How to Get a Washington 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 discover how to get a Washington Real Estate License. No matter where you work, from Seattle to Spokane or Vancouver to my favorite town, Bellingham, and everywhere in between, becoming a real estate broker in Washington may be the best decision you ever make.
All the information, documents and links you’ll need to get your Washington real estate 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:
Quirk Alert!
Washington State uses different titles than most states for agents and brokers.
In most states real estate agents work under the supervision of a broker.
In Washington State a broker works under the supervision of a designated broker or managing broker.
So basically the job title of real estate agent in most states is called a broker in Washington State.
Meet the State Requirements
Learn everything Washington state requires before they will issue you a Real Estate broker License.
Start Licensing Education
Washington requires 90 hours of Real Estate Education to get licensed. Find the best Real Estate School for you.
Coordinate With PSI
Set up an account with PSI, Washington’s testing vendor before you complete your education so they can submit your scores.
Take and Pass The Exam
Learn a foolproof way to pass the Washington Real Estate Broker License Exam the first time….guaranteed!
Submit Fingerprints
Time this step right. Once you get fingerprinted, you only have 90 days to complete the entire process.
Receive Notification
Washington state will process your background check and send you notification to submit your final broker application.
Pick an Employing Firm
Choose an Employing Firm to place your license under. Learn how to pick the best real estate brokerage 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.
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 Your Washington Real Estate License?
1. Meet The State Requirements
To get your Washington Real Estate Salesperson License you must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Have a high school diploma or GED.
- Complete 90 hours of approved real estate education.
A 60-hour course in Real Estate Fundamentals.
A 30-hour course in Real Estate Practices. - Pass the broker’s exam(s).
- Submit Fingerprints and pass both State and National Background Check.
- Be ready to answer legal background questions and provide documents if needed.
- Submit your fingerprints for the background check (due every 6 years).
Print out the Washington Real Estate Broker Application here or go online to create an account with the Washington Department of Licensing.
NOTE: If you have any criminal convictions within the past 5 years, this may affect your ability to get licensed. If you want to ask the DOL for a determination of your status before you apply for a license, you will need:
- Professional License Criminal Conviction Screening Request Form
- Information about your convictions within the past 5 years, including
date, jurisdiction, and description of your conviction. - You don’t need to report traffic convictions, such as DUI.
Mail this completed request form to:
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9020
Olympia WA 98507-9020
This is an optional step but if you complete the entire process and find out that you were not eligible, you’ll have wasted time and money completing the process. Asking for a determination first will save you the trouble.
2. Start Pre-Licensing Education
Washington has two courses that have a minimum of 90 hours of coursework that must be completed before you can apply for your Washington Real Estate License:
- A 60-hour course in Real Estate Fundamentals.
- A 30-hour course in Real Estate Practices.
After reviewing all the Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course Providers, I found The CE Shop to offer the best combination of value and quality.
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 Washington Real Estate Exam on your first try. I think these practice tests are the easiest way to ensure you pass.
3. Create an Account with PSI
The Washington State Department of Licensing requires your Pre-Licensing School to submit your course completions to their Exam Testing Vendor PSI electronically to complete your registration. So after you start your coursework but BEFORE you complete it, sign up with PSI so they can coordinate with your Real Estate School.
You can register using at this PSI registration page. Once you complete your coursework go back to PSI and have them forward your Course Completion Certificate to the WSDL.
4. Pass Your Exam The First Time
Once PSI submits your course work, you can go back to their website and schedule your Washington Real Estate Broker Examination.
You can read the PSI Exam Candidate Guide here.
PSI has 12 testing locations in state.
The Washington Real Estate Broker Examination consists of two portions, State and National. The total time allowed for both portions of the examination is 3.5 hours. To be eligible to apply for a broker license in Washington, you must pass both the national and state portions of the examination.
To pass each portion of the Broker examination, you must attain a score of 70. Your exam results are valid for 1 year. If you don’t apply for a license before your results expire, you’ll have to reapply to take the exam.
