How to Get a Vermont 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 Vermont Real Estate License. No matter where you live, from Burlington to Brattleboro or Killington to Stowe, or anywhere in between, becoming a real estate agent may be the best decision you ever make.
All the details, documents and links you’ll need to get your Vermont real estate salesperson license are below.
I also answer all of the most frequently asked 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 Vermont requires before you can get a Real Estate Salesperson License.
Complete Licensing Education
Vermont requires only 40 hours of Real Estate Education to get licensed. Find the best Real Estate School for you.
Pass the National Exam
Learn the fastest and easiest way to pass the Vermont Real Estate Salesperson License Exam the very first time.
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.
Post-Licensing Education
Now you launch your new real estate career but don’t forget, you have 90 days to complete the Post-Licensing course.
So, How Do You Get Your Vermont Real Estate License?
1. Meet The State Requirements
To get your Vermont Real Estate Salesperson License you must meet the following requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age.
- Take and Pass a Vermont approved Pre-Licensure 40 hour Real Estate Course.
- Pass the National Portion of the Real Estate Salesperson Exam given by PSI.
- Must report all criminal convictions on the application and have no convictions for a felony, forgery, embezzlement or any crime with an element of fraud.
- Pass the Vermont State Portion of the Real Estate Salesperson Exam during the online application process.
- Take and Pass a Vermont approved Post-Licensure 8 hour Real Estate Course
Print out the Vermont Real Estate Application Instructions here.
2. Complete Pre-Licensing Education
Vermont has one course with 40 hours of coursework that must be completed before you can apply for your Vermont Real Estate Salesperson License:
- Salesperson I Course – 40 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 Wyoming Real Estate Exam on your first try. I think these practice tests are the easiest way to ensure you pass.
3. Pass the Real Estate Salesperson Exams
Vermont has two exams, one you must be pass before you can apply for your Vermont Real Estate License:
- Real Estate Salesperson National Exam
The National portion of Real Estate tests are proctored by PSI.
You can see all the testing information in this Vermont Candidate Licensing Information Bulletin.
The other exam is competed online when you submit your final application:
- Vermont State Salesperson Exam.
4. Pick a Responsible Broker
A Responsible Broker must sign this Verification of Employment/Supervision Form.
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.
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. Submit Your Application
Vermont no longer accepts paper applications. To get your Vermont real estate license, the following items need to be submitted to the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation online using the OPR’s Online Services Platform:
- Complete the online form
- Pay the appropriate fees with a credit or debit card
- Proof of completion of the 40 hours Salesperson Pre-Licensing Course
- Passing grade report for National Portion of the Exam from PSI or proof of license in another state.
- Passing grade on the State Portion of the Exam taken during the online application process.
6. Launch Your New Real Estate Career!
One last detail to wrap up that can be easy to forget, Vermont requires an 8 hour course to be completed in the first 90 days of being licensed and then you have to hold on to the course completion certificate and submit it in 2 years or less when its time to renew your license.
If you didn’t purchase a pre-licensing course that included this 8 hour post-licensing course, you can get it here.
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 Vermont realtor makes is to show how much you are likely to make per transaction.
The average price of a home in Vermont is $375,000. 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 $8000 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.
Vermont requires 40 hours of coursework before you can apply for your license and another 8 hours of post-licensing education within 90 days of receiving your license. If you elect to take the pre-licensing course 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 48 hours. A motivated person can complete it in as little as two weeks but most people will take a month or more if they do a little bit every day.
The Vermont 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.
- Pre-licensing Educational courses – $206.00 – $475.00
- Post-Licensing Educational Course – $69.00 – $99.00
- Exam Prep Courses – $0.00 – $99.00 – (Some Pre-Licensing Includes Exam Prep)
- PSI Exam costs – $55.00
- Vermont Application Fee – $100.00
The cost of getting your Wyoming real estate license can vary depending on your situation and your needs. The cost for most agents will be as low as $430.00 to as high as $730.00.
Most agents who follow my recommendations will pay about $511.00
