Are real estate pre-licensing courses accredited?

Yes. Typical state entry requirements include completing state-accredited pre-licensing courses, and each state commission approves and publishes a list of qualifying education providers. California, for example, accepts courses from regionally accredited colleges or from private schools whose courses are approved by the state's real estate commissioner.

Alabama pre-licensing courses must be approved by the Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC), which assigns each course an approval number. Online and distance education courses must also hold Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) certification, which verifies that the course design and delivery meet standards set by real estate regulatory agencies. AREC publishes per-school pass rate data from the prior 12 months, allowing prospective students to compare approved providers.

Arizona pre-licensing courses must be approved by the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) Education Division, which reviews and approves real estate schools, specific pre-licensing and continuing education courses, and individual instructors to ensure they meet state standards for content quality, instructional competence, and timeliness of materials. Only ADRE-approved courses are eligible for credit toward licensure. Nationally, ARELLO (Association of Real Estate License Law Officials) sets standards for real estate licensing exams and education, and exam content is ARELLO-accredited.

California pre-licensing 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. Each course must be 3 semester-units or 4 quarter-units at the college level, and each DRE-approved course is a minimum of 45 hours. Courses taken at out-of-state private schools are not acceptable unless the California Real Estate Commissioner has granted prior approval.

Colorado requires pre-licensing education to be obtained through either a nationally accredited community college or university or a school approved by the Colorado Department of Private and Occupational Schools (DPOS). The 168-hour qualifying education requirement can also be satisfied with a degree from an accredited college or university with a major course of study in real estate. The Colorado Real Estate Commission publishes first-time broker exam pass rates by school, and the Division of Real Estate advises applicants to review these pass rates when choosing an education provider.

Florida pre-licensing courses must be approved by the Florida Real Estate Commission and follow the FREC Course I syllabus for sales associates or the FREC Course II syllabus for brokers. Course delivery and exam requirements are governed by Florida Administrative Code Rule 61J2-3.008 for pre-licensing and Rule 61J2-3.020 for post-licensing. Courses may be delivered in classroom or distance education environments, and schools must electronically report course attendance rosters to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) within 5 business days of course completion.

Georgia requires pre-licensing courses to be approved by the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC). GREC publishes a list of approved schools on its website, and the 75-hour Salesperson Prelicense Course must be taken at one of these approved schools. Some course providers also hold ARELLO (Association of Real Estate License Law Officials) accreditation for their programs, which is a separate voluntary quality standard. PSI, the exam vendor GREC contracts with, uses ARELLO-accredited content for the national portion of the licensing exam.

Yes, Illinois pre-licensing courses must be approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Education providers must be licensed by IDFPR, and their courses must conform to the standardized curriculum established by the Division of Real Estate. IDFPR maintains a list of approved pre-license and post-license education providers and courses on its website.

Indiana pre-licensing courses must be approved by the Indiana Real Estate Commission, and the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency maintains a searchable list of approved providers on its website through the Free Search and Verify page. The state requires a 90-hour pre-licensing course from a commission-approved school before a candidate can sit for the broker exam. The Indiana PLA requires a timing mechanism for all distance education courses to ensure courses cannot be completed in less time than the approved credit hours. Approved providers are assigned a state sponsor or school approval number, which appears on their course materials.

Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) approves education providers and the courses they offer for pre-licensing, post-licensing, and continuing education. The state's approved-education list includes proprietary schools, accredited community and technical colleges, and National Association of Realtors (NAR) affiliate organizations. Candidates must complete the 96-hour pre-license course through a KREC-approved provider before registering for the licensing exam.

Pre-licensing courses in Louisiana must be taken from schools certified by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC). Distance learning courses must also be certified by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) for the delivery method. The LREC maintains a public directory of approved pre-license schools on its website, and courses may only be taught by a Certified Pre-license Instructor. Schools must submit course outlines, final exams, and answer keys for Commission approval.

Real estate pre-licensing courses in Maryland must be taken through providers approved by the Maryland Real Estate Commission, which maintains a list of approved education providers on its website. The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) accredits real estate education programs and sets standards for pre-licensing courses, and PSI's exam content is ARELLO-accredited. MREC also publishes Student Success Rates by School as a downloadable file, though it states this data is for informational purposes and not an endorsement of any institution.

Massachusetts pre-licensing courses are not accredited in the traditional academic sense but must be offered by schools authorized and licensed by the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons under 254 CMR. The Board maintains a list of authorized real estate schools on its website, available as a downloadable CSV file, and recommends using the Check-A-License feature for the most current school licensing status. Separately, PSI's real estate exam content is ARELLO-accredited, ensuring the exam itself meets industry standards for quality and compliance.

