Current Montana Real Estate Income, Sales, and Trends

Whether you intend to make a full-time living as a real estate agent in MT or commit to this gig as a side hustle, you will want to know about your earning potential before you get in too deep.

How much does a real estate agent make in the state?

Leading job recruitment resources disagree about the exact dollar amount, but you can expect a steady, five-figure income by working full-time.

On the lower end of the estimates, you can earn $33,207 to $118,992 per year, with an average of $85,898, or approximately $41 per hour.¹

The higher end of the earnings estimates predicts that real estate agents can make $40,710 to $175,332, with an average earning of $84,485.²

Career resources report that the average MT salary is $55,910 per year, or approximately $27 an hour.³

However, only an estimated nine percent of jobs earn that much. Up to 16 percent of state jobs earn $27,250.

As an MT real estate agent, you can make over the average income in this state.

Real Estate License Revival and Cross-State License Equivalence in Montana

Across the nation, real estate licenses expire within two years. That much also applies to MT.

You can revive your license through the Montana Board of Realty Regulation. Renewals are available up to 60 days before your license expires.

You can find your real estate license expiration information on the document itself.

The Montana Board of Realty Regulation recommends you renew earlier than later. Since all real estate agents in the state have until October 31st to renew regardless of when their license expires, there’s usually a mad clamber around Halloween to get licenses renewed before then.

If you’re late, it’s not ideal, but it’s not the end of the world. You can’t legally work with clients to assist them in selling or buying property until you have a valid broker or real estate agent’s license.

However, you’re given up to two years to renew the license. If you wait past that time, you must test for a broker or real estate license like you did to obtain it the first time.

Here are the steps for reviving your real estate license in MT.

Step 1: Log-in to Your Account

Log into your account on the State of Montana website.⁴ You should already have an account, as you needed one to apply for your real estate license.

You can always request a password reset if you forget your login credentials.

Step 2: Pay the Renewal Fee

Pay the license renewal fees. The cost is $80 for real estate salespeople and $90 for real estate brokers.

File on time. Besides missing out on clients because you can’t legally practice real estate, you will incur a late fee if you renew your license tardily.

The late fee is $160 for real estate salespeople and $180 for brokers.

Step 3: Enroll in Continuing Education

You must enroll in continuing education to revive your real estate license. Brokers and real estate agents need 12 hours of CE while supervising brokers only require four hours.

The real estate topics you’re required to learn about in your CE are non-specific. However, most real estate agents and brokers take courses on sales agreements and contract law, statewide real estate finance, state license law, fraudulent and predatory loans, and realty code of ethics.

You must pay an additional fee for your CE.

Step 4: Complete CE Course ASAP

You can revive your license anytime, 24/7, using the above website. Aim to wrap up your CE within 10 or more days of your license expiration, as it takes time to process your course completion.

If you wish to revive your license through the mail, you must complete this renewal application form, which requests the following information:⁵

• Your full name
• Your home address, including your state and zip code
• Your email address

Next, check off the type of renewal you’re interested in, such as broker or real estate agent. You can also make your license inactive for $20.

An inactive license doesn’t allow you to practice realty and will expire within two years.

You must also answer the following question on the renewal application form: “Have any legal or disciplinary actions been instituted against you or any of your professional licenses since either your initial licensure in Montana or since you renewed your license, whichever occurred latest?”

If you check no, you can sign and date the form. If you answer yes, you must send documentation of the legal matter, or your license could be revoked or your revival denied.

You can mail your completed renewal application form to 301 South Park, P.O. Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620-0513. Please do not send cash in the mail.

Instead, mail a money order or check, just as you did when applying for your license.

Montana does and doesn’t offer real estate license reciprocity. You can’t use an out-of-state real estate license in MT right away, but you can skip the pre-licensing education.

However, all other parts of the licensing process, including taking the exam, passing, and applying for a license, apply.

This is more advantageous for aspiring real estate agents who live out of state, especially in Washington, Idaho, and North Dakota. Those three states require 90 hours of pre-license education, while in Delaware, it’s 99 hours.

That makes hopping over to Montana and getting licensed an appealing proposition, as MT requires at least 20 hours fewer of schooling.