Kentucky Real Estate Broker License
Requirements, fees, and steps to upgrade to broker
Experience Requirements
2 years of experience working at least 20 hours per week as a licensed salesperson
Alternative Pathways:
- 1 year with an associate degree in real estate
- 1 year with a bachelor's degree with a major/minor in real estate
All education and experience must be completed before taking the broker exam. The one-year degree-based experience reduction is discretionary, not automatic.
Education Requirements
Complete 336 classroom hours from an approved proprietary school, OR 21 college credit hours with 12 in real estate (including 3 credits in Brokerage Management).
Required Courses:
- Brokerage Management (48 hours) - mandatory
- Other real estate coursework (144 hours)
- Approved electives (144 hours)
Each college credit hour equals 16 classroom hours. The 96-hour salesperson pre-licensing education does not count toward broker hours.
Broker Examination
Exam Name
Kentucky Real Estate Broker Examination
Provider
PSI
Format
Multiple-choice exam with national and state portions, 4 hours total
Passing Score
75% on both national and state portions
Exam Fee
$100
Retake Policy
Can retake after failure; $100 fee per attempt. Must submit application within 60 days of passing.
Fees
| Application Fee | $10 |
| Examination Fee | $100 |
| License Fee | $60 |
| Background Check | $51.25 |
| Listed Fees | $221.25 |
Listed fees for the standard upgrade: education review $10 + exam $100 + upgrade $60 + KSP/IdentoGO screening $51.25 = $221.25. Reciprocal new applicants have different fees. Excludes course tuition and mandatory E&O insurance, so this is not a complete cost.
KSP/IdentoGO baseline is $51.25; an FBI-direct option is about $18 plus possible local fingerprint costs. Complete before taking the broker exam.
Timeline
Gain Salesperson Experience
Work as a licensed salesperson for 2 years at 20+ hours/week
2 years
Complete Broker Education
Complete 336 classroom hours including Brokerage Management
6-12 months
Submit Education Review
Submit Form #207 with certificates and transcripts for the $10 KREC review
2-4 weeks
Complete Background Check
Request the fingerprint-based criminal history check before the exam
2-4 weeks
Pass Broker Exam
Take and pass the PSI broker examination
1-2 weeks
Submit Application
Submit broker license application within 60 days of passing the exam
1-2 weeks
License Renewal
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Renewal Fee
$130
CE Hours Required
12 hours
Online Renewal
Available
6 CE hours annually including 3 law hours (12 hours per 2-year cycle). The Kentucky Core Course is required every 4 years, subject to applicable post-license exemptions.
Reciprocity Agreements
Current agreements with Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee, plus MOUs with Illinois and Ohio; brokers from these states may skip the national portion of the exam. A 40-hour Kentucky law course, the state exam, and license-level experience conditions still apply; there is no blanket waiver.
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