About the Licensing Process
Real estate is an exciting career path whose practitioners get to work independently as their own bosses. No academic degree is required, although all 50 states and the District of Columbia have certain requirements necessary to receive the Bureau of Real Estate license. Many states also require between 30 to 90 hours of classroom instruction from an accredited real estate training school.
General Real Estate Licensing Requirements
Real estate agents must have a high school diploma in order to be licensed in the state in which they hope to practice. Licensing depends upon factors that vary from state to state, but certain requirements are consistent:
- Applicants must be 18 years old or older.
- Applicants must pass the real estate license exam in their state.
- Applicants must complete a certain number of hours of real estate courses. The number of hours depends upon the state.
More on Real Estate Licenses…
In general, real estate licenses are not transferable among states. A few states, however, do maintain reciprocity agreements with one another that will allow an agent with an out-of-state license to practice in that state. Real estate licenses must be renewed every two to four years.
California Real Estate Licensing Requirements
Real estate licensure requirements for California residents are regulated by the state’s Department of Real Estate (DRE). They reference the requirements listed above, as well as some other state-specific requirements.
Applicants are required to take three college-level courses in real estate principles, real estate practices and topics like real estate finance, appraisal and management.
Candidates must be able to pass a detailed background check that includes fingerprint reports and a review for potential criminal history. If a candidate misrepresents himself or herself in any way on the application, the application will be summarily refused.
