How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Alaska

Who can apply

• Be at least 19 years old.
• Work under a licensed Alaska real estate broker.
• Carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance.
• Not be under indictment for a felony or other crime the Commission finds affects your ability to practice, or for forgery, theft, extortion, conspiracy to defraud creditors, or fraud. If convicted of such an offense, seven years must have passed since you completed the sentence.
• Have a U.S. Social Security number on file, or request an exception; a license cannot be renewed without one.

Step by step

1. Complete 40 hours of Commission-approved prelicensing education. The certificate is valid for 18 months, so file a complete application before it expires.
2. Schedule and pass the Alaska salesperson exam with Pearson VUE.
3. Arrange to work under an Alaska broker, who completes the Employing Broker Information form (#08-4972).
4. Get E&O insurance through the Commission's master policy (RISC) or equivalent coverage.
5. Have every jurisdiction where you hold or have ever held a real estate license send a license verification directly to the Commission.
6. Within 6 months of passing the exam, apply online through MY LICENSE (Salesperson by Examination) with fees, the signed application/signature page (#08-4179), your score sheet, your course certificate, and E&O proof. Expect a status update in 10-15 business days.
7. Within one year of licensure, finish 30 hours of post-licensing education and file the Affidavit of Post Licensing Education (#08-4326) with certificates and the $50 fee within 30 days after that year ends, or the license lapses.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: 40 contact hours of Commission-approved prelicensing education, completed within the 18 months before you apply: licensee relationships, disclosure and conflict of interest (6 hours); forms of ownership (4); property law (4); conveyances and recording (4); contracts and transaction documents (8); financing and accounting principles (6); Alaska real estate license law and Alaska landlord tenant law (6); federal fair housing and RESPA (2). After licensure, 30 hours of post-licensing education are required within one year.

Exam: Pearson VUE. The salesperson exam has a national/general portion of 80 scored items and an Alaska state law portion of 40 scored items, plus 5-10 unscored pretest items on the state portion; you get 4 hours total. Passing score is a scaled 75. Fee: $115. If you pass one part and fail the other, you must retake the entire exam; wait 24 hours before booking a retake. Scores are valid 6 months for applying.

What it costs in Alaska

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

The Commission's application instructions say to expect an update on the status of your initial application within 10 to 15 business days.

What other sites get wrong about Alaska

After you're licensed

Renewal: All licenses expire January 31 of even-numbered years; a license issued within 90 days of that date runs through the next biennium. The biennial renewal fee is $120 (active or inactive); active renewals also pay the $50 Recovery Fund fee again (12 AAC 64.071, 64.073). Renewal requires 20 hours of continuing education each period: an 8-hour core curriculum chosen by the Commission plus 12 hours of electives. New licensees must also finish 30 hours of post-licensing education within one year of initial licensure.

Good to know in Alaska

Employing broker: A salesperson must work under a licensed Alaska broker. The broker's name, license number, business name, and signature are part of the application (Employing Broker Information form #08-4972).

E&O insurance: Alaska requires every licensee to carry errors and omissions insurance as a condition of licensing (AS 08.88.172), through the Commission's master policy or independent coverage that meets state minimums. Independent coverage requires a certificate with the application.

Licensure by endorsement: If you hold an active license in another state and have worked as a licensee in the past 6 months, you can apply by endorsement: pass only the Alaska state law portion of the exam, show equivalent prelicensing education from the last 24 months, complete the 6-hour Alaska license law and landlord tenant course, and have license histories sent directly from each state. Endorsement applicants licensed 1 year or more in another state skip post-licensing education.

Sources

• Alaska REC — Salesperson Licensing Requirements
• Alaska REC — Online Instructions: Real Estate Salesperson by Examination
• Alaska REC — Statutes and Regulations (September 2024)
• 12 AAC 02.360 — Real Estate Commission fees
• Alaska REC — Salesperson by Endorsement Instructions
• Alaska DCBPL — Online Applications
• Pearson VUE — Alaska Real Estate Candidate Handbook (July 2026)
• Alaska REC — Salesperson by Examination Application (08-4179, Rev. 04/18/2025)