Washington Real Estate Managing Broker’s License FAQ

• What are the requirements for a real estate managing broker’s license in Washington?
• I don’t have three years of real estate sales experience but I have experience in a field allied to real estate. Will this count?
• How do I apply for a waiver?
• Where do I send my request for a waiver?
• I have a managing broker’s license in another state. Do I still have to take the entire exam?
• I have taken clock hours in another state. Can they be used to satisfy the managing brokers’ education requirements?
• I took a business management course in college. Do I need to take it again?
• My broker’s license renewal is due just after I take my managing brokers’ exam. Do I have to pay the renewal fee plus the managing brokers’ license fee?

Registering for the Exam

• How do I register for my examination?
• How quickly can I get an exam date?
• Where are the tests given?
• What is the examination fee?
• What if I have to cancel or change my exam date?
• What if it’s an emergency and I’m not able to cancel or change within the designated time frame?
• Does PSI have any special testing arrangements for applicants with disabilities?
• I’m hearing-impaired. Can I still communicate with PSI by telephone?
• Are there any test center policies?

The Examination Itself

• What should I bring to the exam site?
• What kind of examination will I be taking?
• What are the subjects tested?
• How is the exam administered?
• How long will it take to get my exam results?
• How much time do I have to complete the exam?

If I Pass/Fail?

• When I pass the exam, what’s next?
• What if I’m not ready to activate my license right away?
• How long are my exam results valid?
• What if I fail the exam?
• Is there a limit to the number of times a person can take the exam?
• If I fail, how soon can I retake the exam?

Washington Managing Broker’s Licensing Requirements

Question: What are the requirements for a real estate managing broker’s license in Washington?

Answer:

• You must have a minimum of three (3) years of actual experience as a full-time real estate broker in Washington or in any other state with comparable requirements; this experience must have been acquired within five (5) years of applying for the managing broker’s license examination.
• You must also have received at least ninety (90) clockhours of instruction in real estate, including:
  • 30 hours in brokerage management,
  • 30 hours in business management, and
  • 30 hours in advanced real estate law.
• Each of the three courses must be at least thirty (30) hours in duration (not an accumulation of courses totaling 30 hours) and include a comprehensive final exam, which you must pass. These courses must be in addition to any courses used to satisfy continuing education requirements in the past, and they must have been completed with three (3) years prior to applying for the examination.
• You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. (Of course, a college diploma is sufficient.)

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Question: I don’t have three years of real estate sales experience but I have experience in a field allied to real estate. Will this count?

Answer: If you lack three years’ full-time experience in real estate sales, you may be allowed to take the managing broker’s exam if the Director of the Department of Licensing (DOL) determines that you have other education or experience that is a satisfactory substitute. Examples of experience that may qualify include:

• postsecondary education with major study in real estate together with one year experience as a real estate broker actively licensed in Washington or another state, U.S. possession, or foreign jurisdiction with similar licensing standards;
• at least one year of full-time experience as a licensed attorney at law, with practice in real estate transactions;
• five years’ full-time experience as a licensed mortgage broker or loan originator;
• five years’ full-time experience as a licensed limited practice officer or escrow agent;
• five years’ full-time experience as a licensed or certified real property appraiser; or
• five years’ full-time experience managing, leasing, selling, or buying real property on behalf of a third-party corporation, limited liability company, or partnership.

Keep in mind, only the experience requirement is waived; the ninety (90) clockhour requirement still applies.
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Question: How do I apply for a waiver?

Answer: Submit a letter to the address below that includes your request for a waiver and the reasons why you believe you should be granted such a waiver. Include any documentation that supports your position.

The DOL will review your request and notify you—usually within a couple of weeks—as to whether you will be granted the one-time waiver. If you have any questions about the content of your letter or any support letters, call the DOL at (360) 664-6500.
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Question: Where do I send my request for a waiver?

Answer:

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Question: I have a managing broker’s license in another state. Do I still have to take the entire exam?

Answer: No. If you have an active license in another state, or your license has been active within the past six months, you will be required to take only the Washington portion of the examination. This section deals with the specific real estate laws, rules and regulations of Washington and is known as the Washington supplement. You will need to contact the state in which you are licensed and request a license history be sent to:

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Question: I have taken clockhours in another state. Can they be used to satisfy the managing brokers’ education requirements?

Answer: Possibly. Submit a completed Candidate Examination Document (You can get one from the Rockwell Institute) with supporting documents, including evidence satisfactory to the Department of Licensing (DOL) of having successfully completed any and all approved clockhour courses for licensure, to the following address:

After the qualifications for the examination have been verified by the DOL, you will be notified as to whether the hours are acceptable.
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Question: I took a business management course in college. Do I need to take it again?

Answer: The Director of the Department of Licensing may waive all or any part of the 90 clockhour requirement if she determines you have completed the equivalent educational course work in any institution of higher learning or degree granting institution. Make your inquiry to:

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Question: My broker’s license renewal is due just after I take my managing broker’s exam. Do I have to pay the renewal fee plus the managing broker’s license fee?

