In our previous publication from the New York Real Estate License 101 Guide, we discussed steps to adequately prepare for and successfully complete your New York State Real Estate Examination. The concluding process in obtaining your license in New York real estate involves filling an application for your New York Real Estate Salesperson License. Once you have reached the stage of license application, you have:
- Chose a New York real estate license school
- Completed the 77 hour Pre-Licensing Course
- Passed the School Final Exam
- Passed the State Exam
- Chose a Sponsoring Broker
After all your hard work, the feeling of submitting your New York Real Estate Salesperson Application is nothing short of satisfying and, fortunately, is very easy! Read on for information and when and how to apply for your New York real estate license.
What is the New York Real Estate Salesperson Application?
The New York Real Estate Salesperson Application is an online application submitted via eAccessNY to get your New York State real estate license. By law, you must officially apply for your New York real estate salesperson license to work on real estate transactions.
Who must apply for a Real Estate Salesperson license?
Any person acting as a Real Estate Salesperson is required by law to have a Real Estate Salesperson license. According to the New York Department of State, a real estate salesperson:
- Facilitates the purchase and sale of property on behalf of customers
- Obtains lists of property for sale with employing broker
- Assists real estate customers in finding and purchasing property
Who cannot apply for a Real Estate Salesperson license?
A person is ineligible to apply for a New York Real Estate Salesperson license application if they are a member of the partnership or is an officer or owns voting stock in the corporation that is the sponsoring broker.
What qualifications do I need for licensure?
To apply for New York Real Estate Salesperson License you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time you apply
- Have successfully completed a Department of State approved 77-hour qualifying course.
- Be sponsored by a NYS licensed real estate broker
- Pass the NYS real estate salesperson examination
What is the cost of the New York Real Estate Salesperson Application?
To apply for your New York Real Estate License (online or by mail), you will need to pay a $65 fee. If you are applying for your New York Salesperson license online, this fee will need to be paid via credit card. If you are applying for your New York Salesperson license by mail, this fee will need to be paid by check or money order made payable to the Department of State or by Mastercard or Visa, using a credit card authorization form.
What You’ll Need For Your New York Real Estate License Application
To apply for your New York real estate license, you’ll need to have the following information handy:
- Your Social Security Number
- Your NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Issued Driver’s License Number or NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Issued Non-Driver’s Photo ID Card Number
- Your Certificate of Completion from your course provider
You will also need to have the following information from your sponsoring broker:
- Their unique ID number
- Their official business name
- The business address where your licensed will be stationed.
Some real estate brokerages have multiple branches and therefore, multiple business addresses. While you may not be required to physically work at their business location, your license will be associated with their business address. Your sponsoring broker will provide you with this information.
Instructions To Apply For A New York Real Estate Salesperson License
You can apply for your New York real estate license online or by mail for some specific cases.
When can I apply for my New York real estate license?
How To Apply for a New York Real Estate License Online
To apply for your New York real estate license online, you will need to:
- Log in to your eAccessNY account.
- Click ‘Apply For Initial Salesperson License’.
- Input your:
- Social Security Number
- NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Issued Driver’s License Number or NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Issued Non-Driver’s Photo ID Card Number
- Enter your sponsoring broker’s license ID number and click ‘Lookup’. Your sponsoring broker will give you this information upon being hired.
- After the sponsoring broker is chosen, select an office and press “Next Step” to continue.
- Enter your New York Real Estate Pre-licensing Course Completion Details (This information can be found on the Certificate of Completion you receive from your course provider.)
- Pay the license application fee and click ‘Submit’. Your sponsoring broker must then authorize your application using their online account. Your license will be mailed to your business address upon successful review of your application by the DOS.
How To Apply for a New York Real Estate License By Mail
If you are applying based on reciprocity, attorney status, requesting an additional salesperson license, or having been previously licensed, you will need to submit a paper Real Estate License Application by regular mail.
Your printed real estate license application will require the following information:
- Which qualification you are applying for
- Contact Details
- Social Security Number
- Date of Birth
- NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Issued Driver’s License Number or NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Issued Non-Driver’s Photo ID Card Number
- Your Sponsoring Broker’s Business Information
- Business Name
- Business Address
- Phone Number
- License ID number
- New York Real Estate Pre-licensing Course Completion Details (This information can be found on the Certificate of Completion you receive from your course provider.)
What happens after I apply for my New York real estate license?
After your submit your New York real estate license application, your principal broker must log on to their personal online account and authorize your application.
After the broker authorizes your application the Department of State will review your application to make sure it is complete and meets the qualifications for a real estate salesperson license.
Your New York real estate license ID card will be mailed to your business address upon successful review of your application.
After you’ve received your New York real estate license, you can officially begin working as a New York Real Estate Agent!
How Long Is My NY Real Estate License Valid For?
