The Attorney General, 4 Howard Ave, Cranston RI 02920 and they will mail the Criminal History Report back to you in the SASE.
Once again, I highly suggest that you call them first at 401-274-4400 or email them at bcifingerprints@riag.ri.gov before you mail anything.
6. Proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance
The SRIDBRDCLRES or:
- State of Rhode Island,
- Department of Business Regulation,
- Division of Commercial Licensing,
- Real Estate Section
(seriously? why such a long name for such a small state),
requires proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance with the application or they won’t issue a real estate license.
Check with your Principal Broker and see if they will cover you under their blanket policy. If you are covered by your Sponsoring Broker, then get a copy of their proof of insurance and submit that with your application.
If your Broker won’t cover your insurance either find another broker or shop around for E&O Insurance on your own.
7. Submit Your Application
To get your Rhode Island real estate license, the following items need to be submitted to the State of Rhode Island, Department of Business Regulation, Division of Commercial Licensing, Real Estate Section:
- Completed Rhode Island Salesperson Application Form
- The Original Test Score Report from Pearson VUE.
- Certificate of Completion for 45 hours of Pre-Licensing Education.
- Criminal History Record (CHR) from the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General.
- A Lead Poisoning/Lead Hazard Mitigation Certificate of Completion (this is included in my recommended Pre-Licensing Education)
- Proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance.
- Check or Money Order for $140, to the “RI General Treasurer”
- Separate Check or Money Order for $25, to the “Real Estate Recovery Account”.
In addition to the above required documentation, Non-resident applicants ONLY, must also provide:
- A Letter of Good Standing from the home-state’s licensing authority
- A Criminal History from your home state law enforcement agency
- An irrevocable Power of Attorney Form for service of process (included in application package)
8. 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.
9. 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 Rhode Island realtor makes is to show how much you are likely to make per transaction.
The average price of a home in Rhode Island is $434,000. 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 $9200 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.
Rhode Island only requires 45 hours of coursework but you have to take these courses in either a real or virtual classroom setting and sit for the entire 45 hours.
If you can only take the courses on the weekends it will take you 7 weeks.
If you can take classes every week day from 9:00 am-12:00pm it will take 3 weeks.
If you take night classes on Tuesday and Thursdays 6:00pm to 9:00 pm it will take a little over 7 weeks.
The Rhode Island 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.
- Background check – $5.00
- Pre-licensing Educational courses – $325.00 – $745.00
- Exam Prep Courses – $0.00 – $99.00 – (Some Pre-Licensing Includes Exam Prep)
- Exam costs – $70.00
- Errors and Omission Insurance – $200.00
- Rhode Island Application Fee – $25.00
The cost of getting your Rhode Island 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 $200.00. The cost for most agents including E&O will be as low as $630.00 to as high as $980.00.
Most agents who follow my recommendations will pay about $680.00, not including E&O and about $880.00 with E&O.
