In this guide you’ll learn all the details you need to know to get your license and become a real estate agent in Tennessee.
You’ll learn the basic real estate licensing requirements in Tennessee, information about the exam including pass rates and test prep, reciprocity rules, county by county breakdowns of the most expensive real estate in Tennessee, and more.
Okay, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s start at the beginning.
Basic Tennessee Real Estate Licensing Requirements
Getting a real estate license in Tennessee is rather easy compared to other states. You only need a total of 90 classroom hours of commission-approved pre-licensing courses. In comparison, to get a license in Texas, real estate licenses require applicants to complete 180 hours of courses. Here’s a quick breakdown of the real estate licensing requirements in Tennessee:
Pre-licensing Courses Required in Tennessee
In order to get a real estate license in Tennessee, you will need to complete 90 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses that will cover:
- Property ownership
- Land use controls and regulations
- Valuation and market analysis
- Financing
- General principles of agency
- Mandated disclosures
- Contracts
- Transfer of title
- Practice of real estate
- Real estate calculations
- Subdivisions, including deed restrictions
- Commercial, industrial and income property
- Duties and Powers of Real Estate Commission
- Licensing Requirements
- Advertising and Marketing
- Broker/Affiliate Relationships
- Handling of Documents and Record Keeping
- Handling of Trust/Escrow Funds
- Other Improper Activities and Consumer Protection
- Agency and Disclosure Issues
- Timeshare
- Property Management
- Commercial/Industrial Real Estate
Tennessee Real Estate Exam Information
If you work hard and take the courses seriously you should have no problem passing the exam. If you’re looking for help studying for the test, we recommend Real Estate Exam Scholar’s Exam prep course. They offer top notch exam prep for an affordable price. Even better, they also offer a money back guarantee if you don’t pass on the first try.
Visit Real Estate Exam Scholar
Tennessee Pre-Licensing Exam Questions
- Total of 120 multiple-choice questions (to be completed within 4 hours)
- 80 questions on the national portion (56 correct required to pass)
- 40 questions on the state-specific portion (28 correct required to pass)
What to Bring to the Exam
- 2 valid forms of identification with signatures. One ID must be a government-issued Photo ID; basic calculator
- Confirmation number when the test reservation was made.
Passing Score
You must earn a score of 70% or higher to pass the Tennessee Real Estate Exam
Pass Rate
N/A
Tennessee Real Estate License fee
$110
Exam Fee in Tennessee
$55
Education Requirements
You need to have at least a high school diploma or GED in order to apply for a license in Tennessee.
Age
Applicants must be at least 18 of age or older
Residency
Any U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted alien can apply.
Exemptions
Any active member of the Tennessee Bar who is in good standing and qualified under the real estate license law is exempt from taking the real estate prerequisite course.
Criminal Background
Applicants who have an existing criminal record may still apply for a real estate license. It would be best if applicants were to include their criminal history along with the necessary documents related to the conviction, if any, on their application. After submitting your fingerprints, your application will be forwarded to the Division of Criminal Justice Information Systems and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Upon investigation, each applicant will be considered on their own merits.
Online Real Estate Schools in Tennessee
While taking your real estate pre-licensing course in person can be helpful, online courses are much cheaper, and offer the exact same courses. Career WebSchool is a solid choice.
Tennessee Real Estate License Reciprocity and Portability
If you plan on working in states besides Tennessee, then you need to know the real estate license reciprocity and portability laws for Tennessee.
- Reciprocity: Tennessee has reciprocity agreements with 13 other states.
- Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia
- Portability: Cooperative
To learn more about real estate license portability in Tennessee, check out our guide on real estate license reciprocity and portability here.
How to Choose the Right Real Estate Company to Work For in Tennessee
Let’s face it. Choosing the right brokerage to work for in any state isn’t easy. In order to make your choice a little bit easier, check out our in-depth guide on choosing the right real estate company to work for.
Once you’ve finished reading the guide, check out our buyer’s guide comparing Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Century 21 here.
If you’re curious about which Tennessee brokerages are the most successful, check out Real Trends list of the top real estate brokerages in Tennessee for 2017 below.
Nashville
| Real Estate Brokerage | Sales Volume (2016) |
|---|---|
| Keller Williams Realty | $3,063,677,554 |
| PARKS | $2,052,106,854 |
| Benchmark Realty LLC | $1,885,327,608 |
| Crye-Leike Realtors | $1,297,677,877 |
| RE/MAX Elite | $919,130,698 |
Knoxville
| Real Estate Brokerage | Sales Volume (2016) |
|---|---|
| Realty Executives Associates | $1,518,018,012 |
| Keller Williams Realty Knoxville-West | $951,183,922 |
| Coldwell Banker Wallace & Wallace, Realtors | $656,321,162 |
| RE/MAX Preferred Properties | $251,646,929 |
*Data from Real Trends Market Leaders 2017
Tennessee Counties with Highest Average Listing Price and Highest Median Sales Price 2017
Let’s face it, higher listing prices mean higher commission checks! To get a sense of which countys offer the best opportunities for big bucks in Tennessee check out this sales data from Trulia’s Tennessee home price page below (week ending June 21):
| County | Average List Price | Median Sales price |
|---|---|---|
| Williamson | $726,743 | $437,950 |
| Davidson | $476,160 | $254,000 |
| Loudon | $389,676 | $205,000 |
| Moore | $382,062 | $150,000 |
| Sumner | $379,191 | $250,000 |
| Wilson | $373,273 | $267,000 |
| Van Buren | $336,174 | $203,500 |
| Blount | $326,875 | $169,900 |
| Fayette | $322,540 | $205,500 |
| DeKalb | $305,528 | - |
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