Real Estate Broker License
To obtain a real estate broker license, you must first qualify for and pass a written examination. Those who pass the examination are provided a license application which must be submitted to and approved by the DRE.
General Requirements
- Age: You must be 18 years of age or older to be issued a license.
- Residence: Proof of Legal Presence in the United States is required. If you are not a California resident, see Out-of-State Applicants.
- Honesty: Applicants must be honest and truthful. Conviction of a crime may result in the denial of a license. Failure to disclose any criminal violation or disciplinary action in an applicant’s entire history may also result in the denial of a license. For further information, see Help Avoid Denial of Your License Application and Application Eligibility Information (RE 222)
. - Experience: A minimum of two years full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last five years or the equivalent is required. For further information, seeDocumenting Experience Requirements for the Broker Examination.
Course Requirements
Applicants for a real estate broker license examination must have successfully completed the following eight statutorily required college-level courses:
- Real Estate Practice; and
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate; and
- Real Estate Finance; and
- Real Estate Appraisal; and
- Real Estate Economics or Accounting; and
- Three* courses from the following list
- Real Estate Principles
- Business Law
- Property Management
- Escrow
- Real Estate Office Administration
- Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
- Advanced Legal Aspects of Real Estate
- Advanced Real Estate Finance
- Advanced Real Estate Appraisal
- Computer Applications in Real Estate
- Common Interest Developments*If both Real Estate Economics and Accounting are taken, only two courses from the above group are required.
NOTES
- Continuing education offerings do not satisfy the college-level course requirements for this examination.
- Members of the California State Bar are statutorily exempt from the college-level course requirements. Evidence of admission to practice Law in California must be furnished, such as a photocopy of both sides of a California State Bar membership card.
- Members of any other State Bar as well as individuals holding an LL.B or J.D. degree who are not members of any State Bar, including CA, may generally qualify on the basis of education. These applicants are required to submit evidence of an LL.B. or J.D. Degree from a college or university accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (or comparable regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education) for evaluation, as well as proof of successful completion of a three semester or four quarter unit college-level courses in Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Appraisal.
- Courses must be three semester-units or four quarter-units at the college level. Courses must be completed prior to being scheduled for an examination. Copies of official transcripts are generally acceptable evidence of completed courses. Transcripts of other courses, submitted as equivalent course of study in lieu of the statutory courses, must be accompanied by an official course or catalog description in order to be evaluated.
- Broker qualification courses must be completed at an institution of higher learning accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or by a comparable regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or by a private real estate school which has had its courses approved by the California Real Estate Commissioner.
- Courses completed through foreign institutions of higher learning must be evaluated by a foreign credentials evaluation service approved by the Department of Real Estate. See Examination Applicant Foreign Education Information (RE 223).
- Applicants who have completed the eight college-level courses statutorily required for the broker examination and license are eligible to take the salesperson examination without providing further evidence of education or experience.