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How do I get a real estate license in Montana?

To get a Montana salesperson license you must be at least 18 and have two years of high school credit or the equivalent. You finish between 60 and 80 classroom or equivalent hours, as the board sets them. You pass an exam. A supervising broker must also recommend you.

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The rule, fact by fact

Who needs it
Age 18, two years of high school credit or equivalent, an application, the course hoursThe board decides what counts as an equivalent education. You file the application with the department.
Verified. mca.legmt.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Course hours
60 to 80 classroom or equivalent hours, as the board sets them, and a course examThe board must sign off on the course and its instructors. The statute leaves the exact hours to the board.
Same source and date as above
Rule
Pass the exam; a passed subject part need not be repeated within 12 monthsThe board decides by rule which subject parts the salesperson exam holds.
Verified. mca.legmt.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the basics. You must be at least 18. You need credit for two years of full curriculum study at an accredited high school, or an equivalent the board accepts.

  2. Step 2. Finish a course the board signs off on, taught by instructors it signs off on. It runs between 60 and 80 classroom or equivalent hours, as the board sets them. It covers real estate principles, law and ethics, finance and related topics.

  3. Step 3. Pass the exam while your application is pending. If you pass one subject part, you need not repeat it when you pass the other part within 12 months.

  4. Step 4. Apply, and have a licensed broker who holds a supervising broker endorsement recommend you. The broker certifies that you are of good repute and says they will supervise and train you while the license lasts.

Before you pay

This page rests on three rules in the Montana Code Annotated. We haven't confirmed the number of hours the board has set, the exam fee, what a school charges, or whether a school offers its course online.

Before you pay a school, ask whether the board signs off on its course. Ask how long your access lasts.

Questions

Do I need a license to help people buy or sell property in Montana?

In most cases. It is unlawful to act as a real estate broker or salesperson in Montana without a license as a broker or salesperson or otherwise complying with the chapter, or to advertise as one, unless the chapter exempts you. Even a single act within those definitions can count as doing the business. The rule reaches real estate situated in Montana and business with Montana residents, wherever you are.

Who can act as my supervising broker?

Only a person with a valid and active Montana broker's license and a supervising broker endorsement. It is unlawful to supervise licensed salespersons or to act as a supervising broker without both.

What does a broker license ask for?

You must be at least 18 and have graduated from an accredited high school or completed an equivalent. You need two years actively engaged as a licensed salesperson, or experience or special education the board finds equivalent. The board may waive that if you could not get work as a salesperson because of conditions where you live. You also finish 60 classroom or equivalent hours beyond those for the salesperson license.

Who can the board license?

Licenses may be granted only to individuals the board considers of good repute and competent to do the work in a manner that safeguards the public.

What to do next

Read the rule before you enroll. The Montana Code page on license rules lists the steps on this page.

mca.legmt.gov

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