North Carolina Real Estate Commission

What North Carolina Real Estate Commission does

The North Carolina Real Estate Commission is an independent state regulatory agency operating under N.C.G.S. § 93A to license and discipline real estate brokers, firms, and Limited Nonresident Commercial Licensees (LNCLs) in North Carolina. It administers a four-stage education pipeline—75-hour prelicensing, three 30-hour postlicensing courses, the broker licensing examination (administered at Pearson VUE centers), and an annual 8-hour continuing education requirement—serving a base of more than 100,000 licensees and firms. The Commission operates a centralized digital platform stack including the Licensee Online Portal (license.ncrec.gov), the Learn NCREC course-registration portal, an Online Application System, and a public Licensee Search Database, supported by an AI chatbot (Alfred) for consumer and licensee inquiries.

The Commission's revenue is fee-based rather than tax-funded at the program level, drawing from $50 annual broker license renewals, $105 broker application fees, $100 LNCL and reinstatement fees, and course fees ranging from $25 (Item-Writing Workshop) to $250 (Issues and Answers), plus $10 license certification and $45 criminal-history petition fees. All renewals are processed online with no cash or checks accepted, and digital pocket cards replace physical mailings. The Commission's customer base spans individual provisional and full brokers, firm entities (LLCs, corporations, partnerships), nonresident commercial brokers, Commission-certified education providers and instructors, and consumers seeking licensee verification or complaint filing. Governance is provided by nine volunteer members appointed by the Governor and General Assembly, with an Executive Director overseeing staff and operations from the Raleigh headquarters at 1313 Navaho Drive.

Name

North Carolina Real Estate Commission

Legal name

North Carolina Real Estate Commission

Website

https://ncrec.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The North Carolina Real Estate Commission is an independent state agency under N.C.G.S. § 93A that licenses and regulates real estate brokers, firms, and nonresident commercial licensees across North Carolina, serving 100,000+ licensees through a digital licensing portal, mandated education pipeline, and Pearson VUE-administered examinations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Regulatory Services

akta.pro primary industry

Education Regulatory Authorities & Commissions (Cross-Sector) (EDADAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Real estate licensing
• Real estate regulation
• Broker licensing
• Real estate education
• Licensee administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. License Fees: Annual license renewal fees for brokers ($50), firms, and LNCL licenses. All licenses expire on June 30 each year and must be renewed online.
2. License Application Fees: Fees for new license applications including broker license ($105), LNCL application ($100), and reinstatement ($100)
3. Education Course Fees: Fees for Commission-offered courses including 12-hour BIC Course ($150), Issues and Answers course ($250), New Instructor Seminar ($200), and Item-Writing Workshop ($25)
4. Certification Fees: $10 fee for License Certification/History requests, $5 for license certificate reissue or pocket card replacement, $5 for name changes
5. Petition Fees: $45 fee for Petition for Pre-Determination of criminal history eligibility

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The North Carolina Real Estate Commission is an independent state regulatory agency that licenses and oversees real estate brokers, firms, and Limited Nonresident Commercial Licensees in North Carolina. It administers prelicensing, postlicensing, and continuing education requirements, conducts character and fitness reviews, and administers licensing examinations in partnership with Pearson VUE. The Commission also enforces the Real Estate License Law, investigates complaints, and publishes regulatory updates and educational resources.

Product overview

The North Carolina Real Estate Commission is a state regulatory agency overseeing real estate brokerage licensing and education. Its core products include three license types (Broker, Firm, and Limited Nonresident Commercial License), a multi-tiered education system comprising Prelicensing (75-hour course), Postlicensing (three 30-hour courses for Provisional Brokers), and Continuing Education (8 hours annually), plus license examination administration. Supporting platforms include the Licensee Online Portal for license management and renewal, Learn NCREC Portal for course registration, an Online Application System for new applicants, and a public Licensee Search Database. Additional services include Character and Fitness Review for applicant evaluation, an Instructor Approval Program, and the Issues and Answers in-person courses. The Commission also publishes an eBulletin newsletter and maintains an Education Provider Performance Reports system for tracking school quality metrics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Broker License
• Firm License
• Limited Nonresident Commercial License (LNCL)
• Prelicensing Education (75-Hour Course)
• Postlicensing Education
• Continuing Education
• License Examination
• 12-Hour Broker-in-Charge Course
• Issues and Answers Course
• Character and Fitness Review
• Instructor Approval Program
• Licensee Online Portal
• Learn NCREC Education Portal
• Licensee Search Database
• Education Provider Performance Reports

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson VUE serves as the Commission's licensing examination administrator, delivering the National and State sections of the broker license exam at testing centers across North Carolina. Exam candidates receive Authorization to Test via email and can schedule appointments at pearsonvue.com/nc/realestate or by calling 800-745-2627.
• Criminal Record Check (CRC)coreTechnology or IntegrationCriminal Record Check (CRC) is the Commission's approved independent vendor for obtaining criminal history reports required for license applications. Contact: 877.272.0266 or ncreccheck.com. Reports must be no more than 6 months old and CRC is the only approved provider.
• NC Realtors (NCAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Commission partners with NC Realtors to provide the Residential Property Management Legal Handbook to property managers and licensees. NCAR members receive discounted or free access; non-members pay $250.
• Community Colleges and Education ProviderscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommission-certified education providers including 39 prelicensing providers, 47 distance CE providers, and 25 distance postlicensing providers throughout North Carolina. Providers offer courses in-person, via synchronous distance learning (Zoom), or self-paced online formats.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Florida Real Estate Commission (DBPR): Division within Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation that licenses real estate brokers and sales associates. Comparable state regulatory body administering education, examinations, and disciplinary processes.
• California Department of Real Estate: California's state regulator for real estate brokers, salespeople, and appraisal management companies. Operates the same licensing, education oversight, and enforcement functions as NCREC, making it the most comparable state-level peer.
• Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation — Real Estate Board: Virginia's real estate regulatory board overseeing broker and salesperson licensing, education provider approval, and continuing education requirements. Functionally analogous to NCREC.
• Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission: Pennsylvania's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs commission regulating real estate brokers and salespersons. Comparable state-level regulator with similar licensing, education approval, and consumer protection mandate.
• Georgia Real Estate Commission: Georgia state agency that licenses real estate brokers and salespersons and regulates prelicensing education. Directly comparable to NCREC in structure, fee design, and licensee population scale.
• Texas Real Estate Commission: Texas state agency that licenses and regulates real estate brokers, sales agents, and education providers. Comparable in scope of licensing, education approval, continuing education, and enforcement activities.
• New York Department of State — Division of Licensing Services: Handles real estate broker and salesperson licensing in New York alongside other professional licensing functions. Comparable in administering examinations, continuing education, and discipline for real estate licensees.

Others

• ARELLO (Association of Real Estate License Law Officials): International association of state and provincial real estate licensing jurisdictions. Not a regulator itself, but a peer ecosystem body that NCREC participates in and that shapes national standards relevant to NCREC's operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NCRealEstateCom
• YouTubeyoutube.com/NCREC/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/North-Carolina-Real-Estate-Commission/196784338790?fref=ts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nc-real-estate-commission
• Instagraminstagram.com/nc_rec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Real Estate Commission