HOW TO COMPLETE THE CLOSING AGENT LICENSE APPLICATION FORMS
TIP: READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE APPLICATION!
APPLY ONLINE: Go to https://pulseportal.com/ > MN Department of Commerce > Select a Board (Real Estate) > Licensing Services > Submit License Application > Individual > Closing Agent > identify your state and then carefully read the instructions and complete the form. Print the Confirmation Page with your confirmation number, as you will need it later.
NAME/ADDRESS/PHONE: Many Closing Agents are Independent Contractors, who work from home, under their own name, and using their SSN. Use your legal name, the one used on your Driver’s License. Or you could form an LLC or Corporation (talk with your attorney to make legal decisions.) If you are a Corp. or LLC, you will use the name used on your tax records with your EIN. (Application says EIN, meaning TIN, and you can use your SSN.) If you are getting your license as an Independent Contractor and will be freelancing for many companies, your business location could be your home address, and that could also be your mailing address, and your residence address, and you may have only one phone number for both business and residence.
TRUST ACCOUNT WAIVER QUESTION: This is actually an either/or question. Either you personally WILL have a Trust Account and must provide Trust Account info, or you will NOT have a Trust Account and will complete a waiver form. In most cases, closers are licensed as Independent Contractors, and will NOT have a trust account where they deposit checks into an account where they own, control, and disburse funds, in which case, complete the Trust Account Waiver form, have it notarized, and submit it to the Commerce Department as directed on the form.
DOCUMENTATION FOR PROCESSING: If your answer to any of the questions on the pre-license application requires you to provide documentation to the Department of Commerce, you must upload full information and complete details on the “Upload Documents for Required Items” page at the end of the application.
This information can also be e-mailed to licensing.commerce@state.mn.us, with “Real Estate” in the subject line. Letters of Certification must be submitted via upload documents or e-mail as well. Please note that your application will not be put in line to be approved or denied until we receive all of the necessary documents and the application is complete. Applications are processed in date order based on the date that the application became complete.
PRELICENSE EDUCATION: A course completion certificate for the 8-Hour Closing Agent Pre-License Course will be uploaded into the Pulseportal System by your Licensed Course Provider. Your Course Provider cannot submit course completion until you have passed the eight-hour approved pre-license course and submitted to your Course Provider: 1.) a completed Proctor Form (that asks for your license number, when it’s a prelicense course, and you don’t have one, so leave that blank) 2.) your required Course Evaluation, and 3.) the last four digits of your SSN.
TO CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION Go to www.pulseportal.com and choose “Minnesota Department of Commerce” from the “Choose a Program” drop-down menu, and “Real Estate” from the “Choose a Board” menu. Then select “Application/Renewal Status Inquiry.” At this point, enter your Confirmation Number., Social Security Number, and Last Name. The confirmation number can be found on the “Confirmation Page” that you printed at the end of the application process.
Your application will not be approved or denied until the Department of Commerce receives all of the necessary documents and your online application is complete. The Minnesota Department of Commerce uses the “Application/Renewal Status Inquiry” the Pulseportal.com web site, to provide application status updates to you. The status listed there will change when an application has been reviewed, approved or denied, or found to require additional information for processing. When approved, you should print a copy of your license from the Pulseportal web site, as your clients will require a copy of your license to send you closing business. If you have questions on the Application status, you can contact Commerce Department Licensing directly by phone at 651-539-1599. Or email licensing.commerce@state.mn.us.
REINSTATEMENTS: If you were previously licensed and your licensed has lapsed, the reinstatement application can be used for license reinstatement. If your closing agent license has been inactive for more than two years, the 8-hour closing agent course must be retaken. There are no exceptions! Please check the Minnesota Department of Commerce website for additional reinstatement instructions at www.mn.gov/commerce/licensees/.