Missouri has long been one of the more affordable places to buy a home, and the demand is high. With a very strong market in St. Louis as well as reasonable home pricing in rural areas and suburbs, now is the perfect time to start considering a real estate career in Missouri.

Whether it’s been your goal to become a real estate agent for a while now or you’re just now considering it as a new career option, the real estate business can offer you everything you want in a career. 

So, you want to know how to get your real estate license in Missouri? The overall licensing process and education requirements are typically pretty similar across the U.S., although some of the specifics may change, depending on your home state. Let’s take a look at the list of basic requirements you’ll need to meet to become a licensed real estate salesperson in the state of Missouri. 

1. Complete 72 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education
2. Pass the course final exam
3. Pass the Missouri Real Estate Salesperson Exam
4. Submit fingerprints and a background check
5. Complete the Licensing Application

1. Complete 72 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education.  

To become a real estate salesperson in the state of Missouri, the Missouri Real Estate Commission (MREC) requires all prospective real estate agents to be at least 18 years old and complete 72 hours of pre-licensing education before taking the real estate licensing exam. 

The pre-licensing education includes the 48-Hour Salesperson Pre-Examination Course and the 24-Hour Missouri Real Estate Practice (MREP) Course. Pre-licensing courses in Missouri can be taken online. Missouri does not require the final pre-license exam to be supervised by a proctor. The pre-license exam is closed-book and closed-note. 

Please note that passing these education courses does not guarantee that you’ll pass your real estate exam. Take advantage of practice tests and review hours to make sure you’re fully prepared. 

2. Pass the pre-licensing course final exam. 

Once you’ve finished your real estate education courses, the next step is to pass your course final. Note that this is not the same thing as your actual license exam. Think of this final as a sort of practice exam you need to pass before you’re eligible to take the official real estate licensing exam. 

3. Schedule and pass the Missouri Real Estate Salesperson Exam. 

The next step to your real estate license is to apply to take the Missouri Real Estate Salesperson Exam. The final exam must be taken in person at an approved PSI testing facility. When you’re ready to take the exam, you can schedule an appointment by phone by calling their office at 888-818-5829.

You can also schedule your exam online at www.goAMP.com. The fee to take the exam is $62 per attempt. Exams are scheduled within five days of contacting PSI on a first-come, first served basis. 

You will have four hours to take the Missouri Real Estate Exam. The exam consists of two sections, a State portion and a National portion. The State portion contains 40 questions that cover general rules, licenses, educational requirements, business conduct and practices, brokerage relationships and disciplinary proceedings. The National portion contains 100 questions and covers topics like property ownership, land use controls and regulations, valuation and market analysis, financing and more.

On your exam date, you’ll need to present two forms of identification. One must be a signature-bearing, valid form of government issued identification, such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport that has your photograph. The second ID must have your signature and preprinted legal name, like a credit card, debit card, or wholesale membership card. NO personal items are allowed at testing centers, but you may have a basic-function calculator and scratch paper.

In order to pass the Missouri Real Estate Exam and apply for a real estate license in the state of Missouri, you must score 70% on the National and State portions of the exam. You’ll receive a passing score report with instructions on how to apply for your real estate license. Make sure you keep this report.

You’ll be notified of your test results upon completion. If you did not pass, you’ll receive diagnostic scoring information for the National portion of the exam only. If you don’t pass the final on your first attempt, you’ll be able to schedule a retake as many times as you need. The $62 exam fee applies each time. 

4. Submit fingerprints and a background check.

Next, you’ll need to get fingerprinted and have a background check. Background checks are performed through the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS). Here are the steps to take.

1. Register with MACHS at www.machs.mo.gov.
2. Authorize the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) and the FBI to send the results of your background check to the MREC by entering four-digit code “0004”
3. Once you register, choose a fingerprinting location. There are multiple locations throughout the state of Missouri, and some offer night and weekend hours. Appointments are on a first come, first served basis.