Your New York real estate license is active for a period of two years from the date it is issued. Whether you’re a salesperson or broker, staying current with your license is crucial for continuing your real estate practice legally in the state.
To maintain your license, you will need to ensure that it is renewed before the two-year expiration. Renewing your license involves completing the necessary continuing education credits and paying the renewal fees.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the renewal requirements:
Salespersons: Completion of 22.5 hours of approved continuing education
- 3 hours on fair housing or discrimination
- 1 hour of agency (2 hours for new licensees)
- 2.5 hours in ethical business practices
- 1 hour of recent legal issues
- Remaining hours in elective courses approved for CE credit
It’s important to note that these requirements may be subject to changes by the New York Department of State, so you should always stay informed of the latest regulations. If your license expires, you will not legally be able to conduct real estate transactions until it is renewed, which underscores the need to monitor the expiration date closely
Update Your Real Estate License
Updating Your Real Estate License is really important for keeping your job as a Real Estate Salesperson on track. If you need to change your name on your license, it’s pretty easy to do.
Just get the Change Notice (DOS-1473) form, fill it out with your new name, and mail it to the address on the form.
It’s super important to make sure your license shows your correct name because it’s how you’re known in the real estate world.
If you need to update other stuff, like your address or renew your license, use your eAccessNY account.
This online account makes it easy to take care of your real estate license.
Whether you’re moving to a new place or just need to update your info, eAccessNY is the place to do it.
Keeping your license info up-to-date is not just a rule you have to follow, but it also helps you look professional as a Real Estate Salesperson.
What is a New York Real Estate License ID card?
A New York real estate license ID card, also known as a NY Real Estate pocket card, is a pocket-sized real estate license card issued by the New York Department of State after applying for your New York Salesperson License.
New York real estate agents must have this card physically on them while performing any real estate related duties. You will receive this by mail after your New York Real Estate Salesperson Application is approved by the Department of State.
New York Real Estate Salesperson Application FAQ
What qualifications do I need for licensure?
To apply for New York Real Estate Salesperson License you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time you apply
- Have successfully completed a Department of State approved 77-hour qualifying course.
- Be sponsored by a NYS licensed real estate broker
- Pass the NYS real estate salesperson examination
You can only submit your New York State Real Estate Salesperson Application after you have completed the 77-hour Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course, passed the New York State Real Estate Exam, and found a sponsoring broker.
No, to submit your New York Real Estate Salesperson License Application, you must have a sponsoring broker (who is a licensed NY real estate broker).
You will only need to submit a paper version of the New York Real Estate Salesperson Application if:
1) You are applying for your license as an attorney admitted to the NYS Bar.
2) You were previously licensed.
3) The DOS waived the 77-hour education requirement.
4) You are applying for a NY real estate license via reciprocity.
Who cannot apply for a Real Estate Salesperson license?
A person is ineligible to apply for a New York Real Estate Salesperson license application if they are a member of the partnership or is an officer or owns voting stock in the corporation that is the sponsoring broker.
Who must apply for a Real Estate Salesperson license?
Any person acting as a Real Estate Salesperson is required by law to have a Real Estate Salesperson license. According to the New York Department of State, a real estate salesperson:
- Facilitates the purchase and sale of property on behalf of customers
- Obtains lists of property for sale with employing broker
- Assists real estate customers in finding and purchasing property
Where do I get the office license number requested on the application?
The office license number requested on the New York Real Estate Salesperson Application will be given to you by your sponsoring broker upon being hired.
Can I apply for a salesperson license online?
Yes, you will need to apply for a salesperson license online via eAccessNY.
Once licensed, how do I change my association from one broker to another?
To change your association from one broker to another, you will need to login to eAccessNY and request to change your association to your new brokerage. You will need your new brokerage’s business information, including their license ID number, business name, and business address.
Key Takeaways
There’s nothing like the feeling of submitting your New York Real Estate Salesperson Application after doing all the hard work to get your New York real estate license. This is the most exciting step in the process of getting your New York real estate license because it means you can officially begin working in real estate and actually earning money!
Here are a few things to remember when submitting your New York Real Estate Salesperson License:
- You can only apply for your New York Real Estate Salesperson License once you have passed your New York State Real Estate Exam and chosen a sponsoring broker.
- In most cases, you will need to apply for your New York Real Estate Salesperson License online via eAccessNY.
- After your New York Real Estate Salesperson Application is approved, you will receive your New York Real Estate License ID Card via mail.
Now that you have all the information you’ll need to submit your New York Real Estate Salesperson Application, it’s time to learn more about what life as a New York real estate agent will be like.
The next article in the New York Real Estate License 101 Guide will cover what you need to know when starting out as a New York real estate agent, how to make the most out of your first year in real estate, and what a typical day as a real estate agent will look like.
