Real Estate Agent License Reciprocity by State
- States researched
- 51
- Offer endorsement
- 43
- Interstate compacts
- 0
Already hold a Real Estate Agent license and moving your license to another state? Most states offer an endorsement (sometimes called "reciprocity") route that lets you transfer an active out-of-state license without repeating training from scratch, though you may still need to pass a state-specific exam, submit fingerprints, or pay a transfer fee. A handful of occupations also participate in interstate compacts, which let a single license cover practice in every member state. The table below covers every state we've researched for Real Estate Agent.
| State | Endorsement available | Compacts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | — | Reciprocal licensing is available for active licensees from other states. Applicants must complete a 6-hour reciprocal prelicense course on Alabama license law and pass a reciprocal salesperson examination. |
| Alaska | Yes | — | Endorsement is available for individuals holding an active real estate license in another state. Requirements include passing the Alaska state portion of the salesperson exam, taking a 6-hour Alaska Law Course, and submitting a license verification. |
| Arizona | Yes | — | Arizona offers Out-of-State License Recognition under A.R.S. § 32-4302 for individuals licensed in another state for at least one year. Applicants must pass the Arizona state-specific exam portion, submit a certified license history, complete the 6-hour Contract Writing Course, and either provide proof of Arizona residency or complete a 27-hour pre-licensure education course. |
| Arkansas | Yes | — | Arkansas maintains reciprocal agreements with Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia. Out-of-state salesperson applicants licensed in these states can waive the general portion of the examination. |
| California | No | — | California has no reciprocity with any other state to allow a waiver of any of the requirements to obtain a license. Out-of-state applicants must qualify for the exam and meet all other requirements. |
| Colorado | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Colorado accepts reciprocity applications from all US states and territories. An applicant with a non-expired license held 2+ years elsewhere need only pass the state portion of the Colorado exam plus a fingerprint background check and certified license history. Applicants with an expired license, or one held less than 2 years, must also complete reduced Colorado-specific coursework (120 hours for salesperson-equivalent experience or 72 hours for broker-equivalent experience) and pass both exam portions. |
| Connecticut | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Connecticut has mutual-recognition (reciprocity) agreements with Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island (New York's prior agreement has been terminated). Applicants must hold an active license in good standing from a reciprocal state and provide certified license history; applicants from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio (or anyone who didn't take an exam in their reciprocal state) must still pass the Connecticut State Portion exam via PSI. Salesperson applicants by reciprocity must have a supervising broker who holds an active Connecticut broker license; total reciprocal salesperson fees are $670 (Ohio/Illinois/Indiana/Florida applicants who must exam separately may owe the additional PSI exam fee). |
| Delaware | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Delaware offers reciprocal/endorsement licensure to applicants holding an active salesperson license in another jurisdiction: the applicant must pass Delaware's state law exam and submit proof of either completing the 99-hour pre-licensing course or 3 years of continuous licensure with 20 documented transactions. Reciprocal licensees are exempt from the 12-hour new-salesperson course modules. |
| District of Columbia | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. DC offers licensure by endorsement to salespersons/brokers actively licensed elsewhere who meet or exceed DC's 60-hour pre-licensing requirement: they must pass the DC portion of the exam, complete DC-specific coursework (Fair Housing and Property Management), and submit an original letter of license certification from their home jurisdiction (dated within 90 days, bearing an official seal). |
| Florida | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Florida has mutual-recognition agreements with 9 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Rhode Island. Applicants from those states (holding an active license in good standing) may skip Florida's full pre-licensing course and general exam, but must still pass a 40-question Florida-specific law examination (30 points to pass). Applicants from all other states must meet Florida's standard 63-hour education and full exam requirements. |
| Georgia | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Per GREC's own reciprocity notice: any individual licensed in another state or jurisdiction (except Florida residents) qualifies for a comparable Georgia license without taking the general exam, provided the out-of-state license is current, in good standing, and was obtained by passing an exam — requires a certified license history, a Lawful Presence Verification form, a criminal background report, and a $170 fee. Florida residents are the sole exception: they must pass a Georgia Law and Practice supplement exam through PSI. |
