What education is needed to become a Real Estate Agent?

Q: What education is needed to become a Real Estate Agent?

When thinking about what education is needed to become a real estate agent you need to know that each state has its own requirements. You will need to take a course that is a set number of hours. The licensing course is typically taught based on the state curiculum.

Alabama

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Alabama?

To earn your Alabama real estate salesperson's license, you will need to take a 60-hour pre-license course before taking the exam and applying for a temporary license. After receiving your temporary license, you must take a 30-hour post-licensing course within one year. Otherwise, you’ll need to begin the steps again. The course must be administered by a state approved education provider.

Many prospective real estate licensees decide to take the required courses online so they can work at their own pace.

You can find an approved course provider for the 6-hour Contract Writing class through the Alabama Department of Real Estate website. You can search by course name, course type, and location.

Alaska

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Alaska?

You are required to take a 40-hour pre-license course from an approved education provider. This course will teach you about real estate practice, federal and state real estate regulations, real estate financing, and other essential topics in Alaska real estate. To keep your license, you’ll need to take a 30-hour post-license course from an approved provider within one year of licensing.

Arizona

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Arizona?

To earn your Arizona real estate salesperson's license, you will need to take a 90-hour pre-license course. Many prospective real estate licensees choose to take the course online so they can go through the content at their own pace.

You will also need to take a 6-hour Contract Writing Course after successfully passing the Arizona state exam.

You can find an approved course provider for the 6-hour Contract Writing class through the Arizona Department of Real Estate website. You can search by school name, school number, location, and course.

Arkansas

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Arkansas?

You are required to take a 60-hour pre-license real estate education course. At least 30 of these classroom hours must cover the basic principles of Real Estate. The course must be taken from an AREC approved school or organization or from an accredited post-secondary school.

California

What are the education requirements for real estate in California?

You must complete 135-hour California Real Estate Courses in order to qualify to obtain your salespersons license:

• Real Estate Principles (45-hour course)
• Real Estate Practice (45-hour course)
• One of the following 45-hour elective courses:
○ 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

Colorado

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Colorado?

Colorado offers two options to fulfill its education requirements. If you attended a college or university and studied real estate as a major course, you can show evidence through a transcript that you have met the education requirements. Otherwise, you must take a 168-hour broker pre-license course from one of the state’s pre-approved education providers. You can take the course online or in person.

Connecticut

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Connecticut?

The course you need is called Real Estate Principles and Practices. It’s a 60-hour course that teaches the fundamentals of national and state real estate business practice. You must take the class from a state-approved school.

Delaware

What education is required to be a real estate agent in Delaware?

All new salesperson candidates begin with a 99-hour salesperson pre-license course broken into three major sections. The topic and hour breakdowns are:

• Real Estate Orientation (3 hours)
• Real Estate Sales (36 hours)
• Real Estate Law (33 hours)
• Real Estate Mathematics (24 hours)
• Review for Sales, Law, Mathematics (3 hours)

Florida

What are the education requirements for real estate in Florida?

As a real estate sales associate license applicant, you are required to complete a 63-hour Florida Real Estate License Course administered by an approved provider unless you are exempt from the education requirement.

Those who are, or may be, exempt from the education requirement include:

• Candidates who already hold a real estate license in another state that has a mutual recognition agreement with Florida (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, Nebraska and Rhode Island). These candidates will need to include a certification of license history with their application.

• Candidates who have completed a commission-approved four-year degree in real estate. These candidates will need to include an official transcript with their application.

• Attorneys are exempt from the 63-hour pre-licensing course required of sales associate candidates if they are active members in good standing with the Florida Bar.

While you will not need to submit your course completion certificate with your application, you will be required to provide proof of completion before you take the state exam. You may take the course online or in-person from the approved provider list.

The course equals 60 classroom hours of 50 minutes each, plus a 3-hour final course exam. The passing grade for the course’s final exam is 70%.

