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Can a PA Agent Sell in Delaware or Maryland? License Reciprocity Across the Tri-State Line

Southern Chester County sits minutes from two state lines, so agents here end up with clients on all three sides. Here's how a Pennsylvania, Delaware or Maryland license carries over, and what each state still requires.

Cover: Can a PA Agent Sell in Delaware or Maryland? License Reciprocity Across the Tri-State Line

Short answer: Not on a Pennsylvania license alone. You need a license in the state where you're doing the business, but getting the second and third ones is easier than starting over. Pennsylvania and Maryland have a reciprocal agreement: a PA licensee can get a Maryland reciprocal license without retaking the exam or doing Maryland continuing education, as long as their principal place of business isn't in Maryland. Delaware has no reciprocal agreement with either state, but it licenses out-of-state agents who pass the Delaware law portion of the exam and meet one education or experience option. Going the other way, Pennsylvania generally asks out-of-state licensees to pass only the Pennsylvania portion of its exam.

I'm Brian Foraker, owner of Foraker Realty Co. We're licensed in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland because our clients don't stop at the state line. A buyer looking in Landenberg is often also looking in Hockessin and Elkton. For an agent, holding more than one license here can mean more clients you can say yes to. Last reviewed October 12, 2026. Licensing rules change; confirm with each commission before you apply.

Why would an agent here want more than one license?

Southern Chester County, New Castle County and Cecil County run together. Kennett Square, Avondale and West Grove are a short drive from Delaware, and Oxford and Nottingham sit near the Maryland line. If your buyer decides the right house is across the border, you either refer them out or you're licensed to follow them.

Do Pennsylvania and Maryland have license reciprocity?

Yes. The Maryland Real Estate Commission says it has reciprocal agreements only with Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. For a Pennsylvania licensee, the Commission's page says:

  • PA licensees holding a reciprocal license under the MD-PA agreement are excused from exams and continuing education;
  • you submit a full, certified license history with the application;
  • the broker's principal place of business cannot be in Maryland;
  • the broker needs a Maryland license before its associate brokers or salespeople can apply.

Pennsylvania's side runs the same way. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors lists Maryland among the states with which Pennsylvania has reciprocal agreements, and says a reciprocal licensee must stay licensed in the home state where their principal place of business is and must be affiliated with a broker holding a standard or reciprocal Pennsylvania license.

Does Delaware have reciprocity with Pennsylvania or Maryland?

Not a formal agreement, but Delaware has a license-by-reciprocity pathway open to anyone with an active license in another state. The Delaware Real Estate Commission asks for:

  1. Your Pearson VUE score report showing you passed the Delaware law portion of the salesperson exam;
  2. One of these:
    • a certificate for the Delaware law portion of the pre-licensing course,
    • a certificate for another jurisdiction's pre-licensing course of at least 99 hours, or
    • three years of continuous licensure with a licensure history and a list of 20 completed transactions over those three years;
  3. A Statement of Broker of Record signed by your Delaware employing broker, plus verification of your other license.

Pennsylvania's own pre-licensing requirement is 75 hours, so most PA agents will qualify through the Delaware law course or the experience route rather than the 99-hour option. The Commission's page also lists 12 hours of new-salesperson modules within 90 days for newly licensed individuals; ask whether that applies to you.

How does a Delaware or Maryland agent get a Pennsylvania license?

Pennsylvania's licensure page says out-of-state applicants with recent active licensing take and pass only the Pennsylvania portion of the exam, and Pennsylvania's Act 41 also allows licensure by endorsement for people from states with substantially equivalent requirements who are in good standing. Maryland agents can also use the PA-MD reciprocal agreement. New Pennsylvania salespeople, for comparison, need 75 hours of coursework and must pass both the national and state portions.

What about Maryland licenses for Delaware agents?

Maryland has no reciprocal agreement with Delaware. Applicants from non-reciprocal states apply for Out-of-State License Recognition: you submit a certificate of licensure from the state where you were first licensed, dated within 120 days, and the Commission reviews your education and experience individually. Waivers go only to active licensees.

Do I need a broker licensed in each state?

Yes. In each state your license hangs with a broker licensed there. That's the practical reason a tri-state brokerage matters. At Foraker, we're licensed in PA, DE and MD, our headquarters is in Kennett Square, PA, our second office is in North Wilmington, DE, and Paige Rhoades is our Delaware Broker of Record. We continue to work the Cecil County, MD market. Agents pay $0 in monthly fees, and newer agents get a mentor program and a 30-60-90 day plan.

If you're licensed in one state and thinking about adding another, call us at (484) 406-3004 or start on our careers page. State-specific pages: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland.

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