Which States Have Real Estate License Reciprocity With Georgia?

If you’re a real estate agent in Georgia and would like to do business in other states, you’re in luck. Georgia has reciprocity agreements with every state in the U.S. That means you don’t have to take all of your pre-licensing education hours again. But depending on the state, you may need to take the full licensing exam or parts of it.

Here’s what you need to know about how reciprocity works with real estate licenses and why a Georgia license is a safe bet if you think you might want to have a multi-state real estate business.

Getting Real Estate License Reciprocity in Georgia

First things first — real estate reciprocity applies to a salesperson, broker, appraiser, or community association manager who wants to work in Georgia as well. Taking your pre-licensing education in another state usually satisfies Georgia's educational requirements as well.

To operate as a real estate agent in Georgia, you’ll need to fill out a real estate reciprocal application form. You will also need to pay a non-refundable license fee of $170 by cashier’s check or money order. Finally, you must submit a:

• Notarized Lawful Presence Verification form
• Certified license history
• Georgia Criminal Information Report (GCIC)
• Completed application

If you are setting up a new office in the state as a broker, the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) will probably ask for more documentation about your business. While you don’t need to take real estate classes again, you might budget a few weeks for the process, depending on your situation.

Florida is the Exception

While Georgia does have reciprocity agreements with all states, Florida residents are required to take and pass the Georgia portion of the real estate licensing exam. The same is true for Florida brokers.

What About Moving From Georgia to Another State?

Just because Georgia accepts out-of-state real estate licenses, doesn't mean every state accepts a Georgia license. While most do, you may need to take an exam, or portions of one, in the other state. However, there’s a good chance, you can quickly move into the application process without needing to take more classes.

Each state has its own unique processes, but the thinking behind a reciprocity agreement is that the education and laws are similar enough in two states. So, the states have agreed that further education beyond what one state or the other offers is really not necessary.

The states that offer full license reciprocity with Georgia include:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Continuing Education and Reciprocity

Even with reciprocity, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook as far as other education. You will still need to maintain all of your continuing education hours in the Peach State to maintain your license there.

In Georgia, for example, if you are in your first year of real estate, you need to take 25 hours of continuing education to keep your license active. After that, you need to take at least 36 hours of continuing education every four years to keep your license going. Those rules still apply to you, even if you’re doing a lot of your real estate work outside the state. And the same goes for if you are coming to Georgia from out of state. You need to keep your license active by staying on top of your continuing education.