The Florida Real Estate Commission advises that education vendors for the 63-hour pre-licensing courses cover the following subject areas:

• The Real Estate Business

• Real Estate License Law and Qualifications for Licensure

• Real Estate License Law and Commission Rules

• Authorized Relationships, Duties and Disclosure

• Real Estate Brokerage Activities and Procedures

• Violations Of License Law, Penalties and Procedures

• Federal and State Laws Pertaining To Real Estate

• Property Rights: Estates and Tenancies; Condominiums, Cooperatives, Community Development Districts, Homeowner Associations, and Time-Sharing

• Title, Deeds and Ownership Restrictions

• Legal Descriptions

• Real Estate Contracts

• Residential Mortgages

• Types Of Mortgages and Sources of Financing

• Real Estate Related Computations and Closing of Transactions

• The Real Estate Markets and Analysis

• Real Estate Appraisal

• Real Estate Investments and Business Opportunity Brokerage

• Taxes Affecting Real Estate

• Planning and Zoning

Georgia

What are the education requirements for real estate in Georgia?

You are required to take a 75-hour Georgia Real Estate License Course. The course will teach you the fundamentals in real estate and legal concepts. You must complet the enitre course in order to be eligible to apply for a real estate license.

Hawaii

What classes are required for real estate in Hawaii?

If you do not meet Hawaii's education requirement, then you will need to take a 60-hour pre-licensing course from an approved state vendor. Alternatively, you could:

• Receive a bachelor's degree in real estate or business from an accredited United States college or university
• Have a United States law school degree
• Have held an active license within one year of the application date from a state with similar education requirements.

Idaho

What classes are required for real estate in Idaho?

You are required to take two 45-hour modules. Module 1 teaches the fundamental real estate concepts. Module 2 studies the knowledge and applied skills in real estate. You must take these courses from an approved education provider.

Illinois

What classes are required for real estate in Illinois?

You must take the 75-hour pre-license broker course. The course is broken into two modules, the Broker Pre-license Topics of 60 hours and a Broker Pre-license Applied Real Estate Principles of 15 hours. You must take the course from an approved education provider.

Indiana

What classes are required for real estate in Indiana?

You must take a 90-hour broker pre-license course from one of the state’s pre-approved education providers. You can take the course online or in person.

Iowa

What are the classes to become a real estate agent in Iowa?

Actually, you’re required to take four courses for your pre-license education in Iowa. Start with 60 hours of pre-licensing instruction from an approved pre-license school.

After the initial 60 hours, you next need to complete three 12-hour classroom courses in the following:

• Listing Practices
• Buying Practices
• Developing Professional & Ethical Practices

Kansas

What are the classes to become a real estate agent in Kansas?

Kansas requires real estate salesperson applicants to have 60 hours of pre-licensing education. Kansas Real Estate Commission breaks these hours into two courses of 30 hours each. The first is the Principles Of Real Estate and the second is the Kansas Practice Course. Both of these courses can be taken online or in a classroom setting.

Kentucky

What are the courses to become a real estate agent in Kentucky?

You must take the 96-hour Kentucky pre-license education course from an approved school. You can also take six credit hours in real estate courses from an accredited college.

Louisiana

What are the courses to become a real estate agent in Louisiana?

Louisiana requires you take a 90-hour salesperson pre-license course from one of the state’s pre-approved education providers. You can take the course online or in person. The LREC submits grants credit for real estate courses completed at a college or university based on its subject matter. It also sometimes gives partial credit for real estate courses taken in other jurisdictions.

Maine

What are the courses to become a real estate agent in Maine?

All new sales agents must take a 55-hour sales agent qualifying course from an approved course provider. This course provides an overview of the business of real estate and equips you with essential information for work as a real estate professional.

Maryland

What are the courses to become a real estate agent in Maryland?

The state of Maryland requires all new real estate salespersons to take a state-approved 60-hour pre-license course. The course teaches the basic principles about the business of real estate and applicable rules and regulations.

Massachusetts

What are the courses to become a real estate agent in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts salesperson license applicants must take an approved 40-hour pre-license course from a board-approved real estate school. It will cover topics such as brokerage and law of agency, contracts, valuation, federal and Massachusetts laws, licensing requirements, and disciplinary procedures.

Michigan

What are the education requirements for real estate in Michigan?

You must complete the 40-hour Michigan Real Estate License Course in order to qualify to obtain a Michigan real estate salesperson's license.

Minnesota

What are the courses to become a real estate agent in Minnesota?

An applicant for a Minnesota real estate salesperson license must complete a total of 90 hours of pre-licensing coursework. Minnesota breaks the courses into three 30-hour courses known as Course I, Course II, and Course III.

The three courses must be completed before applying for a real estate license. However, applicants may take the real estate license exam after successfully completing Course I.

