Real Estate License Reciprocity: How to Get Licensed in Another State (2026)
Real estate license reciprocity lets an agent licensed in one state get licensed in another with fewer requirements, but no state simply transfers your license. You apply for a new license in the new state, and depending on its rules you may skip the full pre-license course, the national exam, or both. A few states, such as Georgia, offer broad reciprocity; others, like New Jersey and New York, offer none. Here’s how it works and what out-of-state licensees need in the states whose rules we’ve verified.
Updated October 2026, from each state’s real estate commission and its exam vendor’s candidate bulletin.
The three kinds of out-of-state rules
- Full reciprocity: you’re licensed with little or no new education or testing. Georgia offers this to licensees from all states who were licensed by exam and are in good standing, and South Carolina to qualifying Georgia residents.
- License recognition or endorsement: the most common setup. You skip the national exam and most pre-license hours, but take a state-law course and the state portion of the exam. Examples: Colorado, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Arizona.
- No reciprocity: you meet the same requirements as any new applicant, though some education may be credited. New Jersey and New York work this way.
What out-of-state licensees need, by state
| State | What you need if you’re licensed in another state |
|---|---|
| Alabama | A 6-hour Alabama real estate law course, then the Alabama portion of the exam within 6 months |
| Arizona | Out-of-State License Recognition: the Arizona state-specific exam |
| Arkansas | May request a waiver of the general portion and take only the Arkansas law portion |
| Colorado | Non-expired license held 2+ years: the Colorado state portion, fingerprints and a certified license history; accepts all U.S. states |
| Delaware | Active licensees in another state may need only the Delaware law portion |
| Georgia | Reciprocity with all states if you were licensed by exam and are in good standing; Florida residents must pass the Georgia state portion |
| Hawaii | If you passed another state's uniform exam, you can apply for an equivalency to the uniform section; you still need Hawaii education or an equivalency |
| Illinois | Endorsement: a 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and the endorsement exam |
| Indiana | Broker by endorsement: the state portion only, after Commission approval; the 90-hour course isn't required |
| Kansas | The 30-hour Kansas Practice Course, the state exam and a license history certification |
| Louisiana | Partial credit for out-of-state courses, but the 30-hour Louisiana law portion can't be substituted |
| Mississippi | The Commission may exempt out-of-state licensees from pre-licensing in whole or part; nonresident licenses available |
| Missouri | The state portion of the exam plus the 24-hour MREP course |
| Nevada | Out-of-state licensees don't need the contracts or agency pre-license courses |
| New Hampshire | Reciprocal applicants take only the New Hampshire state exam |
| New Jersey | No reciprocity with any state |
| New Mexico | Waiver of 60 of the 90 pre-license hours; Broker Basics still required unless your state has a recognition agreement |
| New York | No reciprocity; out-of-state education may be credited through a written waiver request |
| North Dakota | Reciprocal with Minnesota, Iowa and Georgia residents; other nonresidents take only the North Dakota portion |
| Pennsylvania | Licensed in another state within 5 years: only the Pennsylvania portion; reciprocal licenses for out-of-state principal offices |
| South Carolina | Georgia reciprocity (no exam) and North Carolina reciprocity (state exam); others with an active license take only the state exam |
| Vermont | Equivalent-state licensees skip the 40-hour course and national exam; everyone takes the state exam |
| Virginia | Unexpired out-of-state license: only the state part of the exam, but the 60 hours of education still apply |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Law, Salesperson II and the Wyoming state exam |
This covers the states whose out-of-state rules we’ve confirmed from official sources. For any other state, check its real estate commission directly before you apply.
How to get licensed in another state
- Check the new state’s rules for licensees from your state. Some agreements depend on where you live, not just where you’re licensed, as with North Dakota and South Carolina.
- Order a certified license history from every state where you’ve held a license. States want it sent directly from the other agency, and many require it to be recent.
- Complete any required state course, such as Alabama’s 6-hour law course, Kansas’s 30-hour practice course or Missouri’s 24-hour MREP.
- Pass the state portion of the exam if required.
- Complete the background check and apply, usually with a sponsoring broker in the new state.
Keep your original license?
You can often hold licenses in more than one state, but each one has its own continuing education and renewal rules. Rules for nonresidents vary: South Carolina lets nonresident licensees meet their home state’s CE, while Oklahoma requires 8 Oklahoma-specific hours in addition to the home state’s CE. See our CE requirements by state to plan for both.
Common questions about license reciprocity
What is real estate license reciprocity?
Reciprocity is an arrangement that lets an agent licensed in one state get a license in another with fewer requirements, often without repeating the full pre-license course or the national exam. Each state sets its own rules.
Can I transfer my real estate license to another state?
Not directly. A license is issued by one state, so you apply for a new license in the other state. Reciprocity or license recognition can shorten that process, usually to a state-law course and the state portion of the exam.
Which states have full reciprocity?
Georgia offers reciprocity to licensees from all states, provided they were licensed by exam and are in good standing, though Florida residents must pass the Georgia state portion. Colorado accepts licensees from all states who have held a non-expired license for at least two years, with the Colorado state exam.
Which states have no reciprocity?
New Jersey and New York don't have reciprocity with any state. New York may credit out-of-state education through a waiver request, but you still take its exam.
Do I have to take the national exam again?
Usually not. Many states, including Missouri, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Arkansas and Delaware, let qualifying out-of-state licensees take only the state portion.
What documents do I need?
Almost always a certified license history from every state where you've been licensed, plus a background check. Colorado wants the history dated within 90 days, and Missouri wants one issued within the past three months.
Moving states? Pick your new state in the table above to see its full licensing steps and approved courses, or see how long it takes to get licensed.