How to get a Maryland Real Estate License by Reciprocity
You may get your real estate license in Maryland by reciprocity. If you have an active real estate license in another state, you should be able to take the Maryland portion of the PSI exam. You will need to get certification for each state where licensed before you can take the state portion of the PSI exam. By the way, Maryland uses the term “waiver” (out-of-state recognition) for most states, but it amounts to the almost the same as reciprocity.
A. Here are the steps for getting your Maryland license by “reciprocity” (called “Waiver by Out of State Recognition” for all states other than PA or OK).
PA and OK licensed? If you are licensed in Pennsyvania or Oklahome, it is official reciprocity. See PA OK reciprocity page.
1- .You need to obtain the certification of license/history on your state Board or Commission website. It must be dated within 30 days of sending it to the MD Commission. It must be an original, not a copy.
Most states- See Board or Commission site for your state.
For VA and DC licensed agents:
Virginia certification request (online) Or on the VA Board site.
DC License certification request (pdf)
Details- Maryland Commission website on out of state recognition.
2- Mail a request letter along with the original certification of your license requesting the Maryland Real Estate Commission to take the MD portion of the PSI exam. Here is a sample letter to the Maryland Real Estate Commission. Add your contact information and your out of state real estate license number. Maryland needs the original out of state license certification in addition to the cover letter. It has to be mailed. Yes, they don’t have a way to do it online but someday that may change.
3- The Maryland Real Estate Commission will send you authorization to take the Maryland portion of the PSI license exam.
After you get the authorization from the MD Real Estate Commission:
You will need to mail in your application with the original Maryland Letter of Authorization and $44 fee for state portion only. If a check, payable to PSI.
Information on the exam is on the PSIexams.com website.
PSI Website for Maryland salesperson reciprocity
PSI website for Maryland broker reciprocity
These pages have the candidate bulletin with information and includes the application that you will need to mail in. Review that pdf.
The end of the pdf bulletin has this application that we have extracted here.
Mail application: PSI, Attn: Examination Registration MD RE
3210 E Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV 89121
There are 30 questions for MD salesperson (40 for brokers). PSI has multiple sites in Maryland to take the exam on their website. Exam sites at last count included Baltimore, College Park, Crofton, Hagerstown, Lanham, and Salisbury.
4. How to pass the MD portion of the PSI exam: Take the online Maryland exam prep course and/or get the Maryland exam prep book.
Option 1- Take the Maryland real estate exam prep online course (called Qbank). Recommended. It is for the Maryland Portion ONLY, not national. This is a bank of practice question and answers with explanations. The course is called Maryland Real Estate Drill and Practice Q-Bank. No reading sections or index, but a huge number of practice exams with a percentage guide to decide you’re ready for the exam. It’s $29.
Option 2- Buy the Maryland Real Estate Practice and Law book which has chapters on each subject as well many practice exams. The book is about $35. There is also a downloadable ebook of Maryland Real Estate Practice and Law also for $35.
Option 3– Take the online exam prep course AND get the book, too.
Note: The PSI website has practice exams, but they are only national and not state specific. So no need to take that for reciprocity. Best of luck on your exam!
This summary was prepared by Paul Hartke, a licensed broker in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. Paul and his brother Keith own National Realty based in Reston, VA with over 140 agents in VA, MD and DC.
Paul is a licensed Virginia real estate instructor and a lawyer. He is available to discuss your particular situation. Contact Paul online here.
A MD real estate agent license requires you join a broker licensed in MD.
Need a broker licensed in MD as well as VA and DC?
Paul Hartke, Principal Broker, National Realty
Ofiice 703-860-4600 ext 44 Cell 703-675-5550
Agent Information: JoinNational.com
Resources:
Maryland Real Estate Commission website – Phone 412-230-6230
Commission instructions for MD license by reciprocity – summarized on this page
PSI Maryland salesperson / agent real estate license page with PSI MD handbook.
NOTE: If you are NOT licensed in another state and wish to get a Maryland license, you will need to take the DC license course. The Maryland real estate pre-licensing course is available herePe