Wondering how to become a Michigan Real Estate Agent? Great question. Getting your Michigan real estate license can seem a little daunting, but we’re here to help guide you through the process.
Read on to learn about the four steps you’ll need to complete before starting your career in Michigan real estate.
Step 1: Complete Your Real Estate Classes (Pre-Licensure Courses)
The first step towards obtaining your Michigan real estate license is completing an approved 40 clock-hour pre-licensing education course.
You have a lot of options when it comes to Michigan real estate classes — from online to traditional offline classes. You can search for available approved courses through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. You can view them on their website in a PDF.
If that’s confusing, which we think it is, you can review your options for Lansing real estate classes and Downriver real estate classes. There, we discuss the two most common classes real estate agents take.
In your basic real estate salesperson course, you will learn topics property ownership, land use control and regulations, valuation and market analysis, financing, laws of agency, mandated disclosures, contracts, practice of real estate, real estate calculations, duties and powers of the Department and Board, statutory requirements governing licensee activities, transferring property, specialty areas, and various State topics.
At the end of your course, you will be required to complete and pass a course final with a score of at least 70%. At that point, your school will submit your certificate of completion to the State of Michigan.
You must apply for licensure within 36 months of completing your prelicensure course.
Step 2: Complete and Submit Your Real Estate License Application
Next, you will need to visit michigan.gov/miplus to apply for licensure. Upon accessing MiPlus, you will create an account, pay your license fee and submit your application electronically.
Special Note: The state of Michigan has recently updated their system. You may find old articles referring to iCola. That system has since been migrated to Mi Plus. Here are the latest instructions for filling out your application.
While going through the application, you have a chance to list your employing broker’s 10-digit ID number. Please inform your employer that you have submitted an application.
Selecting a Sponsoring Broker
It’s not a requirement to list a broker while filling out your application. However, it can be a good idea and save you on paperwork down the road. It’s important to find the right broker to work with since they will serve as your mentor and provide you with resources to help you succeed.
Not all brokers are created equally and many offer different levels of support in exchange for higher or lower commissions. We wrote an extensive article on how to find your broker to sponsor you.
In general, you tend to find a relationship between commission splits and support offered. The higher the commission rate to the agent, the less support. On the opposite end, the lower the commission to the agent, the more support.
Support looks different at each brokerage. At some places, it is leads. Others, it is technology. Or possibly a combination of support features.
Once your application is complete with the state, it will remain in “pending” status until it is processed. Your application is valid for one year from the date of application; all licensing requirements must be met within one year of date of application.
Step 3: Pass Your Exam
Your next step is to pass your Michigan real estate exam. Once your application is processed and approved, you will receive authorization to test. LARA will send you an email providing you with an exam candidate ID number that you will use to register for the exam and instructions for registering for the exam. It typically takes about 2-5 business days to receive your authorization.
Note: If additional documents are required due to your “yes” responses, the application will be in a pending status (you will not receive the email) until the documents are received and the application is approved. No email is sent to you regarding these deficiencies.
Following the instructions in your email, contact PSI to schedule your exam. The exam is 115 questions and consists of two portions: both a state and national requirement. You have 180 minutes to complete the exam.
Step 4: Get Your Michigan Real Estate License
That’s it. Once you pass the Michigan real estate exam and it is confirmed by the state, your license will be issued. If you did not list an employing broker on your license application, your license will remain incomplete until the Department receives an employing broker notification. Once this is received, your license will be issued.
At this point, it’s a good idea to start planning your start up expenses. Start working on your budget and planning your finances.