Real Estate License from California to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission ↗
A real estate license transfers from California to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission, verify your California license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. Reciprocal-state applicants licensed by examination skip the Connecticut exam, EXCEPT applicants from Florida, Illinois, Indiana or Ohio, who must pass the state portion of the Connecticut Real Estate Examination (PSI); non-reciprocal-state licensees may also license by passing the CT state portion.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Connecticut publishes no agreement covering California, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Connecticut's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission 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, California → Connecticut
| California (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 135 | 60 |
| Application fee | $450 (Combined salesperson exam/license application (RE 435): $100 examination fee + $350 license fee = $450 due to DRE. Fingerprint fee about $49 (California residents pay the live-scan vendor directly; out-of-state applicants submit the fingerprint fee to DRE with the FD-258 card).) | $670 (Reciprocal salesperson total: $80 application fee + $570 initial license fee + $20 guaranty fund fee) |
| Processing time | DRE does not publish a fixed processing time; exam application review commonly takes several weeks. | No board-stated timeframe; applicant is invited to register and schedule any required exam only after DCP reviews and approves the application |
| Licensing authority | California Department of Real Estate (DRE) | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold an active salesperson license in good standing, originally obtained by examination, in a reciprocal state.
- Provide a certification of license history from the reciprocal state and from every other state where you hold or ever held a license.
- Have a Connecticut-licensed supervising broker (salesperson applicants).
- Pay the fees ($670 (Reciprocal salesperson total: $80 application fee + $570 initial license fee + $20 guaranty fund fee)) and allow No board-stated timeframe; applicant is invited to register and schedule any required exam only after DCP reviews and approves the application.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut accept a California real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from California to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Real Estate Commission, verify your California license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. Reciprocal-state applicants licensed by examination skip the Connecticut exam, EXCEPT applicants from Florida, Illinois, Indiana or Ohio, who must pass the state portion of the Connecticut Real Estate Examination (PSI); non-reciprocal-state licensees may also license by passing the CT state portion.
Which exams will I take moving from California to Connecticut?
Reciprocal-state applicants licensed by examination skip the Connecticut exam, EXCEPT applicants from Florida, Illinois, Indiana or Ohio, who must pass the state portion of the Connecticut Real Estate Examination (PSI); non-reciprocal-state licensees may also license by passing the CT state portion.
What does the move cost?
$670 (Reciprocal salesperson total: $80 application fee + $570 initial license fee + $20 guaranty fund fee) (Reciprocal salesperson total: $80 application fee + $570 initial license fee + $20 guaranty fund fee).
Can I keep selling in California after I'm licensed in Connecticut?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the California 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.
- Connecticut DCP — Real Estate Reciprocal Applications and Instructions (fees, exam rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Connecticut DCP — License Reciprocity for Real Estate (list of reciprocal states) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Connecticut DCP — Real Estate Salesperson Initial/Exam Application (60-hour pre-license course) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California DRE - Out-of-State Applicants ('California has no reciprocity with any other state to allow a waiver of any of the requirements') ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California DRE - Requirements to Apply for a Real Estate Salesperson License (three college-level courses, 45 hours each) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California DRE - Fees (salesperson exam $100 / license $350) ↗ (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]