Course hours, the state exam, fingerprints, fees, and the application, laid out in order for your state.
Every state licenses agents a little differently, but the path follows the same five steps. Most people finish in two to six months, depending on how many course hours their state requires and how quickly they schedule the exam.
Complete your state's required education at a state-approved school. Requirements run from 40 to 180 hours, with a median of 75 hours across the 50 states we cover.
Most states test you on a national section covering general real estate principles and a state section covering local law. Pearson VUE or PSI runs the exam in most states.
Most states require fingerprints for a state and FBI criminal history check. A past conviction doesn't automatically disqualify you, but you'll usually need to disclose it.
New agents work under a licensed broker who supervises their transactions. In many states the broker signs or activates your license.
Submit your application and fees to your state's real estate commission or licensing agency. The order of these steps varies by state, so follow your state's guide.
Pick your state for its required courses, exam details, background check, fees, and application steps. We currently cover 50 states.
Pre-licensing education ranges from 40 hours to 180 hours across the 50 states we cover, and the median is 75 hours. That's more than a fourfold difference in the time you'll spend in class before you can sit for the exam. State fees vary just as widely: where we list a combined estimate for the exam, application, and background check, they run from about $125 to about $749. Course tuition is extra and set by each school.
| State | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 40 hours |
| Massachusetts | 40 hours |
| Michigan | 40 hours |
| New Hampshire | 40 hours |
| Vermont | 40 hours |
| State | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Texas | 180 hours |
| Colorado | 168 hours |
| Oregon | 150 hours |
| California | 135 hours |
| Utah | 120 hours |
| State | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin | About $125 |
| Indiana | About $151 |
| Maryland | About $160 |
| Vermont | About $160 |
| Pennsylvania | About $178 |
| State | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | About $749 |
| South Dakota | About $569 |
| Hawaii | About $498 |
| Alaska | About $490 |
| Kentucky | About $481 |
Fee rankings include the 41 states where we list a combined estimate. States with itemized fees, like California, Texas, and Florida, are on their own pages. Always confirm current amounts with your state.
There's no national real estate license. Each state licenses its own agents through a real estate commission or a division of its licensing department, and you can only practice in the states where you hold a license. The basic path is similar everywhere, but the details below are where states differ most.
Your state approves the schools and sets the curriculum: property ownership, contracts, agency, financing, valuation, fair housing, and state law. Some states require one combined course, while others split the hours into separate required courses. Most courses are offered online and self-paced, and many end with a school final exam you must pass before you can take the state exam.
Most states use a two-part multiple-choice exam. The national section covers principles that apply everywhere, and the state section covers local license law and practice. Testing companies like Pearson VUE and PSI run the exam for most states, while a few, including California, give their own. If you fail one section, most states let you retake only that section.
A newly licensed agent can't work independently. You'll join a brokerage, and a supervising broker is responsible for your transactions, holds escrow funds, and often splits commissions with you. In many states your license stays inactive until a broker sponsors it, so it's worth interviewing brokerages while you're still in class.
The entry-level license is usually called a salesperson or sales agent license. But 9 of the states we cover use a broker-style title for new licensees, such as Colorado (real estate broker), Illinois (broker), Indiana (broker), New Mexico (associate broker). New licensees with those titles still work under a supervising managing broker.
Most states require fingerprints for a state and FBI criminal history check, and some ask you to complete it before you apply. A conviction isn't an automatic bar in most states. Commissions usually weigh how serious and recent the offense was, and several let you request a review before you pay for coursework.
Getting licensed isn't the last step. Many states require post-licensing education in your first renewal period, and every state requires continuing education to renew. Most agents also join the local Realtor association and MLS to access listings, which brings its own dues.
Complete your state's pre-licensing courses, pass the state exam, clear a background check, affiliate with a sponsoring broker, and submit your license application with the fees. Each state sets its own hours, exam, and order of steps, so start with your state's guide.
It depends on the state. Among the 50 states we cover, requirements range from 40 hours (Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont) to 180 hours (Texas). The median is 75 hours.
Most people finish in two to six months. The coursework takes the longest, and online self-paced courses let you move faster. After that, allow a few weeks to schedule the exam, process fingerprints, and have your application approved.
Plan for two costs: the pre-licensing course, set by the school, and state fees for the exam, application, and background check. In the 41 states where we list a combined estimate, state fees run from about $125 to about $749. Each state page breaks down the fees.
Many first-time test takers don't pass, so it's worth preparing. The exam is multiple choice and usually has a national section and a state law section. You typically need about 70% to 75% to pass, and you can retake a section you fail for another fee.
Sometimes. Some states have reciprocity or license recognition agreements that let licensed agents skip some coursework or exam sections. Others, including California, make everyone complete the full requirements. Each state page explains its out-of-state rules.
A salesperson (or sales agent) is the entry-level license and must work under a supervising broker. A broker has more experience and education and can run a brokerage. Some states use broker-style titles for entry-level licenses: Colorado (real estate broker), Illinois (broker), Indiana (broker), New Mexico (associate broker), North Carolina (provisional broker), Oregon (broker), and others.
No. Most states require only that you're at least 18 (19 in some states), have a high school diploma or equivalent, and complete the state-approved pre-licensing courses. Some states accept college real estate coursework in place of part of the requirement.