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Can a convicted felon get a real estate license in California? Yes, you still may be able to obtain a real estate license if you have a prior conviction. It's important to note that you must disclose all past and pending criminal activity to the DRE as part of your license application. If you fail to do so, your application will most likely be denied. You should review the Avoid Potential Denial of Your License Application document prior to pursuing a California real estate license. The following actions may lead to a recommended denial of your license application: • Failure to disclose pending criminal charges, criminal convictions, or disciplinary action taken against a business, professional license, certificate or permit by an agency in California, another state or by the Federal government. • Conviction of a felony and the felony is substantially related to the qualifications, functions and duties of a real estate licensee. • Conviction of a misdemeanor and the conviction is substantially related to the qualifications, functions and duties of a real estate licensee. • Administrative action taken against a business, professional license, certificate or permit by an agency in California, another state or by the Federal government. • A determination that the facts of a particular case warrant denial, such as the nature or severity of the act or the presence of aggravating factors. The following convictions will disqualify you from obtaining a license: • Assault with intent to commit rape • Bribing public officer or employee • Burglary • Conviction that requires registration pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code • Criminal conspiracy • Embezzlement • Extortion • Filing a false police or fire report • Forgery • Fraud • Grand theft • Murder • Obtaining money by false pretenses • Perjury • Sexually related conduct affecting a person who is an observer or non consenting participant • Perjury • Petty theft • Possession of drugs for sale or transport • Soliciting a lewd act from a minor or non consenting adult. • Tax evasion

Do you need high school diploma for real estate license in California? No, you are not required to have a high school diploma or GED to obtain a California real estate license. The Department of Real Estate only requires you to be at least 18 years old when it comes time to apply for your real estate license.

To become a California real estate broker, you must be at least 18 years old, complete eight statutorily required college-level courses (each a minimum of 45 hours), and satisfy an experience requirement of two years of full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last five years, two years of equivalent unlicensed experience, or a four-year degree with a major or minor in real estate. The eight required courses are Real Estate Practice, Legal Aspects of Real Estate, Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Appraisal, Real Estate Economics or Accounting, and three additional courses from a specified elective list. Members of the California State Bar are exempt from the course requirements but must still satisfy the experience requirement. After completing the education and experience requirements, you must qualify for and pass the broker examination, which consists of 200 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours with a 75% passing score.

You must be at least 18 years old, complete three college-level courses (Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and one elective from a DRE-approved list), and pass the salesperson examination. Each course is a minimum of 45 hours, totaling 135 hours, and effective January 1, 2024 the Real Estate Practice course must include components on implicit bias and fair housing with an interactive role-play element. You can submit a combined exam and license application (RE 435) or apply for the exam only, either online through eLicensing or by mail, and you must complete Live Scan fingerprinting. The salesperson exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions in three hours, with a 70% passing score.

To become a REALTOR®, you must first obtain a real estate license (or a licensed or certified appraiser credential), then join a local REALTOR® association, and pay membership dues. The principals of a real estate firm must join a REALTOR® association before any non-principal agents at the firm can join. NAR national dues are $156 per year plus a $45 annual special assessment for the Consumer Advertising Campaign, totaling $201 per member.

A real estate career requires patience: NAR reports that a first sale can take four to six months or more. In 2025, the median gross income for REALTORS® was $58,100, but agents with two years or less of experience earned a median of $8,100 annually, while those with 16 or more years earned $78,900. REALTORS® spent a median of $8,010 on business expenses in 2024. Choosing the right sponsoring brokerage matters: factors to weigh include training and mentorship programs, commission split structure, lead generation resources, company culture, and technology tools. NAR recommends finding a mentor within your brokerage or area and using its resources for first-year agents, including skills strategies, branding guides, and marketing materials.

How to get a copy of my real estate license in California? You can get a copy of your California real estate license by accessing your information on the DRE website. The facility for printing your license certificate is available once you login through eLicensing.

To obtain a California real estate salesperson license, you must be at least 18 years old, have a Social Security number or ITIN, and complete three college-level courses: Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and one elective from a list of 12 options. Each course must be a minimum of 45 hours, totaling 135 hours, completed at a WASC-accredited institution or a DRE-approved private real estate school. Effective January 1, 2024, the Real Estate Practice course must include components on implicit bias and fair housing with an interactive role-play component. You must pass a written examination with a score of at least 70% and submit Live Scan fingerprints. Members of the California State Bar are exempt from the course requirements.

Where to get fingerprinted for real estate license in California? You must have your fingerprints taken at a local Live Scan service provider. Here are the steps you should take to get your fingerprints taken: • Complete 'Part 2' of the Live Scan Service Request form. • Contact a local Live Scan service provider to schedule your fingerprints. • Get your fingerprints taken at the Live Scan office and pay the required fees. • Live Scan will complete 'Part 3' of the Live Scan Service Request form. • Submit a copy of the completed Live Scan Request form to the DRE along with your license application. You must also include payment of the $49 DRE fingerprint processing fee. The California Department of Justice website publishes a list of Live Scan fingerprinting locations. You first have to select your County, after which you will see a list of all Live Scan locations in that County. The list of Live Scan locations will include the name and address of each location, the contact information, the hours of operation, if they accept walk-ins and/or appointment only, the rolling fee amount, and acceptable forms of payment. Your fingerprints will be electronically sent to the California Department of Justice and the FBI. Both the DOJ and FBI will run a criminal background check and report their findings to the California Department of Real Estate. The DRE will use the criminal background check to verify that you meet their qualifications for "honesty". The DRE requires all applicants to be honest and truthful. For this reason, you should disclose any prior criminal activity to the DRE Most applicants get their fingerprints taken after they pass the State exam and before they submit their license application. After you pass the State exam, the DRE will send you a license application and an FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card. That being said, you can still get your fingerprints taken before the State exam. To do so, you will have to request a blank fingerprint card from the DRE by calling (877)373-4542. Once you receive your blank fingerprint card, you can complete a Live Scan Service Request form and schedule your fingerprints with a local Live Scan provider. Please note that you will not receive your real estate license until after you submit your fingerprints. Your fingerprints will be used to generate a background check, which the DRE uses to verify that you have disclosed all prior criminal activity on your license application (if any).

To get a California real estate salesperson license, you must be at least 18 years old, have a Social Security number or ITIN, and complete three college-level courses (Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice, and one elective, each a minimum of 45 hours). You then submit an application, either the combined Salesperson Exam and License Application (RE 435) or an exam-only application, through the DRE's eLicensing system or by mail, along with education documentation, a Live Scan Service Request form (RE 237), and applicable fees. After DRE approval, you pass a computer-based exam of 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours with a 70% passing score. With the combined application, the license is issued after you pass the exam and associate with a sponsoring broker.