Real Estate License from Maryland to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate ↗
A real estate license transfers from Maryland to Illinois by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate, verify your Maryland license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. Effective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Illinois publishes no agreement covering Maryland, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Illinois's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate 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, Maryland → Illinois
| Maryland (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 60 | 75 |
| Application fee | $98 (Original salesperson license fee is $98 (includes a $20 Guaranty Fund payment); the reciprocal salesperson application draws on the same statutory fee schedule. Certificate of License History costs $28 (5-year) or $84 (full).) | $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.) |
| Processing time | 2–3 weeks (Board states to allow 10-12 business days to process an Out-of-State License Recognition (waiver) request before exam registration; reciprocal (PA/OK) license issuance timing is not separately published.) | IDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC), Maryland Department of Labor - Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Illinois sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Illinois's current requirements on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold an active license in good standing as a broker, managing broker, or its equivalent in another state or jurisdiction (managing-broker endorsement additionally requires 2 years of active managing-broker practice in the immediately preceding period).
- Complete the 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and provide a Uniform Real Estate Transcript from an IDFPR-approved provider.
- Pass the Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois real estate brokerage laws.
- Submit a Certification by Licensing Agency/Board (or Certification of License History) from each state in which licensed.
- Provide a Sponsor Card from an Illinois actively licensed brokerage for an active license (otherwise the license issues inactive).
- Pay the fees ($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.)) and allow IDFPR does not publish a stated processing time for endorsement applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois accept a Maryland real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from Maryland to Illinois by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Division of Real Estate, verify your Maryland license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. Effective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken..
Which exams will I take moving from Maryland to Illinois?
Effective January 1, 2026 an Endorsement Process replaced Illinois's former reciprocal agreements with specific states. An out-of-state broker/managing broker holding an active equivalent license completes a 30-hour Illinois Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course and must pass the Illinois Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law; the national/uniform exam portion is not retaken..
What does the move cost?
$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.) ($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.).
Can I keep selling in Maryland after I'm licensed in Illinois?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Maryland 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.
- 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)
- Maryland MREC - Apply for a Reciprocal License (Pennsylvania and Oklahoma Licensees ONLY); terms and reciprocity FAQ under Title 17-3A ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland MREC - Out-of-State License Recognition (Waiver) process for all other states ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland MREC - Forms and Fees (Salesperson License Original $98 incl. $20 GF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland MREC - Exams (salesperson exam consists of a national portion and a state portion) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Md. Code, Business Occupations & Professions 17-303 (basic real estate course not more than 60 clock hours for salesperson) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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