How to Get a Utah Real Estate License

Chris Heller HeadshotChris Heller, Licensed Agent9/28/2023
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Step 1: Take a Utah Real Estate Course

In Utah, you must take 120-hours of a pre-licensing course. Don't worry though, there are lots of options, including many that are online.
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Step 2: Pass the Background Check

You can’t have any felony convictions in the past 5 years, or a misdemeanor that has to do with dishonesty, theft, misrepresentation, or fraud in the past 3 years.
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Step 3: Pass Utah Sales Agent Exam

The exam has 130 multiple-choice questions that you must finish in four hours or less. You are expected the take the exam on a computer.
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Step 4: Find a Sponsoring Broker

Consider the commission split and fee structure, the company's culture, and the reputation in your community before joining a brokerage.
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Step 5: Finish Your Application

You will need to submit your licensing application and pay a $157 fee to the Utah Division of Real Estate. This licensing application is filled out online and you must submit this application within 90 days of passing your real estate license exam.
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5 Steps to Get Your Utah Real Estate License

man studying for licensing exam

Step-By-Step Guide to Become a Licensed Real Estate Agent

Do you have a dream of becoming a licensed real estate agent in Utah someday?  Do you know all it takes to attain that? If you don’t, then this guide is a must-read for you.

You will find all the requirements you need to fulfill before you can get your real estate license in Utah below.

Before we talk about the major steps involved in getting your real estate license, let’s discuss the prerequisites first.

Step 1: Complete Pre-Licensing Education

women studying for licensing exam

You’re required to take a “pre-licensing” education class where you’ll study the principles of real estate, contracts, and finance. Not a fan of school? Well, these classes just might change how you feel about school. You have so many options! Some of them are even entirely online which has huge advantages! Online classes means you can do them at your own pace and work them in around your own schedule even if you have a full-time job. Also, the classes are only a total of 120 hours! That may seem like a big number, but to get started in a new career, that number is just a speck in time.

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You must finish this course within twelve months before you apply for a real estate license. Some of the things this 120 hour course will teach you include:

  • Utah water rights
  • Federal laws that govern real activities in Utah
  • Property appraisal and valuation

Students are always surprised how affordable these classes are. Take a look at the best real estate schools in Utah and see for yourself. If you’re still looking for a way to save some dough, AgentAdvice offers a way to get yours for free.

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Step 2: Background Check

You must go through a background check before you can start the application process for a real estate license in Utah. You can’t have any felony convictions in the past 5  years, or a misdemeanor that has to do with dishonesty, theft, misrepresentation, or fraud in the past 3 years, beginning from the period of plea or conviction, or completion of any jail sentence.

Step 3: Pass Utah Sales Agent Exam

studying at coffee shop

The exam has 130 multiple-choice questions that you must finish in four hours or less. You are expected the take the exam on a computer. Pearson Vue is the name of the recommended testing provider that administers the Utah real estate license exam.

The test is comprised of two parts–the 80 general practice questions and the 50 state law questions. You must answer 70% of the questions correctly in order to pass. You will get your score the moment you finish taking your exam.

You can bring a non-scientific calculator to the testing center, you must also bring two means of photo ID with matching names, and a valid signature–it could be a green card, driver’s license, or United States social security card.  If the name on your registration is different from what you have on your ID, then you need to provide proof of a recent name change.

The general portion of the examination covers these sections:

  • Real estate math calculations
  • Financing and settlement
  • Property disclosures and environmental issues
  • Real estate practice
  • Real estate contracts and agency
  • Property value and appraisal
  • Forms of ownership, transfer, and recording of title
  • Real property characteristics, definitions, ownership, restrictions, and transfer.

The State portion of the examination covers these topics:

  • Closing statements
  • Licensing
  • Real estate education
  • Research and recovery fund
  • Property management
  • Real estate office procedures.

The real estate exam fee is $59, and you must pay this when you register for the exam.

Step 4: Find Sponsoring Broker

small group of students studyingIn Utah, you must work under a licensed real estate broker after passing your real estate exam. Choose your sponsoring broker after careful evaluation. If you choose the right sponsoring broker, they can help you grow in your real estate career.

