How To Become a Real Estate Agent in Minnesota

If you want to become a real estate agent in Minnesota, the first step is to get your Minnesota Real Estate License. You’d be glad to know that you can complete this process almost entirely online.

The only caveat is that you’ll have to take the license exam in person. However, you can go through the rest of the process online.

The following guide provides a step-by-step process on how to obtain your MN real estate license. You’ll learn all the requirements, how much it costs, how long it takes, what you should look out for in the exams and so much more.

Minnesota Professional Real Estate License

There are certain qualifications you must meet to become a real estate agent in MN. They include:

• You must be 18 years or older
• You must complete three education courses that last 30 hours each (Course I, II, and III)
• You must pass the examination to become a licensed agent
• You must be associated with a licensed real estate broker- this broker will be responsible for submitting the application for your license).
• You must get notice that your license application has been approved by the Commerce Department MN.¹

The requirements listed above are just for obtaining a Minnesota real estate license.

If you want the license to remain in good standing, you need to fulfill some additional conditions. They include:

• Maintaining association with a broker who is licensed by the State of Minnesota
• Completing additional required education courses by the specified deadlines
• Complying with the laws that govern licensed real estate agents

Must Haves For Becoming a Real Estate Agent in Minnesota

There are three must-haves for becoming a real estate agent in Minnesota. They include:

1. Pre-License Education Courses

You need to successfully complete three courses before you can obtain a real estate agent license.²

These courses are known as Course I, II, and III. Each course has 30 hours of instructions.

After completing the course successfully, you can take the agent examination. Then you’ll complete Course II and Course III before you can apply for your license.

Keep in mind that before you register for the pre-license education courses, you must first ensure that the provider is in good standing and active with the Minnesota Commerce Department. Additionally, you should ensure that the Commerce Department approves the course for pre-license education credit. To do so, take the following steps:

Step 1: Visit PULSE which is the electronic platform that the MN Commerce Department uses to administer its enforcement and licensing programs for real estate as well as other industries.³ PULSE conducts most licensing services in Minnesota including address changes, transfers, terminations, renewals, applications, and others.

When using PULSE, make sure you turn off the pop-up blocker in your browser. Additionally, do not use the ‘Back’ button in your web browser at any point because all the data you enter will be lost.

Step 2: On the ‘choose a program’ bar, pick ‘Minnesota Department of Commerce.’ On the ‘Choose a Board‘ Bar pick ‘Real Estate.’  Lastly on the ‘Search/Inquiry Services,’ choose ‘Approved Provider/ Course Inquiry.’

Step 3: Select the ‘Pre-Licensing Education’ radio button. Make sure the field marked “Status’ says ‘Active’⁴

Step 4: On the ‘Category’ field, scroll down the type of course you want to search for using arrow keys. Then highlight the course type name by clicking on it.

Then select ‘View/Refresh Report.” You’ll get a report that you can review and take note of the instruction method highlighted in the course you are interested in.

For online courses, in the ‘Instruction Method’ column, search for ‘Internet/Self Study/Online.’ You should contact the provider of the course to verify the registration procedures, fees, and instruction methods of the course.

For classroom courses, in the “instruction method’ column, look for ‘Classroom’ and then review to see where and when the provider may be offering the course.

2. Examination

Before applying for your license, you must pass the real estate agent examination. First, you need to complete course I before you can register to take the examination.

Once you’ve done the exams and passed, you are required to apply for your agent’s license within one year of passing. Otherwise, you’ll have to retake the exams and pass them again.

3. Becoming Associated With a Licensed Broker

The law states that you cannot become a real estate agent in Minnesota without first getting associated with a real estate broker who is actively licensed.⁵ To act on behalf of a licensed broker, you must be licensed.

Additionally, Minnesota law does not allow you to be licensed to act on behalf of two or more brokers.

The real estate broker associated with you is responsible for submitting an application for a real estate agent license on your behalf. Once the Commerce Department approves the application, the broker prints out your license and is responsible for informing you that you are now licensed as a Minnesota real estate agent.

Minimum Pre-License Education Hours

If you want to become a real estate sales agent in Minnesota, you need to complete 90 pre-license education hours and also sit for an exam. As mentioned previously, there are three courses you need to take and each consists of 30 hours of instruction.

First, an agent must complete Course I, take the agent examination then complete Courses II and III before applying for their license. You can choose to take an online course because they are mostly self-paced and comes with materials such as flashcards and real estate practice exams.

Some online platforms also offer a ‘guarantee’ that you’ll pass the exams if you take their course. These benefits depend largely on the package you choose and the education provider so be sure to get a course that is most suitable for your needs.

Keep in mind that the point of these courses is more than just checking a box and completing a requirement. These courses also help you pass your exam and become a better agent in the long run.

Besides the exams, you can also choose to complete a background check and fingerprinting. The table below indicates the real estate agent and broker pre-licensing education requirements.

Position	Requirements
Pre-licensing education requirements for real estate salespersons	18 years and older Agree to fingerprinting and background check Go through 90 education hours: Course I: 30 hours Course II: 30 hours Course III: 30 hours Do a proctored exam after Course I Get a completion certificate for each course and for the proctored exams Take state and national exams if applicable Apply for a license within 12 months of taking the exams Be associated with a licensed broker
Pre-licensing education requirements for a real estate broker	Must be an experienced and actively licensed salesperson for a minimum of 3 years within the last 5-year period prior to application submission. Completes the 30-hour broker course successfully Pass the examination for brokers Apply for a broker’s license within 12 months of completing the exams and course Pay the applicable fee
Continuing education requirements for a real estate salesperson	Renewal periods last 2 years A licensee must go through 30 hours of education by June 30 It’s best to complete the course by June 15 to obtain timely reporting of education Complete 1 hour of training in Federal and State Fair Housing Laws as well as an hour of training in Agency Representation and Disclosure (This is not applicable to commercial salespersons). Complete module training for 3.75 to 7.5 hours every license year per the state’s designated course.
Continuing education requirements for a real estate broker	The applicant must complete 30 hours of education training by June 30 of the renewal year. Each renewal period lasts 2 years In the online renewal process, the primary broker needs to certify that the applicant has completed the required hours. Applicants must also complete an hour of training in State and Federal Fair Housing Rules, Laws, and Regulations, an hour of training in Agency Representation and Disclosure, and an hour of training in anti-discrimination laws. Get module training for 3.75 to 7.5 hours every license year per the state’s designated course.

Real Estate School Pre-Licensing Price

Anyone who aspires to become a real estate agent in Minnesota needs to know that they will spend time and money. However, this job is very rewarding and if you work hard you can get a great return on investment.

You will spend approximately $770 before you get your license. Here is a breakdown of the cost.

• Coursework for pre-licensing exam: $599
• Exam fees: $65
• Agent license fee: $130

Compulsory Real Estate Background Screening

In Minnesota, there’s no compulsory real estate background screening. That is, you do not have to undergo fingerprinting and a background check to get your real estate salesperson licensing.⁶

That being said, some broker companies require a background check before they can apply for a license on your behalf. If this is the case, you’ll submit an application and pay to the Minnesota Criminal Background Check program (CBC).⁷

Then the CBC program will send a fingerprinting packet via email which contains detailed instructions on the fingerprinting process.

You will then submit your fingerprints and other forms to the CBC program office. From here, your information will be sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) where it will be processed.⁸

The results will be sent to the CBC program office which will then go back to your broker and the Board of Social Work which is responsible for issuing temporary licenses.