| Hawaii | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing, and Hawaii does not offer full license-by-endorsement waiving all exam requirements. Candidates holding a current out-of-state license who have already passed their home state's uniform/national exam section may qualify for an equivalency exempting them from retaking the Uniform section of the Hawaii exam, but must still pass the Hawaii State-specific section and complete the standard application process. |
| Idaho | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing, and Idaho has no formal reciprocity/mutual-recognition agreements with other states for licensure itself (course-certification reciprocity is also explicitly not offered). However, an applicant actively licensed on active status in another state can have the national portion of the exam, the pre-license education, and (where applicable) broker experience requirements waived — they must still pass the Idaho state-specific portion of the exam. |
| Illinois | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Effective 2026-01-01, Illinois eliminated its prior state-by-state reciprocity agreements and replaced them with a universal Endorsement process open to an active broker or managing broker license (or equivalent) in good standing from ANY other state or jurisdiction (managing broker applicants must have practiced actively for the preceding 2 years). Endorsement requires a Pre-license Endorsement Course (Uniform Real Estate Transcript), passing the Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law, and a non-refundable $150 fee (broker) or $175 (managing broker) — confirmed directly on IDFPR's own Endorsement application form. |
| Indiana | Yes | — | No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Indiana offers 'recognition of equivalence via Endorsement' for brokers licensed in another state, subject to Real Estate Commission review and approval; approved applicants need only pass the state-specific portion of the exam (the dedicated 'Broker by Endorsement' exam: 60 questions, 90 minutes, $55) rather than the full national+state exam. |
| Iowa | Yes | — | Iowa has reciprocity agreements with only seven states: Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, and North Dakota. Reciprocal applicants must be a resident of and originally licensed in one of those states, maintain their Iowa license with the same company, complete a criminal history background check, submit a certificate of license history from their home state, and provide proof of Iowa errors-and-omissions insurance; the exam requirement is waived. Applicants from all other states/territories (including AK, AL, AZ, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MO, MT, NC, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY) do not qualify for reciprocity and must instead apply under Rule 5.3 (Licensees of Other Jurisdictions), which requires sitting for the Iowa exam. |
| Kansas | Yes | — | Kansas has no blanket state-by-state reciprocity table; instead, K.S.A. 48-3406 provides a waiver of education and exam requirements for (a) military servicemembers/spouses who have held an out-of-state license with an equivalent scope of practice in the last two years, or (b) individuals establishing Kansas residency who have held an equivalent out-of-state license in active status for at least two years preceding application, provided there are no disqualifying criminal or disciplinary records. Applicants currently licensed in another state (who don't meet the K.S.A. 48-3406 waiver) still get a reduced 30-hour education requirement and are exempt from the national exam, but must pass the Kansas state exam and submit a license history certification from their home state. |
| Kentucky | Yes | — | Kentucky has reciprocity/MOU agreements with five jurisdictions: Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi (formal reciprocity agreements) and Illinois and Ohio (Memoranda of Understanding). Requirements vary by state (e.g. Florida sales associates need 1 year active licensure, Tennessee associate brokers need 1 year). All reciprocal applicants must complete a 40-hour reciprocal license law course, submit fingerprints for a national criminal history check, pass the PSI reciprocity exam, and provide a license history certification/letter of good standing plus proof of errors and omissions insurance. Applicants from states without an agreement must complete the full 96-hour education and standard exam. |
| Louisiana | Yes | — | Louisiana has reciprocity agreements with nine states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. Reciprocity is granted on a 'license for a license' basis (applicants can only obtain the same license type they hold at home), requires the applicant to be a current legal resident of the reciprocal state and hold an active license there, and reciprocal status is lost if the licensee relocates out of that state (after which standard Louisiana continuing education requirements apply). Applicants from non-reciprocal states may still apply under LREC's general out-of-state licensure pathway with partial education credit considered case-by-case. |
| Maine | Yes | — | Maine issues an equivalent license to anyone holding a current, active real estate license in another jurisdiction, regardless of which state -- there is no fixed partner-state list. Reciprocal applicants of any license level must pass the Maine Law examination (administered by Pearson VUE) and furnish verification of licensure in good standing (including any disciplinary history) from every state where they hold or have held a license; the fee is the standard $100 application/license fee plus $21 criminal records check. Sales Agent-level licenses specifically are NOT eligible for reciprocal reinstatement once expired -- reciprocity applies at the Associate Broker/Broker level. |
