How to Become a Real Estate Agent in New Hampshire (2026 Guide)

Step by Step Guide to Your NH Real Estate License

If you want to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire, the process moves quickly. Your legal title will be “salesperson” and you’ll need to complete just 40 hours of pre-licensing education, pass both portions of the state exam, clear a background check, and find a sponsoring broker. We’re going to walk you through the entire process and help you get your New Hampshire real estate license so you can start your new career.

We’ll cover:


5 Steps to Get a Real Estate License in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (NHREC) has a few requirements to become a salesperson. You must be at least 18 years old. If you meet the prerequisites, you can complete the following steps:

STEP 1 | Complete the 40-Hour Real Estate Pre-License Course

  • New Hampshire’s 40-hour pre-license course covers property rights, contracts, agency, financing, closings, and NH-specific license law. There’s a real quirk here: at least 32 of those hours must be completed in a classroom (live, whether in-person or via Zoom) — only up to 8 hours can be self-paced distance learning. Your course completion certificate is good for 6 months.

STEP 2 | Get a Background Check

  • Submit a notarized criminal record release authorization along with a $25 fee to the NH Department of Safety, Division of State Police. Your report is valid for 6 months, so it’s worth starting this early — it can run alongside your coursework.

STEP 3 | Schedule + Pass the New Hampshire Real Estate Exam

  • Once NHREC approves your exam registration (along with your course certificate), you can schedule with PSI. Testing centers are located in Concord, Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth — New Hampshire doesn’t offer online proctoring, so you’ll need to test in person. The exam fee is $67.
  • The exam has 120 questions (80 national, 40 New Hampshire-specific), and you’ll need 70% on each portion to pass (56 of 80 national, 28 of 40 state). You’ll have 4 hours total. You must test within 3 months of your exam registration, and you can retake either portion up to 8 times within a 6-month window if needed. See our FAQs section to learn more.

STEP 4 |  Find a Sponsoring Broker

  • New Hampshire salespersons must work under a managing broker — you can’t practice independently. In order to activate your license, you’ll need to select a firm to affiliate with. Keep reading below for tips on what to look for when picking a brokerage.

STEP 5 |  Submit Your New Hampshire Real Estate License Application

  • Once you’ve passed both portions of the exam and lined up a sponsoring broker, submit your salesperson application to NHREC along with a $90 fee (payable by check to the Treasurer, State of New Hampshire). You have 6 months from your passing exam date to submit. Once approved, NHREC issues your license directly to your managing broker — congratulations, you’re officially licensed!

How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License?

Once you decide to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire, you’re probably excited and want to get started immediately.  Before you leave your current position, it’s important to understand how long the process can take.  Here is what an average timeline looks like:

  • 3 to 6 weeks to complete your 40-hour New Hampshire pre-licensing course (remember, most of it has to be live)
  • 1 to 2 weeks to complete your background check
  • 1 to 2 weeks to get your state real estate exam scheduled
  • 1 to 3 weeks to interview and select a sponsoring broker
  • 1 to 2 weeks for NHREC to process your license application

While this timeline may seem a little daunting, there are a few ways to expedite things. Since most of your course hours need to be live, look for a school with a flexible Zoom schedule so you’re not stuck waiting weeks for the next available session.  We also highly recommend interviewing brokerages while you are finishing up your real estate course, so you are ready to hang your license with a broker as soon you pass the state exam.  All in all, it’s definitely possible to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire in about 6 to 10 weeks — one of the shorter timelines in the country given the light 40-hour requirement.


Cost to Get a Real Estate License in New Hampshire

There are several fees involved when working to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire…

  • Pre-License Real Estate Course – $300 to $600
  • State Exam Fee (PSI) – $67 (retake fee is $65 to $66 per section)
  • License Application Fee – $90
  • Background Check (notarized criminal record release) – $25
  • State exam prep courses or materials – $25 to $150 (optional)

** Total Cost to Get Licensed = $482 to $782


More Costs to Expect as a Brand New Realtor

Getting a license is just the beginning! What many aspiring agents don’t always realize is that there are several other expenses to consider when you become a real estate agent in New Hampshire. Keep in mind you are officially opening your own business, so there are always start-up costs involved.

