How to become a realtor in Indiana: a guide with tips, facts, necessary links, and overall information for candidates
In our blog, we focus on the process of getting a real estate license. Thus, today our blog article is devoted to how to get a real estate license in Indiana. This state provides multiple benefits and exceptional job options to applicants who want to bound their careers to the real estate market. Selling homes, dealing with individuals and companies who want to buy commercial property, finding the best sites for clients and agreeing on mortgages with banks. The Challenges are numerous and they make you earn top dollar from your Indiana real estate commission. Thus, becoming a real estate agent (or, as it’s called in Indiana, a real estate broker) is a perspective one couldn’t miss.
Of course, typically, real estate agents in Indiana help sell less valuable homes. Yet, the salaries are great across the state, and if you have enough experience to launch a team of a well-known broker company, you’ll be rewarded generously. Let’s try to pass the root to your real estate agent’s license and get the best results ever.
Yet, to get your real estate career started in Indiana, you still need a license. Thus, understanding the principle of a real estate license in Indiana is the #1 thing to do. Let’s get into detail and find out some useful and helpful information you may need on your way to success as a real estate agent in Indiana.
6 steps to getting a real estate license in Indiana
The whole knowledge about how to get a license to enjoy the most attractive job option in the real estate business in Indiana we embodied in a single post. You do not need to search for more information as we’ve collected all the necessary facts and crucially important comprehensive guidelines to help you.
If you want an algorithm for passing the way to a license, we have a 6-step one for you.
1. State of Indiana real estate license requirements: what to start with
Being a real estate broker means you should fit the requirements of the state. In general, you have to:
Be 18 or more years old. Older age is possible with no limits.
Provide your high school diploma or its equivalent.
Evaluate your opportunities to choose the most appropriate educational mode.
When you do this, you are ready to get to the next step with no delays.
2. Complete 90 hours of required pre-licensing education
The pre-licensing education is a core thing for future real estate agents. This education is quite diverse depending on your needs as you’d opt for full-time courses or stay focused on part-time classes. Besides, you may choose among hybrid, in-person, or online courses. The choice depends on your life’s peculiarities. For example, if you are unemployed, you can be a student who takes full-time coursework with a mentor. In case you have some reasons to take courses online, you choose between livestream classwork or completing online learning materials you’d learn at your own pace. Self-paced education is one of the merits you’ll evaluate. In any case, you have to take a 90-hour course which includes lessons in the field of marketing, property management, rights, laws, financial aspects, insurance, mortgage, and a rich portion of practice. That’s what your high school didn’t teach you.
Recommended education and training providers
The best courses for pre- and post-licensing in real estate.
See License Courses
How to choose a training center for real estate courses? That’s not too difficult!
- Decide on the method you want to learn new knowledge. Will it be an offline course with a mentor or a remote class where you study when you have time?
- Read the testimonials of local students. People who completed the pre-licensing course will tell you more than any advertisem*nt.
- Check the license. Only state-approved pre-licensing training centers are allowed to provide you with services.
- Listen to your heart at once. Sometimes, prices, reviews, popularity, or engagement don’t matter if you understand that you make the right choice
In any case, you can learn all the skills additionally via independent VE resources like YouTube channels, thematic magazines, blogs, testing center, etc.
3. Pass the course final exam
The result of your pre-licensing courses is the exam you’d hold where you show what you learn and how you apply your newly acquired skills. This is a kind of prep routine to help you cope with the state examination. So, consider it to be a help for your training.
4. Pass the Indiana real estate examination
The next stage of your way is the final state exam which opens the licensing door to a candidate. The real estate exam in Indiana is provided by the PSI Exams service which is approved to work nationwide. Thus, you can simply enter its’ candidate handbook and get the most thorough and up-to-date info about where and how to take your exam. The bad news is the exam cannot be held online, and you have to search for the nearest PSI center’s location.
Yet, once you register on the PSI site, you can choose the best time and day for passing your real estate exam. Do not forget about exam fees. They should be paid each time you make an attempt to pass the exam and they are $52 per try.
How hard is the Indiana real estate exam?
It’s not too difficult if you learn seriously. Of course, passing 125 questions is not eating pears, but most students cope with the task.
How many questions are on the Indiana permit test?
There are 125 questions divided into National and State sections.
Interest fact:
– Do you know that the most expensive property in Indiana costs $47.9 million? That’s a Big Tree Farm Megamansion of 550 acres in Santa Claus which includes a mansion itself and an entertainment complex. Yet, by the end of 2023, the offer was still for sale.
What score do you need to pass the IN real estate exam?
Your passing score is 75%. Please note that the score is calculated separately for each section. Thus, if you managed to pass the National section and failed the State one, you will retake only the last one.
What happens if you fail the real estate exam in Indiana?
You can retake your exams as many times as you need to do this within a year from your initial attempt. Each time you’ll have to pay fees, yet, it is quite convenient for candidates.
5. Find a brokerage firm or a sponsoring broker
OK, you successfully passed the exam. Can you get your license now? You cannot, for sure. There is one more requirement you need to follow. You need to find a sponsor. That is, you’d find a licensed broker who works independently or a managing brokerage company operating in Indiana.
