A salesperson must be licensed under and work for a single licensed broker; a salesperson cannot operate independently.
Before you read
Test yourself first: 5 questions
Question 1 of 5
Which body is responsible for regulating and licensing real estate salespersons and brokers in Pennsylvania?
Answer: A. Real estate licensing in Pennsylvania is administered by the State Real Estate Commission, which operates under the Department of State's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA). Trade associations like local REALTOR boards do not issue licenses.
Question 2 of 5
Which Pennsylvania statute governs the licensing and conduct of real estate salespersons and brokers?
Answer: B. The Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (RELRA) is the Pennsylvania law that governs real estate licensure, conduct, and the powers of the State Real Estate Commission. RESPA is a federal law, and the UCC governs commercial transactions generally.
Question 3 of 5
How many total hours of pre-licensing education must a Pennsylvania salesperson candidate complete?
Answer: C. Pennsylvania requires 75 hours of pre-licensing education for a salesperson: a 30-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course plus a 45-hour Real Estate Practice course.
Question 4 of 5
The 75 hours of Pennsylvania salesperson pre-licensing education are divided into which two courses?
Answer: A. Pennsylvania splits its 75-hour salesperson requirement into a 30-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course and a 45-hour Real Estate Practice course.
Question 5 of 5
In Pennsylvania, deposit or earnest money received by a broker on behalf of others must be:
Answer: C. Pennsylvania requires brokers to deposit funds belonging to others, such as earnest money, into a separate escrow (trust) account. Commingling these funds with the broker's own money is prohibited.
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Must-know rules
- Regulator: Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission, under the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) within the Department of State.
- Governing law: the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (RELRA), plus the Commission's regulations.
- Salesperson pre-license education: 75 hours total — a 30-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course plus a 45-hour Real Estate Practice course.
- A salesperson must be licensed under and work for a single licensed broker; a salesperson cannot operate independently.
- Salespeople may accept compensation only from their employing broker, not directly from buyers or sellers.
- Licensees must pass the state licensing exam after completing the required pre-license coursework.
- Pennsylvania is NOT a community-property state; real-property ownership follows common-law and statutory tenancy rules.
Pennsylvania License Law & Regulator Quick Sheet: FAQs
Is Pennsylvania License Law & Regulator Quick Sheet on the real estate exam?
Yes. State License Law is a scored domain on the Pennsylvania real estate licensing exam, and this topic appears in the state license-law portion.
Is this cheat sheet free?
Yes — every page on Cinna RE's resource library is free to read, print and share. The app adds practice questions, mock exams and a readiness score.
Does Pennsylvania test this differently?
Pennsylvania applies its own license law on top of the national portion. This page covers the Pennsylvania rules specifically, which is what the state section of your exam tests.
