NC Real Estate Prelicensing – License Categories

In North Carolina, there is only one license type of Broker, but it has a few categories or status levels:

  1. Provisional Broker
  2. Broker
  3. Broker-in-Charge

Provisional Broker

The Provisional Broker (PB) is the entry-level license status for an individual Broker license. Upon satisfying all the license requirements, license applicants are issued a Provisional Broker license. It is required for a Provisional Broker to be under the supervision of a Broker-in-Charge for their status to go from inactive to active and legally provide brokerage services.

Broker

Broker (B) is the primary license status for an individual. To become a broker, it is required for a provisional broker to satisfy the 90-hour Postlicensing education program to terminate the provisional status. Brokers can work for a brokerage or work under a Broker-in-Charge.

Broker-in-Charge

Each real estate firm or sole proprietorship must have a Broker-in-Charge (BIC) for each office. To be qualified to serve as a Broker-in-Charge of an office, a Broker shall possess at least two years of full-time real estate brokerage experience or equivalent part-time broker experience that the Commissions finds equivalent.

A Broker must complete a 12-hour Broker-in-Charge course to obtain this status. Also, an independent broker must be a Broker-in-Charge to lawfully engage in most brokerage activities.

Further details of the requirements and responsibilities of a Broker-in-Charge can be found on the Commission website.

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