To get a real estate license in Connecticut (CT) and be on your way to a successful real estate career, you must meet the legal requirements outlined by the Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), complete 60 hours of prelicensing education, apply for your license, pass the exam, and pick a sponsoring brokerage. Along with education requirements, there are additional steps to completing your real estate licensure.
Grab a grinder and a hot cup of Dunkin’ while you read through our step-by-step guide on how to become a real estate agent in Connecticut, and download our free license cheat sheet to help you get started.
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Although it could be challenging, we can help you choose the online real estate school that best fits your interests and learning preferences. National Real Estate Institute (NREI) ranks first as the best online real estate school in Connecticut, offering live online classes with flexible schedules to complete the material in five, seven, or 10 weeks.
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Step 1: Meet the Connecticut State Requirements
The state of Connecticut requires the following to apply for a license:
- You must be at least 18 years old
- You must possess a high school diploma or GED
- You must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted resident
Step 2: Complete Prelicensing Courses
Once you meet the Connecticut real estate license requirements, it’s time to start your 60 hours of prelicensing education. Depending on the provider, the courses can be taken in person or at an accredited online real estate school for between $229 and $779. The classes will cover topics needed to pass the exam and state-specific information like Real Property and the Law, Concepts of Home Ownership, Connecticut Licensing Law, and Real Estate Taxes and Liens.
NREI’s real estate licensing courses
National Real Estate Institute (NREI) is an accredited DCP online real estate school. Real estate experts design its courses to ensure they incorporate real-life scenarios and local real estate information. NREI also provides additional resources for current CT agents, including CE courses, exploratory courses, and a real estate bookstore.
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Want to Skip Connecticut Education?
If you are a licensed agent in another state, you may be able to represent buyers and sellers just by taking and passing the exam. This is because Connecticut has mutual recognition agreements with Massachusetts, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island. Visit the DCP reciprocal website page and complete the reciprocal application online or mail the paper form to see if you qualify.
Connecticut is also a cooperative state in terms of license portability. This means Connecticut allows out-of-state real estate agents or brokers to physically enter the state to conduct real estate business without a Connecticut-issued license. However, for out-of-state agents to work on a real estate transaction, they must have a co-brokerage agreement with a licensee of that state.
Step 3: Apply for Your Connecticut Real Estate License
Once you’ve met the state requirements and completed your prelicensing course, you must submit your application. In addition to the application, you will be required to pay an application fee and submit additional documentation to complete your application. See the details below:
Application Form | |
Where to Submit Application | |
Documentation Required |
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Application Fee | $80 (paid to PSI) |
Initial License Fee | $285 (Paid online via credit or debit card. Must be made within two years of passing the last portion of the examination.) |
Step 4: Get Fingerprints & Background Check
All applicants must submit fingerprints as part of a background check for eligibility to get a Connecticut real estate license. Here are the details:
- Submit details, including your previous jobs, licensing, criminal history, driving history, and fingerprints, for a background check.
- Fill in your information on the Criminal Conviction Review Worksheet.
- The cost of conducting a criminal background check in Connecticut is $75 plus $15 for the fingerprint processing charge if you want to use the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification for your background check.
Step 5: Schedule & Take the Connecticut Real Estate Exam
After you finish the prelicensing coursework and application for your license, you must pass the Connecticut real estate exam. The exam is given on the computer (unless otherwise requested) and split into national and state-specific portions. You must pass both portions to move forward with your licensure.
The exam is conducted by PSI, the national provider of state licensing exams. To begin scheduling, all candidates for the exam must first be approved by PSI before registering for the exam. Once the application is approved, PSI will send an Examination Eligibility Postcard containing instructions to register and schedule the exam.
- You may take the examination as many times as needed for up to one year from the date of eligibility.
- You must pass both portions of the examination within one year of eligibility.
- If you do not pass both portions within one year, you must reapply with the PSI.
