Common Questions About Licensing and Real Estate Careers in Utah

• Complete 120 Hours of Approved Pre-Licensing Education. To start, you must successfully complete an approved 120-Hr. Pre-Licensing course. You can complete this education online or in person, depending on the school you select. You may qualify for an education exemption if you have successfully completed coursework related to real estate, or if you hold a current license in another jurisdiction. Please see the Utah Division of Real Estate's website for further information.
• Pass Your Course Final Exam. After completing your Pre-Licensing course, you’ll need to pass a course final exam.
• Pass the Utah Real Estate Sales Agent Exam. Once you complete your Pre-Licensing curriculum, you have one year to complete your exam. The Utah Real Estate Sales Agent Exam is administered by Pearson VUE. Read all about exam registration and preparation procedures at Pearson Vue’s Utah Real Estate website.
  
  The test can be challenging, but many students find success after taking an exam prep course. It’s a great way to refresh yourself on the most important lessons and run through practice exams for utmost preparedness.
• Obtain Your Utah Real Estate Sales Agent License. Upon passing the Utah Real Estate Sales Agent exam, you can apply for and obtain your license. Create a UtahID account to proceed — all applications must be submitted online.

The time it takes you to get your license depends on a few factors, but generally it takes candidates between 3-6 months.

First, you must take and pass 120 course hours from an approved education provider. If you treat your education like a 40-hour workweek, you can finish your education in just about three weeks. If you treat it like a part-time job, it will take you a little more than a month.

Then, you need to schedule and pass your licensing exam. The exam appointment availability will depend on whether you schedule an in-person or remote examination.

Submitting the other forms and completing the application can add on some additional time. Usually, the Utah Division of Real Estate takes 1-2 weeks to process license applications.

• Pre-Licensing education in Utah ranges in cost from $200 to $600, depending on the package you purchase.
• The initial license and new application fee for a Utah real estate sales agent is $157.
• The Utah Real Estate Sales Agent Exam fee (through Pearson VUE) is $59.

You must be at least 18 years old to become a Utah real estate sales agent. You must also have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Yes, but there are stipulations around licensure approval. According to the Utah Admin Code R162-2f-201, qualification for licensure requires no felonies occurring within the previous five years. Approval is subject to the Utah Division of Real Estate’s review of criminal history and circumstances. Applicants must provide a detailed explanation and may need to appear before the Commission.

The cost to take the Utah Real Estate Sales Agent Exam is $59 per attempt. This fee is paid directly to Pearson VUE, the testing provider that administers the exam in Utah. Please note that this fee is separate from other licensing costs such as pre-licensing education and application fees.

Utah does not offer blanket reciprocity with all states. For active agents in good standing in select states*, they can apply for reciprocity in Utah if they meet the following requirements:

• Submit the original and certified license history (no more than six months old) from the jurisdiction where you are currently actively licensed, and which has a reciprocity agreement with Utah.
• Submit the original and certified license histories (no more than six months old) from all other jurisdictions where you have previously held a real estate license.
• For principal and branch brokers, submit a notarized letter on the company’s letterhead, signed by a company officer, manager/member, or owner, authorizing the broker to use the company name.
• Submit two FBI FD-258 fingerprint cards. Cards may be obtained from the Division, local police station, or fingerprinting vendor of your choice. Fingerprint cards MUST be mailed, parcel delivered, or hand-delivered to the Division.

Once steps 1-4 have been complied with and completed, please create a UtahID account and apply for your Real Estate license.

Yes! You must renew your real estate license every two years, and to do so, you’ll need to take Continuing Education courses.

For first-time renewals, you must take a 12-hour new agent course, a 3-Hour Mandatory Course in Residential, Commercial, or Property Management, and 3 additional hours of core or elective courses — 18 hours total.

After your first renewal period, you must complete 18 hours of continuing education every renewal cycle (two years), which includes a 3-Hour Mandatory Course in Residential, Commercial, or Property Management. Find more details about license renewal requirements and explore the course guide on the Division of Real Estate site.

In Utah, all CE must be completed by the 15th day of your license renewal month to ensure an on-time license renewal.

Renewal requirements must be completed prior to renewing your license. If your license expires, you can't continue to work until the license is reinstated.

Real estate sales agents must complete 18 hours of CE, including 9 hours of core courses.

Brokers are required to complete 18 hours of CE, including 9 hours of core courses.

CE providers report completed hours directly to the Utah Division of Real Estate. Licensees should verify their CE hours in the Commission’s online portal.

Utah offers one Broker license.

You can do a LOT with a Broker license in Utah, including:

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

The biggest advantage you’ll have as a Utah broker is the ability to hire other real estate sales agents to work for you — which can be financially rewarding!

Yes! When you upgrade your Utah Real Estate Sales Agent license to a Broker license, you’re qualified to start your own real estate brokerage. This might mean forming an LLC, a sole proprietorship, or a corporation. When you open your business, you can also hire other agents to work under you.

To earn a Utah Broker license, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Meet the experience requirements listed on the Division site.

Then, you’ll follow these steps:

• Complete 120 hours of approved Broker pre-licensing education.
• Pass the Utah Real Estate Broker exam administered by Pearson VUE.
• Submit a completed application with required documents and fees to the Utah Division of Real Estate.

If the exam was taken in Utah and you registered with Pearson VUE to be fingerprinted, when your fingerprints are taken, they will be electronically submitted to the Division.

If the exam was taken outside of Utah, or you were unable to have your fingerprints taken at Pearson VUE, you will need to be fingerprinted by a police station or fingerprinting vendor of your choice on two FBI FD-258 fingerprint cards. Both cards will then need to be mailed, parcel delivered, or hand delivered to the Division.

Agents in Utah average over $85,000 a year, and sometimes earn well over $100,000. For specifics, go here! Or you can work as an agent part-time to earn some extra cash.

Yes! Many sales agents 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 Utah, 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 still want more advice on how to find a real estate brokerage to work for, check out this blog.

No, only a Broker License allows you to start your own real estate brokerage, hire agents, and operate independently.

Some of the best skills sales agents can have include:

• Great Communication & Negotiation Skills. Good communication is imperative as a sales agent. Learn great oral communication skills and negotiation strategies here.
• Market Insight. It’s important to stay up-to-date with industry changes in real estate. 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.