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 Kentucky?

Most first-time Kentucky sales associates finish a 96-hour course, pass an exam and apply. You must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or GED. The license fee is $130 for an active agent. Brokers have other rules.

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

The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
The Kentucky 96-hour pre-license course, or six academic credit hours in real estateSix academic credit hours in real estate from a college or university can stand in for the course.
Verified. Kentucky Real Estate Commission · Licensing (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Cost
Initial sales associate license: $130 as an active agent, $120 straight to inactiveThis is the Commission's fee for the license. The exam fee is separate.
Verified. Kentucky Real Estate Commission · Fee schedule (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
Licenses renew by March 31 of every even-numbered yearThe fee schedule gives this as the due date for renewals.
Same source and date as above
Deadline to apply
After you pass the exam, you have 60 days to apply, with everything in one packageSend everything to the Commission in one package.
Verified. Kentucky Real Estate Commission · FAQs for applicants (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Minimum age
At least 18 with a high school diploma or GED, before taking steps toward a licenseKentucky asks for both before you take any step toward a license.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the basics. You must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or GED before you take steps toward a license.

  2. Step 2. Finish the Kentucky 96-hour pre-license course. Six academic credit hours in real estate from a college or university also count. The course doesn't expire, and there is no time limit before the exam. Ask the school whether its course counts before you pay.

  3. Step 3. Get your background check done first. It must be finished before you take the exam, or your scores are invalidated. A check is valid for 90 days from the date of submission.

  4. Step 4. Pass the sales associate licensing exam through PSI. The exam fee is $100, and it isn't paid to the Commission.

  5. Step 5. Apply within 60 days of passing the exam. Send everything to the Commission in one package.

  6. Step 6. Pay the license fee. It is $130 if you become an active agent, or $120 if you go straight to inactive status.

  7. Step 7. Plan your first renewal. Licenses renew by March 31 of every even-numbered year.

Before you pay

This page rests on the Kentucky Real Estate Commission's licensing, FAQ and fee pages. The fee page shows no date, so check it again before you pay. We haven't confirmed a course price, what a college credit hour equals in classroom hours, whether the course can be taken online or which states' licensees the Commission's reciprocity agreements cover.

Before you pay a school, ask whether the Commission accepts its course. Ask how long your access lasts.

Questions

Do appraisal courses count toward the 96 hours?

Some do. Appraisal courses the Commission approved are accepted, but only 48 of the 96 classroom hours can be appraisal courses. Approval from the Appraiser's Board isn't enough.

How much does a renewal cost?

It costs $120 if your license is inactive and $130 if you're an active agent or broker. Renewals are due by March 31 of every even-numbered year.

What does it cost to move up to broker?

The Commission's initial broker application fee is $60 for a sales associate upgrading to broker.

What about a broker license?

A broker applicant must be a Kentucky sales associate, averaging at least 20 hours per week for a minimum of 24 months before filing. A broker also finishes 336 classroom hours or 21 academic credit hours in a broker course the Commission approves. This page covers the sales associate license.

I'm licensed in another state. Do I start over?

Maybe not. The Commission has reciprocity agreements with other states. Ask the Commission which states and what terms apply before you pay for the course.

What to do next

Start with the Kentucky Real Estate Commission's licensing page. It lists the steps for a sales associate and for a broker.

krec.ky.gov

Sources we read