The 90 hours of courses will cover topics such as:
• Professional standard and ethics
• Governmental controls and laws affecting real estate
• Appraising real property
• Real estate financing
• Closing procedures
• Agency and other brokerage relationships
• Real estate law, national and state
• Fair housing
• Real estate management
• Real estate investment
• Commercial real estate

Mississippi

What courses are required for real estate license in Mississippi?

All new real estate salesperson applicants must take 60 hours of real estate education from a college, community college, or a Mississippi-approved pre-license education provider.

Missouri

What are the education requirements for real estate in Missouri?

Applicants for a Missouri real estate license, who currently are unlicensed in any other jurisdiction, must complete the detailed coursework listed below, to be eligible for a real estate license and:

• Complete the 48-hour pre-exam course before applying for licensure. The MREC will not accept applications for real estate licenses without evidence that the applicant has completed the 48-hour pre-exam course before applying.

• Then, complete the MREP – the Missouri Real Estate Practice course that covers 24 classroom hours.

Note: the 48-hour Missouri Real Estate Course MUST be completed prior to taking the Missouri State licensing exam. However, the 24-hour Missouri Real Estate Practice course may be taken before sitting for the Missouri State exam, or applying for a Missouri real estate license.

Montana

What courses are required for real estate license in Montana?

All salespersons candidates must take 70 hours of pre-licensing education from a state-approved course provider.The pre-license course must include the topics outlined in Rule 24.210.660.

Nebraska

What courses are required for real estate license in Nebraska?

All new real estate salespersons must take (2) 30-hour Nebraska Real Estate Commission approved courses, one in NE License Law and one in Real Estate Principles and Practices, plus a six-hour course in professional practice and standards. That's a total of 66 hours of pre-license education.

Nevada

What courses are required for real estate license in Nevada?

The Nevada Real Estate Commission requires new salesperson applicants to take a 120-hour pre-license education course. The course requires the hours to be:

• 21 hours in brokerage and laws of agency
• 12 hours in valuation and economics
• 12 hours in finance
• 25 hours in ownership, transfer, and use of property
• 18 hours in specific state real-estate legislation
• 2 hours in applied practice and statutory disclosures
• 15 hours in real estate contracts
• 15 hours in real estate agency with 3 hours in risk reduction and 3 hours in broker-agent relationship

New Hampshire

What courses are required for real estate license in New Hampshire?

You must take a 40-hour pre-licensing course from a pre-approved course provider. This course will teach you about real estate topics relevant to working in real estate in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

What courses are required for real estate license in New Jersey?

You are required to take the New Jersey 75-hour Pre-license Salesperson Course from the state's list of approved education providers. The course will educate you about license law, contracts, appraisals, fair housing, financing, New Jersey real estate practice, commission rules, agency and brokerage, and more topics to prepare you for the business of real estate.

New Mexico

What courses are required for real estate license in New Mexico?

You must take a New Mexico Real Estate Commission-approved total of 90 hours of pre-licensing courses. The education requirements break into (3) 30-hour sections covering:

• Real estate principles and practice
• Real estate law
• Broker basics

New York

What are the education requirements for real estate in New York?

In order to be eligible to apply for an NYS real estate salespersons license, you must complete the 77-hour NYS Real Estate License Course.
The course must be approved by the NYS Department of State and follow the state's required course outline.
At the end of the course is a proctored final exam that you must pass in order to receive your Certificate of Completion for the course.

North Carolina

What are the education requirements for real estate in North Carolina?

According to North Carolina Real Estate Commission requirements, an applicant may qualify for the state’s real estate examination by successfully completing the Commission-approved 75-hour North Carolina broker pre-licensing course.

The 75-hour course pre-licensing course should cover real estate principles and fundamentals and consist of the following subject areas:

• Basic real estate concepts
• Property ownership and interests
• Property taxation and assessment
• Transfer of title to real property
• Land use controls
• Environmental issue in real estate
• Brokerage relationships: laws and practice
• Agency contracts and related practices
• Basic contract law
• Sales contracts and related procedures
• Real Estate Financing
• Closing a sales transaction
• Real property valuation
• Property insurance basics
• Landlord and tenant
• Property management
• Fair housing
• Federal income taxation of home ownership/sale
• Basic construction
• Basic real estate investment
• Real estate license law and commission rules
• Agent safety
• Real estate mathematics

North Dakota

What courses are required for real estate license in North Dakota ?

