How to Get Your Real Estate Agent License

A real estate agent’s career can be fulfilling when it matches your skills and interests. Some reasons that people pursue this career path include flexible hours, the potential for high income, and the opportunity to help people reach their real estate goals. To become a real estate agent, you'll need a license before you can help people buy and sell property. Explore the basics you need to know about getting your real estate agent license and developing your career. 

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Read more: What Is a Real Estate Agent? Your Career Guide

Do I need to be licensed to work as a real estate agent?

Yes, you must have a license to work as a real estate agent in all 50 states. Requirements vary depending on the state where you live and work, but they typically specify that you must be at least 18 years old, take some classes, and pass an exam before getting your license. 

Keep in mind as you consider obtaining your license, you'll eventually need a real estate broker who can sponsor you. Your state may recommend you find a broker before you take your exam. If you don't have a real estate broker sponsor, your license will remain inactive until you find one. Until you have an active license, you won’t be able to help clients sell or buy property. 

Read more: How to Become a Real Estate Agent

Licensed real estate agent vs. broker

Almost anyone can become a licensed real estate agent—it can be an entry-level job, and you don’t need a college degree. However, a real estate broker is something entirely different. Brokers are real estate agents, but they have an additional license typically requiring a specific number of years of experience and either formal training or a college education, depending on what's accepted by that state. 

Real estate brokers still help clients buy and sell properties, but they can work on their own—real estate agents must work for a broker. Brokers can open their own firms and hire other agents. You can break the broker category down even further into three parts depending on their place in a real estate firm: associate brokers, managing brokers, and principal or designated brokers. Some brokers also help with the management and rental of properties. 

Requirement for real estate licensing from state to state

All 50 states require real estate agents to have a license to practice, but each state has unique requirements. It's best to get the criteria from your state's real estate board or real estate commission, as rules and laws change occasionally, but many requirements overlap from state to state. 

For example, every state has a minimum age requirement. Typically, you must be 18, but in Alabama, Alaska, and Nebraska, you must be at least 19 years old. You must be an American citizen or a legal alien in every state but Mississippi, Florida, and Illinois. In Florida and Illinois, you must have a US Social Security number. The only residential requirement in Mississippi is that you live in the state. Several other states require that you be a resident of that state as well. 

Real estate reciprocity

While many states require that you live in that state if you practice real estate there, some people practice in multiple states by taking advantage of real estate reciprocity. Essentially, this means that certain states say that if you already have a real estate license in your home state, you can take the exam and get a license quickly in that state without having to go through the usual steps to earn your license. Sometimes, you may even get to take an abbreviated version of the exam. 

For example, if you have a license in New York, it has reciprocity with Connecticut and Pennsylvania, two of its border states. If you have a license in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Connecticut, Illinois, Nebraska, or Rhode Island, Florida will fast-track your license for you. 

States that don’t require a real estate agent license

All 50 states require you to have a real estate agent license if you want to help clients buy and sell property. Some may be easier to obtain or require fewer hours of coursework before you take the exam, but you must have a license before you practice real estate anywhere in the US. 

Real estate licensing certification

The first step toward earning your real estate license is ensuring you meet your state's requirements. Once you do, you'll typically have to take some courses. Every state's pre-licensing courses are unique, just as every state requires you to take a specific number of course hours. In many cases, you can choose to take real estate classes online or in person at designated locations. Once you finish your learning, you must take and pass an exam to earn your license. 

What to study

As with all other aspects of the licensing process, what's on the exam in one state may not be on the exam in another state, so it's important to find out what will be on the test you plan to take. Many states will break the exam into subjects and give you an idea of the topics you need to know. 

Otherwise, you'll want to study just like you would any exam. Take notes during your courses, and consider using devices like flash cards. You can also check if your state has a practice real estate exam. If it does, take it as many times as possible to familiarize yourself with the content. 

Read more: 11 Good Study Habits to Develop

What to know when taking a real estate license test

Once you are ready to take the exam, your state will assign you a designated time and location, or you can pick the one that’s convenient for you. You'll also typically have to pay a fee to take the exam.  

When you arrive for the test, bring your photo identification and prepare to stay a while. The exam will likely take several hours. Once you finish, your exam goes to your state's real estate board or commission, and you must wait until it's graded to see if you pass.  No state requires you to make a perfect score on the exam. 

Attaining a real estate license online

You can take all or most of your pre-licensing courses online except for Arizona, Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Idaho, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. This is more convenient and less expensive for many learners than taking them in person. However, you will probably have to take the exam in person. 

Career development in real estate

As a real estate agent, developing a strong understanding of the industry and your local real estate market is critical. Knowing all about your community is also important. Clients will have questions about schools, jobs, entertainment, public transportation, and more. 

As your experience and knowledge grow, you may choose an area of specialization. For example, you may decide to focus on selling luxury homes or commercial property. 

You may even choose to expand your career as an agent into other aspects of real estate. Many real estate professionals work in property management, development, real estate counseling, and urban planning. 

Finally, you may want to become a real estate broker yourself. Once you have your state's required amount of experience, you can earn your broker’s license and work independently or even open your own real estate firm. 

Next steps 

While each state has unique requirements, all 50 states require a real estate agent license before you can help clients buy and sell property. Once you've earned your license, you can start on this exciting and rewarding career path.  Explore more personal development courses from leading universities and institutions on Coursera. Sign up for a free 7-day trial and start learning today.

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