To follow are some of the most common expenses in New Hampshire:

  • Continuing Education (15 hours, due every 24-month renewal cycle: 3 mandatory core hours + 12 elective) – $100 to $250
  • License Renewal Fee (every 24 months) – $90
  • National and Local Board of Realtors / Examples:
  • Multiple Listing Service (MLS) – about $150 to $175 quarterly
  • SentriLock or Supra eKey to show homes – $100 to $200 annually
  • Business cards and signage – varies
  • Marketing materials and advertising – varies
  • Brokerage joining fee – $0 to $500 (average is about $250)
  • Monthly Brokerage fee – ranges from $0 to $350 monthly

** Total Cost to Become a Real Estate Agent in New Hampshire = $1,282 to $2,682



Find the Top Real Estate Schools

To get your real estate license, you’ll have to attend a school that’s approved by the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission. Since most of your 40 hours have to be live, pay close attention to class schedule flexibility when comparing options.

Here are a few of the most popular real estate courses:

When shopping for the best real estate schools in New Hampshire, you’ll want to compare pricing, but there are a few other things you will need to take into consideration — especially given the 32-hour live classroom requirement:

  • How flexible is their live class schedule? Can you find sessions that fit around a full-time job?
  • Do they share their “pass rate”? This will tell you what percentage of their students passed the state exam on the first try.
  • Does the school offer any guarantees if you don’t pass? For example, one school will pay the fee for you to retake the state exam.
  • Are practice tests given to the students or is there any additional charge?


How to Select a New Hampshire Real Estate Broker

In New Hampshire, you must work under a managing broker in order to legally help home buyers and sellers. Picking the right brokerage to work with can be key to your success as a newly licensed agent.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A BROKER >>

While many newly licensed agents are looking for the best commission splits when shopping for brokers, we would highly recommend that you make that #2 or #3 on your list. The most important thing you should look for in a brokerage is how they support brand new real estate agents. Do they have a formal training program? Will you have at least 3 people you can reach out to if you have questions? Are they available outside traditional business hours? Do they have mentors – and what exactly will the mentors do to assist you? All important things to consider when you are ready to become a real estate agent in New Hampshire!

Become a Real Estate Agent in New Hampshire: FAQs

How difficult is the state real estate exam?

The exam has 120 questions (80 national, 40 New Hampshire-specific), and you’ll need 70% on each portion to pass (56 of 80 national, 28 of 40 state). You’ll have 4 hours total, and you must test in person — New Hampshire doesn’t offer online proctoring, unlike many other states.

What if I fail the real estate exam in New Hampshire?

It’s not uncommon for people not to pass the exam on the first try, so don’t be too hard on yourself! You only need to retake the section you failed, and New Hampshire is fairly generous here — you get up to 8 retake attempts within your 6-month window before you’d need to re-enroll in the pre-licensing course. Each retake costs $65 to $66.

Can I get a New Hampshire real estate license if I have a misdemeanor or felony on my record?

Having a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you. If you have a misdemeanor or felony conviction from any jurisdiction, you’ll need to submit additional documentation as part of your background check paperwork, and NHREC reviews each situation individually. If you have concerns about your background, we’d recommend contacting NHREC directly before investing in a pre-license course.

I have a real estate license in another state. Does New Hampshire offer reciprocity?

New Hampshire doesn’t offer blanket reciprocity waiving the exam or education requirements — everyone has to complete the 40-hour course and pass both portions of the exam, regardless of where they’re currently licensed. Contact NHREC directly to confirm whether any specific accommodations apply to your situation.

How much do real estate agents make in New Hampshire?

According to Indeed.com, the average New Hampshire real estate agent makes about $94,877 a year. Keep in mind real estate agents are commission-based, so your actual earnings depend heavily on how many homes you sell and the price points in your market — the Manchester-Nashua metro and the Seacoast region (Portsmouth) tend to be among the state’s strongest markets.

PRO TIP: To calculate how many homes you’ll need to sell, look up the average home sales price in your city or zip code. For example, if the median sales price in your area is $475,000 and you earn 2.5% commission on a sale, your gross commission would be about $11,875 per sale (before your broker’s commission split). To earn the New Hampshire average, you’d have to sell about 9 to 11 homes.

Is Getting a Real Estate License Worth It?

Honestly, it depends on what your goals are.  If you just want to sell a few homes each year to friends and family, you’ll have to crunch the numbers to see if the cost of getting and maintaining your real estate license is worth it to you.

If you plan to jump in and make a career in selling homes in New Hampshire, then absolutely!  The Manchester-Nashua corridor and the Seacoast region both offer strong, steady demand, and New Hampshire’s lack of a state income or sales tax is a real draw for buyers relocating from Massachusetts and beyond.  It can be a challenge moving from a salaried position to a commission-based business, so it’s important to have at least six months of savings in the bank.  If you don’t have that yet, then you may want to keep your current job for a short period of time until you lay the foundation for your new real estate business.