Overview
In Washington, real estate brokers are licensed by the Department of Licensing (DOL). The path has five main parts: meet the basic requirements, complete approved prelicensing education, pass the state and national exams, complete a fingerprint background check, and apply for your license through the firm you'll work under. This guide summarizes DOL's published steps and the state law behind them. It's general information; confirm the current details on the DOL license page before you start.
Step 1: Meet the basic requirements
Under RCW 18.85.101, broker applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. The background check (step 4) is also part of the process, so if you have questions about your history, DOL's resources are the place to start.
Step 2: Complete 90 hours of prelicensing education
Washington requires 90 hours of approved real estate instruction:
- Real Estate Fundamentals (60 hours), which includes instruction on fair housing and consumer protection
- Real Estate Practices (30 hours)
Courses must be DOL-approved, each has a course exam, and they must be completed within two years before you apply for the licensing exam. Schools offer different formats (live online, self-paced, in person), so choose the one that fits how you learn. Tuition varies by school.
Step 3: Pass the state and national exams
DOL's testing vendor is PSI. Your school sends your course completions to PSI, and PSI lets you know when you can schedule. The exam has a state portion and a national portion. According to DOL, you must pass both within six months of each other, or you'll need to retake both. Bring the identification PSI requires. Details are on DOL's exam page.
Study tip: the national portion tests general real estate principles, while the state portion focuses on Washington law and practice, including agency law and license law. Practice exams help, but understanding why an answer is right will help you in practice too.
Step 4: Fingerprints and background check
DOL says to submit fingerprints after you pass your exam. If you're in Washington, fingerprints are taken electronically through DOL's vendor and sent for state and national background checks. If you're outside Washington, the process is different. See fingerprinting and background checks.
Step 5: Choose a firm and apply
In Washington, a broker is licensed to one firm at a time and is supervised by a designated or managing broker. That means choosing where you'll work is part of getting licensed. DOL says to apply for your license within one year of passing your final exam, and applying online is typically faster than by mail.
When you compare firms and teams, look beyond the brand: training, mentorship, how you'll find clients, costs, and the people you'll work with every day. Our guide to questions to ask before joining a team can help.
After you're licensed: plan for your first renewal
New brokers have a bigger education requirement at their first renewal. Under RCW 18.85.101, the first renewal requires 90 hours of courses, including real estate law (with fair housing and consumer protection), advanced practices, and continuing education. Check DOL for the current course list and deadlines, and spread the hours out so they don't pile up at the end.
Next steps
Whether you're about to enroll or already studying, it's worth learning how buyer work and team life actually look. See the path for new agents and what a buyer's agent actually does, or start a confidential conversation with Loomis.
This article is general information for real estate professionals and people considering a license, not legal advice, and requirements can change. It is deemed reliable but not guaranteed; confirm licensing rules with the Washington State Department of Licensing and brokerage policies with your designated broker.
Loomis Hamilton is a real estate broker with McConnell Group who works with home buyers across Seattle and the greater Seattle area and is building a buyer's-agent team. MLS ID WA 138027.
(425) 516-2041 · l.hamilton@mcconnellgroup.com · Talk confidentially