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Managing Broker's License FAQs
Washington State Licensing Requirements
Alert!
New Real Estate License Law
As of July 1, 2010, Washington's new license law takes effect. Under this law, a salesperson is now called a broker, and a broker is now called a managing broker. The following FAQs reflect the provisions of the new license law.
Washington Licensing Requirements
Registering for the Exam
The Examination Itself
If I Pass/Fail?
Washington Licensing Requirements
Question: What are the requirements for a real estate managing broker's license in Washington?
Answer:
- You must have a minimum of three (3) years of actual experience as a full-time real estate broker in Washington or in any other state with comparable requirements; this experience must have been acquired within five (5) years of applying for the managing broker's license examination. Your experience in Washington must be verified in part B of the Candidate Examination Document by your employing brokerage firm(s) during the required period of time. You can get a Candidate Examination Document from us.
- You must also have received at least ninety (90) clockhours of instruction in real estate, including:
- 30 hours in brokerage management,
- 30 hours in business management, and
- 30 hours in advanced real estate law.
- Each of the three courses must be at least thirty (30) hours in duration (not an accumulation of courses totaling 30 hours) and include a comprehensive final exam, which you must pass. These courses must be in addition to any courses used to satisfy continuing education requirements in the past, and they must have been completed with three (3) years prior to applying for the examination.
- Proof of completion of each course must be submitted along with your Candidate Examination Document in the form of grade reports, transcripts, or copies of the certificates of completion. All proof of education must be submitted at the time of review; the Department of Licensing will not maintain records of individual courses completed by the managing broker's license applicant.
- You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, such as a General Education Development certificate and submit a copy (not the original) along with your Candidate Examination Document. Of course, a college diploma is sufficient.
The Department of Licensing (DOL) will review the documentation to determine examination eligibility. The documentation will be returned to you indicating that you have been approved for the examination. This document must be taken to the exam site on the day of your examination.
Your Candidate Examination Document must be submitted to the DOL for approval PRIOR to making an examination reservation. Allow two (2) weeks for this review. The process can be expedited, however, if you deliver your documentation in person to the Department of Real Estate office in Olympia.
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Question: To what address do I send my documentation referred to in this section?
Answer:Department of Licensing
Real Estate Licensing
PO Box 9015
Olympia, WA 98507-9015
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Question: I don't have three years of real estate sales experience but I have experience in a field allied to real estate. Will this count?
Answer: If you lack three years' full-time experience in real estate sales, you may be allowed to take the managing broker's exam if the Director of the Department of Licensing (DOL) determines that you have other education or experience that is a satisfactory substitute. Examples of experience that may qualify include:
- post-secondary education with an emphasis on real estate studies, together with one year of experience as a real estate broker;
- at least one year of experience as an attorney, specializing in real estate transactions;
- five years' experience in closing real estate transactions for escrow companies or mortgage companies;
- five years' experience as an officer of a commercial bank, savings and loan association, title company or mortgage company, involving all phases of a real estate transaction;
- five years' experience as a real estate appraiser;
- five years' experience in all phases of land development, construction, financing, selling and leasing residences, apartment or commercial buildings; or
- five years' experience in real estate investment, property management, or investment analysis.
Keep in mind, only the experience requirement is waived; the ninety (90) clockhour requirement still applies.
If you receive a waiver from the experience requirement but fail the managing broker's license exam, the waiver is forfeited. You must then satisfy the experience requirement before retaking the exam.
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Question: How do I apply for a waiver?
Answer: Submit a letter to the address below that includes your request for a waiver and the reasons why you believe you should be granted such a waiver. Include any documentation that supports your position. Along with your letter submit letters from five (5) associates who live in Washington and who can attest to your qualifications.
The DOL will review your request and notify you—usually within a couple of weeks—as to whether you will be granted the one-time waiver. If you have any questions about the content of your letter or any support letters, call us for help.
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Question: Where do I send my request for a waiver?
Answer: Department of Licensing
Real Estate Licensing
PO Box 9015
Olympia, WA 98507-9015
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Question: I have a managing broker's license in another state. Do I still have to take the entire exam?
Answer: No. If you have an active license in another state, or your license has been active within the past six months, you will be required to take only the Washington portion of the examination. This section deals with the specific real estate laws, rules and regulations of Washington and is known as the Washington supplement. You will need to contact the state in which you are licensed and request a license history be sent to:
Department of Licensing
Real Estate Licensing
PO Box 9015
Olympia, WA 98507-9015
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Question: I have taken clockhours in another state. Can they be used to satisfy the managing brokers' education requirements?
