How to transfer your Alabama real estate license to a new brokerage
In Alabama your new qualifying broker files the transfer, not you. It costs $25, and your old company has to release you first.
Your old broker's part: must release you before AREC will process it. Process checked against the Alabama Real Estate Commission's own forms and portal on September 19, 2026. Boards change forms, so confirm there before you file.
How the Alabama transfer works
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Tell your current company you are leaving. AREC will not process the move until your old company releases you, so give notice the same day you decide.
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Send your new broker two things. Your license number and your last day with your current company. That is all they need.
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Your new broker files it. The transfer form sits behind the qualifying broker's own AREC login. They submit it and pay $25.
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If your license is inactive, it is a different form. An inactive license uses the License Activation Form instead. It is also $25.
Where Alabama transfers get stuck
You cannot file this yourself
Alabama keeps the form in the broker's account. If it stalls, the hold-up is with a broker, not with AREC.
What to sort out before you switch
The state filing is the easy part. These are the things that cost agents money when they skip them.
Read your contract with your broker
Your independent contractor agreement sets your notice period, any fees you owe on the way out, and how deals that close after you leave get paid.
Listings stay with the brokerage
A listing agreement is a contract between the seller and the brokerage, not you. You can only take a listing with your old broker's written release and your seller's agreement.
Pending deals
Deals under contract usually close with your old brokerage, and your agreement decides how you are paid on them. Get it in writing before your last day.
MLS and association
Move your MLS and REALTOR® association membership to your new office so your access does not lapse.
Update every ad the same day
Signs, your website, social media and business cards must show your new brokerage once you move. State ad rules require the brokerage name.
CE and E&O
Several states will not complete a transfer while your continuing education is overdue or your errors and omissions cover has lapsed. Check both first.
What changes if you move to AXEN
No commission split. You keep 100% and pay a flat fee per closing instead.
AXEN charges a flat fee per closing ($500 on the Pro plan; less on smaller deals) that caps at $6,000 a year, or $12,000 on the Elite plan, plus a $295 per-file admin fee and a $50 a month platform fee. There is no commission split.
Revenue share and equity depend on plan and participation. Earnings examples are illustrations, not guarantees; your income depends on your own sales.
Compare the math on AXEN vs eXp vs Real fees, or look inside the AXEN portal for free. Our Alabama broker handles the new-broker side of this for agents joining AXEN. See the Alabama guide.
Alabama license transfer questions
How long does it take to transfer an Alabama real estate license?
You can start working with your new brokerage after AREC processes the transfer. How fast that comes depends mostly on how quickly both brokers act.
How much does it cost to transfer an Alabama real estate license?
The fee is $25.
Does my old broker have to do anything in Alabama?
Yes. Your old broker must release you before AREC will process it.
What happens to my listings when I change brokerages?
Listings belong to the brokerage, not the agent. You can only take one with your old broker's written release and the seller's agreement.
Can I file my own Alabama transfer?
No. The qualifying broker at your new company files it from their AREC login.
Can I transfer my license to AXEN?
Yes. AXEN is licensed in Alabama, and our Alabama broker handles the new-broker side of the transfer. Start at axenrealty.com/join.