| Maryland | Yes | — | Maryland has distinct formal reciprocal-licensing procedures with Oklahoma and Pennsylvania (e.g. Pennsylvania applicants submit a raised-seal certificate of licensure directly from the PA Commission plus a license history form and broker supervision letter). Applicants originally licensed in any other state may qualify through Maryland's separate 'Out-of-State License Recognition' pathway rather than the OK/PA reciprocal process. A real estate license that has been expired for more than 3 years requires retesting regardless of reciprocity. |
| Massachusetts | Yes | — | Under 254 CMR 2.00, only brokers/salespersons who passed their original licensing exam in one of these states/situations may apply for reciprocity: Connecticut, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee, Mississippi, Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Oklahoma (Oklahoma applicants must have held their license for at least 2 years). Reciprocal applicants skip the MA exam but must submit a certified Letter of Good Standing from the reciprocating state, a notarized CORI form, and a passport-style photo; the reciprocal salesperson application fee is $31 plus a $103-$150 license fee. Applicants who passed their exam in any other state may instead apply for an educational waiver (submitting a certified Letter of Good Standing) but must still sit for the Massachusetts exam. |
| Michigan | No | — | Michigan does not have a reciprocal licensing agreement with any other state, per LARA's own Skilled Immigrant real estate licensing guide. Out-of-state licensees must meet all standard Michigan requirements (40-hour prelicensure education and the PSI exam) to become licensed, with no exam or education waiver based on holding a license elsewhere. |
| Minnesota | No | — | Minnesota's official licensing guide does not describe a salesperson reciprocity or license-endorsement program with any other state -- out-of-state salespersons must complete the same 90 hours of pre-license education and pass the same licensing process as any new applicant. The one partial accommodation is on the exam itself: an applicant already licensed as a salesperson in another state only has to pass the Minnesota state-specific exam portion, not the national portion. (Separately, prior out-of-state salesperson experience can count toward the broker license's 3-year salesperson-experience requirement if the other state's licensing requirements are comparable to Minnesota's, but that is an upgrade path, not initial-license reciprocity.) |
| Mississippi | Yes | — | Mississippi offers 'license-for-a-license' reciprocal agreements with select states: applicants holding an active license in a state with a current reciprocal agreement in force may be exempt from the Mississippi exam, and may even use pre-license education approved by their home state (rather than MREC-approved providers) if that state has approved both the courses and provider. The PSI candidate bulletin notes reciprocal agreement terms 'vary' by state and directs applicants to contact the Commission for specifics on their situation, since MREC does not publish a single master list of reciprocal states on its site. A separate Non-Resident/Reciprocal Salesperson License Application form exists for out-of-state licensees. |
| Missouri | Yes | — | Missouri offers an endorsement pathway (not a formal reciprocity agreement): an applicant who currently holds an active real estate license in another jurisdiction may pass only the STATE portion of the Missouri salesperson exam and complete the 24-hour MREP course, submitting a current license history certification from the other jurisdiction issued within 3 months. |
| Montana | Yes | — | Montana offers a waiver process (not a formal reciprocity agreement) for applicants who currently hold or have held a license in another jurisdiction: they may submit official license verification from that jurisdiction and need only pass the Montana state portion of the salesperson exam rather than both portions. |
| Nebraska | Yes | — | Nebraska calls this 'licensure recognition' rather than reciprocity: a person holding a real estate license in good standing in another jurisdiction may be issued an equivalent Nebraska license, either as a nonresident or upon moving to Nebraska directly from that jurisdiction, per the Nebraska Real Estate License Act. |
| Nevada | Yes | — | Nevada offers reciprocity for a Salesperson license only (not broker) to applicants holding a current Salesperson license or higher in: California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming. Qualifying applicants still submit a certified license history, fingerprints, and must pass the Nevada state portion of the exam (the national/general portion is waived). |
| New Hampshire | Yes | — | The Real Estate Commission accepts licensing by reciprocity (endorsement). Under HB 594 (effective August 27, 2023), OPLC issues licenses to professionals presenting an active license in good standing from another jurisdiction whose requirements are substantially similar to New Hampshire's, without resubmitting transcripts, exam results, or experience evidence, once implementing rules for the real estate profession are finalized. Non-Nevada-style state-by-state lists do not apply; this is a general 'substantially similar' endorsement standard rather than a fixed roster of partner states. |
