Becoming a real estate agent in North Carolina may seem overwhelming, but the great news for aspiring real estate professionals, it is doable! With these steps, you will be well prepared to take the North Carolina real estate agents’ licensing exam and begin your new real estate career as a licensed real estate broker.
We will outline the necessary requirements, our top private real estate schools, and the costs of taking the NC real estate exam and getting your license.
North Caroline Real Estate License Requirments
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have a U.S. permanent resident card
- Have a Social Security Number
- Complete 75-hours of pre-licensing education
- Submit a criminal background check, the license application, and the fee
- Get NC State exam eligibility and schedule exam
- Pass the North Carolina real estate exam
- Find a Broker in charge
5 Steps to Getting Your North Carolina Real Estate License
Step 1: Complete the 75-Hour Broker Pre-licensing Course
In the state of North Carolina, a real estate agent is actually called a broker. Completing the 75-hour broker pre-licensing course and the end-of-course examination is the first step in the process. Many people choose to take their pre-license coursework online; there are many online real estate schools to choose from. Here are our top picks.
With real estate industry-leading exam pass rates, you can be sure that Aceable Agent is a great choice!
We’ve helped launch the careers of thousands of new real estate agents.
Kaplan Real Estate provides top-notch real estate licensing and continuing education courses.
All of our top picks are approved real estate education providers and provide their students with online courses to prepare them for their new careers in the real estate business. When you choose one of these real estate education course providers, you can access self-paced courses, practice tests, instructor support, flashcards, video & audio lessons, private tutoring, live webinars, and more!
You can skip this step if…
- you have completed an equivalent real estate salesperson pre-licensing course in another state.
- you have a baccalaureate or higher degree in real estate, real estate brokerage, real estate finance, real estate development, or a law degree conferred on the applicant from any college or university accredited by a college accrediting body recognized by the U. S. Department of Education.
- you currently hold a real estate salesperson license or a broker license in another state
Step 2: Submit Background Check, Licensing Application, and Fee
After you complete the required pre-licensing education, you will need to submit your licensing application and pay the application fee of $100. You will need to go to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission website and create an account to fill out the application. You will be prompted to fill out the new applicate registration information; make sure you use your full legal name and no punctuation or dashes when filling out your address and SSN. There will be a link to the USPS website that will help you locate your 9-digit zip code. (without this information, the system will not let you submit your application.)
You will then need to select apply for background check and complete the required information, and pay a fee. Once your criminal record check is completed, the reporting agency will post the report electronically to your online broker application, and you will be emailed a copy.
You will then need to select application to complete the comprehensive application process. This information must be correct, or your application will be denied. Remember to save any new information you enter as you fill out the application.
Here is the information needed to complete the application process:
- Legal Name – Your legal name is the name you were given at birth or subsequently acquired through marriage, court order, or adoption, and it should be the name that appears on your Social Security Card.
- Address – Enter your full address, including the 9-digit zip code.
- Social Security Number – Providing your Social Security Number is MANDATORY, not optional. The Commission is legally required to collect your Social Security Number and protect the number from public access and improper disclosure.
- Education Provider, Instructor, and Course Information – If you are applying to take the examination, enter the education provider code number, instructor code number, and course completion date of your North Carolina broker pre-licensing course. The information is on your course completion certificate. If you did not take the course, leave this blank.
- First-time Exam Takers – If this is your first time taking the exam, mark yes.
- License History – Indicate whether you have ever held a real estate license in NC or anywhere else.
- Places of Residence – List all the places you have resided during the past seven years, beginning with your current address and working backward in time. (Do not leave any gaps in the history. The system will not allow you to submit your application if there are any gaps in your residence history.)
- Employment History – Describe all employment during the past three years, including self-employment or work as an independent contractor. List present employment first and work backward in time. Indicate “None” for any period you were not employed. (Do not leave any gaps in the history. The system will not allow you to submit your application if there are any gaps in your employment history.)
- Criminal Offenses, Professional License Disciplinary Actions, and Liens or Unpaid Judgments – These three questions may affect the Commission’s determination as to whether you possess the requisite “character” for licensure. It is extremely important that you honestly answer these questions and provide the required explanations and documentation. (Failure to answer or provide all required information will result in your application being returned or an application processing delay.)
- Signature – By signing the application, you are certifying that all information provided in connection with your application is accurate and complete. (Any omission, inaccuracy, or failure to make full disclosure in the application may be deemed sufficient reason to deny permission to take an examination, to deny license issuance, or to revoke a license after issuance.)
- Application Fee – Once you have completed the entire application, you must pay the $100 application fee and submit the application to the Commission. The system only accepts credit card payments.
Once you enter your payment information for the application fee, the online application will enter the customary North Carolina Real Estate Commission Staff review process, and you will no longer be able to access it.
Step 3: Get Your Notice of Examination Eligibility and Schedule Exam
The North Carolina Real Estate Commission will review your application and determine if you’re eligible to take the state licensing exam. If you are eligible, you will receive a Notice of Exam Eligibility via email that is valid for 180 days from the issue date.
