Real Estate License from California to New Hampshire: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) ↗
A real estate license transfers from California to New Hampshire by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification), verify your California license, and meet New Hampshire's endorsement requirements. NH salesperson examination has a national (uniform) portion and a state portion, each requiring a passing grade of 70. Whether reciprocal/cooperative applicants are exempt from the uniform portion is set by RSA 331-A:17 and rules Rea 100-700 and could NOT be verified from an accessible official source at research time — treat the exam waiver as UNVERIFIED.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
New Hampshire publishes no agreement covering California, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on New Hampshire's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) 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 → New Hampshire
| California (current) | New Hampshire (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 135 | — |
| 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).) | $90 ($90 original salesperson license fee; plus a $155 salesperson examination application fee. Amounts taken from the most recent accessible official OPLC fee schedule (archived 2020) and should be re-confirmed against the current schedule.) |
| Processing time | DRE does not publish a fixed processing time; exam application review commonly takes several weeks. | OPLC/Real Estate Commission does not publish a processing-time range on accessible pages |
| Licensing authority | California Department of Real Estate (DRE) | New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New Hampshire sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New Hampshire's current requirements on the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Submit original passing score sheet(s) for the New Hampshire salesperson examination.
- Non-residents must execute an irrevocable Power of Attorney appointing the Real Estate Commission for service of process (RSA 331-A:17, IV).
- Affiliate with a New Hampshire principal broker to hold an active license.
- Submit a notarized criminal record release to the NH Department of Safety, Division of State Police, naming the board as recipient.
- Provide character affidavits from unrelated persons.
- Pay the fees ($90 ($90 original salesperson license fee; plus a $155 salesperson examination application fee. Amounts taken from the most recent accessible official OPLC fee schedule (archived 2020) and should be re-confirmed against the current schedule.)) and allow OPLC/Real Estate Commission does not publish a processing-time range on accessible pages.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New Hampshire accept a California real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from California to New Hampshire by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification), verify your California license, and meet New Hampshire's endorsement requirements. NH salesperson examination has a national (uniform) portion and a state portion, each requiring a passing grade of 70. Whether reciprocal/cooperative applicants are exempt from the uniform portion is set by RSA 331-A:17 and rules Rea 100-700 and could NOT be verified from an accessible official source at research time — treat the exam waiver as UNVERIFIED.
Which exams will I take moving from California to New Hampshire?
NH salesperson examination has a national (uniform) portion and a state portion, each requiring a passing grade of 70. Whether reciprocal/cooperative applicants are exempt from the uniform portion is set by RSA 331-A:17 and rules Rea 100-700 and could NOT be verified from an accessible official source at research time — treat the exam waiver as UNVERIFIED.
What does the move cost?
$90 ($90 original salesperson license fee; plus a $155 salesperson examination application fee. Amounts taken from the most recent accessible official OPLC fee schedule (archived 2020) and should be re-confirmed against the current schedule.) ($90 original salesperson license fee; plus a $155 salesperson examination application fee. Amounts taken from the most recent accessible official OPLC fee schedule (archived 2020) and should be re-confirmed against the current schedule.).
Can I keep selling in California after I'm licensed in New Hampshire?
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.
- NH OPLC Real Estate Commission — home (exam has uniform + state portions, passing grade 70; governed by RSA 331-A and Rea 100-700) [archived 2021-01-28] ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NH OPLC Real Estate Commission — Fee Schedule ($90 original salesperson license; $155 salesperson exam application) [archived 2020-10-17] ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NH Real Estate Salesperson Application Form (Rev. 01/23/2020; non-resident Power-of-Attorney; broker affiliation; RSA 331-A / Rea 100-700) ↗ (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
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