How to Get a Real Estate License in Minnesota (2026): Cost & Steps

What a Minnesota real estate license costs

Exam, both parts

$68

Initial license, before a technology surcharge

$100

Required fees, total

$168.00

Minnesota’s surcharge changes, so check the Department’s current licensing guide for the exact total. You also pay your own broker’s fees.

Build your Minnesota startup budget

Sources: Minnesota Department of Commerce: real estate licensing guide ($100 initial license, $60 renewal, 30 hours of continuing education); PSI Minnesota real estate candidate bulletin ($68 combined exam, $45 per part); Minnesota Department of Commerce: real estate applications (application). Fees and rules checked October 10, 2026. Exam and background-check prices can change, so confirm the total when you book.

Who can get a Minnesota salesperson license

Most people call it a real estate agent license. In Minnesota it is a salesperson license, and it lets you work under a licensed broker. Opening your own brokerage is a separate broker license.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce says you finish three 30-hour courses, pass the exam, and associate with a licensed broker. Your broker submits your application through the Department’s online system.

Already licensed in another state? Check the Department’s licensing guide, which covers out-of-state applicants, before you pay for courses.

The steps, in order

1. Take Course I. You must finish it before you take the exam.
2. Pass the PSI exam. Both parts cost $68, or $45 for one part.
3. Take Courses II and III. You must finish them before you apply.
4. Find a licensed broker. Your broker submits your application online.
5. Pay the initial license fee. It is $100 plus the technology surcharge.

What Minnesota agents earn

Median pay, Minnesota agents on payroll

$46,410

Middle half earns

$42,240–$62,070

Top 10% earn over

$108,040

Minnesota agents on payroll

2,530

The bottom 10% of Minnesota payroll agents earn under $36,150. The national median is $52,830. Budget the entire course sequence and the office's joining costs together. When assessing potential earnings, use a transaction example from the broker and subtract your ongoing expenses from the share you would receive.

Source: U.S. Labor Department pay survey, May 2025, Minnesota real estate sales agents. Covers agents on a payroll only. Checked October 10, 2026.

Find the broker who will submit your license application

Minnesota lets you take the exam after Course I, but Courses II and III still have to be finished before applying. Use that interval to choose a broker, because the broker submits your application online.

Ask how your coursework will connect with supervised appointments and file review in the office. Agree on who collects the certificates, completes the application and confirms the license is ready for work. Compare the total office charges, including fees on broker-provided leads, with the support included for a new salesperson.

Set up your Minnesota agent business

Register the business and organize payments

Set up business registration around the arrangement agreed with the broker submitting your license. Confirm which entity and commission-payee name are allowed, then use the Minnesota LLC guide for the LLC option. ZenBusiness can prepare the filing while the education and application records come together.

Arrange errors and omissions (E&O) insurance

Include E&O in the onboarding discussion before your broker submits the final paperwork. Request E&O quotes from Simply Business for your intended work and compare the covered services and deductible with the office policy. Save the coverage decision alongside the compensation agreement.

Keep business records from day one

Keep completion records for all three courses, not just Course I and the exam. Create a reminder to send renewal education records to the broker, who also submits the renewal, and track those course costs in your operating budget.

See Minnesota business registration and tax requirements for the wider registration and tax checklist.

Practice moving from a consultation to a written plan

With your broker, rehearse a buyer meeting using a real local listing and a realistic budget. Finish with a concrete plan: documents to gather, properties to view and the next appointment. Carry that same structure into your early outreach so interested contacts know exactly how you can help them.

Resources for preparing client conversations

• what homeowners insurance costs by state
• the cost of renting versus owning
• state comparison of agent and brokerage businesses
• mortgage lock-in study
• Plan your first client conversations and follow-up

Renew on time and finish your continuing education

Minnesota salespersons renew every two years. The Department’s guide lists $60 plus a technology surcharge and 30 hours of continuing education, including a required module on the topics the Department sets. Your broker submits the renewal.

Minnesota agent questions