The Most Frequently Asked Ohio
Real Estate Career Questions

Ohio requires that applicants for Real Estate Salesperson and Broker licenses take their pre-licensing education at a higher education institution.

Davis University, for example, is recognized by the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools and has selected The CE Shop to provide the content for their approved courses and assist with marketing.

If you are receiving a license for the first time, Ohio requires that you complete four pre-licensing courses:

• Real Estate Principles and Practices (40 hours)
• Ohio Real Estate Law, including instruction in civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation problems (40 hours)
• Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours)
• Real Estate Finance (20 hours)

Yes, you can get college credit with Davis University for the Ohio courses. Students wishing to receive college credit post-completion should follow Davis University’s established guidelines. Davis will award 2 hours for each of the 40-hour courses (Principles and Practices and Real Estate Law) and 1 hour for each of the 20-hour courses (Real Estate Appraisal and Real Estate Finance) for a total of 6 hours. The cost per credit is $100.

Before you can get a real estate license in Ohio, you’ll need to complete these requirements:

• Complete Your Pre-Licensing Education. Ohio requires that you take your pre-licensing education through an accredited university, like Davis University. There are 120 hours of pre-licensing education that you’ll need to complete:
  • Real Estate Principles and Practices (40 hours)
  • Ohio Real Estate Law, including instruction in civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation problems (40 hours)
  • Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours)
  • Real Estate Finance (20 hours)

  Course completion is valid for 10 years after the date of issuance.

• Be Sponsored by an Ohio Real Estate Broker. Your real estate license application must be accompanied by a broker’s recommendation that certifies you are honest, truthful, and meet all requirements to become a Real Estate Salesperson. Typically, your sponsoring broker will be your employer, so finding the right broker for you is an important decision.
• Submit the License Examination Application. You’ll need to submit this application to the Ohio Department of Commerce with an official copy of your transcript or completion certificate. The Department will forward your information to the testing vendor, and you’ll then receive a Candidate Information Bulletin with instructions to schedule your exam.
• Get a Background Check. You only have 10 days to get a background check after you submit your examination application — through both the state and FBI databases. You’ll need to provide your fingerprints with a Webcheck® user. You can find a list of approved users at the Ohio Attorney General’s website. You’ll be required to pay any associated fees, ranging from $60–$100. There is an additional $18 processing fee if you’d like a copy of the report.
• Schedule and Pass Your Licensing Exam. To schedule your exam, submit proof of completing the pre-licensing requirements along with a completed Salesperson License Examination Application and the $81 fee to the Department. You can find more exam information on the OREPL Exam Candidate Information page. Once your application is processed, the Department will forward your information to the testing vendor, who will give you instructions on scheduling your exam. You must pass the exam with a 70% or higher on both the state and the national sections. If you do not pass the exam, you’ll need to submit a Real Estate Retake Application.
• Complete the 20-Hour Post-Licensing Requirement. This can be done at any point within your first year of licensure.

You must take and pass the 120-hour pre-licensing education hours from a university to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Ohio. Most people take at least a couple months to finish the coursework and study for the exam. If you treat your education like a 40-hour workweek, you can finish your education in as little as three weeks. If you treat it like a part-time job, you can complete the courses in six weeks.

When you’re able to schedule the exam depends on the availability of the exam provider, PSI. This could take as little as a few days or several weeks.

Once you’ve passed your exam, and your application has been processed, you will also need to complete 20 hours of Ohio Post-Licensing education. This can be completed during your first year of preliminary licensure.

• Your Pre-Licensing education in Ohio costs around $1,500–$2,000.
• The initial license fee for an Ohio salesperson is $81.
• The examination fee for both state and national sections is $63.
• The Webcheck® (background check) fee ranges from $60–$100.
• Your Post-Licensing education is $209.
• Your total cost estimate is around $2,104–$2,444.
• *August 2024 data. Licensing fees are subject to change.

The State of Ohio says you must be at least 18 years of age to get your Ohio Real Estate Salesperson license.

The Real Estate Salesperson application is called the License Examination Application and can be found on Ohio’s Department of Commerce website.

If you have a criminal history, you may still be able to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Ohio. It will depend on the nature and severity of the crime — and whether you properly disclosed the information on your license application. The Ohio Department of Commerce posted a list of disqualifying offences for real estate licenses that you can check out before choosing real estate as a career path.

If you don’t see your offense listed as a disqualifying offence, you can check whether it will prevent you from licensure by submitting a Predetermination Form to the OREPL for a $5 fee.

No matter what, disclose any misdemeanors or felonies on your license application. Failure to do so will result in your application and preliminary license being suspended.

The examination fee for the Ohio Real Estate Salesperson Exam is $63. If you need to cancel your exam, it is a $9 fee. PSI is the exam vendor for Ohio.

The Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing (OREPL) allows an out-of-state person to pursue an Ohio Real Estate license if they meet one of four paths. If you meet one of these qualifications, there are additional steps you’ll need to complete.

Option 1 — Substantially Similar License or Government Certification

• Become sponsored by an Ohio real estate broker.
• Complete an application, pay the fee, and complete a background check.
• Provide a letter of good standing.
• Brokers need to provide proof they’ve completed 20 real estate transactions.
• Complete a Consent to Service of Process Statement.
• Pass the state portion of the Ohio Real Estate Examination.

Option 2 — Private Certification

If you are from a state that doesn’t issue real estate sales licenses and you’ve held an active private certification for two of the five previous years, you can get an Ohio Real Estate license by completing the following steps:

• Become sponsored by an Ohio real estate broker.
• Complete an application, pay the fee, and complete a background check.
• Provide a letter of good standing.
• Brokers need to provide proof they’ve completed 20 real estate transactions.
• Complete a Consent to Service of Process Statement.
• Pass the state portion of the Ohio Real Estate Examination.

