Real Estate License from New Jersey to Pennsylvania: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Pennsylvania accept a New Jersey real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from New Jersey to Pennsylvania by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State), verify your New Jersey license, and meet Pennsylvania's endorsement requirements. An applicant actively licensed as a salesperson or broker in another state within the last 5 years takes and passes only the Pennsylvania state portion of the exam (national portion waived); a non-resident reciprocal license requires no Pennsylvania examination.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Pennsylvania publishes no agreement covering New Jersey, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Pennsylvania's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) 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 New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Pennsylvania. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
New Jersey to Pennsylvania (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Pennsylvania to New Jersey (the reverse move): Full re-application.
The two directions differ: New Jersey and Pennsylvania do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from New Jersey matter?
Coming from New Jersey does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Pennsylvania.
- Application fee
Pennsylvania lists $97 for an out-of-state applicant and New Jersey lists $160 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Pre-license education
Pennsylvania's first-time-applicant standard is 75 hours of pre-license education; New Jersey's is 75.
The two standards are the same.
- Exam rules on record
Pennsylvania and New Jersey carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Pennsylvania (this move): An applicant actively licensed as a salesperson or broker in another state within the last 5 years takes and passes only the Pennsylvania state portion of the exam (national portion waived); a non-resident reciprocal license requires no Pennsylvania examination.
- New Jersey (the reverse move): None — no reciprocity; applicant must complete the full 75-hour course and pass the full New Jersey salesperson examination (PSI). No portion waived for out-of-state licensees.
What changes, New Jersey → Pennsylvania
| New Jersey (current) | Pennsylvania (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 75 | 75 |
| Application fee | $160 (Salesperson initial license fee (flat). Separate: $66.05 IDEMIA fingerprint fee; PSI exam fee set by vendor and not published by NJREC.) | $97 (Standard salesperson initial fee = $72 licensure + $25 application; reciprocal-license fees are billed through PALS. Renewal is $96 biennially.) |
| Processing time | NJREC does not publish an application processing-time range | Commission does not publish a fixed timeline; see its Licensure Processing Guides and Timelines |
| Licensing authority | New Jersey Real Estate Commission (NJREC), NJ Department of Banking and Insurance | Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Pennsylvania sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Pennsylvania's current requirements on the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Be at least 18 years old and a high school graduate or equivalent.
- Submit a current letter of good standing from the state licensing agency where you are licensed.
- For a reciprocal license, keep your principal place of business outside Pennsylvania.
- Be active, in good standing, and free of discipline/criminal conviction (Act 41 endorsement).
- Apply through the PALS licensing system.
- 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 New Jersey after I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the New Jersey 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.
- PA - Real Estate Salesperson Licensure Snapshot (requirements, exam waiver, reciprocity, Act 41) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA State Real Estate Commission - main page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJREC — Requirements for Licensure ('New Jersey does not have reciprocity with any state'; 75-hour course; sponsoring broker) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJREC — Real Estate License Fees ($160 salesperson initial license) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJREC — License Candidate Fingerprinting (IDEMIA $66.05; 10-mile border note) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJREC — Online Submission of Original Applications (Salespersons/Brokersalespersons) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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