Real estate license requirements in Utah
Utah requires 120 classroom hours before you can apply, uses Pearson VUE (not PSI) for its exam, and calls its entry-level license a “Sales Agent” rather than “salesperson.”
Education
The Utah Division of Real Estate (DRE) requires 120 classroom hours of pre-licensing education, completed within the 12 months before you apply. That’s more than most neighboring states require.
| Requirement | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensing course | 120 | Must be completed within 12 months before application |
You then need to apply within 90 days of passing the exam, and the exam itself must fall within 12 months of finishing your coursework — so don’t let your course sit unused for too long.
What Utah calls your first license
Utah’s entry-level license is called a “Sales Agent” — not “salesperson,” which is the term used in most other states. It’s the same concept (you work under a supervising broker), just Utah’s own official terminology. It’s also worth flagging a vendor correction: Utah’s exam is administered by Pearson VUE, not PSI, despite PSI being a common assumption carried over from other states.
The licensing exam
Utah uses Pearson VUE to administer the Sales Agent exam, in a single four-hour combined session covering both a general/national portion and a Utah state-law portion.
| Portion | Items | To pass |
|---|---|---|
| General / national | 80 scored + 5 unscored pretest | Scaled score of 70 |
| Utah state law | 50 scored + 5–10 unscored pretest | Scaled score of 70 |
| Total sitting | One 4-hour session | Both portions |
The exam fee is $69, covering both portions in one combined sitting. You need a scaled score of at least 70 on each portion separately — passing one doesn’t cover for a weak score on the other.
Utah gives you a 90-day window to apply after passing, and requires the exam itself to fall within 12 months of finishing your 120-hour course. Map out your dates before you start studying so you don't have to redo education or retest on a technicality.
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Application & license (Sales Agent, new) | $154 flat | Utah Division of Real Estate — no separate license fee |
| Exam fee | $69 | Pearson VUE, combined sitting |
| Background check | $12 | Digital fingerprinting at select Pearson VUE test centers (fingerprint cards via local law enforcement cost varies) |
Budget roughly $235 in state and vendor fees on top of your course costs. (Renewal-cycle fees, including a $32 fingerprint charge and $10 RAP Back fee, are separate from these initial-licensing costs.)
How to apply, step by step
Utah’s process runs education, then exam, then a tight window to apply and complete your first post-licensing course.
Within the 12 months before you apply.
Digital fingerprinting is available at select Pearson VUE Utah test centers for $12, or use fingerprint cards through local law enforcement.
Both the general/national and Utah state-law portions, in one combined session, within 12 months of finishing your course.
To the Utah Division of Real Estate, with the $154 flat fee.
A Sales Agent license must be affiliated with a licensed Utah principal broker.
Both due before your first license renewal (by the 15th of your renewal month).
After you’re licensed: staying current
Utah requires a distinct post-licensing track, separate from standard continuing education: a 12-hour “New Agent Course” plus a Division-approved 3-hour “Mandatory Course,” both due before your first license renewal, by the 15th of your renewal month.
Reciprocity
Utah has formal, streamlined reciprocity agreements with Georgia, Mississippi, and Alberta (Canada) — licensees from those jurisdictions can transfer in without redoing pre-licensing education or the exam. If you’re licensed elsewhere and don’t fall under one of those specific agreements, Utah still offers a partial waiver: your education and the national exam portion are waived if your out-of-state license is active and in good standing, but you’ll still need to pass the Utah state-law exam portion.
Common questions
Is Utah's entry-level license called "salesperson"?
No. Utah’s official term is “Sales Agent.” It functions the same way as a salesperson license elsewhere — you work under a supervising broker — but Utah uses its own terminology.
Does Utah use PSI or Pearson VUE for the exam?
Pearson VUE. This corrects a common assumption; Utah does not use PSI.
How long do I have to apply after passing the exam?
90 days from your exam date. You also need to have completed your 120-hour course within the 12 months before you apply.
What happens if I don't finish the New Agent and Mandatory courses in time?
Both the 12-hour New Agent Course and 3-hour Mandatory Course are due before your first renewal, by the 15th of your renewal month — missing that deadline can affect your ability to renew.
Does an out-of-state license help me in Utah?
If you’re licensed in Georgia, Mississippi, or Alberta, Canada, yes — there’s a streamlined path with no new pre-licensing or exam. From any other state, an active license in good standing waives your education and the national exam portion, but you still have to pass Utah’s state-law exam portion.
Next step
Utah Division of Real Estate (DRE) — https://commerce.utah.gov/realestate/
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