Texas Reciprocity Guide: How to Transfer Your Real Estate License

We've Got the Scoop on the Laws of Reciprocity and Portability in Texas

With everyone moving from the big coastal cities to Dallas, it’s no surprise that the biggest questions we receive center around transferring your out-of-state license to the state of Texas or working as an agent through portability laws. License transferring can be a difficult process that doesn’t always have an easy answer you can simply look up online. That’s where we come in.

Our team of experts understands this major issue in your life and we’re here to help. We dive in and explore how reciprocity laws and real estate license portability can help you work in the state of Texas.

Real Estate Laws: Reciprocity in Texas

You might be wondering what “Reciprocity” actually means. To answer your question, reciprocity is a term to describe when a state allows agents and brokers to skip specific or all credits required when taking real estate licensing courses. You’ll still need to apply for a state license, but for the most part, that is it.

When considering Texas, they do not have reciprocity with any other state, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bypass other prerequisites. Due to the state-by-state differences in laws, we strongly recommend calling our customer service team to create a custom course schedule to help smooth and expedite the process. We want you to get your courses done with and be on your way with your real estate career. The less time you have to spend on courses, the better.

Real Estate License Portability in Texas

For those who have clients in your state looking to purchase a home in Dallas or other places in Texas, knowing real estate license portability in Texas is highly beneficial. As of October 8th, 2019, Texas follows the physical portability model. This states: "A licensed broker may pay a commission to a licensed broker of another state if the foreign broker does not conduct in this state any of the negotiations for which the fee, compensation, or commission is paid."

Essentially, if you want to be a part of the deal and receive a commission, you’ll have to conduct any and all business in your state and not in Texas. You’ll also have to work with a licensed Texas real estate agent, who will work as your “boots on the ground” representative.

Real estate reciprocity and portability can be very confusing subjects that require expert advice. If you’re looking to learn more about these subjects, give us a call. We have customer representatives available via phone and chat.