Skip to content
State Cert Guide

Independent guide, not a government agency. We earn commissions on some links.

How do I get a real estate license in the District of Columbia?

If you hold no license from elsewhere and want a salesperson license, you take 60 hours of salesperson pre-licensing courses from a DC Real Estate Commission-approved provider and pass both the national and DC parts of the exam. Then you apply within six months of passing. Applicants licensed elsewhere follow DC's endorsement or reciprocity rules.

By State Cert GuideChecked against the sources listed below.Report a mistake

The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
60 hours of salesperson pre-licensing educationThe provider has to be one the DC Real Estate Commission has approved.
Verified. District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection · Real Estate Commission (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Cost
$65.00 application fee and $130.00 salesperson license feeThe same fee list prices other licenses higher.
Same source and date as above
Valid for
Apply within six months of passing the examThe rule is written for an applicant for a salesperson's license.
Same source and date as above
Agency
District of Columbia Real Estate CommissionIt also protects consumers.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Know who regulates the license. The District of Columbia Real Estate Commission regulates the licenses of professional real estate agents and protects consumers.

  2. Step 2. Complete the 60 hours. You need 60-hour salesperson pre-licensing education from a DC Real Estate Commission-approved educational provider.

  3. Step 3. Pass the exam. You need passing scores on both the national and state (DC) parts of the salesperson exam. You can schedule it online at psiexams.com or by phone. New users must create an account and register first.

  4. Step 4. Gather your documents. You need a 2x2 inch passport-style photo in .jpeg format, an unexpired government-issued ID, and a debit or credit card to pay the fees.

  5. Step 5. Apply within six months of passing. If you are applying for a salesperson's license and have passed the required exam, you must apply to the Commission, with the required fees, within six months.

  6. Step 6. Pay the fees. The application fee is $65.00 and the salesperson license fee is $130.00.

  7. Step 7. Mark your renewal. A salesperson license expires on August 31, and the renewal year is odd.

Before you pay

We haven't confirmed which schools are DC Real Estate Commission-approved providers, or any course or exam price, from a source.

Before you pay a school, ask whether the Commission has approved it as a provider for the 60-hour salesperson course.

The Commission may update its page. Check it yourself on the day you apply.

Questions

I'm licensed elsewhere. What do I need?

DC lists two paths. Endorsement applicants meet or exceed DC's 60-hour pre-licensing rules where they are licensed, take a Commission-approved 3-hour Fair Housing course and 3-hour Property Management course, pass the DC part of the exam with at least 75 percent, and send an original certification letter dated within 90 days that carries the seal. Reciprocity applicants, among other items, take the same two courses and pass the DC part of the exam.

What does a broker license by exam need?

Among other items, two years as a licensed salesperson, with the active license right up to the day you apply, and 135 hours of pre-licensing courses.

Can I get my application fee back?

No. D.C. Code says application fees for initial licensing, among other cases, are not refundable, even if you withdraw or are found not qualified. A $60.00 fee for the Real Estate Guaranty and Education Fund is also submitted and is included in the licensee fees.

What to do next

Start with the District's Real Estate Commission page. Then work through the salesperson steps.

dlcp.dc.gov

Sources we read