How To Get A Real Estate License In California

Becoming a licensed real estate agent in California requires completing pre-license education, passing a state licensing exam, and submitting a license application.

New agents will need a real estate salesperson license.

Managing your own brokerage requires a real estate broker license.

Starting Out: California Real Estate Salesperson License

If you are new to the industry and want to work as a real estate agent in California, you need a California real estate salesperson license. This allows you to conduct real estate transactions inside the state of California under the supervision of a licensed real estate broker.

All applicants for a real estate salesperson license must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a history of honesty and truth.
• Complete three 45-hour pre-license courses.
• Apply for a salesperson license with the California Department of Real Estate (DRE).
• Pass a state-administered California real estate licensing exam. This 3-hour exam is taken in-person.

See the DRE License Application Handbook for details on education requirements, applications, and testing.

You do not need to have secured employment when you apply for your real estate license. However, you must be supervised by a licensed broker to actually work as a real estate agent in California. If you want to establish your own independent real estate business, you need a real estate broker license instead.

Pre-License Education Requirements for California Real Estate Salespersons

Your first step is to complete the required real estate salesperson pre-license training program. This will teach you about California real estate law and how real estate transactions work in California. Real estate pre-license training consists of three 45-hour courses:

• Real Estate Principles (required)
• Real Estate Practice (required)
• Legal Aspects of Real Estate* (elective)

* Although you may choose from a list of 45-hour elective topics, we bundle Legal Aspects of Real Estate with all of our California salesperson pre-license packages. This course has the most useful information for most agents.

All courses are broken into modules with review quizzes at the end and conclude with a final exam. You must pass each final exam with a score of at least 75% to complete each course.

You can complete online courses entirely at your own pace. You are allowed one year to complete the coursework.

OnlineEd offers all required California real estate pre-license courses as a salesperson licensing bundle that includes instructor support and exam prep materials to help you pass the state exam on the first try.

Browse Salesperson Pre-License Courses

Running Your Own Business: California Real Estate Broker License

With a real estate broker license, you can manage your own real estate business and employ licensed salespersons. Requirements for a broker license are similar to getting a salesperson license, but with increased experience and education requirements. You must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a history of honesty and truth.
• Have 2 years of full-time experience as a real estate salesperson within the last 5 years.
• Complete eight 45-hour college level courses.
• Apply for a broker license with the California Department of Real Estate (DRE).
• Pass a state-administered California real estate licensing exam.

See the DRE License Application Handbook for details on education requirements, applications, and testing.

Pre-License Education Requirements for California Real Estate Brokers

Real estate broker pre-license education consists of 8 total courses, with 5 required topics and 4 elective topics.

Important Note: Most in-state applicants for the broker license will have already taken 3 of these courses as part of their salesperson pre-license training. This means you most likely will only need to take 5 courses to apply for a broker license. Only out-of-state applicants will need to take all 8 at once.

Required real estate broker topics:

• Real Estate Practice
• Real Estate Appraisal
• Real Estate Finance
• Legal Aspects of Real Estate
• Real Estate Economics or General Accounting

Elective real estate broker topics:

• Real Estate Principles
• Advanced Legal Aspects of Real Estate
• Advanced Real Estate Appraisal
• Advanced Real Estate Finance
• Business Law
• Common Interest Developments
• Computer Applications in Real Estate
• Escrows
• Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
• Property Management
• Real Estate Office Administration

OnlineEd offers all required California real estate broker pre-license courses as a distance education bundle that includes instructor support and exam prep materials to help you pass the state exam on the first try.

Browse Broker Pre-License Courses

Submit Your Application and Schedule Your State Exam

After your real estate pre-license training is completed, your will need to submit your real estate license and exam application:

• Salespersons: use DRE form RE 435
• Brokers: use DRE form RE 436

If the DRE accepts your application, you will be sent a time and date to take your real estate exam. This exam consists multiple-choice questions, must be completed within the time limit, and must be taken in-person at a testing center.

• Salesperson Exam: 150 questions, 3 hour time limit, 70% score to pass.
• Broker Exam: 200 questions, 4 hour time limit, 70% score to pass.

All exams are taken on a computer. Grading results are instant.

Not Allowed: The following items are not permitted inside the examination room: cellphones, purses, wallets, backpacks, briefcases, suitcases, food, drink, study materials, tablets, portable computers, PDAs, calculators, cameras, video or digital recording devices, watches, lapel pins, tie tacks, and other items deemed inappropriate by exam proctors. Basic calculators are provided for your use.

After passing the exam, submit a real estate application along with fees if you have not already done so.

Also submit a set of fingerprints to the State Department of Justice. A CA real estate license cannot be issued until the DRE receives fingerprint response information. See full instructions on Fingerprint Requirements.

Your real estate license will be issues to you be the DRE when your exam is passed, fingerprints are on file, and the application is processed.

For more information on taking exams, visit the DRE website:

• Salesperson exam scheduling help
• Broker exam scheduling help