All North Dakota salesperson applicants must take a 90-hour pre-license course. You can take the course online, in a classroom, or with a hybrid model, but your real estate school must be a state-approved education vendor.

Ohio

What courses are required for real estate license in Ohio?

New salesperson applicants must take a 120-hour pre-license course from an approved pre-license school. The ODRE breaks the courses into four modules:

• Ohio Real Estate Principles Practices (40 hours)
• Ohio Real Estate Law (40 hours)
• Real Estate Finance (20 hours)
• Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours)

Oklahoma

What courses are required for real estate license in Oklahoma?

You are required to take a 90-hour pre-license deals person's course from one of the state's approved education providers. This course is known as the Basic Course The Real Estate, Part 1. Its purpose is to teach you about a range of real estate topics such as the legal descriptions, value in appraisal, real estate marketing, and real estate regulations. You'll take Part 2 after you pass the state licensing exam.

Oregon

What courses are required for real estate license in Oregon?

Oregon requires all candidates to take a 150-hour broker pre-license course from one of the state’s pre-approved education providers. You can take the course online or in person. Many opt for online as the fastest and easy way to complete the 150 hours.

Pennsylvania

What are the education requirements for real estate in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission requires you to complete the 75-hour Pennsylvania Real Estate License Course before you can take the state licensing exam and ultimately obtain your real estate license.

The 75-hour Pennsylvania pre-license course actually consists of two separate courses:
1) 30-hour Real Estate Fundamentals
2) 45-hour Real Estate Practice

The Commission may waive their education requirement if you possess one of the following:
1) A bachelor's degree with a major in real estate from an accredited college or university; or
2) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, having completed coursework equivalent to a major in real estate; or
3) A juris doctor degree from an accredited law school

Rhode Island

What courses are required for real estate license in Rhode Island?

You are actually required to take two courses to receive a Rhode Island Real Estate salesperson license. The first is a 45-hour pre-licensing education course that includes three hours of Agency Law. The second is a Lead Paint and Lead Hazard mitigation three-hour course.

South Carolina

What are the education requirements for real estate in South Carolina?

An applicant for a SC real estate salesperson license must complete the 90-hours South Carolina Real Estate License Course of pre-licensing coursework. This includes 60 hours of instruction in fundamentals of real estate principles and practices (Unit I), which must be completed prior to taking the exam.

In addition, you will be required to take 30 hours of classroom instruction in advanced real estate principles (Unit II). Together, successful completion of this 90 hours of coursework will meet the pre-licensure education requirements.

This coursework must have been completed sometime within the previous five years to submit the application for a real estate license. However, applicants may take the real estate license exam prior to completing the required 30 hours of advanced coursework.

The 60-hour course, known as Unit II, will take a deep dive into real estate principles and fundamentals. Education providers are required to gain the approval of the South Carolina Real Estate Commission for their learning objectives and detailed lesson plans.

You can expect the 60-hour Unit 1 course to cover subject matter within the following broad areas, including:

• Real property
• Governmental controls and laws affecting real estate
• Pricing of real property
• Real estate finance
• Settlement/Closing
• Agency and other brokerage relationships
• Contracts
• Ethics

The 30-hour Unit II course in advanced real estate principles should cover real estate practices in the following subject areas in detail:

• Agency and property disclosure
• Real estate contracts
• Ethics and real estate
• Measurements and valuation
• Investments and taxation

South Dakota

What courses are required for real estate license in South Dakota ?

The South Dakota required broker associate pre-licensing course is at least 116 hours. You must take your course from an approved education provider. This course will teach you about real estate practice in South Dakota.

Tennessee

What are the education requirements for real estate in Tennessee?

According to Tennessee Real Estate Commission requirements, affiliate broker candidates must complete the 60-hours Tennessee Real Estate Course. Is must cover real estate principles and fundamentals. Proof of satisfactory course completion, including a passing grade of 70% on the final exam, will be sent directly to PSI by the school where you completed the course.

The 60-hour course covering real estate principles and fundamentals should consist of the following subject areas:

• The real estate business

• Agency relationships

• Contracts (including listings, leases and sales)

• Governmental controls on real estate, including the Tennessee Real Estate Broker License Act

• Legal aspects of real estate

• Understanding real estate mathematics

• Real estate valuation

• Real estate finance

• Listing, offer to purchase, and settlement forms

• Tennessee real estate laws, rules, practice, and related topics

• Fair housing law

The Tennessee Real Estate Commission may add or delete required topic areas by providing reasonable written notice to course sponsor and/or instructor.