Answer: Possibly. Submit a completed Candidate Examination Document (You can get one from the Rockwell Institute) with supporting documents, including evidence satisfactory to the Department of Licensing (DOL) of having successfully completed any and all approved clockhour courses for licensure, to the following address:
Department of Licensing
Real Estate Licensing
PO Box 9015
Olympia, WA 98507-9015
After the qualifications for the examination have been verified by the DOL, you will be notified as to whether the hours are acceptable.
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Question: I took a business management course in college. Do I need to take it again?
Answer: The Director of the Department of Licensing may waive all or any part of the 90 clockhour requirement if she determines you have completed the equivalent educational course work in any institution of higher learning or degree granting institution. Make your inquiry to:
Department of Licensing
Real Estate Licensing
PO Box 9015
Olympia, WA 98507-9015
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Question: My broker's license renewal is due just after I take my managing broker's exam. Do I have to pay the renewal fee plus the managing broker's license fee?
Answer: No. Your managing broker's license is going to replace your broker's license, so the broker's license doesn't have to be renewed. You won't have to take another renewal course until your first managing broker's license renewal, which will occur two years after it was issued.
If you're thinking about taking the managing broker's exam, it might be worth it to time the entire process to coincide with your broker's license renewal. If you can activate your managing broker's license before the renewal deadline you avoid having to take a renewal course. You save the cost of the course and the thirty hours you would otherwise spend in a classroom.
On the other hand, if your broker's license renewal date will occur before you take the managing broker's exam, failure to renew means you're unlicensed until you pass the exam and activate your managing broker's license. If it means being unlicensed for any length of time, you should probably plan on renewing.
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Registering for the Exam
Question: How do I register for my examination?
Answer: Most applicants register online, but you may also register by phone or mail. You can make an exam reservation by calling the testing service—AMP—toll-free at (800) 345-6559. You may make your reservation online at www.goamp.com. The reservation must be made at least one business day in advance of your test date.
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Question: When can I call to register for an examination?
Answer: AMP Customer Care is open for reservations six days a week, on the schedule shown below (Pacific Time):
| Monday - Thursday |
5:00 AM - 7:00 PM |
| Friday |
5:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Saturday |
6:30 AM - 3:00 PM |
Call toll-free at (800) 345-6559.
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Question: How quickly can I get an exam date?
Answer: Reservations are made according to the test site's capacity and seating availability. AMP testing centers handle license applicants from a number of different fields and sometimes a testing center becomes congested. Two-week delays are not uncommon.
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Question: What information will I need when I make an examination appointment?
Answer:When making an exam appointment, you will need:
- Full name
- Address
- Social security number
- Daytime phone number
- Date of birth
- Type of examination (broker's or managing broker's)
- Your preferred test date and test site
- Your failing score report (if retaking the exam)
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Question: Where are the tests given?
Answer: There are eight test sites in Washington. Their locations are:
| Code |
Location |
| 1 |
H&R Block
15015 Main Street
Suite 111B
Bellevue, WA 98007 |
| 2 |
H&R Block
1601 N. Division
Suite I
Spokane, WA 99207 |
| 3 |
H&R Block
7626 S. Tacoma Way
Tacoma, WA 98409 |
| 4 |
Farmers Insurance
1340 N. 16th Ave
Suite A
Yakima, WA 98902 |
| 5 |
H&R Block
7010 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98203 |
| 6 |
H&R Block
4018 W. Clearwater Avenue
Kennewick, WA 99336 |
| 7 |
H&R Block
636 Valley Mall Parkway
Suite A4
East Wenatchee, WA 98802 |
| 8 |
Vancounver, Washington
Executive Center Northwest
4001 NE Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98663 |
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Question: What is the examination fee?
Answer: The exam fee is $138.25, regardless of whether you're taking the entire examination or just the Washington portion. You must pay the exam fee when you register to take the exam, by credit card, debit card, cashier's check, morney order, or personal check made payable to AMP. Payment by cash is not accepted.
DON'T MISS YOUR EXAM DATE. If you don't appear at the scheduled time and date, fail to change your exam date within the guidelines set by AMP, or if you wish to reschedule more than once, your exam fee will not be refunded.
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Question: What if I have to cancel or change my exam date?
Answer: You may reschedule your examination appointment at no charge once online at www.goamp.com or by calling AMP at (800) 345-6559 at least one business day prior to the
scheduled testing session.
