How to become a real estate agent in Montana

This page is independent of any school or brokerage. Requirements change (the Board's checklist is its November 2025 update and its pages are the versions read on the date shown; Pearson VUE's handbook is its January 2026 edition, and it keeps exam results for three years where the Board's rule requires a pass within 12 months of applying), so each section names the official page it was read from and the date. If a figure below disagrees with the Board's page today, the board is right and this page is stale: the date tells you how stale.

1Montana real estate license requirements

• Age and education: at least 18 years of age, with credit for two years of full curriculum study at an accredited high school or the equivalent, under MCA 37-51-302.
• Course: 70 hours of approved pre-licensing education completed within the past 24 months, under ARM 24.210.611.
• Exam: a pass on the Montana Real Estate Salesperson Examination, state and national portions, within the past 12 months.
• Sponsor: employment or a contract with a licensed broker who holds a supervising broker endorsement.
• Insurance: proof of professional liability and errors and omissions insurance under MCA 37-51-325.
• History: official license verifications from every state where you hold or have held any professional license, and documentation for any yes answer to the discipline questions.

See how Montana compares with every other state on the requirements by state table.

Source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist: Real Estate Salesperson (updated November 2025), read September 9, 2026.

2Steps to get your Montana real estate license, in order

1. Complete 70 hours of approved pre-licensing education

   From a Board-approved provider, within the 24 months before you apply.

2. Pass both portions of the Pearson VUE exam at $95 each

   The national portion is 80 questions in 150 minutes and the state portion 40 questions in 90 minutes, each with pretest questions and a scaled passing score of 75; the pass must be within 12 months of the application.

3. Line up a supervising broker and errors and omissions insurance

   Both are conditions of the license: the broker must hold a supervising broker endorsement, and proof of insurance goes in with the application.

4. Apply online with the $80 fee

   The application carries the course certificate, the exam results, license verifications and any discipline documentation; the license then expires October 31 and renews every year.

Source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist: Real Estate Salesperson (updated November 2025), read September 9, 2026; Pearson VUE, Montana Board of Realty Regulation Candidate Handbook, January 2026 (#092700), read September 9, 2026; Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Real Estate Salesperson (license information), read September 9, 2026.

3How much a Montana real estate license costs

The Board publishes its application and renewal fees and Pearson VUE its exam fee; insurance is paid to the carrier and tuition to the providers.

Source: Pearson VUE, Montana Board of Realty Regulation Candidate Handbook, January 2026 (#092700), read September 9, 2026; Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist: Real Estate Salesperson (updated November 2025), read September 9, 2026.

4How long it takes to become a real estate agent in Montana

The fixed parts are 70 course hours within 24 months of applying, one Pearson VUE sitting of four hours within 12 months of applying, a supervising broker and insurance, and an online application; the Board publishes no typical processing time on the pages read for this guide. Those parts come from the Board's own checklist and pages and the exam vendor's handbook, not a school's marketing:

• Course: 70 hours at an approved provider, at its pace, within the 24 months before applying.
• Exam: 150 minutes for the national portion and 90 for the state portion at a Pearson VUE center, within 12 months of applying.
• Broker and insurance: a supervising broker's employment and proof of errors and omissions cover.
• Application: online with $80; no processing time is published, and the license runs to October 31.

Source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist: Real Estate Salesperson (updated November 2025), read September 9, 2026; Pearson VUE, Montana Board of Realty Regulation Candidate Handbook, January 2026 (#092700), read September 9, 2026; Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Renewal Process, read September 9, 2026.

5The Montana real estate exam

The salesperson exam is 120 questions in 4 hours, two portions, national (150 minutes) and Montana state (90 minutes), at a Pearson VUE test center, reserved at least 48 hours ahead. You need a scaled score of 75 on each portion to pass. A score report is issued at the test center with licensure instructions; Pearson VUE treats results as good for three years, but the Board requires the pass to be within 12 months of the application. Retakes: the handbook sets no waiting period or attempt limit; each portion is rebooked at $95, and the pass must fall within the 12 months before the application.

Pass rate

Neither the Board nor Pearson VUE publishes a pass rate for the Montana salesperson exam on the pages or handbook read for this guide, so none is shown here.

