License guide
How to get a Kentucky real estate license
Kentucky licenses real estate professionals through the Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC). Here is the path in plain steps, checked against the official sources in October 2026.
Step by step
Meet the basics
You must be 18 and have a high school diploma or GED.
Complete 96 hours of pre-license education
Finish 96 classroom hours at an approved school, or 6 credit hours of real estate courses at an accredited college, before the exam.
Request your FBI background check
Complete the FBI criminal background check. You must request the FBI report before taking the exam.
Pass the exam and apply within 60 days
The exam costs $100 for one or both portions. If you fail one portion, retake it within 4 months of passing the other. Once both are passed you get the application at the test center and have 60 days to apply, or the exam is voided.
Keeping your license
- 6 hours of Commission-approved CE every calendar year, by December 31. At least 3 hours must be approved for law credit.
- The Kentucky Core Course is required once every 4 years, nothing substitutes for it, and it satisfies CE for the year you take it.
Questions
Do I need a website on day one?
No, but a simple page with your photo, brokerage and contact info helps clients find you. Property Landing Pages has a free plan with one listing page and an agent site.
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so always confirm with the official source before you pay or file anything.
Agent directory and local offices
City guides
- Ashland
- Bardstown
- Berea
- Bowling Green
- Cadiz
- Crestwood
- Danville
- Elizabethtown
- Florence
- Fort Mitchell
- Frankfort
- Franklin
- Georgetown
- Glasgow
- Grayson
- Independence
- Lawrenceburg
- Lexington
- London
- Louisville
- Madisonville
- Middlesboro
- Morehead
- Newport
- Owensboro
- Paducah
- Pikeville
- Prestonsburg
- Richmond
- Shelbyville
- Shepherdsville
- Somerset
- Winchester
More guides: How to get a Louisiana real estate license · How to get a Maine real estate license · How to get a Maryland real estate license · How to get a Kansas real estate license · How to get a Hawaii real estate license · All guides
Licensed? Show off your listings.
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