How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Missouri
Gina is a licensed real estate salesperson, experienced trainer, and former high school educator of 1,000+ learners. She writes for Fit Small Business with a focus on real estate content.
This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
Getting your real estate license in Missouri requires an upfront investment of your time. You’re required to complete 72 hours of Missouri Real Estate Commission-approved (MREC) prelicensing education, finish all background checks, pass an exam, and submit an application. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process with tips on how to become a real estate agent in The Show-Me State.
1. Meet the State’s Legal Requirements
The legal requirements of obtaining a real estate license in the state of Missouri are simple. They only require that you are at least 18 years old. And for those who possess a criminal record, certain convictions will automatically deny a real estate license in Missouri. Other offenses that do not result in automatic denial are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
The MREC will investigate and review the applicant’s background, including education, work experience, and residence history, court records, and candidate statement. To see if you are qualified based on your record, carefully review the Information about Criminal Convictions Form prior to moving further in the licensing process.
Did you know? Missouri offers full reciprocity with all the 50 states. This means agents already licensed in other states do not have to take MREC’s 48 hours of prelicensing courses. To earn their license, they are only required to pass the background check, complete the 24-hour Missouri Real Estate Practice (MREP) course, and pass the state portion of the real estate exam.
Also, Missouri is a cooperative state in terms of portability. It allows out-of-state real estate agents or brokers to physically enter the state to conduct real estate business. 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. To learn more about real estate license portability in Missouri, check out our real estate license reciprocity and portability guide.
2. Complete Required Prelicensing Courses
To become a real estate agent in Missouri, there are two educational requirements to complete. The first 48 hours of education need to be completed before taking your licensing exam. The second 24 hours is the Missouri Real Estate Practice (MREP) course, which can be completed before or after your real estate license exam.
Luckily, many education providers will bundle the total 72 hours to complete via in-person or at an online real estate school in Missouri. Prices range from $199 to $485, depending on the school you choose. The courses will cover the following material:
- Property ownership
- Land use controls and regulations
- Valuation and market analysis
- Financing
- General principles of agency
- Property disclosures
- Contracts
- Leasing and property management
- Transfer of title
- Practice of real estate
- Real estate calculations
Did you know? If you have an attorney’s license, you can waive the education requirements and just pass the real estate license exam. Submit your application with your bar card to obtain your license.
To fulfill your education requirements, there are many accredited online real estate schools to choose from. Real Estate Express offers high-quality online real estate education with options for self-paced and livestream courses, allowing you to tailor your learning to suit your needs.
3. Complete Fingerprint & Background Check
All individuals applying for a real estate license in Missouri are required to submit a background check. To do so, you must first register with the Missouri Automated Criminal History System (MACHS) with code 0004, authorizing the FBI and Missouri State High Patrol to send the fingerprint results to the MREC.
Once you have registered, you will be directed to IDEMIA (IdentoGO) fingerprint locations, where you can pay the $40.50 online via credit or debit card. Only your fingerprint receipt is needed when submitting your application, so it is recommended you get your fingerprints done in conjunction with registering for your exam. MREC usually receives fingerprint results within three to five business days.
For more information regarding the fingerprint and background check process, see the Fingerprint Q&A from MREC.
4. Take the Exam
Once you’ve completed your education and background check, it’s time to schedule your licensing exam. Although Missouri doesn’t release official state pass rates for the exam, unofficial websites claim the pass rate to be about 50% to 60%. The test is administered on the computer so that you will receive your results immediately following the exam.
Luckily, if you do not pass your exam, you can reschedule as many times as you’d like until you pass both portions. If you fail either the national or state portion, you can retake just that portion. Either way, you’ll have six months from completing your education to pass and submit your license application.
Exam Details
Test Format | Multiple choice |
Test Length |
|
Time Limit | Four hours |
Items to Bring to the Exam | Two valid forms of identification with signatures:
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Passing Score | 75% to pass the Missouri Real Estate Salesperson Exam (at least 70/100 on the national portion and 30/40 on the state portion) |
Pass Rate | Unfortunately, unlike other states, Missouri does not publish its average passing rate |
Schedule Your Exam
The Missouri real estate exam is provided by PSI, a national provider for state licensing exams. You can make an appointment on the phone (1-888-818-5829) or online. To begin scheduling online, you’ll be required to create an account on the PSI website, which will then allow access to the scheduling portal. You will receive a copy of the Missouri Candidate Information Bulletin for additional testing information.
The fee to take the exam is $65 for both the state and national portions or $62 to take either the state or national portion. Payments can be made directly on the website using a credit or debit card. Candidates who call to make their appointment can pay by credit card over the phone or by personal check, cashier’s check, or money order at the test center.
If you need extra help studying for the real estate exam, Real Estate Exam Scholars offers exam preparation tools specific to Missouri at an affordable price. Even better, it also has a money-back guarantee if you don’t pass on the first try.
Visit Real Estate Exam Scholars
5. Pick a Company to Work For
In order to hold an active license in Missouri, you must find a sponsoring brokerage to affiliate your license. To make your choice a little bit easier, check out our in-depth guide on choosing the right real estate company to work for. Although there are many successful brokerages in the Show-Me State, below you’ll find the top five brokerages reported for 2021.
Rank | Team Name | Company | City | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Graddy Real Estate | Keller Williams Realty | Ozark | $132,873,262.20 |
2 | The Krause Basler Team | Keller Williams Realty | Chesterfield | $122,650,090.50 |
3 | Michelle Cantrell Team | MURNEY ASSOCIATES, REALTORS | Springfield | $103,718,330.00 |
4 | Holt Homes Group | Keller Williams Realty | Springfield | $100,716,634.80 |
5 | Eric Craig Real Estate | Keller Williams Realty | Kansas City | $96,257,750.00 |
(Source: Real Trends 2021)
Missouri Cities With Highest Median Sales Price 2021
Your commission is directly correlated to the price that a home sells for. To get a sense of which cities are bringing in the bucks in Missouri, check out this sales data from Towncharts.com below:
Rank | City | Median Home Value |
|---|---|---|
1 | $831,800 | |
2 | $734,800 | |
3 | $694,300 | |
4 | $642,700 | |
5 | $633,400 | |
6 | $449,800 | |
7 | $414,800 | |
8 | $411,600 | |
9 | $402,300 | |
10 | $397,300 |
6. Apply for Your License
With your passing score report, you will receive the instructions for applying for your salesperson license in Missouri. You are required to apply for your license within six months of completing the 48 hours of prelicensing education.
Application forms are available on the MREC website and sent by mail or dropped off to the MREC with payment. The application fee is $50, and the original license issuance fee is $40, so you’ll be paying $90 to the Missouri Real Estate Commission via check or money order.
7. Start Your Real Estate Career
Now that you’ve learned how to become a real estate agent in Missouri, you’re ready to start your real estate journey.
For more information, take a look at our Top 25 New Real Estate Agent Tips From the Pros or 14 Real Estate Agent Tips for 2021 to jump-start your career.