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Question: What if it's an emergency and I'm not able to cancel or change within the designated time frame?
Answer: In the event of inclement weather or unforeseen emergencies on the day of an examination, AMP will determine whether circumstances warrant the cancellation, and subsequent rescheduling, of an examination. The examination will usually not be rescheduled if the Assessment Center personnel are able to open the Assessment Center.
You may visit AMP’s website at www.goamp.com prior to the examination to determine if AMP has been advised that any Assessment Centers are closed.
If an examination is canceled at an Assessment Center, all scheduled candidates will receive notification following the examination regarding rescheduling or reapplication procedures.
If power to an Assessment Center is temporarily interrupted during an administration, your examination will be restarted. The responses provided up to the point of interruption will be intact, but for security reasons the questions will be scrambled.
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Question: Does AMP have any special testing arrangements for applicants with disabilities?
Answer: AMP will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Candidates requesting special accommodations must call AMP at (800) 345-6559
to schedule their examination.
Wheelchair access is available at all testing centers. Candidates must advise AMP
at the time of scheduling that wheelchair access is necessary.
Candidates with visual, sensory, physical or learning disabilities that would prevent them from taking the
examination under standard conditions may request special accommodations.
Verification of the disability and a statement of the specific type of assistance needed must be made in writing to AMP at least 45 calendar days prior to your desired exam date by completing the Request for Special Examination Accommodations and Documentation of Disability-Related Needs forms included in the Candidate Handbook. AMP will contact you regarding your request for accommodations within 10 business days of receipt.
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Question: I'm hearing-impaired. Can I still communicate with AMP by telephone?
Answer: AMP is equipped with Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) to assist deaf and hearing-impaired candidates. TDD calling is available 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Monday-Friday at (913) 895-4637. This TDD phone option is for individuals equipped with compatible
TDD machinery.
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Question: Are there any test center policies?
Answer: The following policies are observed at every AMP test site:
- If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, after your examination appointment, you will not be admitted to the exam and your exam fee will be forfeited.
- Calculators are permitted but they cannot have alphabet keys or printing capability, and they may not be programmable. They must be battery or solar powered (battery-powered is the safer option).
- Cellular phones, cameras, beepers, or any other electronic devices are not permitted during testing, and there is no place for storage of your personal belongings.
- Dictionaries, books, or reference materials are not permitted in the testing room. Anyone found with these or any other aids such as watch alarms, listening devices, or recording or photographic devices while their test is in progress will not be allowed to complete the exam.
- You will be provided with one piece of scratch paper to use at a time during the examination, which must be returned to the proctor at the completion of testing, or you will not receive a score report. No documents or notes of any kind may be removed from the examination room.
- No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the examination.
- You are not permitted to take personal belongings such as briefcases, large bags, study materials, extra books, or papers into the examination room. Only keys and wallets may be taken into the examination room.
- You are not permitted to eat, drink, or smoke during the examination.
- Under no circumstances will you be permitted to spend longer than three and a half hours taking the test.
- You may leave the room during the exam with permission from the proctor, but you won't be allowed any extra time for the exam.
- Anyone discovered causing a disturbance of any kind or engaging in any kind of misconduct—giving or receiving help; using notes, books, or other aids; taking part in an act of impersonation; or removing examination materials or notes from the examination room—will be summarily dismissed from the examination, his score will not be reported, and the exam fee will not be refunded.
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The Examination Itself
Question: What should I bring to the exam site?
Answer: You should bring all of the following:
- Stamped Candidate Examination Document, approved by the Department of Licensing
- Two pieces of signature-bearing I.D., one with a photo
- Fingerprint scan
- Ordinary calculator
During your examination process, you will be required to provide biometric verification of your identity. Biometric identification may include photography, fingerprint scan, or other. Your examination session is also subject to video surveillance. If you do not agree to these conditions, you will not be able to test and will be excused from the Assessment Center. Your examination fee will NOT be refunded.
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Question: What kind of examination will I be taking?
Answer: You will take an electronic test that consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. The test is divided into two sections: 100 of the questions will make up the National portion of the exam; the remaining 40 questions pertain only to Washington. You must score a minimum of 75% on each section.
In addition, the National section and the Washington section of the exam will each include five "pretest" questions. This brings the total number of questions you will answer to 150. However, the pretest questions are included only for analysis by the testing service and do not affect your score. But you won't know which questions are in the pretest group, so you must answer every question to the best of your ability.