Source: Pearson VUE, Montana Board of Realty Regulation Candidate Handbook, January 2026 (#092700), read September 9, 2026.

6Reciprocity: already licensed in another state?

By waiver for out-of-state licensees. The Board's checklist has a separate route for a licensee of another state: passing the Montana state portion of the salesperson exam, filing official license verifications from every jurisdiction, and the same application and fee, without the 70-hour course.

Source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist: Real Estate Salesperson (updated November 2025), read September 9, 2026.

7Renewal and continuing education

The license runs one year, expiring October 31; the renewal window runs September 1 to October 31. To renew you complete 12 clock hours of approved continuing education within the license period and pay $80.

First renewal: the same 12 hours as every year; the licensing year runs November 1 to October 31.

Later renewals: 12 hours of continuing education in real estate courses each licensing year for an active licensee, under ARM 24.210.667, with all ARELLO-approved courses accepted; the renewal fee is $80 active or $40 inactive, and late renewals incur late fees.

Source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Renewal Process, read September 9, 2026; Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Real Estate Salesperson (license information), read September 9, 2026; Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Continuing Education, read September 9, 2026.

8How much real estate agents make in Montana

The only independent, dated wage figure for agents is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' occupational survey. For Montana, release May 2025:

BLS counts agents paid as employees and reports wages, not the commissions of self-employed agents, so these are a floor for the occupation rather than what a typical commissioned agent takes home.

Every state is ranked on the same survey on the salary by state page.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, Real Estate Sales Agents (41-9022), Montana, read September 8, 2026.

9After the license: choosing a brokerage in Montana

A new salesperson license is only usable under a broker, so the next decision is which brokerage. On September 5, 2026, 1,329 Montana agents had a published brokerage profile; the largest single company was Keller Williams with 306 of them, and the largest brand was Keller Williams with 306. Ask each brokerage for its commission split and fees in writing before you sign.

Source: Realty Census, Montana count and brokerage ranking, September 5, 2026 (realtycensus.com/montana/), read September 9, 2026.

One thing worth knowing before your profile goes live: a brokerage profile page is public, and the contact details on it get collected and sold as marketing lists, such as the Montana list from US Realtor List, which is why vendor email tends to start the week an agent's profile first appears. Any list of this kind should tell you how to come off it, and a reputable one acts on that request.

10Pre-license schools in Montana

The Board approves the pre-licensing providers and publishes the approved list; for continuing education it accepts all ARELLO-approved courses as well as its own approvals. The list is at the Board's salesperson license page.

The full list, alphabetical with what the Board publishes about each provider, is on the Montana real estate schools page.

This page carries no affiliate links. The Montana schools page says at its top whether it carries any; schools there are alphabetical, never ordered by commission.

Source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation, Continuing Education, read September 9, 2026.

Questions people ask about becoming an agent in Montana

How long does it take to become a real estate agent in Montana?

The fixed parts are 70 course hours within 24 months of applying, one Pearson VUE sitting of four hours within 12 months of applying, a supervising broker and insurance, and an online application; the Board publishes no typical processing time on the pages read for this guide. The course is 70 hours at the provider's pace and must be within 24 months of the application; the exam is 150 plus 90 minutes at a Pearson VUE center and must be within 12 months; and the application goes in online once a supervising broker and insurance are in place. No typical processing time is published.

How much does it cost to get a real estate license in Montana?

$270 to the state and its vendors ($95 national exam, $95 state exam, $80 application), plus tuition for the pre-license course, the errors and omissions premium and tuition for the 70 hours, which the providers set.

What is the pass rate for the Montana real estate exam?

Neither the Board nor Pearson VUE publishes a pass rate for the Montana salesperson exam on the pages or handbook read for this guide, so none is shown here.

How much do real estate agents make in Montana?

The BLS May 2025 median for real estate sales agents in Montana is $79,100 a year, with the middle half earning between $67,590 and $91,170. BLS counts agents paid as employees and reports wages, not the commissions of self-employed agents, so these are a floor for the occupation rather than what a typical commissioned agent takes home.

Does Montana have real estate license reciprocity?

Partly. An out-of-state licensee sits only the Montana state portion of the exam and files license verifications, skipping the 70-hour course.

Sources and dates