How To Become A Real Estate Agent In Maryland
Being a real estate agent in Maryland requires ongoing professional education. You have to meet educational requirements set by the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC), including a pre-license course that equips you to pass the official state license exam, and continuing education every other year to renew your license.
Unfortunately, we don't offer real estate courses for Maryland at this time. You'll need to visit the MREC's website to find approved training providers.
Even though we don't offer Maryland real estate courses, we understand how puzzling the licensing process can be. To make matters easier, we're going to review the steps for obtaining and renewing a real estate license below.
What Are Maryland's Real Estate Pre-Licensing Education Requirements?
MREC requires 60 hours of pre-licensing Principles and Practices of Real Estate for Salespersons course from an approved educational provider. The curriculum needs to include at least 3 hours on ethics.
Your course's final exam has to be proctored, or overseen, to ensure there's no cheating.
Who is Eligible to Become a Real Estate Agent in Maryland?
To qualify for a salesperson license in Maryland, by statute you need to be at least 18 and "of good character and reputation."
What Else Do I Need to Do to Earn My Maryland Real Estate License?
Aside from the required pre-license education, you need to:
- Pass the official salesperson exam
- Find an active Maryland broker to sponsor your application
- Complete the license application
What is the Maryland Real Estate Licensing Exam Like?
You have to pass your license exam within a year of finishing your pre-license course.
The official licensing exam is administered by a third-party testing service named PSI in several locations throughout the state. You'll answer 80 national topic questions within a 1.5-hour time limit and 30 Maryland-specific questions in 30 minutes.
You'll know your score before you leave the testing center. If you only pass one portion of the exam, you only need to retake the portion you failed. The passing score is valid until the year from your course completion date has passed. If you haven't passed both portions by then, you need to repeat your pre-license coursework.
What is the Deadline for my Maryland Real Estate License Application?
You have one year to turn in your application after you pass your state's licensing exam.
How Often Does a Maryland Real Estate License Have to Be Renewed?
Your Maryland real estate license needs to be renewed every two years. Your expiration is the date when the license was initially issued.
What Are Maryland's Continuing Education Requirements for Real Estate?
Maryland requires you to complete 15 Continuing Education hours from an approved provider by your renewal deadline.
Those 15 hours must include:
- For all licensees:
- 3 required hours of Legislative education
- 3 required hours of Ethics (including MD Code of Ethics, Flipping, and Predatory Lending)
- For licensees who handle residential real estate (completely or partially):
- 1.5 required hours of Fair Housing
- 3 hours of Brokerage Relationships and Disclosures
- For licensees who handle commercial real estate ONLY:
- 3 required hours of MREC Agency – Commercial
- For all brokers, branch office managers, or team leaders:
- 3 required hours of Supervision training
- Your remaining hours can be electives
Altogether, that means:
- Residential salespersons and associate brokers take legislative, ethics, fair housing, brokerage relationships, and 4.5 hours of electives
- Commercial-only salespersons and associate brokers take legislative, ethics, commercial agency, and 6 hours of electives
- Residential brokers, designated branch office managers, and team leaders take legislative, ethics, fair housing, brokerage relationships, supervision, and 1.5 hours of electives
- Commercial-only brokers, designated branch office managers, and team leaders take legislative, ethics, commercial agency, supervision, and 3 hours of electives
What Kind of Jobs Can I Get with a Maryland Real Estate License?
Earning a real estate license in Maryland can open doors to a number of different careers, including:
- Residential real estate agent
- Commercial real estate agent
- Real estate broker
- Property manager
You can get a general idea of how much money you can make in Maryland based on 2019 wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
| Job Title | Average Hourly Wage | Average Yearly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Agents | $20.26 | $42,140 |
| Brokers | $33.43 | $69,540 |
| Property Managers | $31.80 | $66,140 |
Your income as a real estate agent is largely commission-based, so actual earnings vary a lot from individual to individual. Some agents don't earn nearly as much, while top earners make big bucks. In Maryland, the top 90th percentile of sales agents make $98,120.
Check out our Resources page to learn more about different career options, real estate specialties, and how commissions work.
