How to Get a Kentucky Real Estate License
The Kentucky Real Estate Commission is the licensing body for real estate sales associates and brokers. These are professional occupations, and the applicants must take courses in real estate practices, law, mortgage instruments and more. Once accepted as a broker or sales associate, there are requirements for continuing education as the laws regarding real estate change regularly. Out-of-state license holders can complete a form and apply for the exam once their license has been verified. This process takes time and you should apply as early as possible. Further information is on their website (see Resources).
Kentucky has some reciprocal agreements for education with other states. It is worth checking into this if you have completed courses elsewhere, otherwise you may have to retake courses you have already completed.
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Things You'll Need
- Proof of age
- High school diploma or GED
- Proof of completion of real estate courses
- FBI criminal background check
- License history certification if you held a real estate license in another state
- Exam scores
- Application
- Proof of required hours of licensed sales activities (brokers only)
Instructions
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License requirements for sales associates and brokers
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Sales Associates: Enroll and complete six semester credit hours in real estate courses from an accredited college or university, or 96 hours of real estate courses from a Kentucky Approved Proprietary School
Brokers: Enroll and complete 21 credit hours, at least 12 hours in real estate courses, from an accredited college or university or 336 hours in real estate courses at a Kentucky Approved Proprietary School.
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Apply for an FBI criminal background check. Get your fingerprint card by contacting local law enforcement, the Kentucky State Police or the FBI office in West Virginia at (304) 625-3878. Take the card to your local law enforcement agency and have them take your prints.
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Take the completed fingerprint card and and send it to the FBI with a letter stating it is for "personal review" along with an $18 certified check made out to the Treasury Department of the United States. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Mail it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, SCU MOD D,1000 Custer Hollow Rd., Clarksburg, WV 26306. A sample letter can be found in the Resources section.
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After you receive your fingerprint card, you can apply to take the real estate exam. Brokers should use form #603 in the Catalog of Documents and Forms to request an education review which ensures you have the requisite hours and courses.
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Call Pearson VUE at (800) 274-5629 or online at pearsonvue.com to register for the exam. You must pay $75 when you register for the exam whether online or by phone. After the test you get your score and a license application if you pass.
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Complete your application, attach your test scores, FBI Criminal Background Check, proof of age, transcripts from college, license history certification if applicable and, for brokers, the notarized affidavit certifying the time you worked for your broker. The affidavit must be signed by the broker. You must apply within 60 days of completing the test or you will forfeit the exam results and have to take it over.
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Tips & Warnings
The background check can take 16 weeks to complete. Apply early. Send the request by next-day or second-day air service and include on the envelope and cover letter a preferred return date.
Get all of your documents together before taking the exam, because if there are any snags, you risk having to take the exam over. The results of the exam are only good for 60 days, and the background check is good for six months.