| New Jersey | No | — | The Commission's own Requirements for Licensure page states explicitly: 'New Jersey does not have reciprocity with any state.' All applicants, regardless of out-of-state licensure, must complete New Jersey's own education and examination requirements. |
| New Mexico | Yes | — | New Mexico has written license recognition (reciprocity) agreements with exactly three states: Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Georgia. Licensed applicants from those states are exempt from the New Mexico exam requirement described on the Commission's apply-for-license page. Separately, any currently-licensed out-of-state broker (regardless of state) may qualify for the 60-hour prelicensure education waiver described in Training. |
| New York | No | — | The Department of State's own FAQ states: 'The Department of State does not currently have reciprocity with any other state.' This replaced prior mutual recognition agreements (with states including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Quebec) after New York raised its education requirements, effective February 1, 2023. Applicants who completed qualifying education outside New York may instead submit a written request for a course waiver. |
| North Carolina | Yes | — | North Carolina does not maintain a fixed list of reciprocal partner states; instead, any applicant holding a current real estate license (broker-equivalent or higher) in another U.S. state, territory, or Canadian jurisdiction that has been on active status within the previous 3 years may waive the 75-hour Prelicensing course and the National section of the exam, generally still needing to pass the State section. |
| North Dakota | Yes | — | North Dakota has reciprocity agreements with exactly three states: Minnesota, Iowa, and Georgia. Reciprocal applicants must have met licensing requirements, including passing any required exams, in their primary state of residence, and must submit a Certificate of Licensure dated within 30 days. Nonresident applicants from non-reciprocal states can still apply but must pass the North Dakota State portion of the exam (National portion waived only for reciprocal applicants from the three listed states). |
| Ohio | Yes | — | Ohio does not have formal reciprocity agreements with specific partner states; instead, a 2023 Ohio law created four pathways for out-of-state applicants (substantially-similar license/government certification, private certification, work experience, or the standard initial-license path), each still requiring sponsorship by an Ohio broker, the $81 application fee, an Ohio/national background check, and passing at minimum the State portion of the Ohio real estate exam. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-08-27 of the Division's 'Out of State Licensed Salesperson Applicants' page (current live page 404s). |
| Oklahoma | Yes | — | Oklahoma maintains non-resident reciprocal (license-for-license) agreements, per OREC's own published list, with Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, subject to the requirements in Rule 605:10-7-9. Applicants from non-reciprocal states can still apply via the standard Sales Associate/Broker Associate out-of-state pathway (Oklahoma-specific CE in Broker Relationship Act, Code & Rules, and Contracts & Forms, plus license history and background check) but cannot receive a license of higher standing than what they currently hold elsewhere. |
| Oregon | No | — | Oregon has reciprocal agreements with Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Alberta, but there are no waivers of education or license examinations available; out-of-state applicants must meet all standard requirements. |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | — | Reciprocal licenses are available to individuals holding active salesperson or broker licenses in other states with comparable requirements. Reciprocal applicants are generally only required to pass the Pennsylvania portion of the examination. |
| Rhode Island | Yes | — | Rhode Island's Reciprocal Real Estate Salesperson application is available specifically to non-residents who live in Connecticut or Massachusetts and hold an active salesperson license in either state; they must still submit a RI BCI background check plus a home-state criminal history record, a Letter of Good Standing, and Errors & Omissions insurance proof, and pay the same $140 + $25 fees. Separately, Florida residents may apply via a Mutual Recognition Agreement (R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20.5-4(d)) but must first pass the RI State portion of the exam. Outside of CT, MA, and FL, there is no blanket reciprocity/endorsement path described on the Department's own reciprocal-application materials. |
| South Carolina | Yes | — | South Carolina's own reciprocity list, per the Commission's Associate licensing page, includes only Georgia and North Carolina. Georgia reciprocity applicants licensed by written exam are exempt from SC's pre-licensing education and from all SC exams. North Carolina reciprocity applicants (e.g., NC Provisional Brokers with 90 hours of NC post-licensing education, or 90 hours of SC pre-licensing education) are exempt from education but must still pass the SC state exam portion. Both pathways require a $25 initial licensure fee. |
