Licensure Requirements for a Salesperson
- Minimum age of 18
- Completion of 3 approved courses in real estate education. Specific course requirements can be found on the California Department of Real Estate website.
- Apply for and pass the salesperson exam
- Fingerprinting (Can be done after applying for a license, but license will not be issued until fingerprinting results are received.
- Apply for license
Licensure Requirements for a Broker
- Minimum age of 18
- Completion of 8 approved courses in real estate education. Specific course requirements can be found on the California Department of Real Estate website.
- You must have done one of the following to meet the experience requirements:
- Worked at least 2 years within the last 5 years as a full-time licensed agent
- Accumulated at least 2 years of equivalent experience (More details here)
- Complete a 4-year degree in Real Estate
- Apply for and pass the broker exam
- Apply for license
Step by Step Guide (Salesperson)
- Complete 3 courses in real estate education from an Approved Institution.
- Send in either the Exam Application or the Combined Exam/License Application. For more information on which one to choose, you can refer to the application page on the California Department of Real Estate Website.
- Pass the salesperson exam (See below for more information)
- Apply for license if you did not already submit a Combined Exam/License Application. (Application Instructions)
- Get fingerprinted using a Live Scan Request Form. (Fingerprinting Locations)
Step by Step Guide (Broker)
- Complete 8 courses in real estate education from an Approved Institution.
- Send in either the Broker Exam Application or the Combined Broker Exam/License Application. For more information on which one to choose, you can refer to the broker application page on the California Department of Real Estate website.
- Pass the broker exam (See below for more information)
- Apply for license if you did not already submit a Combined Broker Exam/License Application. (Application Instructions)
- Get fingerprinted using a Live Scan Request Form. (Fingerprinting Locations)
If you already hold a license in another state:
Refer to the Out-of-State Applicants page on the California Department of Real Estate website.
Exam Info
Salesperson: The exam costs $60 and is usually administered on a computer. The exam consists of 150 multiple choice questions. You must score at least a 70% to pass. You will have 3 hours to complete the exam. Utilize the Salesperson Exam Content page to see what to expect on the exam. You can find dates/times and locations for the exam here.
Broker: The exam costs $95 and is usually administered on a computer. The exam consists of 200 multiple choice questions. You must score at least a 75% to pass. You will have 4 hours to complete the exam. Utilize the Broker Exam Content page to see what to expect on the exam. You can find dates/times and locations for the exam here.
Fees:
- Exam Fee (Salesperson)- $60
- Exam Fee (Broker)- $95
- License Fee (Salesperson)- $245
- License Fee (Broker)- $300
- Fingerprinting- $49