General Requirements
A real estate sales associate applicant in Kentucky must:
If you meet these qualifications, you can earn your Kentucky real estate sales agent license in 6 steps.
Step 1: Complete the 96-Hour Kentucky Pre-license Education Course
Kentucky sales associate license applicants must complete pre-licensing education before taking the exam. The education can be six credit hours in real estate courses from an accredited college or a 96-hour pre-license course from an approved proprietary school.
Applicants can take the course as a classroom or online learning course. Many choose to do the pre-license course online because of its flexibility with their schedule.
The 96-hour pre-license course content covers national and state topics concerning real estate practice. It will cover topics such as real estate financing, contracts, property management, valuation, Kentucky real estate laws, licensing requirements, and disciplinary procedures.
Once you pass the course final, you will be issued a course completion certificate. Your education hours do not expire; there is no time limit between when you finish the education and when you can take your exam.
Step 2: Submit Fingerprints for a Background Check
Kentucky requires all applicants to request a copy of their national criminal history before registering for the real estate exam or submitting their activation paperwork. You have two choices for receiving your federal criminal history.
Contact the FBI at www.edo.cjis.gov. The report will cost $18 and will be mailed to you, usually within a week.
Contact the Kentucky State Police for fingerprinting. Visit Uenroll.identogo.com and use the service code 27GJR5. The report will cost $51.25 and be sent directly to the KREC.
Note that all national criminal history checks expire 90 days after the report date of issuance. Time your exam and national criminal history check accordingly. KREC won’t issue a license without a valid report.
Step 3: Apply for the State Exam
The KREC has contracted with PSI to administer the state licensing exam. You must have finished your course hours and initiated your FBI background check before scheduling the exam.
The Kentucky Salesperson Exam costs $100 and is payable directly to PSI. The company accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover) for payment.
You’ll need your pre-license school code to schedule the exam. Codes are available from your school and also in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin. Find the testing schedule on the PSI website or the state Candidate Handbook.
Online registration is the easiest and fastest way to set up your state licensing exam. You can also call 855-746-8176 for registration assistance. Another option is to submit a standard mail or a fax registration.
PSI runs testing centers in Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville, Maysville, Paducah, Somerset, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Knoxville, and Nashville. You can see the testing location addresses in the Candidate Handbook.
Step 4: Take and Pass the State Exam
On exam day, you’ll need to bring two forms of identification. One must be a government-issued ID with your signature and photograph. You’ll also need a non-programmable calculator that is battery-operated, silent, and does not have an alphabetic keyboard.
The Kentucky state exam has a national portion and a state portion. A passing score is 75%. The question numbers vary according to each exam form.
About the sales associate real estate exam:
You can see the specific breakdown of the number of questions asked in each topic area in the Candidate Handbook.
Immediately upon exam completion, you will see a score report marked “pass” or “fail.” You’ll also receive an unofficial printed score report. If you don’t pass, you’ll see a diagnostic report with your strengths and weaknesses.
If you pass the exam, you will receive your license application at the PSI testing center.
If you fail, your score report will have information on reapplying. You must retake the failed portion(s) within (4) months.
Step 5: Purchase Errors and Omissions Insurance
Kentucky real estate licensees have the option to participate in the Kentucky Real Estate Commission’s group Errors & Omissions Insurance Policy which is carried by RISC Insurance Company. Basic plans start at $106 plus a KY and municipal surcharge. Or, you can carry E&O through a private carrier. Consult with your principal broker about which policy to obtain. You will need to submit the “Private Carrier Certification of Coverage” form. No matter where you purchase your E&O coverage, the KREC charges a $10 processing fee.
Step 6: Apply for a Kentucky Sales Associate Real Estate License
Once you pass your state exam, you have 60 days to apply for your sales associate license, starting with the day you pass the exam. The licensing fee is $130 for an active license made payable to the Kentucky Real Estate Commission via credit card, debit card, or electronic check.
You will receive your license application at the PSI Testing Center once you pass the exam. You will also get an email from the KREC within 36-48 hours of passing with application instructions for online submission.
The documentation you’ll need for your submission includes:
KREC requires you to send all the documentation as a complete package with its 60-day timeline. It will review your application and make a decision. Once you’re approved, congratulations! You are a licensed Kentucky Sales Associate.