Answer: No. Your managing broker’s license is going to replace your broker’s license, so the broker’s license doesn’t have to be renewed. You won’t have to take another renewal course until your first managing broker’s license renewal, which will occur two years after it was issued.

If you’re thinking about taking the managing broker’s exam, it might be worth it to time the entire process to coincide with your broker’s license renewal. If you can activate your managing broker’s license before the renewal deadline you avoid having to take a renewal course. You save the cost of the course and the thirty hours you would otherwise spend in a classroom.

On the other hand, if your broker’s license renewal date will occur before you take the managing broker’s exam, failure to renew means you’re unlicensed until you pass the exam and activate your managing broker’s license. If it means being unlicensed for any length of time, you should probably plan on renewing.
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Registering for the Exam

Question: How do I register for my examination?

Answer: Before you can schedule your state exam, you MUST:

1. Complete your required Managing Broker’s License courses.
2. Submit each course for approval.
   • Click the SUBMIT button in each course interface or on the main menu.
3. SecureAccess Washington (SAW) – After completing your education, you also must apply for exam approval using the DOL’s online process through this link: https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/accountaccess.html. You will need to create a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account first (this is explained in detail). When you apply, you will be asked to download your certificates of education completion. DOL will approve your completion once all required courses have been submitted to your SAW account and once they’ve verified your required experience. You will then receive an eligibility confirmation email from DOL (this can take a few days). Follow the instructions in the email carefully in order to schedule your state exam. For more information or technical difficulties on creating the SAW account, contact DOL’s Command Center at (360) 664-0200 and hit option 4 OR email them at [email protected].

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Question: How quickly can I get an exam date?

Answer: Reservations are made according to the test site’s capacity and seating availability. PSI testing centers handle license applicants from a number of different fields and sometimes a testing center becomes congested. Two-week delays are not uncommon.
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Question: Where are the tests given?

Answer: PSI’s current list of test locations can be found at their website: https://online.goamp.com/CandidateHome/displayTCList.aspx?pExamID=21308

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Question: What is the examination fee?

Answer: The exam fee is $210, regardless of whether you’re taking the entire examination or just the Washington portion. You must pay the exam fee when you register to take the exam, by credit card, debit card, cashier’s check, money order, or personal check made payable to PSI. Payment by cash is not accepted.

DON’T MISS YOUR EXAM DATE. If you don’t appear at the scheduled time and date, fail to change your exam date within the guidelines set by PSI, or if you wish to reschedule more than once, your exam fee will not be refunded.
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Question: What if I have to cancel or change my exam date?

Answer: You may reschedule your examination appointment at no charge once online at https://schedule.psiexams.com/ or by calling PSI at (855) 746-8168 at least one business day prior to the scheduled testing session.
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Question: What if it’s an emergency and I’m not able to cancel or change within the designated time frame?

Answer: In the event of inclement weather or unforeseen emergencies on the day of an examination, PSI will determine whether circumstances warrant the cancellation, and subsequent rescheduling, of an examination. The examination will usually not be rescheduled if the Assessment Center personnel are able to open the Assessment Center.

You may visit PSI’s website at https://schedule.psiexams.com/ prior to the examination to determine if PSI has been advised that any Assessment Centers are closed.

If an examination is canceled at an Assessment Center, all scheduled candidates will receive notification following the examination regarding rescheduling or reapplication procedures.

If power to an Assessment Center is temporarily interrupted during an administration, your examination will be restarted. The responses provided up to the point of interruption will be intact, but for security reasons the questions will be scrambled.
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Question: Does PSI have any special testing arrangements for applicants with disabilities?

Answer: PSI will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Candidates requesting special accommodations must call PSI at (855) 746-8168 to schedule their examination.

Wheelchair access is available at all testing centers. Candidates must advise PSI at the time of scheduling that wheelchair access is necessary.

Candidates with visual, sensory, physical or learning disabilities that would prevent them from taking the examination under standard conditions may request special accommodations.

Verification of the disability and a statement of the specific type of assistance needed must be made in writing to PSI at least 45 calendar days prior to your desired exam date by completing the Request for Special Examination Accommodations and Documentation of Disability-Related Needs forms included in the Candidate Handbook. PSI will contact you regarding your request for accommodations within 10 business days of receipt.
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Question: I’m hearing-impaired. Can I still communicate with PSI by telephone?

Answer: PSI is equipped with Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) to assist deaf and hearing-impaired candidates. TDD calling is available 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Monday-Friday at (913) 895-4637. This TDD phone option is for individuals equipped with compatible TDD machinery.

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Question: Are there any test center policies?

