Getting a Tennessee real estate license is simple. Read on and we’ll show you how to get a Tennessee Real Estate License with easy steps and a comprehensive list of requirements, as well as answer frequently asked questions.
Tennessee Real Estate Affiliate Broker License
1. You must be at least 18 years of age.
2. You must be a resident of Tennessee for at least 45 days before obtaining the license.
3. You must have earned a high school diploma or GED and be able to provide proof.
4. In the case where you have a felony or misdemeanor conviction involving theft of money, services, or property, you are not eligible to apply. Unless, 2 years have passed from your incarceration, probation, parole, or conviction.
Tennessee Real Estate Broker License
1. You must be at least 18 years of age.
2. If you have a felony or misdemeanor conviction involving theft of money, services, or property, you are not eligible to apply. You’ll need to wait for at least 2 years from your incarceration, probation, parole, or conviction.
3. You must have completed 90 hours of affiliate broker Pre-Licensing real estate education.
4. You must hold an active license that meets one of the following criteria:
5. 24 months actively licensed, if licensed as an affiliate broker on or before May 12, 1988.
6. 36 months actively licensed, if licensed as an affiliate broker after May 12, 1988.
7. 24 months actively licensed, if the candidate has a baccalaureate degree with a major in real estate.
How do I get my real estate license in Tennessee?
Step 1: Meet the Basic Requirements for Application
As mentioned above, prequalifications like being 18 years of age and a high school graduate are necessary for you to proceed with this career. Some requirements are subject to change, so make sure to visit the Tennessee Real Estate Commission website for up to date information.
Step 2: Complete the Required Pre-Licensing Education
The Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) requires applicants for new affiliates to successfully complete Pre-Licensing education. These consist of various courses that can be taken over 6 months per course. These courses will help you prepare for the real estate license exam.
A total of 90 hours Pre-Licensing courses compose of:
1. 60-Hour Basic Principles of Real Estate Course. You must comply with the required hours and pass the course exam with a 75% minimum passing score.
2. 30-Hour Course for New Affiliates. This course for new affiliates also requires you to pass its final exam with at least a passing score of 75%.
Step 3: Pass the Tennessee Real Estate License Exam
After completion of the Pre-Licensing course for new affiliates, register and schedule your Tennessee Affiliate Broker Licensing Examination with PSI Testing services.
To register, you need to submit an application listing your pre-qualifications, education, and experience to the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. This process could take up to 4 weeks.
Pass the Tennessee real estate license exam by scoring at least 70%. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take the exam again, but you’ll have to pay for an extra exam fee.
Step 4: Submit to a Background Check
Get your application photo taken at the testing center.
You will also need to go through an eligibility verification check, and have a private company contracted by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission to conduct electronic fingerprinting for a background check. This will incur extra fees.
Step 5: Sign with a Sponsoring Broker
Within 6 months of passing the exam, you’ll need to find a sponsoring broker to start working as a licensed salesperson.
Your sponsoring broker will supervise and provide the necessary information to accustom you to your new role.
Step 6: Get a Proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance
The state mandates all active licensees to have errors and omissions insurance. This is necessary for you to continue your practice. Oftentimes, your brokerage shoulders this requirement.
Step 7: Apply for your TN Real Estate License
Check out TREC’s website for complete and up to date information on the application process.
Fill out application forms and submit identification, proof of high school graduation, proof of completion of your 60-hour and 30-hour pre-licensing education courses, proof of E&O insurance coverage, and payment of all fees.
How can I get a broker license in Tennessee?
After some time of holding a license as an affiliate broker, it’s high time to become a full-fledged real estate agent. There are a few prequalifications necessary as mentioned above.
Continuing Education Requirements
The main requirement would be to complete the 30-hour TREC-approved Pre-Licensing education. You will also need 120 hours of continuing education credits.
These courses will have final exams which you will need to pass with a score of at least 75%. These classes may be done online or through a physical classroom setting. Contact TREC or check out their website for the full list of available accredited schools.
License Exam
Submit an exam application along with proof of identification and proof of completion of license education courses to TREC for approval. Once approved, you have 6 months to pass the Tennessee real estate license exam. The minimum passing score is 75%
How much does it cost to become a real estate agent in Tennessee?
The initial license application will cost you $91. To upgrade from Tennessee affiliate broker to a full-fledged real estate broker, you will need to pay $91.00.
License renewal which is done every 2 years, costs $75.00. For continuing education fees, courses not exceeding 8 hours are $10.00, 9-30 hours are $25.00, while courses exceeding 30 hours are for $50.00.
You may check out TREC’s official website for more information on the current list of fees.
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Tennessee?
Many factors that affect how long it would take to get your real estate license in Tennessee. Taking the pre-licensing courses would take much time. The total duration for you to comply with the required hours also depends if you choose to take it from an online real estate school or through a classroom setting. Taking them online would definitely speed up the process. The second time factor would be if you can pass the licensing exam on your first take. Yes, you can retake the exam in case of failure, but this would cost you more time and money. Other than those, you have the state application process which includes submission of proofs of qualification, and a background check.
What is the Tennessee real estate exam?
The affiliate broker exam consists of 80 national and 40 state-specific questions. To pass, you must correctly answer at least 70% within the given time. For the national part, you have 2 hours and 40 minutes, and 1 hour and 20 minutes for the state part.
The broker exam consists of 80 national and 50 state-specific questions. To pass, you must correctly answer at least 75%.
You have 2 hours and 30 minutes to finish the national part of the exam, and 1 hour and 30 minutes for the state part. This gives you a total of 4 hours to complete the exam.
The exam is through a computer and is multiple choice. You will receive your score immediately after completion.
We hope our step by step guide to getting a real estate license in Tennessee will fuel you and get started on a great career path.
