License guide
How to get a North Carolina real estate license
North Carolina licenses real estate professionals through the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC). Here is the path in plain steps, checked against the official sources in October 2026.
Step by step
Meet the basics
You must be at least 18 and meet the Commission's character requirements, including a criminal record report with your application.
Take the 75-hour prelicensing course
Complete the 75-hour North Carolina Broker Prelicensing Course, with its end-of-course exam, at a Commission-certified school.
Apply online
All applicants apply online and pay the $105 nonrefundable application fee. A Notice of Exam Eligibility arrives by email within 5 to 7 days.
Pass the two-part exam
Pay Pearson and schedule the national and state sections. If you fail a section, you retake it; the application fee and the exam fee are collected each time you test.
Activate under a Broker-in-Charge
Most new licenses are issued as inactive provisional broker licenses. A provisional broker must be supervised by a Broker-in-Charge to be active.
Finish 90 hours of postlicensing within 18 months
Complete the 90-hour postlicensing program within 18 months of initial licensure to remove provisional status.
Keeping your license
- 8 hours of CE each annual license period (July 1 to June 30): the 4-hour Update course plus one 4-hour approved elective.
- CE is due by June 10 to keep the license on active status.
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
- Ahoskie
- Albemarle
- Apex
- Asheville
- Atlantic Beach
- Belmont
- Belville
- Blowing Rock
- Bolivia
- Boone
- Burgaw
- Burlington
- Calabash
- Cameron
- Carolina Beach
- Cary
- Chapel Hill
- Charlotte
- Clayton
- Concord
- Cornelius
- Durham
- Elizabeth City
- Emerald Isle
- Fayetteville
- Fuquay-Varina
- Garner
- Goldsboro
- Greensboro
- Greenville
- Hampstead
- Havelock
- Hendersonville
- Hickory
- High Point
- Hillsborough
- Holly Springs
- Huntersville
- Jacksonville
- Kernersville
- Kill Devil Hills
- King
- Kings Mountain
- Kinston
- Kitty Hawk
- Lincolnton
- Littleton
- Louisburg
- Lumberton
- Mebane
- Mooresville
- New Bern
- Oak Island
- Pittsboro
- Raleigh
- Rocky Mount
- Southport
- Sunset Beach
- Surf City
- Wilmington
More guides: How to get a North Dakota real estate license · How to get a Pennsylvania real estate license · How to get a Rhode Island real estate license · How to get a New York real estate license · How to get a New Mexico real estate license · All guides
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