In addition to completing the 60-hour course prior to scheduling the state exam, affiliate broker candidates must also complete the 30-hour "Course for New Affiliates." Proof of satisfactory completion of this course is required prior to an affiliate license being issued. A certificate of completion for this course should be included with your license application.

Texas

What are the education requirements for real estate in Texas?

TREC requires students to complete the 180-hour Texa Real Estate License Course. That includes six parts:
- Texas Principles of Real Estate - Part 1 (30-hours)
- Texas Principles of Real Estate - Part 2 (30-hours)
- Texas Law of Contracts (30-hours)
- Texas Promulgated Contract Forms (30-hours)
- Texas Law of Agency (30-hours)
- Texas Real Estate Finance (30-hours)

Each of these courses includes a final exam at the end. You must complete the final exams in order to officially satify the education requirements.

Utah

What courses are required for real estate license in Utah?

All new real estate salespersons are required to take the 120-hour pre-licensing education course. You must take this course from an approved provider. This course will teach you about national and state topics pertinent to the business of real estate.

Vermont

What courses are required for real estate license in Vermont?

All new salesperson candidates must take the 40-hour Vermont pre-license course. You must complete the course from an approved education provider. The course teaches about real estate principles and practices, such as agency, federal regulations, state regulations, contracts, financing, and property valuation.

Virginia

What are the education requirements for real estate in Virginia?

The Virginia Real Estate Board requires all real estate salesperson applicants to complete the 60-hour Virginia Real Estate License Course by an approved education provider.
The 60-hour VA pre-license course must be approved by the Board and be taught by an approved real estate instructor.

The Board may waive the 60-hour pre-license education requirement if you hold (or previously held) a real estate license in another state and you completed a substantially similar pre-license real estate course in that state. You must submit a copy of the course Certificate of Completion along with your Virginia Salesperson License Application, which the Board will use as evidence that you have satisfied their education requirement.

Washington

What are the education requirements for real estate in Washington?

According to the Washington State Department of Licensing requirements, an applicant must complete the 90-hours Washington Real Estate Broker License Course. The courses can be completed within the past two years in order to be eligible to apply for the state licensing exam. The education requirement consists of a 60-hour course in Real Estate Fundamentals and a 30-hour course in Real Estate Practices.

The 60-hour course in Real Estate Fundamentals should cover real estate principles and fundamentals in the following subject areas:

• Real estate as a career
• Real property ownership, rights, interests and land-use controls
• Contract law
• Agency law and brokerage relationships
• Listing agreements and procedures
• The selling process
• Real estate valuation
• Real estate finance
• Escrow and settlement process
• Leasing, property management and the residential landlord tenant act
• Real estate license law
• Fair housing and consumer protection

The 30-hour course in Real Estate Practices should cover real estate practices in the following subject areas:

• Business skills and procedures
• Agency relationship
• Listing property
• Evaluating and pricing property
• Marketing property
• Negotiation and sales techniques
• Purchase and sale agreements with earnest money provisions
• Residential financing and the closing process
• Real estate math

West Virginia

What courses are required for real estate license in West Virginia?

All new West Virginia salespersons must take a 90-hour pre-licensing course that teaches the basics for the business of real estate. You must take the course from a state-approved education provider.

Wisconsin

What are the education requirements for real estate in Wisconsin?

You are required to take the 72-hour Wisconsin Real Estate License Course in order to qualify for a Wisconsin Real Estate Salespersons license.

Wyoming

What courses are required for real estate license in Wyoming ?

The Wyoming Real Estate Commission breaks the total required 70 hours of pre-licensing education into three courses:
• Salesperson I Course: a minimum of 40 hours. Topics include, but are not limited to, agency relationships, contracts, financing, marketing regulations, and calculations.
• Salesperson II Course: a minimum of 30 hours. Topics include, but are not limited to, real estate professionalism, state statutory laws, federal laws, roles and responsibilities, and specifics of real estate practice
• Wyoming Law Course: This can be combined with Salesperson I or be separate. The course covers real estate licensing agency powers, licensing, requirements, and additional topics.