What Is a Provisional Broker in North Carolina?

Short answer: A provisional broker is the entry-level status of a North Carolina real estate broker license. North Carolina stopped issuing salesperson licenses on April 1, 2006, so new licensees are brokers on provisional status who must be supervised by a broker-in-charge whenever they do licensed work. Provisional status ends when you complete 90 hours of postlicensing education, which must be done within 18 months of initial licensure.

No salesperson license in North Carolina

Many states license "salespersons" who work under a broker. North Carolina does not. Under N.C.G.S. § 93A-4.3, the Commission discontinued salesperson licenses effective April 1, 2006, and existing salesperson licenses became broker licenses classified as provisional. Today the license is called a broker license, and the main statuses are provisional broker, broker (sometimes called "full" broker), and broker-in-charge (BIC).

The legal definition

N.C.G.S. § 93A-2(a2) defines a provisional broker as a real estate broker who, pending completion and documentation of the required education or experience, must be supervised by a broker-in-charge when performing any act for which a real estate license is required. Under § 93A-4(a1), each person issued a broker license on or after April 1, 2006, is initially classified as a provisional broker.

Your first license is inactive

When you pass the exam, the Commission issues most new licensees an inactive broker license on provisional status. Before you can start work, you and a broker-in-charge must file the License Activation/Affiliation form (REC 2.08) to put the license on active status. Rule 21 NCAC 58A .0506(c) says that after the form is submitted you may work under the BIC's supervision, but if you do not receive the Commission's written acknowledgment within 30 days of the date on the form, you must stop brokerage activity until it arrives.

Supervision by a broker-in-charge

• You may do licensed work only while your license is active and you are supervised by the BIC of the firm or office you are affiliated with (Rule .0506(a)).
• You are supervised by only one BIC at a time, with a narrow exception for two affiliated firms at the same physical location acting as co-listing or co-selling agents.
• The BIC must supervise you in a way that assures you follow the License Law and Commission rules; a BIC who fails to do so may be disciplined (Rule .0506(d)).
• If you are not under the active, direct supervision of a BIC, the Commission assigns your license to inactive status.
• When a supervisory relationship ends, both you and the BIC must notify the Commission in writing within 10 days.

Provisional broker vs. broker at a glance

The handbook notes that an independent broker-sole proprietor must be a BIC to lawfully engage in most brokerage activities, and BIC Eligible status requires at least two years of brokerage experience under Rule .0110(e).

Postlicensing: 90 hours in 18 months

Rule .1902 sets the 90-hour postlicensing program as three 30-hour courses:

1. Post 301: Broker Relationships and Responsibilities
2. Post 302: Contracts and Closing
3. Post 303: NC Law, Rules, and Legal Concepts

All three must be completed within 18 months after the date of initial licensure. Courses are offered only by Commission-certified Education Providers, in person, live online or self-paced online. When you finish, the Commission removes provisional status automatically after the provider reports your completion. If you miss the deadline, your license is placed on inactive status. To reactivate it you must complete all three courses within the previous two years, meet the continuing-education requirement for activation, and file an activation form with the Commission. Some brokers with equivalent education or experience from another state may qualify for a waiver under Rule .1905.

Continuing education and renewal

Postlicensing is a one-time requirement. Continuing education (CE) is separate and recurring: 8 hours per annual license period, made up of a 4-hour Update course and a 4-hour elective, completed by June 10. A broker newly licensed by exam has no CE requirement in the initial license year and must complete CE before the second renewal to renew on active status. All licenses expire June 30; as of the April 2026 Pearson handbook, the annual renewal fee is $50.

Where to go next

Licensure and supervision rules are tested on the State section. Study them in our NC licensure lesson and supervision and compensation lesson, or start from North Carolina lessons. For the path to your first license, read how to apply and the 180-day rule.

Independent exam-prep guide. Not affiliated with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission or Pearson VUE. Always confirm current requirements with the Commission.