Real Estate License from New York to Alabama: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) ↗
Yes — Alabama recognizes real estate licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Alabama honors licenses from every state, so your New York license clears the threshold automatically. The work that remains is Alabama-side mechanics: the application, the background check, the state-law exam where required, and affiliating with a Alabama brokerage to activate the license. None of it is difficult; all of it is sequential — start the license-history certification first, it has the longest lead time.
What changes, New York → Alabama
| New York (current) | Alabama (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training hours | 77 | 60 |
| Application fee | $65 (Initial salesperson application/license fee. Separate: $15 written exam scheduling fee via eAccessNY.) | Reciprocal license fees mirror the original salesperson license fee: a License Fee plus a $25 criminal records search fee, a $30 research and education fee, and a $30 recovery fund fee (recovery fund fee set by Ala. Code 34-27-31). The License Fee is prorated within the two-year cycle (roughly $85 partial to $170 full per the Commission Candidate Handbook). The reciprocal exam fee is paid to the testing agency (Pearson VUE). Exact current total could NOT be confirmed on the official AREC fee page (arec.alabama.gov was unreachable from the research environment). |
| Processing time | NYDOS does not publish an application processing-time range. | AREC does not publish a fixed processing time; the complete application and fees are due within 90 days of the exam date. |
| Licensing authority | New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services | Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alabama sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Alabama's current requirements on the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current (active or inactive) salesperson license in a qualifying state that is not itself a reciprocal or nonresident license.
- Submit a certification of licensure (license history) obtained within the 120 days before the Alabama license is issued.
- Complete the 6-hour reciprocal salesperson prelicense course before sitting for the reciprocal exam.
- Pass the reciprocal salesperson exam within 6 months of completing the course.
- Be at least 19 years old and a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or otherwise legally present.
- Pay the fees (Reciprocal license fees mirror the original salesperson license fee: a License Fee plus a $25 criminal records search fee, a $30 research and education fee, and a $30 recovery fund fee (recovery fund fee set by Ala. Code 34-27-31). The License Fee is prorated within the two-year cycle (roughly $85 partial to $170 full per the Commission Candidate Handbook). The reciprocal exam fee is paid to the testing agency (Pearson VUE). Exact current total could NOT be confirmed on the official AREC fee page (arec.alabama.gov was unreachable from the research environment).) and allow AREC does not publish a fixed processing time; the complete application and fees are due within 90 days of the exam date..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama accept a New York real estate license?
Yes — Alabama recognizes real estate licenses from all states, including New York. Apply to the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Which exams will I take moving from New York to Alabama?
Reciprocal applicants complete a 6-hour Alabama reciprocal salesperson prelicense course, then pass the Alabama reciprocal salesperson examination (state-specific; passing score 70) given by the Commission's testing agency; the national/general exam portion is not retaken..
What does the move cost?
Reciprocal license fees mirror the original salesperson license fee: a License Fee plus a $25 criminal records search fee, a $30 research and education fee, and a $30 recovery fund fee (recovery fund fee set by Ala. Code 34-27-31). The License Fee is prorated within the two-year cycle (roughly $85 partial to $170 full per the Commission Candidate Handbook). The reciprocal exam fee is paid to the testing agency (Pearson VUE). Exact current total could NOT be confirmed on the official AREC fee page (arec.alabama.gov was unreachable from the research environment). (Reciprocal license fees mirror the original salesperson license fee: a License Fee plus a $25 criminal records search fee, a $30 research and education fee, and a $30 recovery fund fee (recovery fund fee set by Ala. Code 34-27-31). The License Fee is prorated within the two-year cycle (roughly $85 partial to $170 full per the Commission Candidate Handbook). The reciprocal exam fee is paid to the testing agency (Pearson VUE). Exact current total could NOT be confirmed on the official AREC fee page (arec.alabama.gov was unreachable from the research environment).).
Can I keep selling in New York after I'm licensed in Alabama?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the New York 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.
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 790-X-1-.18 - Reciprocal License Requirements (official Alabama Administrative Code text via Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- AREC - Become a Licensed Real Estate Professional (salesperson 60-hour prelicense; retrieved via Internet Archive) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYDOS — Real Estate Salesperson FAQ ('The Department of State does not currently have reciprocity with any other state'; education waiver, exam still required) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYDOS — Become a Real Estate Salesperson (77 qualifying hours; $65 application + $15 exam; eAccessNY) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYDOS — Real Estate Salesperson (2-year term; must work under a sponsoring broker) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYDOS — Real Estate Broker FAQ (identical 'does not currently have reciprocity' statement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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