How to Get a California Real Estate License

To get a California real estate license, you must be at least 18 years old, complete three 45-hour college-level courses of pre-licensing education, pass a state exam, and affiliate with a licensed broker to activate your license. The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) administers the entire process, from application through examination and license issuance. Most candidates complete the process in 2 to 6 months depending on study pace.

Eligibility requirements for a California real estate license

California sets four baseline requirements for salesperson license applicants: you must be at least 18 years old, be honest and truthful, have a Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and complete the required pre-licensing education. The DRE's salesperson requirements page^[1] outlines these qualifications.

You can take pre-licensing courses before turning 18, but the DRE will not issue a license until you reach that age. A criminal history does not automatically disqualify you; the DRE evaluates each case individually, and a conviction may result in denial depending on the nature of the offense.

All applicants must submit to a background check through Live Scan fingerprinting. California residents pay the fingerprint processing fee directly to the Live Scan service provider; out-of-state applicants submit it to the DRE with their application. Per DRE guidance^[2], fingerprint processing fees are not refundable under any circumstances, including failure to pass the exam.

Members of the California State Bar are statutorily exempt from the college-level course requirements, though they must still pass the salesperson exam. California does not offer reciprocity with any other state, according to the DRE's out-of-state applicants page^[3], so license holders from other states must satisfy all California requirements to obtain a license. Residency in California is not required to apply.

Required pre-licensing education

California requires three college-level courses of pre-licensing education before you can sit for the salesperson exam. Each course must provide three semester-units or four quarter-units of college-level credit, according to the DRE requirements page^[1]. Courses must be completed at an institution accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) or a comparable regional accrediting agency, or at a private real estate school with courses approved by the California Real Estate Commissioner.

Since January 2024, the Practice course has included mandatory fair housing and implicit bias training. Continuing education courses do not satisfy the pre-licensing course requirement.

For correspondence courses, the DRE's education course page^[4] sets a minimum pacing rule: no more than two courses may be completed in any five-week period, and a single course may not be completed in less than 2.5 weeks. Courses from out-of-state institutions need prior Commissioner approval before they qualify.

Course availability spans a range of institution types and delivery formats.

Pre-licensing courses typically cost about $150 to $500 for all three courses, depending on the provider and format chosen.

How to apply for the salesperson exam and license

Applicants can pursue the salesperson license through one of two DRE application routes. The combined exam-and-license form (RE 435) lets you pay for both in a single submission, which saves time if you plan to obtain your license immediately after passing. The exam-only form (RE 400A) defers the license fee until after you pass. Either form can be filed through the eLicensing system^[5] or by mail.

A combined application (RE 435) requires the completed form, a Live Scan Service Request (RE 237), documentation of completed education, and both exam and license fees. As of July 1, 2024, the DRE fee schedule^[6] sets the salesperson exam fee at $100 and the original license fee at $350, for a combined total of $450 paid to the DRE. The $49 fingerprint processing fee is paid separately. The DRE fee adjustment advisory^[7] confirms these fees took effect July 1, 2024, the first increase since 1997. All fees are nonrefundable per Business and Professions Code Section 10207.

If you choose the exam-only pathway, you pay the $100 exam fee at the time of application and submit the $350 license fee separately after you pass.

After the DRE approves your application, you can schedule your exam. Application processing takes approximately 1 to 2 weeks based on DRE timeframes^[8] as of March 2026.

Once your application is approved, you will receive instructions to schedule the computer-based exam at one of the DRE's testing centers in Fresno, La Palma, Oakland, Sacramento, or San Diego.

You must pass the exam within two years of the date the DRE receives your application. If you do not qualify and pass within that period, the application and fee lapse, and you must submit a new application and fee. There is no limit on the number of exam attempts during the two-year window, per the DRE's taking the exam page^[9].

After passing: activating your license

Passing the exam earns you eligibility for a license, but the license stays inactive until a broker files a supervision agreement with the DRE. You can schedule and sit for the exam without a broker, but you cannot perform any act requiring a real estate license until the affiliation is on file, per the DRE requirements page^[1].

Once the broker affiliation is processed, you can print your license certificate from the DRE website. Licenses are valid for four years from the date of issuance and require 45 hours of DRE-approved continuing education for renewal, per the DRE renewal page^[10]. The on-time renewal fee is $350 and the late renewal fee is $525, per the DRE fee schedule^[6].

Agent, broker, and real estate agent: understanding the difference

The entry-level license in California is classified as a salesperson credential. Holders of this license operate under a broker's oversight and cannot conduct real estate transactions on their own.

A broker has met higher education and experience requirements and can operate independently, supervise salespersons, and manage a brokerage. The broker license requires completing eight college-level courses and accumulating two years of full-time licensed experience, per the DRE requirements page^[1].

A real estate agent is not a separate license category. The title is available to licensees who become NAR members and agree to follow that association's Code of Ethics. Holding a real estate license is the first requirement for REALTOR® membership, but the two credentials are distinct.

What to do next

Your first step is to enroll in the required pre-licensing courses through a DRE-approved real estate school. Once you complete the coursework, submit your exam application through the DRE's online system, complete Live Scan fingerprinting, and schedule your exam date. After passing, affiliate with a sponsoring broker to receive your license.