Real Estate License from Illinois to Montana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry) ↗
A real estate license transfers from Illinois to Montana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry), verify your Illinois license, and meet Montana's endorsement requirements. National portion waived under the Out-of-State Licensee/Waiver Process: the applicant passes only the Montana STATE portion of the salesperson examination; the 70-hour pre-licensing education required of new applicants is not required.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Montana publishes no agreement covering Illinois, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Montana's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry) commits to in writing; for anything discretionary (exam waivers, education credit), get the commission's answer in writing before you rely on it.
What changes, Illinois → Montana
| Illinois (current) | Montana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 75 | 70 |
| Application fee | $150 ($150 non-refundable endorsement application fee for the Broker profession ($175 for Managing Broker); separate from PSI endorsement-exam fees and 30-hour course tuition.) | $80 ($80 application fee; separate Pearson VUE examination fee paid to the test vendor) |
| Processing time | IDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications | Board of Realty Regulation does not publish a processing-time range |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate | Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Montana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Montana's current requirements on the Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Pass the Montana STATE portion of the salesperson examination (taken via Pearson VUE).
- Provide official license verification from every state/jurisdiction in which the applicant holds or has ever held any professional license.
- Be employed by or under contract with a Montana broker who holds a Supervising Broker Endorsement.
- Provide proof of Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance (MCA 37-51-325).
- Disclose and document any prior discipline.
- Pay the fees ($80 ($80 application fee; separate Pearson VUE examination fee paid to the test vendor)) and allow Board of Realty Regulation does not publish a processing-time range.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Montana accept a Illinois real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from Illinois to Montana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry), verify your Illinois license, and meet Montana's endorsement requirements. National portion waived under the Out-of-State Licensee/Waiver Process: the applicant passes only the Montana STATE portion of the salesperson examination; the 70-hour pre-licensing education required of new applicants is not required.
Which exams will I take moving from Illinois to Montana?
National portion waived under the Out-of-State Licensee/Waiver Process: the applicant passes only the Montana STATE portion of the salesperson examination; the 70-hour pre-licensing education required of new applicants is not required.
What does the move cost?
$80 ($80 application fee; separate Pearson VUE examination fee paid to the test vendor) ($80 application fee; separate Pearson VUE examination fee paid to the test vendor).
Can I keep selling in Illinois after I'm licensed in Montana?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Illinois license active (renewals and CE continue separately) and you hold both; many border-market agents do exactly this.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- MT Board of Realty Regulation — Real Estate Salesperson license information ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MT Board of Realty Regulation — Real Estate Salesperson Licensing Requirements & Application Checklist (Updated 11/2025; Out-of-State Licensee/Waiver Process; $80 fee; 70-hour pre-licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Real Estate Brokerage page ('Endorsement Process becomes effective January 1, 2026 ... replaces a Reciprocal Process previously in place with specific states') ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Real Estate Application for Licensure by Endorsement (Broker $150 / Managing Broker $175; 30-hour endorsement course; endorsement exam on Illinois law) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — 30-Hour Real Estate Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course Curriculum (12-10-2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Broker 75-Hour Pre-License Curriculum (60 hours topics + 15 hours applied) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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