The Most Frequently Asked California Real Estate Career Questions

• Complete 135 Hours of Approved Pre-Licensing Education To start, you must successfully complete three college-level courses that total 135 hours of pre-licensing education. The specific requirements are as follows:

  • 45-Hr. Real Estate Principles course

  • 45-Hr. Real Estate Practice course

  • 45-hour elective course of your choosing:

    • Real Estate Appraisal

    • Property Management

    • Real Estate Finance

    • Real Estate Economics

    • Legal Aspects of Real Estate

    • Real Estate Office Administration

    • General Accounting

    • Business Law

    • Escrows

    • Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending

    • Computer Applications in Real Estate

    • Common Interest Developments

• Complete and Submit Your Exam Application. Once you pass your pre-licensing course, you’ll need to apply for the Salesperson Exam. There are two separate applications to choose from. The first option is to apply for the Salesperson Exam only, and the second is to apply for the Salesperson Exam and real estate license together. To submit your application, you’ll need to create an account for the eLicensing online system, pay the exam and license fees, and provide transcripts to prove you completed the education requirements.

• Submit Your Fingerprints For a Background Check. Before you can submit an application for your real estate license, you must provide your fingerprints. Start this process by completing a Live Scan Request using Form RE 237.

• Schedule and Pass the California State Licensing Exam. Once your exam application is processed, you’ll receive instructions for how to schedule your exam appointment. You’ll need to take the exam in-person in one of California’s approved locations:

  • Fresno

  • San Diego

  • Las Angeles Area (La Palma)

  • Oakland

  • Sacramento

• Find a Sponsoring Broker. Before you can submit your application, you need to be sponsored by a current and active California brokerage. It's important to find the right broker to work with, since this person will serve as your mentor as you start your new career in real estate.

You must take and pass 135 hours from an approved education provider to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in California. If you treat your education like a 40-hour workweek, you can finish your education in as little as four weeks. If you treat it like a part-time job, you can complete your education in under two months.

When you submit your examination and/or license application, the processing time varies. It could take 2-3 weeks or more, depending on the amount of applications. Good news, California posts their current application processing times online.

• Your Pre-Licensing education in California costs about $315.

• The California license fee for a real estate salesperson is $350.

• The examination fee is $100.

• The fingerprinting fee is $49.

• The estimated total cost is $814.

*Note that licensing fees are subject to change.

The State of California says you must be at least 18 years of age to get your California Real Estate Salesperson license.

Prior to licensing, the California Department of Real Estate conducts a detailed background check on all applicants. Being convicted of a crime might impact your ability to become licensed. The DRE may deny licensure if you’ve been convicted of a crime that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a real estate licensee. The California Department of Real Estate offers answers to frequently asked questions about the criminal background check and license issuance process.

The California Salesperson Exam costs $100 to take.

California does not offer reciprocity for real estate salespersons or brokers with any other state. You don’t need to be a resident of California to practice real estate there if you pass the licensing exam and submit a California Consent to Service Process Form.

If you live in California and are seeking licensure in another state, you’ll need to check the reciprocity rules for that state.

In California, real estate licenses are valid for four years from the date you received your license. Your continuing education requirement must be completed before this date for you to renew your license. As a courtesy, the DRE will send a reminder to your mailing address 60 days before the expiration date.

California salespersons must complete 45 hours of CE every four years by the day of their license anniversary date.

If you’re renewing your license for the first time, there are initial CE requirements. You’ll need to take at least 18 hours in consumer protection courses, plus 14 hours in mandatory topics. The remaining hours can be satisfied by taking consumer protection or consumer service courses.

First-Time Renewal Core/Mandatory Courses include:

• 3 hours in Ethics

• 3 hours in Agency

• 3 hours in Fair Housing

• 3 hours in Risk Management

• 2 hours in Implicit Bias

After your initial license renewal requirements, there will be a 45-hour CE requirement for subsequent renewals. You’ll take these CE courses every license renewal period as long as you want to maintain your license. Your continuing education will include a 9-Hour California Salesperson and Broker Survey course, at least 18 hours of consumer protection courses, the remaining hours can be in any courses related to consumer protection or consumer service.