If you fail the state or national exam, you’ll get instructions for retaking it. If you fail part of the exam, you’ll need to retake the part you failed. If you do not pass both parts within 6 months of each other, you must take both exams again. Remember, If you pick one of my recommended Pre-Licensing courses that comes with unlimited online practice tests then you should be able to pass the exam easily the first time.
5. Submit your Fingerprints
Washington requires you to submit fingerprints and go through a background check of both state and national databases both when you first apply for a new license and every 6 years when you renew your license.
E-fingerprint services are offered through MorphoTrust USA’s IdentoGo centers. If you’re applying from out of state or have a disability, you can apply using traditional fingerprint cards collected by a local law enforcement agency.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment go to www.identogo.com.
For general questions regarding the background requirement, see www.dol.wa.gov/business/realestate.
6. Receive Notification to Apply
It can take up to 2 weeks for your background check and test scores to appear in the DOL system. Once you’ve received your notification of passing both portions of the real estate broker exam and the background check, you may apply for a license.
Examination results are valid for one year only so make sure you apply right away. You’ll be required to take and pass another examination if you don’t apply within one year.
7. Choose the Best Employing Firm
A Designated Broker or Branch Manager of your new Employing Firm must sign your Real Estate License Application.
Remember, all real estate brokers in Washington must work under the supervision of a Designated Broker who’s responsible for supervising their activities. The good news is that you get to pick a broker to place your real estate license under.
If you’re an inexperienced agent, you’re probably better off working in a big box real estate brokerage. ReMax, Keller Williams and Century 21 are all a good place to start.
The reason I recommend these bigger companies for brand new agents is because the big box brokerages have extensive training programs to learn the ropes and help you make the transition from Rookie Agent to seasoned professional.
8. Submit Your Application
Almost done!
You’ve taken the pre-licensing education and passed the course exams, you’ve submitted your fingerprints for the background check and you’ve passed the broker exams and the DOL system has been updated and they’ve invited you to apply.
Congratulations!
Now you just need to submit your final application that has been signed by your designated broker along with a check or money order made out to “Department of Licensing” for the application fees and your new license will be on its way.
You can submit your final application online here, or you can mail the paper application to:
Real Estate Licensing
Department of Licensing
PO Box 3856
Seattle, WA 98124-3856
9. Launch Your New Real Estate Career!
Now the real fun (and work) begins. The best thing about being a Realtor is the freedom it gives you. You’re your own boss and you get to work for yourself and call all the shots.
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 way to answer the question of how much a Washington real estate broker makes is to show how much you are likely to make per transaction.
Washington has seen some of the quickest rise in home values since 2010. The average price of a home in Washington is at an all time high of $610,000 (Damn Californians!). 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 $16775.00 per transaction. You won’t have to sell that many homes to earn a living as as a realtor in Washington!
Of course this number will vary based on the average cost of real estate in your area, your commission rate and your broker split. 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.
Washington requires 2 different courses with a total of 90 hours.
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 2 weeks but most people will take a month or more if they do a little bit every day.
The Washington Real Estate Exam is easy IF you get the right education package. The best test prep courses include online practice tests that you can take over and over again until you know the material.
When you can score a 90 or higher, then you are practically guaranteed to pass the actual exam. If you’re someone who gets nervous during testing, then maybe you should wait until your score on the practice tests is consistently 95 or better.
Every broker in Washington needs to find an Employing Firm to place their license under. Remember, if you don’t like the brokerage, you can easily change brokers.
Call up a few local real estate firms 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.
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 – $45.00
- Pre-licensing Educational courses –$149.90 – $720.00
- Exam Prep Courses – $0.00 – $99.00 – (Some Pre-Licensing Includes Exam Prep)
- Exam costs – $210.00
- Washington Application Fee – $223.00
The cost of getting your Washington real estate license can vary depending on your situation and your needs. The cost for most agents including E&O will be as low as $628.00 to as high as $1198.00.
Most agents who follow my recommendations will pay about $690.00.
