How to get a real estate license in North Carolina
The official path to a North Carolina salesperson license in 4 steps, with fees and rules taken from the state regulator.
NC entry-level license is 'Broker' (provisional).
Take the pre-licensing course
75 hours from a state-approved school.
Verified from official source · Oct 16, 2026Compare official pass rates for every North Carolina school →
Pass the state exam
Administered by Pearson VUE. Exam fee: $63.
Verified from official source · Oct 16, 2026Apply for your license
License / application fee: $105. Fingerprint / background: Criminal record report required (ordered and paid by applicant, dated within 6 months); cost not stated. Deadline: Pass both exam sections within 180-day eligibility period; prelicense course valid 3 years
Effective April 1, 2026
Verified from official source · Oct 16, 2026After you're licensed
90 hours (Post 301/302/303) within 18 months of initial licensure
Verified from official source · Oct 16, 2026
Other rules
- E&O insurance required
- Not published
No E&O requirement found in the regulator pages we read; absence is not confirmation
Not on an official source · searched Oct 16, 2026 - Reciprocity
- No reciprocity, but out-of-state licensees (Option 4) skip prelicensing and the National section; pass State section
- Official pass rate
- 74.07% of 2,815 first-attempt candidates (tested within 30 days of course), 7/1/2025–6/30/2026
Full exam; not split broker/salesperson; captured via manual browser session
Recent rule changes
- No changes detected since tracking began.
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