Real Estate License from Ohio to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Kentucky accept an Ohio real estate license?
Yes — Kentucky has a reciprocity arrangement covering Ohio license holders. Apply to the Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; it typically waives the national exam portion and complete Kentucky's remaining requirements.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
Ohio is on Kentucky's recognition list, which puts this move on the streamlined track: your education and national exam are credited, and the requirements below are what Kentucky still insists on — typically its own law exam and a background check. One caution: agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date tells you when we last confirmed Ohio on the list; the commission link is the live truth.
What's different between Ohio and Kentucky
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Kentucky. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Ohio to Kentucky (this page): Reciprocity agreement.
Kentucky to Ohio (the reverse move): Full reciprocity.
The two directions differ: Ohio and Kentucky do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from Ohio matter?
Coming from Ohio matters here: only 5 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Kentucky.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (45).
- Reciprocity agreements
Kentucky's reciprocity agreement list names 5 states (Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee), including Ohio.
- Application fee
Kentucky lists $130 for an out-of-state applicant and Ohio lists $81 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Pre-license education
Kentucky's first-time-applicant standard is 96 hours of pre-license education; Ohio's is 100.
Kentucky's is 4 education hours lower than Ohio's.
- Exam rules on record
Kentucky and Ohio carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Kentucky (this 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.
- Ohio (the reverse move): National portion waived: out-of-state applicants qualifying under Options 1-3 pass only the Ohio state-law portion of the salesperson exam; standard new applicants (Option 4) take the full Ohio salesperson examination.
What changes, Ohio → Kentucky
| Ohio (current) | Kentucky (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 100 | 96 |
| Application fee | $81 (Salesperson examination/application fee paid to the Division; excludes WebCheck/FBI background-check fees and the PSI exam 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.) |
| Processing time | Division does not publish a processing-time estimate for out-of-state applications | KREC does not publish a stated processing time; the application must be filed within 60 days of passing the exam |
| Licensing authority | Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing (Ohio Department of Commerce) | Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Kentucky's current requirements on the Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Meet the partner-state experience threshold — at least one (1) year actively licensed as a sales associate (Tennessee: as an associate broker) in the reciprocal state immediately preceding application.
- Complete the 40-hour reciprocal license law course through a KREC-approved education provider.
- Submit fingerprints for a national criminal history check (valid 90 days; you must pass the exam and apply before it expires).
- Pass the Kentucky law portion via the PSI reciprocity sales associate exam, then file the application within 60 days of passing.
- Provide a license history certification / letter of good standing from every state where you are licensed and proof of errors and omissions insurance.
- 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 Ohio after I'm licensed in Kentucky?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Ohio 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.
- 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)
- Ohio DREPL - Out of State Licensed Salesperson Applicants (new law effective Dec. 29, 2023) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Ohio DREPL - Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Ohio Revised Code Section 4735.09 (salesperson licensure / pre-license education) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com