This article is part of a larger series on How to Become a Real Estate Agent.
TABLE OF CONTENTSEarning your New Hampshire real estate license is fairly simple and straightforward. You must complete 40 hours of prelicensing education from a provider approved by the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (NHREC), pass your real estate exam, submit a background check, choose a sponsoring brokerage, and finally, submit your license application. So grab an apple cider donut―or even an apple cider cocktail―and dive into our guide on how to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire.
In order to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire (NH), you need to meet a few standard qualifications. You must be 18 years of age or older, a U.S. citizen or lawful resident, and have a high school diploma or GED.
Did you know? If you plan on practicing real estate in multiple states, you need to know real estate license reciprocity and portability laws. New Hampshire has partial reciprocity, which means real estate agents from a few states don’t have to take the prelicensing courses, but must still pass the state portion of the exam to get a real estate license. States with reciprocity agreements are Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
New Hampshire is also a cooperative state in terms of portability. This means that agents and brokers from other states are allowed to conduct real estate business in New Hampshire, but must conduct all out-of-state business remotely, and can’t enter the state for showings, closings, or any other reason.
Once you meet licensing requirements, the next step is to sign up for prelicensing courses in the Granite State. You’ll need to complete 40 hours of required education with costs ranging between $300 and $365.
There are fewer than 20 approved New Hampshire real estate schools, and the majority of them offer only classroom or live online courses, so make sure you check both class formats and schedules before signing up. Your New Hampshire real estate prelicensing classes will cover the following topics:
Did you know? Any active member of the New Hampshire Bar who is in good standing and qualified under the real estate license law is exempt from taking the real estate sales associate prerequisite course.
When selecting an accredited real estate school, remember to take customer support, course format, and customer reviews into consideration. Ann Flanagan’s NH Real Estate School offers live and self-paced classes, extensive customer support, and has many rave customer reviews. Check out their website for more details.
All real estate applicants in New Hampshire must submit a notarized criminal record report to the New Hampshire Division of State Police prior to licensure. Your report will be reviewed by the New Hampshire Criminal History Record Information to determine if you meet the qualifications for obtaining your real estate license.
You can request your record by applying in person, mail, or through a third party, but will be required to complete a Criminal History Record Information Release Authorization Form and pay a $25 fee by cash, check, money order, or credit or debit card.
You can still apply for a real estate license if you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, but there will be additional requirements and paperwork to submit. If you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense that has not been annulled, you must also submit a criminal record report from that jurisdiction. Criminal record reports are valid for six months, so you must request and pay for a new report after that time period has expired.
On the other hand, if you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense that has been annulled, the NHREC requires you to disclose them on your application in addition to your required criminal record report. You should also submit an Arrest and Conviction form along with your license application.
On average, New Hampshirites have a relatively high pass rate of 70% on the real estate exam, which means that you have a good chance of success if you put in the necessary time and effort. You’ll receive your score immediately after you complete your exam.
If you fail both or either portion of the licensing test, you will be required to retake the entire exam. You have up to eight attempts within six months to pass. If you don’t pass the exam within six months, you’ll be required to complete 40 additional hours of accredited prelicensing courses.