When looking for a sponsorship, please, do not miss a couple of features that play a considerable role in your future career.
- Ask a sponsor about which property you will sell as commercial properties offer higher commissions.
- Decide on the reputation of a chosen broker.
- Negotiate on the commissions and splits.
- Never be shy to ask about core values, benefits, continuing education offers they include in the sponsoring package, etc.
6. Complete your real estate broker license application
To finish the process of obtaining a real estate license in Indiana you need to submit the application form and send it to the IPLA Real Estate Commission. Feel free to use the technology to contact it as you can submit the form online and attach necessary documents to it. Do not forget to provide your exam certificate, your sponsoring broker’s information, and your criminal background check. If you cope well with this, you’ll receive your license confirmation via email. Then you can print the license and work legally with Indiana property.
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Indiana?
As you have to schedule your time and reserve some funds for getting your real estate license in Indiana, knowing how much it costs you is essential. We created a short table you can be guided by when planning your education and licensing budget.
| Cost item | Price range |
|---|---|
| Pre-license course | From $489 to $839 per 90 hours |
| Examination fee | $52 |
| Application licensing fee | $60 |
| Total: | From $601 to $952 |
Indiana real estate license reciprocal states
Unfortunately, the only state which Indiana has a reciprocal agreement with is Illinois. Thus, if you have an active real estate license issued by California, Washington, Iowa, or any other state, you have to apply for a local license and get a sponsoring hirer among Indiana real estate brokers. Besides, passing an exam and taking education courses is also a must to become an eligible salesperson.
Indiana real estate license renewal requirements
Some specifics refer to the Indiana real estate agent license renewal process. While in other states a CE required for renewal can be taken once a renewal period, in Indiana, you have to pass your continuing post-licensing education each year. The cycle is three years between license renewals and each year, you might complete 12 hours of continuing education. Thus, when you apply for renewal, you may have certificates for 36 hours of CE. You are not obliged to attach your CE certificates to the renewal application form, yet it is better to save them to show and prove you complete your CE in case of an audit.
As for other requirements, to prolong your license, you have to do as follows:
Get an email from IPLA about the terms and timelines of your license renewal.
Pay the renewal fee. It consists of two payments: $60 is renewal costs and $10 is the application commission. In case you are late with your renewal, you have to pay a penalty of $50.
Apply for license activation and prolongation on the Indiana Licensing Enterprise service portal.
Check your mailbox or look for your license’s status on the IPLA site to ensure it is prolonged.
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) how to contact and what to expect from the authority
You are welcome to contact IPLA, a governmental online service for licensing, criminal background checks, overall help and support. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency offers transparent communication for the representatives of professions that require licensing. Thus, for real estate brokers and associated salespersons in Indiana, its website is the #1 helper when it comes to licensing, dispute resolution, continuing education, renewals, inactivations of licenses, and other questions related to the professional scope of interests.
Besides a website, the authority is available to contact via the following methods:
- For in-person visit or mailing, please get to 402 W Washington St w072, Indianapolis, IN 46204
- For phone consultations, please, call +1 317-232-2960.
Some ideas for summaries on how to become a real estate agent in Indiana
Summarizing the whole concept of how to obtain a real estate broker license in Indiana in our guide, we can say that it’s quite a real deal for ambitious people who are interested in self-development, high salaries, and are fascinated with property sales and housing buying deals. The process of licensing doesn’t differ much from other states, yet the difference is in the required hours of real estate courses and the content of the real estate final exam. It’s not too difficult to become an agent and meet the requirements provided by state authorities, yet, you still need a sponsoring broker, a criminal background check report, and, preferably, a membership in the local RE community aka Indiana Realtors Association or any other.
If these challenges don’t fear you, it’s up to you to start the licensing process and pass it step by step using our tips, information, advice, and guidelines provided in this blog.
The final stage you come to when reading our blog about the realtor license in Indiana is devoted to frequently asked questions we collected to answer here. This FAQ section is a kind of excerpt for your comprehension.
Becoming a real estate agent IN: FAQs
Can I get my Indiana real estate broker license online?
All the steps of your licensure in IN can be taken online except the completion of examination tasks. Alas, but you need to pass the final exam only in person under proctoring with no exceptions.
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Indiana?
Usually, terms depend on your studying schedule and the type of courses you select. If you study full-time and complete required courses in 2-3 weeks, the whole licensing time may be no more than three months. If you are learning longer, time expands to six months or more.
How much money can I make as an Indiana real estate agent?
The average salary of a real estate agent or associate in Indiana is $82,338 per year. Of course, apprentice agents earn less while a broker with 5-10 years of experience can earn more than a medium rate.
Can a felony be a real estate agent in Indiana?
It is not prohibited by the law to apply for a license as a real estate agent for a felony. Yet, you’ll have to be fair and disclose your conviction information while undergoing a background check so your privacy may be alerted.
About the author
Michael Baker is a journalist with over 5 years of experience in the real estate industry. His knowledge of licensing processes, procedures and requirements makes her an expert in the field.