You’ll get to choose a brokerage you like, that focuses on a niche you love, that has a company culture you love, and most importantly … has a good commission rate, so your paycheck is XL. Worried about finding a brokerage yourself? AgentAdvice helps with warm introductions to hiring brokerages if you sign-up for a class through us. Phew!

You have total freedom to choose your sponsoring broker. Here’s some things agents look at when choosing a brokerage:

  • Commission Rate
    • Look at each brokerage’s commission rate when you’re shopping around. If they’ve got a good rate, your commission checks will be larger than life. 💸
  • Niche
    • Maybe you want a brokerage that focuses on a niche on a location or a specific category of real estate like commercial retail, single family homes, or fixer-uppers. So if you have a specific interest you can find a broker who shares that interest.
  • Culture
    • Maybe the company’s culture is important to you. If so, get to know what they’re all about, how they work, and what’s important to them.

That’s all just to say that you have the freedom to choose a brokerage that fits you.

Step 5: Finish your Application

After passing your real estate exam and finding a sponsoring broker, you will need to submit your licensing application and pay a $157 fee to the Utah Division of Real Estate. This licensing application is filled out online and you must submit this application within 90 days of passing your real estate license exam.

According to the Utah Division of Real Estate, you must submit these documents before you can get your real estate license.

  1. Completed certification of legal presence.
  2. Evidence of all the necessary fees you paid.
  3. Two fingerprint cards (Blue FD-258) or receipt of electronic fingerprint submission and a signed Fingerprint Waiver that is provided at the testing center.
  4. Proof of background check.
  5. Signed answers to the Qualifying Questionnaire that is given at the testing center and supporting documentation to any “YES” answers.
  6. Signed original school certificates that are given by the real estate school or Education Waiver that is offered by the Utah Division of Real Estate.
  7. Signed and completed application that is issued at the testing center.

studying for licensing examAfter getting your Utah real estate license, you must take 18 hours of continuing education every two years.

Congrats!

Those are the steps you need to get your Utah real estate license. Yes, you might have to trudge through paperwork, check boxes, file forms, burn the midnight oil, chug coffee … but after all that … you’ll have your license. We recommend printing it out on super-gloss and framing it. Leave some room next to it for your first commission check; A LOT of room!  

That’s all folks! Once you make it through these steps you’ll have a brand new career ahead of you. If there’s anything we can do to help you make it through these steps please let us know. We’ve got pre-licensing classes, cram courses, and all sorts of resources to help.

 

How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Utah?


Below is a schedule of costs associated with getting your Texas real estate license:

Pre-licensing education and training costs:

The estimated cost for this is around $400-$1000 or more depending on the school or online program you select. This involves finding an accredited and qualified real estate school to clock your hours. As stated earlier, the state of Utah requires you to finish 120 hours of education.

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Real estate licensing and exam fees

Licensing fee: $157 ($100 application fee, $12 recovery fund fee, $40 fingerprint processing fee, and $5 FBI RAPBACK enrollment fee)

Exam fee: $59

How long does it take to get a real estate license in Utah?


Businessmen,Are,Analyzing,The,Residential,Real,Estate,Investment,By,WorkingIt takes 3-4 months to get a real estate license in Utah. That amount of time depends on how quickly you get through your pre-licensing classes, how long you choose to study for the test, and Utah’s application processing times. You also have to consider the background check process and whether or not the system is backed up.

The most time consuming part of the licensing process is the pre-licensing education course. While you have 12 months to complete the course, it can be done is as little as fifteen days by taking eight hours of class per day. However, most students finish the course in 6-8 weeks.

 

How much do real estate agents make in Utah?


The average real estate agent in Utah makes around $51,710 per year. The top 20% of agents earn around $141,270 per year, and the bottom 20% of agents earn about $20,880 per year.

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About the Author

Chris Heller brings 27 years of experience in real estate. Chris serves on the AgentAdvice Editorial Board and is the Chief Real Estate Officer at OJO Labs. Chris brings deep expertise having held influential industry positions including CEO of mellohome and former CEO of Keller Williams Realty International.

Last Updated: 9/28/2023