In order to kickstart your real estate career in California, it’s essential to obtain a California Real Estate License. However, despite the fact that the application process is mainly completed online nowadays, many applicants can still find it quite confusing and complicated.
For this reason, this How to Get a Real Estate License in California article will break down the main steps involved in the licensing process, covering everything from educational requirements to exam preparation and having your fingerprints taken.
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In order to get your California real estate license and start working in the real estate industry, there are several key steps you’ll need to complete, including:
In the sections below, we’ve explored each of these steps in more detail.
Before continuing ahead with your application for a California real estate license, you’ll first need to confirm that you’re actually eligible for it by ensuring you meet the following prerequisites under California Code of Regulations, Title 10, Chapter 6:
While it’s not a requirement to be a California resident to obtain this license, out-of-state applicants must include a Consent to Service of Process (Form RE 234) alongside either their original or renewal application.
This will need to be signed, notarized, and filed with the California Department of Real Estate (DRE).
Note: For the sake of the truthfulness and honesty requirement, criminal convictions are commonly used as a basis for the rejection of a license application.
In addition to the general requirements outlined above, there are certain educational prerequisites you’ll be expected to meet in order to qualify for the California real estate licensing examination.
In particular, you’ll be expected to complete three semester (or quarter-equivalent) courses in the following subjects:
Additionally, following the legal revisions implemented on January 1, 2024, the Real Estate Practice course you complete must also contain components on:
Members of the California State Bar don’t need to satisfy the requirement for college-level courses. However, they must present proof of their ability to practice law within the state instead (e.g., a California State Bar membership card).
Even though completing the courses is mandatory, it would be a mistake to think of this step as just “checking a box”. This is because your pre-licensing education is what will prepare you to both pass your exam and become a better real estate agent.
For this reason, we always encourage our readers to invest in high-quality and reliable courses, as their study materials (like real estate practice tests and flashcards) can be invaluable during the exam prep stage.
On top of this, some of the top courses also offer money-back guarantees in the event that you do not pass your exam on your first attempt after taking their course.
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Interested in getting started? We recommend The CE Shop’s online pre licensing education packages due to their high-quality study resources, money-back-guarantee, and flexible pricing.
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The next step you’ll need to complete is to pass the multiple-choice California Real Estate Exam, which is administered in an electronic format at five exam centers across the state:
In order to be able to take this exam, you’ll need to apply to the DRE for authorization and pay a $100 fee. You can either do this by applying online or by mailing a Salesperson Examination Application (Form RE 400A) to the following address:
Department of Real Estate
P.O. Box 137001
Sacramento, CA 95813-7001
Once your application is approved — which usually takes between two and four weeks — the DRE will email you to let you know that you’re eligible to schedule an examination.
In order to schedule your real estate exam, you’ll need to head over to the eLicensing online system and make a reservation. If this is your first time using the platform, you’ll be required to create an account, after which you’ll be shown step-by-step instructions on how to complete the reservation.
The real estate salesperson exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions that you need to complete within three hours. To pass, you must achieve an overall score of at least 70%. You’ll find out if you passed or failed immediately upon completing the exam.
Note: For more information on the structure and topics tested on the California real estate exam, you can refer to the DRE’s Examination Description (Form RE 425) for a content outline.
After passing the state real estate exam and satisfying all other licensing requirements, you’ll need to undergo a background check.
To do this, you must submit your fingerprints directly with the State Department of Justice (DOJ) by filing a Live Scan Service Request (Form RE 237) with your nearest Live Scan service provider.
Submitting your fingerprints will involve a $49 fee payable to the California DOJ as well as an additional fee that must be paid directly to the Live Scan service provider. Once you’ve had your fingerprints taken, you’ll need to submit a copy of your Live Scan Service Request (Form RE 237) to the DRE.
The FBI will then provide the DRE with a report on your background, which will be reviewed in order to determine your eligibility for a career in this industry. Be aware that the DRE may contact you if it needs any additional documentation due to any findings it deems relevant to your application.
After completing your background check, you’ll finally be able to submit your application for a real estate salesperson license to the DRE. You can do this by logging into your eLicensing account and downloading and filling out a Salesperson License Application (Form RE 202).
Next, you’ll need to submit your completed license application — at the same time as your Live Scan Service Request (Form RE 237) from the previous step — alongside a $350 license fee to the following address:
Department of Real Estate
P.O. Box 137002
Sacramento, CA 95813-7002
If you’ve managed to get this far, congratulations! With your application submitted and all the other licensing requirements satisfied, in most cases you should receive a notification from the California Department of Real Estate that your license is ready for download from its website.
Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve put in a lot of work and effort and deserve a celebration!
Note: If you’re not sure what’s happening with your license and it’s been longer than expected, check out the DRE’s Current Processing Timeframes page for more information.
As the new holder of a California real estate salesperson license, there’s one extra step you’ll need to take in order to “activate” this license and begin selling: find a sponsoring broker.
While this isn’t required in order to take the licensing exam or submit your application, you’ll have to find one before you can kick-start your new career in the real estate industry.
Sponsoring brokers are essentially highly experienced professionals in this industry who’re qualified to supervise and mentor you.
On top of ensuring you abide by all relevant ethical and legal standards, they can grant you access to the marketing and lead-generation tools necessary to get your name out there.
When choosing between different sponsoring brokers, it’s important to consider a number of different factors like:
If you’re stuck on which one to choose, visiting the different sponsoring brokers you’re considering can be a good way to help you make a decision.
In order to keep your license valid and continue working as a real estate sales agent, you’ll need to renew your license every four years.
For your first real estate salesperson license renewal, you must complete 45 hours of approved continuing education (CE) courses broken down as follows:
For all subsequent renewals, you’ll have to complete 45 hours of CE courses divided up as follows:
Note: You may complete the CE hours for both initial and subsequent renewals in person in a classroom or online using remote software.
Once you complete the required CE hours, you’ll need to file your renewal application with the DRE. You can do this online through its eLicensing system or by submitting the following by mail:
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Note: Alternatively, check out the California Department of Real Estate’s list of Approved Real Estate Continuing Education Courses.
Mailing Address:
1651 Exposition Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95815
Phone: (877) 373-4542
Fax: (916) 263-8758
The time it takes to become a California real estate agent varies, but typically ranges from four to six months. This is enough to cover the time needed to complete the required pre-licensing education, pass the real estate licensing exam, and submit the necessary paperwork.
The cost to obtain a real estate license in California generally falls between $500 and $1,000. This includes expenses for pre-licensing courses, the licensing exam fee ($100), the license application fee ($350), and fingerprinting for a background check ($49).
Your total cost can vary, however, depending on your choice of real estate school and if you opt to invest in study materials and online courses.
The California real estate exam is probably one of the most challenging aspects of becoming a licensed real estate salesperson due to the breadth of knowledge required to achieve a passing score.
This three-hour exam features 150 multiple-choice questions (covering topics like property ownership, land use controls, and laws of agency) and requires aspiring real estate agents to score at least 70% to pass.
To obtain a CA real estate license, you must first complete three semester courses of pre-licensing education from an accredited institution before passing the licensing exam, completing a background check, and submitting a license application to the California Department of Real Estate.
For more about this topic (e.g., real estate license reciprocity), check out our How to Get a Real Estate License in California guide.
Information on this page was researched and gathered from a multitude of sources and was most recently updated on July 9, 2024
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