How to transfer your North Dakota real estate license to a new brokerage
In North Dakota you file SFN 12156 with $50, or use the online transfer. You must tell the Commission in writing within five days of changing brokers, or your license is automatically canceled.
Your old broker's part: completes the release section. Process checked against the North Dakota Real Estate Commission's own forms and portal on September 19, 2026. Boards change forms, so confirm there before you file.
How the North Dakota transfer works
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Open SFN 12156, or use the online transfer. Either route works.
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Your current broker completes the release section. Your new broker completes the Agreement to Employ section.
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Send it with $50. NDREC, 1120 College Dr, Suite 204, Bismarck, ND 58501.
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Notify the Commission within five days. Changing brokers without that written notice automatically cancels your license.
Where North Dakota transfers get stuck
Do not work between supervisors
It is unlawful until the license is reissued to your new broker.
The 30 days on the form is for reactivation
The five-day notice is the deadline that applies to a straight transfer.
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 North Dakota broker handles the new-broker side of this for agents joining AXEN. See the North Dakota guide.
North Dakota license transfer questions
How long does it take to transfer a North Dakota real estate license?
You can start working with your new brokerage only after the license is reissued to your new broker. How fast that comes depends mostly on how quickly both brokers act.
How much does it cost to transfer a North Dakota real estate license?
The fee is $50.
Does my old broker have to do anything in North Dakota?
Yes. Your old broker completes the release section.
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.
What is the deadline to report a broker change in North Dakota?
Five days, in writing. Missing it automatically cancels your license.
Can I transfer my license to AXEN?
Yes. AXEN is licensed in North Dakota, and our North Dakota broker handles the new-broker side of the transfer. Start at axenrealty.com/join.