Ohio Real Estate License Requirements

Learn about the Ohio education requirements for real estate licensing and renewal.

Licensing Board/Commission: Department of Commerce – Real Estate & Professional Licensing

Ohio Real Estate Requirements:

  • Ohio real estate salesperson license: 120 hours of pre-licensing education
  • Ohio real estate broker license: 120 hours of pre-licensing education
  • Ohio requires 20 hours of post-licensing education after initial license.
  • This includes the 40-hour Ohio real estate law course, the 40-hour Ohio real estate principles & practices course, a 20-hour real estate appraisal course and a 20-hour real estate finance course), plus a financial management course, a human resources course, an applied business economics course, a business law course and a minimum of 2 years of post-secondary education (or equivalent hours of 60 semester or 90 quarter hours)
  • Ohio requires both salesperson and broker applicants complete at least 10 hours of in-classroom instruction

Many students take advantage of exam prep tailored for their state, to give them a higher chance of passing.

Ohio State Reciprocity:

Real estate commissions and boards across the country are adopting policies for a real estate agent in one state to more easily become licensed in another state.

In Ohio, nonresidents who apply for an Ohio real estate salesperson or broker license who hold an active real estate license in another state must submit proof of  completion of pre-license education and receive a passing score on the Ohio portion of the real estate examination.

For more information on reciprocity, view our complete guide.

Ohio Continuing Education (CE) Renewal Requirements:

  • Real estate professionals in Ohio must renew their real estate licenses every three years by their birthday
  • Licensees must complete 30 hours of real estate CE classes
  • Of these, 9 hours must be dedicated to the following topics: 3 hours in core law, 3 hours in ethics and 3 hours in civil rights