What is required to get a license in North Dakota?

For salespersons:

  • Proof of being 18 years or older.
  • Complete the form and submit it with a $150 dollar application fee plus $8 for a credit report.
  • Personal Authorization for Criminal History Record Check Request form (last page in the application form).
  • A Fingerprinting Kit will be mailed to you after completing the previous requirements. Mail this back to Dakota Real Estate Commission with Check or Money Order for $41.25 made out to the ND Attorney General.
  • Complete 45 hours of pre-licensing education in courses of study approved by the Commission.
  • Proof of errors and omission insurance.
  • You will receive an approval containing your test ID number, with this you can take your examination.
  • Anyone applying and getting the license for the first time must pay $20 to Education, Research & Recovery Fund at the time of licensing.
  • Within 1 year after being licensed as a salesperson, the salesperson’s broker must furnish certification that the salesperson has successfully completed 15 hours of post-licensure hours.
  • Fees: Examination Fees (Salesperson: $131). License (Salesperson: $125) - check above for additional fees.

For brokers:

  • Proof of being 18 years or older.
  • Complete the form and submit it with a $150 application fee plus $8 for a credit report.
  • Personal Authorization for Criminal History Record Check Request form (last page in the application form).
  • Proof of being actively engaged as a licensed real estate salesperson for a period of two years preceding the date of application or experience as determined by the Commission to be substantially equal to that which a licensed real estate salesperson would ordinarily receive during a 2-year period.
  • A Fingerprinting Kit will be mailed to you after completing the previous requirements. Mail this back to Dakota Real Estate Commission with Check or Money Order for $41.25 made out to the ND Attorney General.
  • In addition to the 45 hours of pre-licensing education, an applicant for a broker’s license must have successfully completed an additional 60 hours in courses of study approved by the Commission as broker-level education in courses of study approved by the Commission.
  • Proof of errors and omission insurance.
  • You will receive an approval containing your test ID number, with this you can take your examination.
  • Anyone applying and getting the license for the first time must pay $20 to Education, Research & Recovery Fund at the time of licensing.
  • Fees: Examination Fees (Broker: $131). License (Broker: $150) - check above for additional fees.

What score do I need to pass?

The salesperson exam consists of two multiple-choice portions, the national portion with 100 items and the state portion with 40 items. To pass, you must get a minimum of 75% correct answers on each portion of the exam.

The broker exam is a simulation problem format and consists of twelve simulation problems. Ten of these problems will be used to compute your score, the other two are just samples. To pass you must meet or exceed the overall minimum passing level (MPL) for Information Gathering (IG) and Decision Making (DM) sections. Each section, IG or DM, in a simulation was evaluated by content experts when the problem was developed, and the MPL was established for the section using the scoring weights assigned to the options in that section. The overall IG MPL is the sum of the MPL for all IG sections on the examination, and the overall DM MPL is the sum of the MPL for all DM sections on the examination.

You will receive your score immediately after you complete your exam.

How much time do I have to complete the exam?

For the salesperson exam, you are allowed 3.5 hours to answer.

For the broker exam, you are allowed 3.5 hours to answer (unless you are taking a reciprocity exam which requires a waiver and is multiple-choice, lasts only 1.5 hours).

What should I bring with me for the exam?

  • 2 Forms of identification with matching names, non-expired and containing a valid signature, one of them must be photo bearing (Driver’s license, passport, green card, U.S. social security card, debit or credit card with signature).
  • Basic, silent, non-scientific calculator.

What is the format of the exam?

The exam is given on a computer at designated locations.

What is on the exam?

The salesperson exam consists of the following sections:

National Portion

  • Listing Property
  • Selling Property
  • Property Management
  • Settlement/Transfer of Ownership
  • Financing
  • Professional Responsibilities/Fair Practice/Administration

State Portion

  • Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission
  • Licensing Requirements
  • Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees
  • Additional Topics

The broker exam consists of the following sections:

  • Ethics
  • Negotiation
  • Document Preparation
  • Fair Housing X
  • Environmental Issues
  • Representation of Services
  • Valuation
  • Advertising
  • Finance
  • Agency/Non-Agency Relationships X
  • Disclosures (including stigmatized property)
  • Property Representations X
  • Trust Accounts X
  • Training/Supervision of Licensees X
  • Risk Management

*Items marked with X are required as the primary issue.

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