The process of how to become a real estate agent in Maine is straightforward. First, complete the required 55 hours of prelicensing education with a provider approved by the Maine Real Estate Commission (MREC). Then pass the real estate exam, find a sponsoring brokerage, and submit your application and background check. Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to get a Maine real estate license and begin your professional real estate career in The Pine Tree State.
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1. Meet the Legal Requirements for Your Maine Real Estate License
In order to get a Maine real estate license, you must first meet the basic legal requirements. These include being 18 years of age or older, holding a high school diploma or GED, and being a lawfully admitted resident of the United States.
Did you know? Maine offers full reciprocity with all 50 states. Agents already licensed in other states do not have to take MREC’s prelicensing courses, but must still pass the background check as well as the state portion of the Maine real estate exam to earn their license.
Maine is also a physical location state in terms of portability. Realtors from other states can do business in Maine, but can’t physically enter the state to do so. Out-of-state agents must conduct all out-of-state business remotely and may not enter the state for showings, closings, or any other reason.
If you hold a criminal record, you still may be able to get your real estate license in Maine. The Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (MOPOR) will run a criminal history record check as part of the application process. From there, they will determine whether you are eligible to obtain a Maine real estate license based on the offense and lapse of time since the conviction.
For more information, review the Maine Legislature under Title 5, Chapter 341 and speak with the MREC for details.
2. Complete Required Prelicensing Courses
Once you’ve determined you meet the legal requirements to become a real estate agent in Maine, your next step toward getting your Maine real estate license is completing the required prelicensing education. Classes can be taken in a traditional classroom setting or through online real estate courses at an accredited real estate school that is approved by the Maine Real Estate Commission (MREC).
The 55 hours of required prelicensing education for aspiring Maine realtors covers the following topics:
- Real property characteristics, legal descriptions, and property use
- Forms of ownership, transfer, and recording of title
- Property value and appraisal
- Real estate contracts and agency
- Real estate practice
- Property disclosures and environmental issues
- Financing and settlement
- Real estate math calculations
- Maine real estate commission
- Maine laws and rules governing activities or licensees
- Law of agency/brokerage
- Maine-specific principles and practices
- Maine land-use law
We recommend The Real Estate Learning Group for Maine prelicensing education. This local real estate school provides prelicensing classes in a variety of learning formats. Decide to study independently with self-paced online classes or a fast-tracked, blended learning environment that includes both self-paced and live classroom instruction.
Visit The Real Estate Learning Group
3. Take the Maine Real Estate Exam
The Maine real estate salesperson exam is divided into two parts, and both must be passed to get your license. The general practice portion consists of nationally based questions whereas the Maine law section asks state-specific questions. The Maine real estate exam is administered on a computer and you’ll get results immediately after you finish the exam.
The score report will be presented as “pass” or “fail.” If you get a passing score, you’ll receive information on the next steps of applying for your Maine real estate license. If you fail, you may reschedule and retake the exam within 24 hours of the failed attempt. The exam can be taken as many times as needed before the expiration of your prelicensing courses, which are valid for one year.
Maine Real Estate Exam Details
Test Format | Multiple-choice |
Test Length | 80 nationally focused questions 40 state-specific questions |
Time Limit | 4 hours |
Items to Bring to Exam | 2 valid forms of identification (ID) with signatures:
|
Passing Score | 75% to pass the Maine Real Estate Salesperson Exam (at least 60/80 on the general practice/national portion and 30/40 on the Maine Law/state portion) |
Pass Rate | Unfortunately, the MREC does not provide the average exam pass rate for Maine |
Schedule Your Exam
The global testing company, Pearson VUE, is the official administrator of the Maine real estate exam. You can schedule directly on the Pearson VUE website and will receive a copy of the Maine Candidate Fact Sheet for additional information. You can pay the $85 exam fee directly through the Pearson website using a credit card, debit card, voucher, or electronic check.
To make sure you are prepared to ace your exam and be successful in real estate, get some extra study help from PrepAgent. Whether you’re one week or months away from your exam date, PrepAgent has tools like video, audio, and live webinar lessons as well as interactive flashcards and vocabulary sheets to guarantee you pass your exam on the first attempt.
Visit PrepAgent
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For extra guidance on passing your real estate exam, download our Exam Prep e-book. We include a pre-assessment to test your knowledge as well as helpful information about what’s included in the exam, the length and structure of the exam, study tips, and sample questions from PrepAgent.
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4. Pick a Sponsoring Brokerage to Work For
To hold an active real estate license in Maine, you must find a sponsoring brokerage with which to affiliate your license. Although there are many successful brokerages, here are some of the top brokerages in the Pine Tree State:
Rank | Team Name | Company | City | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The David Banks Team | RE/MAX By the Bay | Portland | $251,304,816 |
2 | The Marc Gup Team | Keller Williams Realty | South Portland | $53,784,530 |
3 | The Gina Team | Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group | Auburn | $36,784,099 |
4 | The Manchester Team | Keller Williams Realty | Gray | $30,348,056 |
5 | Bisson Real Estate | Keller Williams Realty | Bath | $30,172,150 |
Data from Real Trends
5. Apply for Your Maine Real Estate License
After you’ve passed your exam and selected a brokerage to work with, it’s time to apply for your Maine real estate license. You can apply through a paper application or online via the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and pay the $121 fee by check, debit card, or credit card. The fee includes the $100 application fee and a $21 criminal background check fee.
Your brokerage must complete the Designated Broker’s Authorization of Agency Affiliation section of your real estate application. When applying to become a real estate agent in Maine, you must also include your Sales Agent Course Completion Certificate and salesperson exam results. In addition, you are required to apply for your license within one year of passing the Maine real estate exam.
6. Start Your Real Estate Career
Now that you’ve learned how to become a real estate agent in Maine, you’re ready to start your journey as a real estate professional.
