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How to Get Your Washington Real Estate License

Everything you need to earn your Washington real estate broker license in 2026 — the required education, the PSI exam, fingerprinting and fees.

To get a Washington real estate broker license you must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or its equivalent, complete 90 clock hours of Department of Licensing-approved pre-license education — a 60-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course and a 30-hour Real Estate Practices course — pass a fingerprint-based background check, and pass both portions of the Washington broker examination with a scaled score of 70 or higher on each.

  • Washington requires 90 clock hours of approved pre-license education to qualify for the broker examination: 60 hours of Real Estate Fundamentals and 30 hours of Real Estate Practices. RCW 18.85.101(1)(c)
  • A Washington clock hour is 50 minutes of actual instruction, so the 90-hour requirement is 75 hours of instruction time. WAC 308-124H-820(4)
  • The Real Estate Fundamentals course must include three hours of instruction on fair housing and consumer protection. RCW 18.85.101(1)(c)
  • A Washington broker license applicant must be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. RCW 18.85.101(1)(a)-(b)
  • Each pre-license course must be completed within the two years before you apply for the Washington broker examination. RCW 18.85.101(1)(c)
  • The Washington broker examination has a national portion and a state portion, and a minimum scaled score of 70 is required on each — a scaled score, not a raw percentage. WAC 308-124A-760(1)
  • A passing score on one portion of the Washington broker examination is valid for six months, so both portions must be passed within six months of each other. WAC 308-124A-760(3)
  • Applicants must complete a fingerprint-based background check through the Washington State Patrol and the FBI. RCW 18.85.171(1)(d)

Last verified against the Revised Code of Washington and the Washington Administrative Code. Requirements are set by the Washington State Department of Licensing and can change — confirm anything time-sensitive with the DOL.

What education is required to become a broker?

To become a real estate broker in Washington you complete 90 clock hours of DOL-approved pre-license coursework, broken into two courses:

  • 60 Real Estate Fundamentals
  • 30 Real Estate Practices
Total: 90 clock hours

Most popular pre-license package

Gold Broker Pre-License

$309.00
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The Washington broker exam

The Washington real estate broker exam is administered by PSI and is made up of 140 multiple-choice questions. They're drawn from two portions that are mixed together: a national portion covering general real estate topics and law, and a Washington state portion covering state-specific law.

The breakdown is 105 national questions (100 scored) and 35 state questions (30 scored). The extra questions don't count — the testing company is trying out new items before adding them to the scored pool. To pass you need a minimum scaled score of 70 on each portion — a scaled score, not a raw percentage, because questions are weighted. The national and state sections are scored separately, so you must pass both, and a passing score on one portion is only valid for six months: pass the second portion inside that window or you retake both. Your pre-license courses must each have been completed within the two years before you apply for the examination.

Frequently asked questions

Who can get a Washington real estate license?
Anyone who is at least 18 years old and has a high school diploma or its equivalent, and who completes Washington's required real estate education, is eligible to become a licensed real estate broker.
What education is required to become a broker in Washington?
Becoming a Washington real estate broker takes 90 clock hours of DOL-approved pre-license education: a 60-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course and a 30-hour Real Estate Practices course.
What is the Washington broker exam like?
The Washington broker exam is administered by PSI and has 140 multiple-choice questions split into a national portion (105 questions, 100 scored) and a Washington state portion (35 questions, 30 scored). The extra unscored questions are new items the testing company is trying out before adding them to the scored pool. Questions are scaled — easier questions are worth a bit less and harder ones a bit more — so your result is reported as a scaled score.
What score do I need to pass the Washington broker exam?
You need a scaled score of 70 or higher on each portion of the exam. That is a scaled score, not a raw percentage — questions are weighted, so 70 scaled is not the same as answering 70% of the questions correctly. The national section and the Washington state section are scored separately, so you have to pass both. If you pass one portion and fail the other, you only retake the portion you failed — but a passing score on one portion is only good for six months, so you must pass the second portion within six months of the first or you retake both.
How long do I have to pass the exam after finishing my education?
Each pre-license course must have been completed within the two years before you apply for the Washington broker examination. In practice that gives you two years from finishing your coursework to get your exam application in — so if you finish your 90 hours and then wait more than two years, you have to retake the education.
What are the steps to getting a Washington real estate license?
1) Complete the 90 hours of required pre-license education. 2) Register with PSI as a broker exam candidate. 3) Schedule your exam and pay the testing fee. 4) Pass the national and state portions of the exam. 5) Get fingerprinted for the background check (through IdentoGO). 6) Choose a firm/managing broker to work under. 7) Submit your license fees to the Department of Licensing and identify the firm you'll be affiliated with.
What can you do with a Washington real estate broker license?
A Washington real estate license lets you work as a residential broker, commercial broker, or property manager. Commercial real estate alone covers many specialties — apartments, office, retail, medical, industrial and more. The most common use is residential sales, helping buyers and sellers purchase and sell homes.
How long does it take to become a real estate broker?
Students may study up to 10 hours per day, so the 90 education hours can technically be finished in about 9 days, though that is unusual — most students take a couple of months. After the coursework, registering, studying, and testing typically adds a few more weeks.
Can I work for myself after getting a real estate license?
Not entirely. A new broker must be affiliated with a brokerage firm to practice. You do work for yourself in the sense that you'll usually be an independent contractor who controls your own schedule, marketing budget, and day-to-day tasks.
How much does a broker make when they sell a house?
When a property sells, a brokerage firm typically earns around 3% of the sale price — for example, about $18,000 on a $600,000 home. How much of that the individual broker keeps depends on their agreement with the firm: some offices pass 100% to the broker minus a transaction and desk fee, others split 50/50, 70/30, and so on, with varying levels of training and support.
How long until you get paid as a real estate broker?
Brokers are usually paid on commission, so they aren't paid until a transaction closes. A residential sale typically takes about 30 days from signed contract to closing, so it's important to be financially prepared for the gap between getting licensed and earning your first commission. The upside is that the eventual checks are substantial.
I'm licensed in another state — do I still need all 90 hours and the full exam?
Check with the Washington Department of Licensing first. Typically, if you hold an active license in another jurisdiction, you only need to pass the Washington state law portion of the broker (or managing broker) exam, and you are not required to complete clock hours to sit for it.
If I only take the state portion as an out-of-state broker, do I need a law class?
No — you aren't required to complete clock hours to sit for the exam. That said, most out-of-state brokers using reciprocity do sign up for our State Exam Cram for brokers or managing brokers. You'll find those in the Get a License and Managing Broker sections.
Can I retake the broker exam if I fail?
Yes, and there is currently no limit on the number of attempts. Retaking it many times would get expensive and time-consuming, but the state does not cap the number of tries.

Related Washington requirements

First Renewal

The 90 clock hours new brokers need before their first 2-year renewal.

Continuing Education

30 hours every renewal — Core, Fair Housing and your electives.

Managing Broker

The 90 hours and experience needed to sit for the managing broker exam.

License Information

Fees, timelines and the full Washington licensing overview.

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