Real Estate License from Tennessee to Michigan: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Michigan accept a Tennessee real estate license?
No — Michigan has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Tennessee real estate license holders. You must apply to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons as a new applicant and meet Michigan's full licensing requirements, including any exams it requires that you have not already passed.
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Verdict
Full re-application
There is no transfer mechanism from Tennessee into Michigan — not because of anything about Tennessee; Michigan recognizes no state's licenses. The path is the new-applicant track with your experience as an accelerant: the pre-license education can usually be completed online before you move, the exam draws on knowledge you use daily, and your transaction history means the coursework reads as review. Budget months, not weeks, and start the education first.
What's different between Tennessee and Michigan
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Michigan. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Tennessee to Michigan (this page): Full re-application.
Michigan to Tennessee (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The two directions differ: Tennessee and Michigan do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from Tennessee matter?
Coming from Tennessee does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Michigan.
- Application fee
Michigan lists $88 for an out-of-state applicant and Tennessee lists $91 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Pre-license education
Michigan's first-time-applicant standard is 40 hours of pre-license education; Tennessee's is 90.
Michigan's is 50 education hours lower than Tennessee's.
- Exam rules on record
Michigan and Tennessee carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Michigan (this move): No portion is waived. An out-of-state licensee is treated as a new applicant and must pass the full Michigan Real Estate Salesperson examination administered by PSI (there is no reciprocal or endorsement exam waiver).
- Tennessee (the reverse move): Tennessee offers no reciprocal license, but a holder of an active out-of-state real estate license may qualify under Tennessee statute to substitute their real estate education, the national portion of the examination, and/or their experience for Tennessee's requirements; the Tennessee (state) portion of the PSI exam is still required
What changes, Tennessee → Michigan
| Tennessee (current) | Michigan (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 90 | 40 |
| Application fee | $91 (Initial Real Estate Affiliate Broker application fee filed at core.tn.gov; separate PSI exam and IdentoGO fingerprint vendor fees apply) | $88 (Real Estate Salesperson New Application fee is $88.00 for the 3-year license, paid online via MiPLUS by credit/debit card; renewal is $78 and relicensure is $108. Exam fees are paid separately to PSI.) |
| Processing time | Commission does not publish a processing-time estimate | LARA does not publish a fixed processing time; after passing the PSI exam the license issues once the employing broker approves the sponsorship request in MiPLUS |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) / TN Department of Commerce & Insurance | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Michigan sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Michigan's initial-licensure requirements on the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Michigan's education/experience requirements and pass any required exams you have not already passed — a national exam you passed often still counts, as can prior out-of-state licensure toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
- Allow LARA does not publish a fixed processing time; after passing the PSI exam the license issues once the employing broker approves the sponsorship request in MiPLUS.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep selling in Tennessee after I'm licensed in Michigan?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Tennessee 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.
- Michigan LARA Real Estate FAQs, Q16: 'Michigan does not offer reciprocity with any other state. An applicant... must meet education, experience and examination requirements in place as of the date the application is submitted.' ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA Real Estate Salesperson Licensing Guide (40 hours prelicensure incl. 4 hours civil rights; PSI exam; $88 new application fee; rev. 3/7/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA - Real Estate Brokers & Salespersons (program page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TN Real Estate Commission - Renewal, Reciprocity & Other Resources ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TN Real Estate Commission - Affiliate Broker Licensure (requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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