- Pay exam fee of $59 using a credit or debit card.
You’ll receive a copy of the Connecticut Candidate Information Bulletin, which contains testing information and sample questions. Here is a summary of the main exam details:
Test Format | Multiple choice |
Number of Questions | 110 questions
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Time Limit | 165 minutes |
Items to Bring to Exam | 2 valid forms of identification with signatures:
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Score to Pass Exam | 70% to pass the salesperson exam |
Reported Pass Rate |
If you pass the exam, move on to the next step. If you do not pass, you can retake the exam as many times as needed within the year of finishing your prelicensing education. Also, if you do fail, you will be provided a diagnostic report of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can study for the appropriate portion, national or state, that you need to review and retake.
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Step 6: Pick a Sponsoring Brokerage
To hold an active real estate license, you must find a sponsoring brokerage with which to affiliate your Connecticut license. A sponsoring brokerage is a real estate company, like Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, or a boutique local company, where your license will “hang,” and you can conduct business as a real estate agent. They must also complete the Salesperson Sponsoring Broker Form. Here are some things to think about when deciding on which brokerage you’ll work with:
- Do you want to work at a national franchise, boutique, or virtual brokerage?
- What kind of training will be provided to you?
- What are the commission splits?
- Will you go solo or join a team?
- What is the reputation of the brokerage?
- Are there technological tools like client relationship management (CRM) systems, lead generation, and marketing?
Step 7: Start Your Real Estate Career
Once you’ve completed all the above steps, you are ready to start your career as a real estate agent!
How to Retain & Renew Your Connecticut License With Continuing Education
All real estate agents are required to undergo continuing education every few years to renew their license. This will guarantee you stay up to date with new laws and regulations and have the latest education on best real estate practices. Each state requires a different number of hours, and some states also require post-licensing education. Here is what is required in the state of Connecticut:
- Salesperson continuing education hours required: 12 hours
- Broker continuing education hours required: 12 hours
- Renewal cycle: Every one year
- Renew your license using the State of Connecticut’s eLicense Website
Reasons to Get a Connecticut Real Estate License
Being a real estate agent in Connecticut is a lucrative career for active agents. It’s important to have a solid knowledge of the real estate market in all of Connecticut, and especially in the immediate location where you will be conducting your real estate business.
- As of December 2023, the average salary for a real estate sales agent in Connecticut is $49,498.
- In 2024, the median home prices in Connecticut is $393,700, up by 6.6% year-over-year growth
- There were 3,018 homes sold as of November 2023.
- As of November 2023, the median days on market in Connecticut is 36 days.
- Greenwich (53.9%) is the top metro in Connecticut with the fastest-growing sales price.
- In November 2023, 59.6% of homes in Connecticut sold above list price, up 13.1 points year over year.
- Danielson is the most competitive city in Connecticut.
Connecticut Not Your State? Find Your State Here
Did you stumble here by mistake, or are looking to get your license in another state? Click on the link for your state below to be directed to instructions on how to get your license in any one of the 50 states:
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- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
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- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Three to six months is the typical time frame people take from start to finish. Prelicensing courses and test preparation are the two elements in the licensing process that need the most time. Classes can be finished in as little as two weeks for self-paced learners, but we estimate it will take one to four months. Administrative work will take a few more weeks after that.
In Connecticut, real estate agents must renew their licenses annually and pay the $285 application cost. The state also mandates 12 hours of continuing education each year as part of the renewal process.
Connecticut has a higher passing rate—60%—compared to other states for the real estate salesperson exam. If you put in the necessary effort, you will likely pass on your first attempt. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend $51 to retake the test.
Bottom Line
Figuring out how to become a real estate agent in Connecticut can be confusing, so use our guide to get a general idea of the licensing process. By following our guide, you will be more likely to become a successful real estate agent in Connecticut. The secret to passing your national and state-specific licensing examinations is to work consistently and diligently.