The CE Shop has all the courses you need to meet the requirements with California CE and NAR® Ethics Courses.

California brokers must complete 45 hours of CE for first-time broker license renewal.

If you’re renewing your license for the first time, you’ll need to take a minimum of 18 hours in consumer protection, plus 17 hours of mandatory courses. The remaining hours can be satisfied with either consumer protection or consumer service courses.

First-Time Renewal Core/Mandatory Courses include:

• 3 hours in Ethics

• 3 hours in Agency

• 3 hours in Fair Housing

• 3 hours in Trust Fund Handling

• 3 hours in Management/Supervision

• 2 hours in Implicit Bias

After your initial license renewal period, you’ll be required to complete 45 hours of CE for every additional licensing period. These hours need to include a 9-Hour California Salesperson and Broker Survey course, at least 18-hours of consumer protection courses, and the other hours can be any courses related to consumer protection or consumer service.

The CE Shop has all the courses you need to meet the subsequent renewal requirements with California CE and NAR® Ethics courses.

California is an audit state that does not require course completions to be reported by education providers. Licensees are required to enter their completion information when renewing with the CA DRE and must keep copies of their course completions in case they are audited. If you enroll with The CE Shop, you can download a copy of your course certificates from our website at any time.

If you’re looking to level up your career and bring in more income, you may want to consider getting a Broker license. You can do a LOT with a Broker license in California, including:

• Help clients sell, lease, and buy properties

• Establish and manage your own real estate brokerage firm

• Supervise and hire other salespersons to work for you

• Become a property manager

One of the biggest advantages you have as a broker is the ability to start your own brokerage and hire salespersons to work for you.

Yes! To start your own real estate business, you’ll need a Broker license. Then, you’ll be able to hire other salespersons to work for you.

• Complete 360 Hours of Approved Pre-Licensing Education. To start, you must successfully complete the pre-licensing education requirements. California’s education requirements for brokers includes eight, 45-hour college-level courses including the following five mandatory courses:

  • Real Estate Practice

  • Legal Aspects of Real Estate

  • Real Estate Finance

  • Real Estate Appraisal

  • Real Estate Economics or Accounting

• Have Two Years of Real Estate Experience. You need at least two years of experience as a full-time salesperson within the last five years. If you work part-time in real estate, that’s fine – but it may take four years or more before you qualify for your Broker license. Either way, you’ll need to submit a License Experience Verification Form, which is included in the Broker Examination Application. If you have earned a real estate degree from a 4-year accredited college or university, you may be exempt from the experience requirement. Check out the DRE’s website to learn more about the experience requirement and what counts as equivalent experience.

• Complete and Submit Your Exam Application. Once you pass your pre-licensing courses, you’ll need to apply for the Broker Exam. There are two separate applications to choose from. The first option is to apply for the Broker Exam only, and the second is to apply for the Broker Exam and real estate license together. To submit your application, you’ll need to create an eLicensing Center account, pay the exam and license fees, and provide transcripts to prove you completed the education requirements.

• Submit Your Fingerprints For a Background Check. Before you can submit an application for your real estate license, you must provide your fingerprints. Start this process by completing a Live Scan Request Form.

• Schedule and Pass the California State Licensing Exam. Once your exam application is processed, you’ll receive instructions for how to schedule your exam appointment. You’ll need to take the exam in-person in one of California’s approved locations:

  • Fresno

  • San Diego

  • Las Angeles Area (La Palma)

  • Oakland

  • Sacramento

According to Indeed, California brokers make an average salary of $115,940. However, some salaries are as high as $142,721, depending on your education and how long you’ve been a broker.

*August 2024 Data