| South Dakota | Yes | — | South Dakota does not publish a fixed list of reciprocal partner states. Instead, per the Commission's own licensing page, any applicant moving to South Dakota who currently holds an equivalent real estate license in good standing in their state of residence may acquire the equivalent South Dakota license by submitting a certificate of licensure showing good standing along with the application (via the Non-Resident/reciprocal application path), subject to the Commission's standard background check and fee requirements. |
| Tennessee | No | — | TREC's own Renewal, Reciprocity & Other Resources page states plainly: 'The Tennessee Real Estate Commission does not offer a reciprocal license at this time.' A real estate license from another state cannot be used to 'partner' with a Tennessee licensee to conduct business requiring a Tennessee license — an individual Tennessee license must be obtained. However, an out-of-state licensee may still qualify under Tennessee statute to have their real estate education and/or the National portion of the exam and/or experience substitute for Tennessee's own requirements, by submitting TREC's 'Worksheet A' and a Certified License History from every state where they hold or have held a license, for individualized review by a TREC licensing specialist; this is a substitution/credit mechanism, not a formal reciprocal or endorsement license. |
| Texas | No | — | TREC's own FAQ states: "No. Texas does not have reciprocity with any state. To become licensed, you must satisfy all current Texas licensing requirements." Out-of-state licensees must complete the full Texas qualifying education, exam, and application process like any other applicant. |
| Utah | Yes | — | Utah holds formal reciprocity agreements with Georgia, Mississippi, and Alberta, Canada; licensees from those jurisdictions in good standing can transfer without retaking pre-license education or the exam. Applicants from other states with an active, good-standing license may qualify for a waiver of some education and/or national exam requirements, but must still take and pass at least the state-law portion of the exam (and possibly the national portion); the Division evaluates waiver scope case by case and does not publish a fixed required-hours figure. |
| Vermont | Yes | — | Vermont offers licensure 'by Endorsement' for applicants licensed in a jurisdiction the Commission considers substantially equivalent to Vermont's requirements (pre-licensing course exemption applies to all states except Indiana and Rhode Island for salespersons; national-exam exemption applies to all states except California, New York, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia for salespersons). All out-of-state applicants must still pass Vermont's state-specific exam -- there are no exceptions. A separate 'Fast-Track Endorsement' path is available under 3 V.S.A. § 136a for applicants continuously licensed in good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction for 3 or more years; the state exam is still required under fast-track. |
| Virginia | Yes | — | Reciprocity is available for current licensees in other states. Applicants must pass the state-specific portion of the exam, submit verification of the 60-hour pre-licensing education (or equivalent), and provide certification of licensure from other jurisdictions. |
| Washington | Yes | — | Washington offers licensure by reciprocity for applicants at least 18 with a high school diploma/equivalent who have been actively licensed in good standing in another state within the preceding 6 months. Reciprocity applicants can apply for the same or a lesser license level than they currently hold, must submit an official License History document (not a copy of the license or a screenshot), and must still pass Washington's state exam (covering Washington-specific laws and rules) and complete a fingerprint background check -- the 90-hour pre-license education is not required for reciprocity applicants, but the state exam is. |
| West Virginia | Yes | — | Salespersons licensed in another jurisdiction may be exempt from pre-licensing education. They must pass the state-specific portion of the exam, submit a criminal history background check, and obtain a sponsoring broker. |
| Wisconsin | Yes | — | Wis. Stat. 452.05(3) allows the Real Estate Examining Board to enter reciprocal agreements with other states/territories for licensing brokers and salespersons. Separately, applicants who have held a Salesperson license in another state within the past 2 years ("Endorsement Applicants") may satisfy Wisconsin's education requirement with a shorter Board-approved 13-hour pre-license program (instead of the standard 72-hour program), or with the same 10-academic-credit alternative available to all applicants. There is no interstate real estate licensure compact. |
| Wyoming | Yes | — | Wyoming allows an Out-of-State Salesperson Applicant path for anyone with an active license in another state: the applicant completes the Wyoming Law course and the Salesperson II course (skipping the full Salesperson I course), submits fingerprints, and passes only the Wyoming State portion of the exam -- the national portion is waived if the applicant's prior license is deemed a "like-license" in good standing (Commission Rules Chapter 1, Section 4(k)), provided they served actively for 2 of the preceding 4 years. Colorado licensees have a documented direct mapping (Colorado FA = Wyoming Salesperson). There is no interstate real estate licensure compact. |
"Endorsement available" reflects whether the destination state has a published route to transfer an active out-of-state license. Always confirm current rules with the issuing board before relying on endorsement to practice in a new state.