Real Estate Licensing Requirements

Pre-licensing requirements for obtaining a real estate sales person license.  These requirements are taken direcly from the Indiana Real Estate License Law.

IC 25-34.1-3-3.1
Requirements for salesperson's license Sec. 3.1.

(a) To obtain a salesperson license, an individual must:
        (1) be at least eighteen (18) years of age before applying for a license and must not have a conviction for:
            (A) an act that would constitute a ground for disciplinary sanction under IC 25-1- 11;
            (B) a crime that has a direct bearing on the individual's ability to practicecompetently; or
            (C) a crime that indicates the individual has the propensity to endanger the public;
        (2) have successfully completed courses in the principles, practices, and law of realestate, totaling eight (8) semester credit hours, or their equivalent, as a student at an accredited college or university or have successfully completed an approvedsalesperson course as provided in IC 25-34.1-5-5(a);
        (3) apply for a license by submitting the fee prescribed by the commission and an application containing the name, address, and age of the applicant, the name under which the applicant intends to conduct business, the principal broker's address where the business is to be conducted, proof of compliance with subdivision (2), and any other information the commission requires;
        (4) pass a written examination prepared and administered by the commission or its duly appointed agent; and
        (5) submit not more than one (1) year after passing the written examination under subdivision (4) a sworn certification of a principal broker that the principal broker intends to associate with the applicant and maintain that association until notice of termination of the association is given to the commission.

    (b) Upon the applicant's compliance with the requirements of subsection (a), the commission shall:
        (1) issue a wall certificate in the name of the salesperson to the principal broker who certified the applicant's association with the principal broker; and 
       (2) issue to the salesperson a pocket identification card which certifies that the salesperson is licensed and indicates the expiration date of the license and the name of the principal broker.

    (c) Notice of passing the commission examination serves as a temporary permit to act as a salesperson as soon as the applicant sends, by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested, the certification as prescribed in subsection (a)(5). The temporary permit expires the earliest of the following:
        (1) The date the license is issued.
        (2) The date the applicant's association with the certifying principal broker is terminated. The temporary permit may not be renewed, extended, reissued, or otherwise effective for any association other than with the initial certifying principal broker.

    (d) A salesperson shall:
        (1) act under the auspices of the principal broker responsible for that salesperson's  conduct under this article;
        (2) be associated with only one (1) principal broker;
        (3) maintain evidence of licensure in the office, branch office, or sales outlet of the principal broker;
        (4) advertise only in the name of the principal broker, with the principal broker's name in letters of advertising larger than that of the salesperson's name; and
        (5) not maintain any real estate office apart from that office provided by the principal broker.

    (e) Upon termination of a salesperson's association with a principal broker, the salesperson's license shall be returned to the commission within five (5) business days. The commission shall reissue the license to any principal broker whose certification, as prescribed in subsection (a)(5), is filed with the commission, and the commission shall issue a new identification card to the salesperson reflecting that change.

    (f) Unless a license is renewed, a salesperson license expires on a date specified by the licensing agency under IC 25-1-6-4 and expires biennially after the initial expiration date. An applicant for renewal shall submit an application in the manner prescribed by the board and pay the renewal fee established by the board under IC 25-1-8-2 on or before the renewal date specified by the licensing agency. If the holder of a license does not renew the license by the date specified by the licensing agency, the license expires and becomes invalid without the board taking anyaction. If a salesperson fails to reinstate a license within eighteen (18) months after expiration, a license may not be issued unless that salesperson again complies with the requirements of subsection (a)(3), (a)(4), and (a)(5).

    (g) A salesperson license may be issued to an individual who is not yet associated with a principal broker but who otherwise meets the requirements of subsection (a). A license issued under this subsection shall be held by the commission in an unassigned status until the date the individual submits the certification of a principal broker required by subsection (a)(5). If the individual does not submit the application for licensure within one (1) year after passing the commission examination, the commission shall void the application and may not issue a license to that applicant unless the applicant again complies with the requirements of subsection (a)(4) through (a)(5).
   
    (h) If an individual holding a salesperson license is not associated with a principal broker for two (2) successive renewal periods, the commission shall notify the individual in writing that the individual's license will become void if the individual does not associate with a principal broker within thirty (30) days from the date the notification is mailed. A void license may not be renewed.
As added by Acts 1982, P.L.156, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.255-1987, SEC.2; P.L.214-1993, SEC.82; P.L.128-1994, SEC.2; P.L.236-1995, SEC.49; P.L.182-1996, SEC.1; P.L.194-2005, SEC.85; P.L.157-2006, SEC.71.

Once you have your license, consider taking an extra step toward competence and professionalism by joining your local, state, and national Associations or REALTORS®. Then, and only then, may you legally use the term "REALTOR®" following your name.

To join, ask your broker to which Local Association of REALTORS® he or she belongs. Then call the Association's office and sign up for the next new member orientation program, where you can learn the exact process for joining. Some Associations may allow you to join the REALTOR® family immediately, simply by completing an application form and paying the nominal REALTOR® organization dues. Join us as soon as you can. Your payoff in increased information and professionalism will be tremendous!

For more information on real estate license requirements, contact the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of REALTORS® at 800-338-8489.