Option 3 — Work Experience

• You are from a state that does not issue a real estate sales license or government certification in the profession, OR you are in service of the uniformed services.
• You've been actively engaged in the practice of real estate for at least three out of five years prior to submitting an application to the Division.

Log into the Ohio Division of Real Estate eLicense Center to renew your license.

In Ohio, continuing education is due every three years by the licensee's birth date.

The State of Ohio requires that you complete 20 hours of Ohio Real Estate Post-Licensing Courses during your initial year of licensure. Once you’ve completed your post-licensing education, you can submit your certificate of completion to Ohio REPL: PostCert@com.ohio.gov. TCES also reports completion to the REPL.

Ohio real estate salesperson licensees must complete 30 hours of CE by their birth date every three years. Here’s how the 30 hours of Ohio real estate salesperson CE courses break down:

• 9 hours – Mandatory hours
  • 3 hours in Civil Rights/Liberties
  • 3 hours in Core Law
  • 3 hours in Canon of Ethics
• 21 hours – Elective hours

Ohio Broker licensees must complete 30 hours of CE by their birth date every three years. Here’s how the 30 hours of Ohio Real Estate Broker CE courses break down:

• 12 hours – Mandatory hours
  • 3 hours in Core Broker Responsibility
  • 3 hours in Civil Rights/Liberties
  • 3 hours in Core Law
  • 3 hours in Canon of Ethics
• 18 hours – Elective hours

You don’t! The CE Shop will report the completion of your CE courses for you.

To be a Broker in Ohio, you must meet certain requirements, including a pre-licensing education requirement. Before applying for your license, you’ll need to complete 120 hours of pre-licensing education. Here are the specific courses:

• 40-Hour Ohio Real Estate Law
• 40-Hour Real Estate Principles & Practices
• 20-Hour Real Estate Appraisal
• 20-Hour Real Estate Finance

You’ll also need to complete several business-related courses, including:

• Financial Management
• Human Resources or Personnel Management
• Applied Business Economics
• Business Law

A Real Estate Broker license opens up a LOT of opportunities. You can do everything you did as a Salesperson and more, including:

• Help clients sell, lease, and buy properties
• Establish and manage your own real estate brokerage firm
• Supervise and hire other salespersons to work for you
• Become a property manager

One of the biggest advantages you have as a broker is the ability to launch your own real estate business and hire other salespersons to work for you — which can be financially rewarding!

To get a broker's license, you must first be at least 20 years old. Then, you will need to:

• Meet the Experience Requirements. You must have been actively licensed as a real estate salesperson for two of the five previous years.
• You must have participated in 20 real estate transactions, calculated as follows:
  • Serving as the listing agent for the sale of a property owned by another: ½ transaction
  • Serving as the selling agent for the sale of a property owned by another: ½ transaction
  • Acting as the listing agent for the lease of commercial or industrial real estate owned by another for a term of at least one year: ½ transaction
  • Acting as the procuring agent for the lease of commercial or industrial real estate owned by another for a term of at least one year: ½ transaction
  • Serving as the listing and/or procuring agent for the lease of four residential properties owned by another for a term of at least one year: 1 transaction
• Complete Pre-Licensing Education. You must complete 120 hours of pre-licensing education and additional business-related courses.
• Sumit Your Application. You’ll need to complete and submit a Broker License Examination application and pay the $135 fee. You’ll also need to submit proof that you completed the pre-licensing education and a statement that describes any real estate experience other than sales or leasing. The Department will forward your information to the testing vendor, and you’ll then receive a Candidate Information Bulletin with instructions to schedule your exam. If you do not pass the exam, you’ll need to submit an application to retake the real estate exam.
• Get a Background Check. You only have 10 days to get a background check after you submit your examination application — through both the state and FBI databases. You’ll need to provide your fingerprints with a Webcheck® user. You can find a list of approved users at the Ohio Attorney General’s website. You’ll be required to pay any associated fees, ranging from $60–$100. There is an additional $18 processing fee if you’d like a copy of the report.
• Book Your Exam. Scheule your Broker License exam with PSI and score 75% or higher.
• Complete 10 Hours of Post-Licensing Education. This can be completed at any point during the first year of your licensure.

According to Salary.com, Ohio brokers make an average salary of $102,801. However, some salaries are as high as $126,546, depending on your education and how long you’ve been a broker.

On average, real estate agents in Ohio can expect to make $81K, according to Indeed.com. Earnings vary based on location, niche, and experience.

Yes! Many salespersons choose to only work part time, and for good reason. You can sell properties full time to receive a high salary or sell just a few homes a year for some extra pocket money.

To find a real estate brokerage to work for in Ohio, you can:

• Search Online. Conduct an online search looking for real estate brokers in your area. In general, brokers are looking for new agents and will be happy to talk to you.
• Talk to Other Agents. Get advice from other agents in your area!
• Consider an Online Brokerage. There are many real estate brokerages today that have a virtual office. You’ll meet with clients over the phone or in public places.
• Learn More Here. If you’d like more information, check out these tips on how to choose a real estate brokerage.

No. A salesperson in Ohio must work under the direction, control, or management of a broker.

Some of the best skills salespersons can have include:

• Communication & Negotiation Skills. Good communication is imperative as a salesperson. You can learn good oral communication skills and negotiation strategies here.
• Market Insight. It’s important to stay up-to-date with industry changes in real estate. You can stay ahead of the competition by investing in professional development courses.
• Tech Savviness. Learning how to be tech-savvy is important to communicating with your clients and marketing your business well.
• Networking. Real estate is a career for social butterflies! Make sure to get out there and attend social events to network.

Note: The courses linked in this section are optional, non-credit courses.