Please bring a Photo ID, such as a valid driver’s license, military ID or passport, with you to the fingerprinting site. Fingerprinting will take around 10 minutes and costs $43.05. The MSHP will send your background check results to MREC on your behalf. Fingerprinting services in Missouri are provided by IDEMNIA (Identogo).

You’ll be given a receipt with a unique TCN number on it when you’re done being fingerprinted. Keep this receipt, as it will need to be submitted with your licensing application. You may also use this TCN number if you need to contact MACHS about your background check. 

5. Submit a Missouri Real Estate License application. 

After meeting eligibility requirements and passing the Missouri Real Estate Salesperson Exam, you may apply for your salesperson license with the MREC. Remember that passing score report you received from your Missouri Real Estate Salesperson Exam? Flip it over, because the back contains full instructions on the application. Make sure you submit your application for a license to the MREC within six months of the date of your pre-examination course completion.

Congratulations!

FAQs 

What about a sponsoring brokerage?

Even though the state of Missouri doesn’t require agents to work with a sponsoring brokerage at first, I would still strongly recommend it to any new real estate agent. When I first started, I didn’t join a team, and I look back on that as one of my biggest mistakes. If I could give you one piece of advice on how to pick the right broker to work with, it’s this:  Make sure that the broker you’re considering matches your needs, and don’t worry about the other way around. 

Before you commit to anything, I recommend researching each brokerage you’re considering. Start with their reputation. Does this broker seem to be on solid ground with a good reputation in the state? Ask them about how much room you’ll have to grow at their brokerage. What kind of training program or further education do they offer? What is their commission structure like? Do they charge desk fees to work at the brokerage? If so, do they offer any technological advantages, such as a multiple listing service (MLS)?

Does Missouri have license reciprocity with other states? 

Yes. The state of Missouri has license reciprocity with all 50 states. In order to become a licensed real estate sales person in Missouri, you must hold an active real estate license in another state and:

• Complete the 24-Hour MREP Course
• Pass both sections of the Missouri Real Estate Exam
• Submit a license application

How much time does it take to get your real estate license? 

This is really a question for yourself more than it is for anyone else. How long do you want it to take? Driven students who treat their course hours like a job can complete their education within a few weeks. The longest process for them will likely be waiting on their fingerprints card. On average, most students take 3-5 months to complete everything. 

There are only two things about this that I can tell you for sure. The best time to start working toward your initial license is right now, and you have the ability to control your own pace after you start. 

Is there anything aspiring real estate professionals can do to get an advantage? 

You bet there is! In fact, I’ve partnered with the CE Shop to make sure of it. Through our partnership, we’ve created the training program that I wish I had when I first started my journey into real estate. With the Sell It Like Serhant: Pre-Licensing Accelerator, you’re getting a full state-qualifying education combined with my own sales system that my team and I use at my brokerage. 

In addition to getting all the course hours you need from our state-approved program, this package includes plenty of unique benefits. You’ll have support from state-approved expert instructors, the ebooks that you’ll need to succeed, as well as my own “Quick Start Guide”. Each helps you prepare for your state exam with the latest information and tips. 

Speaking of exam prep, this course package contains 10 progress exams, five practice exams (three state and two national) and flashcards to get you ready for test day. We’re so confident you’ll pass your exam the first time that Missouri students even get our Pass or Don’t Pay guarantee. If you don’t pass your state exam on your first attempt, we’ll refund all your money! 

The good news doesn’t stop there, either. This course package also includes a membership to additional resources from SERHANT. to help you start achieving success from your first day in the business. Perhaps the most notable of these is my Sell It Like Serhant: Real Estate Core video course. This is a 42-video online course that teaches you the same techniques that I use with my team to generate leads, create markets, close deals, and much more. 

You already have the potential to get your license and build a successful real estate career inside you. Let us help you unlock that potential today! 

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