How To Become a Real Estate Agent in Montana

With 66 percent more home listings in 2023 compared to the year prior, per real estate resource Norada, applying for a real estate license in Montana could be just the shift your professional life needs.¹

Once you learn the market, you can work part-time for extra income or make realty your long-term career. You may earn extra commissions as a real estate broker or work with a team of agents.

You can take your career in many exciting directions, but all begin with obtaining your real estate license. This informative guide will break it down, including resources and information for proceeding.

Getting a Real Estate License in Montana

The requirements for a realty license in Montana vary depending on whether you’re pursuing a real estate or broker position.

Earning a Salesperson Real Estate License in Montana requires completing the following tasks:

• Enroll in an approved educational Salesperson Pre-Licensing Course for approximately 70 hours.
• Take the Salesperson Real Estate License exam and pass.
• Work with a sponsoring broker.
• Apply for your real estate license.

A Brokers License in Montana is more difficult to obtain and requires:

• Work as a licensed Salesperson for up to two years.
• Obtain Experience Points.
• Enroll in an approved Brokers Pre-Licensing Course for 60 hours.
• Take the Montana Real Estate Broker Exam and pass.

Detailed explanations of these processes are to follow.

Montana Real Estate License Requirements

You’re ready to get the ball rolling to earn your real estate license in Montana. Make sure you pass these requirements as you get underway.

Age and Basic Education Prerequisites

You must be at least 18 years old to get a real estate license in MT. You needn’t have a higher education degree or even a high school diploma for eligibility.

Instead, it’s required that you complete education through at least 10th grade at an accredited educational institution.

Minimum Pre-License Education Hours

Do you meet the prereqs above? You’re closer to obtaining your realty license in MT.

Next, it’s time to accumulate the educational credits to prepare for the Salesperson Real Estate License exam.

You will spend 70 non-consecutive hours in an educational setting. The Montana Salesperson Pre-Licensing Course must meet the Montana Board of Realty Regulation standards, as must the instructor you receive the education from.²

You will take a pre-license exam at the end of your 70 hours to prepare for the state exam. A proctor doesn’t have to sit in on the exam in Montana.

This is a good litmus test of your readiness for the real exam.

Fee Structure and Pre-Licensing Real Estate Education

Many pre-licensing schools that can help you prepare for the Salesperson Real Estate License exam have packages to make the fee structure more affordable.

The coursework starts as low as $50 but costs upward of $500, depending on the school you select.

Your real estate education is not the only paid component of your quest to hold a Montana real estate license. You must also pay for the Salesperson Real Estate License exam, which costs $165.

If you don’t pass the exam the first time, you can take it again, but it costs the same fee each time. According to the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, you must also pay an $80 licensing fee.³

Key Real Estate Background Evaluation (Fingerprint Venue Details)

You’re not required to get a fingerprint as part of your background evaluation when applying for a real estate license in MT.

Does Montana Require a Credit and Background Report for Real Estate Agents?

MT doesn’t require aspiring brokers or real estate agents to get fingerprinted to apply for a license, so it shouldn’t surprise you that you don’t need a credit check, either.

That said, it helps to have good credit. You set an example for your clients, who benefit from having excellent credit. You get a higher commission if their credit is good.

As for whether you’re required to submit to a background check to become a broker or real estate agent, MT also doesn’t require this.

Can Felons Be Real Estate Agents in MT?

Many states nationwide exclude felons from practicing real estate, as a felony is a much more serious crime than a misdemeanor, such as murder, illegal drug use, arson, assault, burglary, and rape.

Despite that, MT has no law blocking felons from applying to be brokers or real estate agents. However, that doesn’t always mean your application will receive approval.

The Montana Board of Realty Regulation takes each case one at a time. If you have a clean record with a history of felonies in the past, you have a higher chance of being accepted than if you have a recent felony.

In either situation, you must provide documentation, including court records, of the felony, sentencing, and how much of the sentence you carried out.