Real Estate License from Kentucky to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Oregon accept a Kentucky real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from Kentucky to Oregon by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA), verify your Kentucky license, and meet Oregon's endorsement requirements. No education or examination waivers for applicants from non-reciprocal states - the full 150-hour broker pre-license education and both sections of the broker exam are required. Applicants licensed in the reciprocal jurisdictions follow a separate reciprocal process with specific, agency-determined requirements.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Oregon publishes no agreement covering Kentucky, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Oregon's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) commits to in writing; for anything discretionary (exam waivers, education credit), get the commission's answer in writing before you rely on it.
What's different between Kentucky and Oregon
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Oregon. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Kentucky to Oregon (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Oregon to Kentucky (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Kentucky matter?
Kentucky gets Oregon's most common result: 46 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get the same one, so for most movers the origin does not change the answer.
The others get: reciprocity agreement (4).
- Reciprocity agreements
Oregon's reciprocity agreement list names 4 states (Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska, and South Dakota), not including Kentucky.
Kentucky's reciprocity agreement list names 5 states (Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee), not including Oregon.
- Application fee
Oregon lists $300 for an out-of-state applicant and Kentucky lists $130 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Pre-license education
Oregon's first-time-applicant standard is 150 hours of pre-license education; Kentucky's is 96.
Oregon's is 54 education hours higher than Kentucky's.
- Exam rules on record
Oregon and Kentucky carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Oregon (this move): No education or examination waivers for applicants from non-reciprocal states - the full 150-hour broker pre-license education and both sections of the broker exam are required. Applicants licensed in the reciprocal jurisdictions follow a separate reciprocal process with specific, agency-determined requirements.
- Kentucky (the reverse move): Reciprocal applicants take ONLY the Kentucky law portion of the licensing exam (the PSI 'reciprocity sales associate exam'); the national portion and the full 96-hour pre-license course are waived. Instead they complete a 40-hour reciprocal license law course through a KREC-approved provider.
What changes, Kentucky → Oregon
| Kentucky (current) | Oregon (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 96 | 150 |
| Application fee | $130 ($130 fee for an active license ($120 if issued inactive). Separate costs: national criminal-history fingerprint check, the PSI reciprocity sales associate exam fee, and 40-hour reciprocal law course tuition.) | $300 (Nonrefundable broker license application fee; excludes the PSI exam fee and the fingerprint/background-check fee.) |
| Processing time | KREC does not publish a stated processing time; the application must be filed within 60 days of passing the exam | Agency does not publish a processing-time estimate |
| Licensing authority | Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) | Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oregon sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Oregon's current requirements on the Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Be 18 years old with a high school diploma, GED, or international equivalent.
- Register and apply in the eLicense system and pay the $300 nonrefundable application fee.
- Complete 150 hours of Agency-approved broker pre-license education.
- Pass both sections of the Oregon broker license exam (PSI) - except qualifying reciprocal-jurisdiction applicants.
- Complete a fingerprint-based background check at the PSI test center.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep selling in Kentucky after I'm licensed in Oregon?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Kentucky 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.
- OREA - Out-of-State Licensees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OREA - Broker license (qualifications, 150 hrs, $300 fee, exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky Real Estate Commission — Reciprocal Licensing (agreements with Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee; MOUs with Illinois and Ohio; 40-hour reciprocal license law course; national criminal check; $130 active / $120 inactive license fee; 60-day filing window) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 201 KAR 11:210 — Licensing, education, and testing requirements (reciprocal applicants: 6 academic credit hours or equivalent, pass Kentucky law portion, certification of licensure within 90 days, national criminal history check) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky Real Estate Commission — Education (Sales Associate new-applicant pre-license: 96 hours or 6 academic credit hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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