NJ vs PA vs NY vs DE Real Estate License Requirements Compared
The short answer: All four states require a pre-licensing course, a state exam and a sponsoring or employing broker, but the details differ. New Jersey requires 75 hours, Pennsylvania 75 hours (two courses), New York 77 hours and Delaware 99 hours. Continuing education per renewal ranges from 12 hours (NJ) to 22.5 hours (NY). None of the four lets you simply carry a license across the line. Pennsylvania and Delaware offer reciprocity paths, New York says it has no reciprocity with any state, and New Jersey uses education waivers.
If you live near a border, you'll probably think about more than one license at some point. Here's how the four compare, using each state's own sources.
How do the four states compare at a glance?
| Requirement | New Jersey | Pennsylvania | New York | Delaware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Pre-licensing education | 75 hours | 75 hours: Fundamentals (30) + Practice (45) | 77 hours | 99 hours |
| State exam | PSI exam | Pearson VUE: National + PA State portions | Dept. of State exam (plus a school-proctored course exam) | Pearson VUE: General + Delaware law portions |
| Broker needed to apply | Sponsoring broker | Employing broker | Sponsoring NYS broker | DE-licensed broker of record |
| CE to renew | 12 hours per 2-year term | 14 hours | 22.5 hours per 2-year term | 21 hours per 2-year period |
| Out-of-state licensees | Education waiver (no automatic transfer) | Reciprocity with 5 states; others take the PA portion | No reciprocity; written waiver request | Reciprocity path; Delaware law exam |
Sources for each cell are in the sections below.
What does New Jersey require?
You must be 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent, finish the 75-hour course at a NJ-licensed school, pass the PSI exam, and apply through a sponsoring broker. Your course completion starts a one-year window to pass the exam and file a complete application (NJREC fingerprinting and application page; N.J.A.C. 11:5-3.6(c), as amended Jan. 20, 2026). The PSI exam has 110 scored questions and you need 70% to pass (PSI bulletin).
Renewal is every two years with 12 CE hours, at least 6 in core topics (NJREC CE). The full checklist is in our NJ license requirements guide. Costs are covered in what a NJ license costs.
What does Pennsylvania require?
Pennsylvania requires 75 hours (5 credits): Real Estate Fundamentals (30 hours) and Real Estate Practice (45 hours). The courses must be completed within 5 years before you pass the exam. A real estate bachelor's degree, a law degree or 75 hours of approved pre-licensing in another state can also qualify you. You pass both portions of the exam through Pearson VUE, and you can't apply until a PA-licensed employing broker agrees to supervise and train you. A criminal history record check dated within 180 days is required (PA licensure guide; PA education information).
Licensees complete 14 hours of approved CE to renew (PA education information).
What does New York require?
New York requires you to be 18, complete 77 hours of approved qualifying education, pass a school-administered proctored exam and the Department of State exam, and be sponsored by a NYS broker. The state exam is multiple choice, based on the 77-hour curriculum, and you have 1½ hours. Results are reported only as pass or fail, and a passing result is valid for two years (NY Department of State; NY DOS FAQ). Fees listed by the Department are $65 for the initial application, $15 for the written exam and $65 for renewal.
CE is 22.5 hours per term, including set hours on cultural competency, implicit bias, ethics, recent legal matters, fair housing and agency (NY DOS FAQ).
What does Delaware require?
Delaware's course is the longest of the four at 99 hours. You pass the General and Delaware law portions of the exam through Pearson VUE, then apply through DELPROS with a Statement of Broker of Record signed by your employing broker (Delaware DPR). New licensees (other than those licensed by reciprocity) also complete 12 hours of new-salesperson modules within 90 days of getting the license. Renewal CE is 21 hours (Delaware DPR; 24 Del. Admin. Code 2900).
Which states offer reciprocity?
This is where the four differ most:
- Pennsylvania has reciprocity agreements with Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Massachusetts. A salesperson licensed elsewhere within the last five years can skip the national portion and take only the PA State portion (PA licensure guide).
- New York says it "does not currently have reciprocity with any other state." Applicants with out-of-state education submit a written waiver request (NY DOS FAQ).
- Delaware offers a reciprocity path for active licensees from other jurisdictions. They pass the Delaware law portion and show qualifying education, or three years of continuous licensure plus 20 sales or lease transactions in the past three years (Delaware DPR).
- New Jersey uses an education waiver. Under the rule amended in January 2026, an out-of-state licensee may qualify if their approved pre-licensing course was at least 75 hours, they were licensed by state exam, and they were actively licensed within three years of applying. They still pass the NJ exam (N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.1(e)4).
For the step-by-step NJ side, see our guides for PA licensees moving to NJ, NY licensees getting a NJ license and NJ waivers and reciprocity.
Which license should you get first?
Get the license for the state where you'll actually work and where your sponsoring broker is. Each state ties your license to a broker it licenses. Then check how the second state treats your first license before you assume a shortcut. The rules above change, and NJ reworded its waiver rule in January 2026.
If New Jersey is first on your list, Business Elementary's 75-hour pre-licensing course page explains the course.
Sources
- N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.1 and 11:5-3.6 as amended, R.2026 d.020 (NJ Register adoption, effective Jan. 20, 2026): https://www.nj.gov/dobi/proposed/aa260120njac11_5.pdf
- NJREC License Candidate Fingerprinting: https://nj.gov/dobi/division_rec/licensing/fingerprint.html
- NJREC Continuing Education: https://www.nj.gov/dobi/division_rec/licensing/online_Instructions/ce.html
- PSI New Jersey Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 2/1/2026): https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/1667
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Real Estate Commission Licensure Guide: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/resources/professional-licensing-resources/licensure-processing-guides-and-timelines/real-estate-commission-guide
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Real Estate Commission Education Information: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/real-estate-commission/education-information
- New York Department of State, Become a Real Estate Salesperson: https://dos.ny.gov/real-estate-agent
- New York Department of State, Real Estate Salesperson FAQs: https://dos.ny.gov/real-estate-salesperson-frequently-asked-questions
- Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, Real Estate Salesperson: https://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/realestate/ressalesperson/
- 24 Del. Admin. Code 2900, Real Estate Commission rules: https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title24/2900.shtml
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the four states needs the most pre-licensing hours?
Delaware, at 99 hours. NJ and PA require 75, and NY requires 77 (Delaware DPR; NY Department of State).
Can a NJ licensee get a PA license without the full exam?
A salesperson actively licensed in another state within the last five years takes only the PA State portion, after meeting PA's education requirement (PA licensure guide).
Does New York accept a New Jersey license?
Not by reciprocity. NY says it has none with any state, and out-of-state education is reviewed through a written waiver request (NY DOS FAQ).
Do I need a broker before applying in each state?
Yes. Each state's application requires a broker licensed in that state to sponsor or employ you (PA licensure guide; NY Department of State; Delaware DPR; NJ license requirements).
How long is a New York exam pass good for?
Two years (NY Department of State).