Answer: The following policies are observed at every PSI test site:

• If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, after your examination appointment, you will not be admitted to the exam and your exam fee will be forfeited.
• Calculators are permitted but they cannot have alphabet keys or printing capability, and they may not be programmable. They must be battery or solar powered (battery-powered is the safer option).
• Cellular phones, cameras, beepers, or any other electronic devices are not permitted during testing, and there is no place for storage of your personal belongings.
• Dictionaries, books, or reference materials are not permitted in the testing room. Anyone found with these or any other aids such as watch alarms, listening devices, or recording or photographic devices while their test is in progress will not be allowed to complete the exam.
• You will be provided with one piece of scratch paper to use at a time during the examination, which must be returned to the proctor at the completion of testing, or you will not receive a score report. No documents or notes of any kind may be removed from the examination room.
• No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the examination.
• You are not permitted to take personal belongings such as briefcases, large bags, study materials, extra books, or papers into the examination room. Only keys and wallets may be taken into the examination room.
• You are not permitted to eat, drink, or smoke during the examination.
• Under no circumstances will you be permitted to spend longer than three and a half hours taking the test.
• You may leave the room during the exam with permission from the proctor, but you won’t be allowed any extra time for the exam.
• Anyone discovered causing a disturbance of any kind or engaging in any kind of misconduct—giving or receiving help; using notes, books, or other aids; taking part in an act of impersonation; or removing examination materials or notes from the examination room—will be summarily dismissed from the examination, his score will not be reported, and the exam fee will not be refunded.

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The Examination Itself

Question: What should I bring to the exam site?

Answer: You should bring all of the following:

• Two pieces of signature-bearing I.D., one with a photo
• Ordinary calculator

During your examination process, you will be required to provide biometric verification of your identity. Biometric identification may include photography, fingerprint scan, or other. Your examination session is also subject to video surveillance. If you do not agree to these conditions, you will not be able to test and will be excused from the Assessment Center. Your examination fee will NOT be refunded.
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Question: What kind of examination will I be taking?

Answer: The test is divided into two sections. The National portion consists of 90 multiple-choice questions. The state portion consists of 44 multiple-choice questions. In both sections, most of the questions will be standard multiple-choice questions with four options, where there is only one correct option and you receive one point for selecting the correct answer.

However, some of the questions will be scenario-based items, where there will be a longer fact pattern and more than four options. For these items, a student will receive two points for picking the one best response that suggests the most appropriate action to take in that scenario, or one point for picking another acceptable but less optimal response. You may see an additional five questions on each section that are “pre-test” questions that may appear in future exams; these do not count toward your score, but this means that you may see up to 95 questions on the National portion and 49 on the State portion. You must score a minimum of 75% on each section.
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Question: What are the subjects tested?

Answer: The following is a brief summary of the topics routinely tested:
National Section:

• Property Ownership (9 questions, 10 points)
• Land Use Controls and Regulations (5 questions, 5 points)
• Valuation and Market Analysis (6 questions, 7 points)
• Financing (8 questions, 8 points)
• General Principles of Agency (11 questions, 11 points)
• Property Disclosures (6 questions, 7 points)
• Contracts (15 questions, 18 points)
• Leasing and Property Management (4 questions, 5 points)
• Transfer of Title (7 questions, 7 points)
• Practice of Real Estate (11 questions, 14 points)
• Real Estate Calculations (8 questions, 8 points)

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Question: How is the exam administered?

Answer: Your examination will be administered on a computer, which eliminates the use of paper and pencil answer sheets. The system records your responses and automatically times the examination. Knowledge of computers and typing are absolutely NOT required.
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Question: How long will it take to get my exam results?

Answer: Your examination is scored immediately after you complete it. You leave the test center knowing whether you passed or failed.
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Question: How much time do I have to complete the exam?

Answer: You have up to four hours — or 2.5 hours for the national portion and 1.5 hours for the state portion, if you are taking only one portion. (The timer doesn’t begin until you have answered your first question.) Typically an applicant will complete the exam somewhere between two and three hours.
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If I Pass/Fail?

Question: When I pass the exam, what’s next?

Answer: When you pass the examination, your examination report will include information on how to apply for a license. The passing score report you receive from PSI has two parts. One is the notification of your results. The other is the final application for a license. You must complete the application and return it along with the proper fees to the Department of Licensing (DOL).

The part of the score report you are instructed to retain is an interim license valid for a period of up to forty-five (45) days after the postmark date or date of hand delivery of the application and fees to the DOL.
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Question: What if I’m not ready to activate my license right away?

Answer: You can pay the fee and activate your license under a real estate brokerage, or you can pay the fee and place your license on an inactive status without associating with a brokerage. As long as you pay the license renewal fee (every two years) your license can remain inactive indefinitely.
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Question: How long are my exam results valid?

Answer: You have 12 months to pay the fee and obtain your license.
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Question: What if I fail the exam?

Answer: The exam is divided into two parts: the National section and the State Law section. You must pass both sections with minimum scores of 75% to be eligible for a license. If you pass one part, but not the other, you will be required to retake only the failed segment, provided you retake and pass that segment within six (6) months of initial failure. After that you will have to take the entire exam to be eligible for a license.
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Question: Is there a limit to the number of times a person can take the examination?

Answer: For all intents and purposes the answer is no. An individual can continue retaking the exam until a passing score is received. (You must pay the normal exam fee each time you take the exam.)
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Question: If I fail, how soon can I retake the examination?

Answer: You must wait twenty-four (24) hours before rescheduling an examination and the earliest possible exam date would be one business day after that.
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