Short answer: In all three states you take an approved pre-licensing course, pass a two-part exam, line up a sponsoring broker and apply to the state. Pennsylvania requires 75 hours of coursework, passing the national and Pennsylvania portions of the exam, and a $97 initial fee. Delaware requires a 99-hour course, the Pearson VUE general and Delaware law exams, a $149 application fee and 12 hours of new-salesperson modules within 90 days of getting licensed. Maryland requires the 60-hour pre-licensing course plus a 3-hour real estate ethics course, the PSI exam ($44), and a $98 original license fee that includes a $20 Guaranty Fund payment.
I'm Brian Foraker, owner of Foraker Realty Co. I've been a licensed agent since 2016, and I started at a big-box brokerage figuring things out by trial and error. We're licensed in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, so I see new agents come through all three states' processes. Here's the order I'd follow. Last reviewed October 13, 2026. Fees and course rules change; confirm with your state commission before you enroll.
Which state should I get licensed in first?
Start where you live and expect to do most of your business. In southern Chester County, that's usually Pennsylvania, but plenty of buyers here also look in Delaware and Maryland. Adding a second license later is easier than starting over, especially between Pennsylvania and Maryland, which have a reciprocal agreement. We cover that in License reciprocity across PA, DE and MD.
How many pre-licensing hours does each state require?
- Pennsylvania: 75 hours (5 credits) of basic real estate courses from an accredited college or approved school. You must be 18 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent. A law degree or a real estate degree can exempt you from the coursework.
- Delaware: a 99-hour Delaware salesperson pre-licensing course, completed before you apply.
- Maryland: a Commission-approved basic course (the Commission's FAQ calls it the 60-hour pre-licensing course) and a 3-clock-hour real estate ethics course, required by statute. You must be at least 18.
What's on the licensing exam?
Every state splits the exam into a national portion and a state-law portion.
- Pennsylvania: pass both portions within 3 years before you submit your license application.
- Delaware: Pearson VUE administers the Salesperson General and Delaware Law exams.
- Maryland: PSI administers the exam for $44. You need 70% on each portion, and once you pass both you must apply within one year or the score expires.
How do I choose a sponsoring broker?
You can't practice on your own. Pennsylvania salespeople work under the supervision of a licensed broker, Delaware requires a Statement of Broker of Record signed by your employing broker with your application, and Maryland requires a commitment from a licensed broker that you'll affiliate once licensed.
This is the decision that shapes your first two years more than any exam score. Questions I'd ask any brokerage, including mine:
- What do I pay each month before I've closed anything?
- Who trains me on live deals, and is there a mentor?
- Where do leads come from, and do I have to buy my own?
- When a deal goes sideways on a Friday, who picks up the phone?
- Is the brokerage licensed in the states my clients will want to buy in?
If you're already licensed and thinking about a move, read How to switch brokerages in PA, DE or MD.
How do I apply, and what does it cost?
- Pennsylvania: apply through the state's licensing system; the initial fee is $97 (a $72 license fee plus a $25 application fee).
- Delaware: apply in DELPROS, upload your documents and pay the $149 application fee.
- Maryland: the original salesperson license is $98, which includes a $20 Guaranty Fund payment; the exam fee is paid separately to PSI.
Course tuition varies by school and isn't set by the states, so compare a few.
What's required after I'm licensed?
- Pennsylvania: no continuing education is required for the initial license. After that, you renew every two years for $96 with 14 hours of approved continuing education.
- Delaware: newly licensed salespeople must complete 12 hours of new-salesperson modules within 90 days of license issuance, covering professional standards, agreements of sale, real estate documents and professionalism.
- Maryland: if you were first licensed on or after October 1, 2023, your first renewal requires 15 hours in set topics: contracts, brokerage relationships and disclosure, real estate practice, property management and landlord-tenant law (3 hours each), plus professionalism and real estate financing (1.5 hours each).
What does a new agent get at Foraker?
I built Foraker to give agents the shortcut I never had. New agents here get a mentor program that pairs them with experienced agents on live deals and a 30-60-90 day plan for their first three months. Every agent can work our Shark Tank database of 30,000 to 50,000 leads. Agents pay $0 in monthly fees, so we only make money when you close, and transaction coordination is $300 per closed deal, only when you use it. We have 85 agents, offices in Kennett Square, PA and North Wilmington, DE, and we're licensed in all three states.
If you're thinking about a career in real estate, start on our careers page, see the state guides for Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, or call us at (484) 406-3004.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Real Estate Salesperson Licensure Snapshot
- Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, Real Estate Salesperson and Real Estate Commission fees
- Maryland Code, Business Occupations & Professions § 17-303
- Maryland Real Estate Commission, Licensing FAQs, Exams, Forms and Fees and Continuing Education Requirements