Transfer Your Real Estate License to Maine: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maine Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) ↗
Maine is one of the few honor-all states: the Maine Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) accepts active licenses from every state. Maine recognizes an active license in good standing from ANY other state or jurisdiction. The reciprocal candidate skips the pre-license course and the national/general exam and need only pass the Maine Law examination (Pearson VUE; 75% to pass). The Maine license is issued at a level comparable to the out-of-state license held — note that a salesperson in most states maps to the Maine ASSOCIATE BROKER license (Sales Agent is Maine's own entry level).. Expect $100 ($100 license application fee + $21 criminal records (background) check = $121 total to the Commission. The Maine Law examination is $88, paid separately to Pearson VUE. The reciprocal license term is two years.) in application fees.
Moving to Maine from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Full reciprocity — honors all states
Full reciprocity makes Maine one of the easiest relocations in US real estate — but "full" describes what is waived (education, national exam), not the absence of process. You still file, still clear the background check, and still need a sponsoring brokerage in Maine before the license activates. Treat the checklist below as short, not skippable.
Maine is a full-reciprocity state: it issues an 'equal license' to any applicant holding a current active license in good standing in ANY other state or jurisdiction, with no named partner list (reciprocity_partners empty). The only substantive requirement beyond documentation is passing the Maine Law examination — pre-license education and the national/general exam are waived. The reciprocal license is issued at a level comparable to the out-of-state license; because Maine's Associate Broker is the equivalent of a salesperson elsewhere, a typical out-of-state salesperson receives a Maine Associate Broker license (Sales Agent is Maine's own entry-level license). Fees are $100 license + $21 criminal records check (the $121 total shown on the Commission FAQ), plus an $88 Pearson VUE exam. New-applicant Sales Agent pre-license course is 55 hours. Real estate has no interstate compact.
Maine requirements at a glance
| Exam | Maine recognizes an active license in good standing from ANY other state or jurisdiction. The reciprocal candidate skips the pre-license course and the national/general exam and need only pass the Maine Law examination (Pearson VUE; 75% to pass). The Maine license is issued at a level comparable to the out-of-state license held — note that a salesperson in most states maps to the Maine ASSOCIATE BROKER license (Sales Agent is Maine's own entry level). |
|---|---|
| Training hours | 55 hours |
| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $100 ($100 license application fee + $21 criminal records (background) check = $121 total to the Commission. The Maine Law examination is $88, paid separately to Pearson VUE. The reciprocal license term is two years.) |
| Processing time | Commission does not publish a stated processing time; an online application may be submitted the day after the exam is passed and scores transmit |
Step by step
- Confirm Maine's current requirements on the Maine Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) website — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the Maine Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current, active similar license in good standing in your resident state at the time of application (non-residents must be licensed in the state where they reside).
- Pass the Maine Law examination through Pearson VUE (minimum score 75%).
- Provide a Certificate of Licensure from each state where you now hold or have held a license (less than 30 days old when received by the Commission).
- Affiliate with a Maine-licensed real estate agency and include the designated broker's signed recommendation.
- Pay the fees ($100 ($100 license application fee + $21 criminal records (background) check = $121 total to the Commission. The Maine Law examination is $88, paid separately to Pearson VUE. The reciprocal license term is two years.)) and allow Commission does not publish a stated processing time; an online application may be submitted the day after the exam is passed and scores transmit.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Maine:
Frequently asked questions
Does my real estate license transfer to Maine?
Maine is one of the few honor-all states: the Maine Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) accepts active licenses from every state. Maine recognizes an active license in good standing from ANY other state or jurisdiction. The reciprocal candidate skips the pre-license course and the national/general exam and need only pass the Maine Law examination (Pearson VUE; 75% to pass). The Maine license is issued at a level comparable to the out-of-state license held — note that a salesperson in most states maps to the Maine ASSOCIATE BROKER license (Sales Agent is Maine's own entry level).. Expect $100 ($100 license application fee + $21 criminal records (background) check = $121 total to the Commission. The Maine Law examination is $88, paid separately to Pearson VUE. The reciprocal license term is two years.) in application fees.
Do I have to retake real estate exams in Maine?
Maine recognizes an active license in good standing from ANY other state or jurisdiction. The reciprocal candidate skips the pre-license course and the national/general exam and need only pass the Maine Law examination (Pearson VUE; 75% to pass). The Maine license is issued at a level comparable to the out-of-state license held — note that a salesperson in most states maps to the Maine ASSOCIATE BROKER license (Sales Agent is Maine's own entry level)..
What does a Maine real estate license cost an out-of-state applicant?
$100 ($100 license application fee + $21 criminal records (background) check = $121 total to the Commission. The Maine Law examination is $88, paid separately to Pearson VUE. The reciprocal license term is two years.) ($100 license application fee + $21 criminal records (background) check = $121 total to the Commission. The Maine Law examination is $88, paid separately to Pearson VUE. The reciprocal license term is two years.).
How long does the Maine process take?
Commission does not publish a stated processing time; an online application may be submitted the day after the exam is passed and scores transmit — Commission does not publish a stated processing time; an online application may be submitted the day after the exam is passed and scores transmit.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Maine OPOR Real Estate Commission — Individual Licenses (an equal license may be issued to any person holding a current active license in another jurisdiction; Maine Law exam required; $100 license fee, $21 criminal records check) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine Real Estate Candidate Handbook #092000 (Licensing by Reciprocity: active license in good standing in another state/jurisdiction, pass Maine Law exam, Certificate of Licensure <30 days; Maine Associate Broker equals a salesperson elsewhere; exam fee $88; Sales Agent = entry level) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine OPOR Real Estate Commission — FAQ: Sales Agent Entry-Level Licensing (new-applicant Sales Agent Course; $121 total payable to Maine State Treasurer) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]