How to Get a Real Estate License in California
There are two basic real estate licenses in California, a broker’s license and a salesperson’s license. Generally, a salesperson’s license allows the holder to sell real estate only under the auspices of a licensed broker. (Salesperson’s licenses are generally what people refer to when they say they have a real estate license.)
To obtain the salesperson’s license, a person must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the United States. A person does not have to be a resident of California, however, out-of-state applicants still must take coursework through a California-approved school and take the exam as it is provided in California. (California does not have any reciprocity agreements, so a real estate license from another state does not help applicants seeking a license in California.)
Other requirements include taking three college-level courses by an accredited school, Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and an elective chosen from among courses such as General Accounting, Business Law, and Escrow. An applicant must, at a minimum, must be enrolled in Real Estate Principles at the time they make application for a salesperson’s license. In addition, a person must be considered honest, and can be turned down based on criminal or professional disciplinary action that indicates they are dishonest. Lawyers admitted to practice law in any state, and/or those with law degrees, may be able to forego the coursework.
Thanks to a new procedure outlined at the Department of Real Estate web site noted above, applicants register for the exam and begin the application process at the same time. Once the exam is passed, an application for an unconditional real estate license is made, also to the Department of Real Estate, and a license is issued within about 60 days.
For a detailed list of requirements, procedures, and exceptions, visit the California Department of Real Estate web site, www.dre.cahwnet.gov, and download the PDF file entitled, “Instructions to License Applicants”. This e-booklet provides over 70 pages of information, from starting the application process to continuing education and more.
