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How do I get a real estate salesperson license in Ohio?

If you have never held a real estate license, you finish four courses, pass a background check and pass the exam. Ohio's Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing reviews your file. Do the courses in the last ten years if you held no license in the past four. You need a broker to sponsor you. This page is for salespeople only.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
Four courses: 40, 40, 10 and 10 hoursOhio lists these courses: Real Estate Principles and Practices, Ohio Real Estate Law, Real Estate Appraisal and Real Estate Finance. The hours are for each course.
Verified. Ohio Department of Commerce · Requirements for a Salesperson's License (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Cost
$81.00 for the Salesperson Examination ApplicationThis is the fee for the exam form, listed on Ohio's rules page. Ask the school for the course price.
Same source and date as above
Valid for
Within 10 years of applying, if no license in the four years beforeThis is the time limit on your courses. It applies if you have not held a real estate license in the four years before you apply. The school must award at least a two-year degree.
Same source and date as above
Diploma rule
If you were born after 1950, a high school diploma or its equivalentThis is one rule that depends on your birth year.
Same source and date as above
Licensing exam
Pass the State and National portions, with a passing score of 70You must pass both the State and National portions. Ohio sets the passing score at 70.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check that you fit Ohio's rules. Ohio says you must meet basic eligibility rules, complete required education, pass a background check and the exam, and be sponsored by an Ohio broker. Its salesperson page lists each rule, including age and whether you are a U.S. citizen or a legal alien.

  2. Step 2. Check the date. Ohio's rules page is dated April 19, 2021, so check that page again before you pay for anything.

  3. Step 3. Finish the four pre-licensure courses first. Then you can apply for the exam. Take them at a school that awards degrees. If you have not held a real estate license within the four years before you apply, you must have finished them within the last ten years before you apply. The school must be a postsecondary school that awards at least a two-year degree.

  4. Step 4. Find a sponsoring broker. You must have one to apply for the exam. If you don't have a sponsor, contact brokers you would like to work for in your area and ask about sponsorship.

  5. Step 5. Apply for the exam in eLicense LPI, before you get fingerprinted. Many forms that used to be on paper must now be filled out online there. Send proof of schooling with it: transcripts or course certificates. Ohio must have your file on record before it gets your background results.

  6. Step 6. Complete the background check within 10 business days of submitting the application. Go to a Webcheck location for digital fingerprints and tell the site to send the BCI/FBI results directly to the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. Then wait for Ohio. It reviews your file and, when it accepts it, sends your details to the testing vendor. The vendor then sends a Candidate Information Bulletin that tells you how to schedule your exams.

  7. Step 7. After you are licensed, send Ohio your 20-hour post-licensure course certificate. It is due one year from your license issue date. It must be one specific 20-hour course, not several courses that add up to 20 hours.

Before you pay

Check the school before you pay. If you have not held a real estate license in the past four years, Ohio says the courses must come from a postsecondary school that awards at least a two-year degree. The fee on the exam form is $81.00, listed on a page Ohio dated April 19, 2021. We haven't confirmed a course price, whether the courses can be taken online, which time limit applies if you held a license in the past four years, or whether an out-of-state license counts. Ask the school about the price and the format, and the Division about the time limit. Ohio's out-of-state page is linked below.

Questions

Can I take the Ohio real estate courses online?

Ohio says the courses are taken at an institute of higher education which awards degrees. Ask the school whether the course you plan to buy meets Ohio's rule before you pay.

How long do I have after the courses to apply?

If you have not held a real estate license within the four years before you apply, you must have finished the courses within the 10 years before you apply. If you held a license in that time, ask the Division which limit applies.

Do I need a broker before I apply?

Yes, to apply for the exam. Ohio says you must have a sponsoring broker to apply for the exam. If you don't have one, contact brokers you would like to work for in your area and ask about sponsorship.

Can I take the exam before my background check comes back?

Maybe. If you answered No to all the ethical questions on the exam form, you may receive provisional approval to take the exam while Ohio waits for your background check results. If your background shows an undisclosed conviction, your provisional approval or provisional license can be suspended. If you answered Yes to any of them, Ohio must review the results before approving you for the exam.

Can I get a license if I have a conviction on my record?

It depends. Ohio says you must not have been convicted of a disqualifying offense, as determined under the Ohio Revised Code. You may ask Ohio ahead of time whether a conviction, by itself, disqualifies you. The request is non-binding, and the form is mailed with a fee.

I'm licensed in another state. Can I use that license in Ohio?

Ohio has a separate page for people licensed in another state: Ohio's out-of-state salesperson page. Read it before you count on that license.

What to do next

Start with Ohio's salesperson page. It lists each rule.

com.ohio.gov

Sources we read