You will need to wait one business day before you can reach out to PSI to schedule your exam date. Upon scheduling your exam, you will need to pay an exam fee of $56 for every attempt you need to pass the North Carolina real estate license exam. There are two ways to schedule your exam: online with PSI or via phone.
You can also schedule and take the NC license examination in any state where PSI has a physical testing center.
Step 4: Pass the North Carolina Real Estate Broker License Exam
The North Carolina real estate licensing examination consists of two sections; the national portions and the state portions. You will have two and a half hours to complete the national portion and one and a half hours to complete the state exam.
The National portion of the exam may be waived if you meet the following…
- hold a current real estate license in another state (or U.S. territory or Canadian jurisdiction) that has been on active status within the previous three years, but the applicant must pass the state section of the examination.
The North Carolina real estate brokers exam consists of 120 questions total, with 80 being national and 40 being state specific. The national section also has 5-10 pretest questions, and the state section has five pretest questions. Therefore, in order to pass the NC real estate broker license exam, you need to get 57 of the 80 national questions correct and 29 of the 40 state questions correct.
Bring This
1 form of ID* – 1 government-issued photo ID with signature, and must be valid and unexpired (Driver’s License, State-issued Identification Card, Passport, Military ID, Green Card, Canadian Government-issued ID, or U.S. Employment Authorization Card)
Calculator – You may bring a silent battery-operated calculator (with no letters).
*Your name on your ID should be an identical match to the legal name on your real estate license application.
Don’t Bring This
Do not bring any personal items!
- Your phone, watch, wallet, hat, and jacket must be left outside of the testing area.
- You will need to leave everything in your car or put them in a locker (electronics turned off) until the completion of the exam.
The test center will provide pencils and scratch paper (to be turned in after the exam).
When you pass the North Carolina real estate licensing exam, your real estate provisional broker license will be issued within ten days if nothing comes back on the criminal record check and there are no character issues on your application.
If you fail the North Carolina real estate broker examination, you will have to wait ten days to schedule another exam date. You can retake that portion if you failed just one section of the exam. You will also have to pay another exam fee for each attempt.
Is the North Carolina Real Estate Exam Hard?
Getting your real estate broker license in North Carolina isn’t easy, with only 58% passing their first attempt. With a combination of interactive online courses and leading exam prep with Prep Agent, Aceable Agent is our top recommendation for real estate courses in NC.
Step 5: Find an Active Broker in Charge
Now that you have passed the real estate license exam, you have been issued a provisional broker’s license. This means your license is in inactive status, and you need to find a broker in charge to work with. Once you find a BIC, you can file a License Activation/Affiliation form to become active. A provisional broker must be under the supervision of a broker in charge to be on active status and legally provide real estate brokerage services.
Congratulations, you are now a Licensed Real Estate Broker in NC! Take time to celebrate your new career and accomplishments and dream about your new future in the real estate industry!
To remove provisional status, North Carolina requires provisional brokers to complete the 90-hour post-licensing education program within 18 months of the date of original licensure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting a North Carolina Real Estate License
What will it cost me to get my North Carolina real estate license?
The total cost to get your license can vary a bit. You will pay a $56 license exam fee and a background check fee of $20 or $30. It’s also necessary to pay the $100 fee for the real estate license application.
Along with these fees, you will need to pay for the 75-hour pre-licensing course. This can vary from about $250 to $1,000, depending on the provider and the option you choose. If you decide to take a full prelicensing course with exam prep, it may cost you a bit more. But, again, an online pre-licensing course is often the cheapest option.
How long is the North Carolina real estate exam?
You will need to complete 120 multiple-choice questions (80 national and 40 state). When you take the exam, you will be given four hours to complete it.
Will there be any post-licensing requirements in North Carolina?
Yes, you will need to complete the 90-hour post-licensing course to go from a provisional broker to a full broker in North Carolina. You will also need to complete continuing education courses to renew your license every few years.
What if I don’t pass the exam on the first try?
You have up to 180 days to retake the North Carolina real estate license exam from the original eligibility date. If you don’t pass on the first try, you have to have at least ten days left in your eligibility period to retake the exam.
Do I need to activate my North Carolina real estate license?
Yes, when you receive your provisional broker license, you will need to activate it. The license will show up with an inactive status. You will need to find a broker-in-charge to work under to become an active broker. You will be a provisional license until you complete the 90-hour post-license course.
How much can I make as a real estate agent in North Carolina?
A licensed broker can make anywhere from $33,970 to $163,262, with the average being $74,472. But many factors determine a North Carolina real estate broker’s salary.
How long will it take me to get my North Carolina real estate license?
While the prelicensing course can be completed in as quickly as ten days, getting your North Carolina real estate license will likely take at least three weeks. For most people, it will take three to six months to complete the process to enter a real estate career.
Can the process to get my license be completed online?
Yes, the process to get your real estate license in North Carolina can be done online. First, you can complete the pre-license course, the application, and the criminal background check. Then, you have to take the state licensing exam at a testing center.