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Question: How are the questions structured?
Answer: Each question on the examination is in a four-option, multiple-choice format with only one correct answer. Test scores are based on the number of questions answered correctly, so it is better to answer every question, even if you are guessing. NOTE: Currently, the managing broker exam is NOT based on situational problems; it is a traditional multiple choice exam.
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Question: What are the subjects tested?
Answer: The following is a brief summary of the topics routinely tested:
General (National) Section: 100 questions
- Real property characteristics, definitions, ownership, restrictions, and transfer
- Definitions, descriptions, and ways to hold title
- Elements of real and personal property
- Property description and legal description
- Estates in real property
- Forms, rights, interests, and obligations of ownership
- Land use controls and restrictions
- Public (e.g., zoning, taxation, police power)
- Private (e.g., liens, encumbrances, recording and priorities, subdivision/association rules
- Transfer/alienation of title to real property
- Voluntary and involuntary
- Deeds, warranties, and defects in title
- Assessing and explaining property valuation and the appraisal process
- Principles, types, and estimates of property value
- Influence on property values
- Approaches to property valuation and investment analysis
- Contracts, agency relationships with buyers and sellers, and federal requirements
- Contract elements, types (e.g., valid, enforceable), and terminology
- Agency employment contracts, listing and buyer agency agreements, and required elements
- Purchase/sales contracts and contingencies
- General agency relationships and fiduciary responsibilities
- Property conditions and disclosures (e.g., property, environmental)
- Procedures and laws governing real estate activities (e.g., Federal Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, antitrust, marketing controls)
- Financing the transaction and settlement
- Financing components
- Financing instruments (e.g., notes, mortgages, contract for deed, deed of trust)
- Sources (e.g., primary and secondary mortgage markets, seller financing
- Types of loans
- Financing concepts and terminology
- Lender requirements and obligations
- Settlement procedures
- Settlement documents (e.g., title review, RESPA)
- Financing costs, property taxation, proration calculations, and other closing costs
- Leases, rents and property management
- Types and elements of leasehold estates, leases, lease clauses, and rental agreements
- Lessor and lessee rights, responsibilities, and recourse
- Management contracts and obligations of parties
Washington Supplement:
Both the broker's exam and the managing broker's exam contain questions testing Washington real estate statutes and rules applicable to licensees. In addition, the managing broker's exam contains questions on real estate closing statements.
The exams also have ten pretest questions: five in the General section and five in the Washington section. These pretest questions are distributed randomly throughout the test and they are not identified as pretest questions, so you will have to answer every question. The pretest questions do not affect your score, however.
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Question: How is the exam administered?
Answer: Your examination will be administered on a computer, which eliminates the use of paper and pencil answer sheets. The system records your responses and automatically times the examination.
You are allowed to change your answers, skip questions, and mark questions for later review. Knowledge of computers and typing are absolutely NOT required. You can take a brief tutorial before beginning your exam, but the system is so uncomplicated that you will understand it fully within a few minutes.
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Question: How long will it take to get my exam results?
Answer: Your examination is scored immediately after you complete it. You leave the test center knowing whether you passed or failed.
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Question: How much time do I have to complete the exam?
Answer: You have three and a half hours. (The timer doesn't begin until you have answered your first question.) Typically an applicant will complete the exam somewhere between two and three hours.
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If I Pass/Fail?
Question: When I pass the exam, what's next?
Answer: When you pass the examination, your examination report will include information on how to apply for a license. The passing score report you receive from AMP has two parts. One is the notification of your results. The other is the final application for a license. You must complete the application and return it along with the proper fees to the Department of Licensing (DOL).
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Question: How long are my exam results valid?
Answer: You have 12 months to pay the fee and obtain your license.
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Question: What if I fail the exam?
Answer: The exam is divided into two parts: the National section and the State Law section. You must pass both sections with minimum scores of 75% to be eligible for a license. If you pass one part, but not the other, you will be required to retake only the failed segment, provided you retake and pass that segment within six (6) months of initial failure. After that you will have to take the entire exam to be eligible for a license.
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Question: Is there a limit to the number of times a person can take the examination?
Answer: For all intents and purposes the answer is no. An individual can continue retaking the exam until a passing score is received.
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Question: If I fail, how soon can I retake the examination?
Answer: You must wait twenty-four (24) hours before rescheduling an examination and the earliest possible exam date would be one business day after that.
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