The real estate profession in Wisconsin is regulated by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. Both brokers and salespersons are required to be licensed, and the process generally entails completing the educational requirements and passing an exam, though it is possible to avoid some of these requirements if you hold a license from another state. Let’s take a look at how you can obtain your Wisconsin real estate salesperson license!

Obtaining a License

Here are the general steps:

• There are two options for satisfying the education requirements. You may either take the state’s own pre-licensing program no more than five years prior to application. The program is 72 total hours, and you can find provider lists here. Alternately, you may take a total of ten semester hour credits in real estate law classes at any accredited institute of higher learning.
• Take and pass the salesperson exam, administered by Pearson VUE. You can sign up here.
• Only after you have completed the course and passed the exam can you apply for licensure. The application is here. Be sure to include a 75 dollar check payable to DSPS, along with proof that you completed the required education and passed the exam.

That’s it! Not so bad, huh? Wisconsin also a dual-track system for those who already hold a salesperson license in another state. If you have a license from either Indiana or Illinois, you must still pass the WI-specific Pearson exam. You must then supply DSPS with these two forms, a check for 72 dollars, and proof of your license from Indiana or Illinois. Note that there is no education requirement for this process. However, if you hold a license from any other state, the process is very similar to the examination process described above, with two exceptions. First, you need only take a 13-hour pre-licensing course. Second, if you are not a resident of Wisconsin, along with the above-described application materials you must also fill out and hand in this form.

Wisconsin also licenses “real estate salesperson apprentices.” The requirements for this license are both professional and educational: you must agree to dedicate twenty hours a week to the practice of real estate, with six of those hours being educational. There is also a general knowledge exam requirement that is not specific to real estate. Learn more about becoming an apprentice here.

Maintaining a License

Real estate salesperson licenses in Wisconsin expire on December 14 of every even-numbered year. The renewal process must be done through mail – there is no current online renewal form. You can obtain renewal application forms by calling one of the phone numbers listed here. The renewal fee is 82 dollars, unless you are attempting to renew an expired license, in which case the fee is 107 dollars.

Wisconsin does have a continuing education requirement for its salespersons, and your license will not be renewed if you fail to complete it. Salespersons must complete 18 hours of continuing education, in the form of 6 three-hour “modules” focusing on specific topics. All the information for completing these courses can be found here.

Discipline of the real estate profession is also handled by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. Salespersons can be suspended or given a warning, or their license can be revoked entirely. The rules on what constitutes ethical practice can be found here, and this page details the procedures regarding discipline.

One thing to keep in mind is that in April of 2014, the state of Wisconsin passed a new law, which you can read here, addressing criminal convictions of applicants. In essence, you must disclose any convictions to the Board, which retains discretion as to whether you shall be admitted. Alternately, you may, prior to application, appeal to the Board to be informed whether your past conviction will bar you from licensure.