Michigan requires pre-licensing courses to be approved by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). LARA publishes a comprehensive list of all state-approved prelicensure course providers in the MiPLUS system under the Real Estate Approved Courses Report. The licensing exam content administered by PSI is ARELLO-accredited, meaning it meets industry standards for quality and compliance. Both online and in-person course formats are available from approved providers.

Minnesota requires pre-licensing education from providers approved by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Approved providers and courses can be searched on the Pulse Portal at pulseportal.com by selecting the Pre-Licensing Education option and verifying that the status shows Active. Courses may be taken online or in classroom format.

Missouri pre-licensing courses are approved by the Missouri Real Estate Commission (MREC), which maintains a list of approved education providers on its website. Both classroom and online, correspondence, or home study formats are approved delivery methods for the 48-hour pre-examination course and the 24-hour Missouri Real Estate Practice Course. The licensing exam content itself is ARELLO-accredited, and some education providers also hold Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) or IDECC accreditation for their course offerings.

Yes, Nevada pre-licensing courses are accredited by the Nevada Real Estate Commission. The commission's Form 502 lists real estate schools with pre-licensing courses accredited by the commission, and the list is subject to change. Course providers determine their own schedules and prices.

New Jersey pre-licensing courses must be taken at schools licensed by the New Jersey Real Estate Commission. The NJ Department of Banking and Insurance maintains an official list of all licensed real estate schools, which includes over 100 approved providers. For on-demand, self-paced online courses, NJ REC Bulletin No. 22-10 requires the course to hold Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) Distance Education Certification, effective August 29, 2023. Live-remote instruction is also permitted without the ARELLO requirement.

New York requires pre-licensing education through schools approved by the Department of State, which publishes a list of Approved Real Estate Qualifying Education Schools on its website. The 77-hour salesperson curriculum covers 19 subject areas defined in the DOS syllabus, and students must pass a school-administered proctored examination in addition to the state licensing exam. The Department of State may approve computer-based and distance-learning courses, though it may require specified subjects to be presented in a classroom setting.

In North Carolina, pre-licensing courses are offered by Commission-certified education providers rather than traditionally accredited institutions. The North Carolina Real Estate Commission certifies providers to offer the required 75-hour Broker Prelicensing Course and electronically receives course completion reports. The Commission does not recommend specific providers but publishes an Education Provider License Examination Performance Report showing pass rates by school for first-time test takers. The prelicensing course is available in-person, via synchronous distance learning, or through self-paced online formats.

Ohio requires the 100 hours of pre-licensing education to be completed at a postsecondary institution that awards at least a two-year (associate) degree. Education providers must be registered with the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools. The required courses are Real Estate Principles and Practices (40 hours), Ohio Real Estate Law (40 hours), Real Estate Appraisal (10 hours), and Real Estate Finance (10 hours).

Pennsylvania pre-licensing courses must be taken from an accredited college or an education provider approved by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. Any school offering real estate instruction in Pennsylvania must obtain the Commission's approval and follow its rules and regulations. Approved providers can be found on the PALS verification page (pals.pa.gov/verify) under "Facility Search" by selecting the Real Estate Commission and the license type "Real Estate Education Provider." Three provider subtypes exist: RE for in-state schools, RU for out-of-state schools, and RUC for accredited colleges and universities.

South Carolina pre-licensing courses must be approved by the SC Real Estate Commission rather than accredited in the traditional academic sense. Approved providers and courses are listed under Document 140 (Pre-Exam Course Provider and Courses) on the Commission's Pre-Licensing page, and a calendar of approved courses appears under Document 150. The Commission approves courses delivered both online and in-person by recognized education providers.

PSI's real estate exam content is ARELLO-accredited, meaning it meets industry standards for quality and compliance. In Tennessee, pre-licensing courses must be taken at schools approved by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission, and TREC publishes separate lists of approved pre-licensing courses for affiliate brokers and brokers on its website. Pre-license courses may not be used for continuing education credit.

In Texas, pre-licensing courses are not "accredited" in the traditional college sense, but they must be approved by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). TREC maintains a searchable database of approved qualifying real estate courses, and providers must apply for a four-year approval period. Qualifying education providers pay an initial application filing fee of $400 plus $12 in online fees and an annual fee of $200 plus $6 in online fees. Approved courses are available in online, correspondence, and classroom formats from TREC-approved providers.

Virginia pre-licensing courses are approved by the Virginia Real Estate Board rather than accredited in the traditional academic sense. The Board maintains a published list of approved schools offering the 60-hour salesperson course ("Principles and Practices of Real Estate") in online, classroom, and correspondence formats. Separately, PSI's real estate exam content is ARELLO-accredited, ensuring the licensing exam meets industry standards. For broker pre-license education, equivalent courses from accredited universities or colleges may be accepted if each course is at least 45 class/clock hours or 3 semester hours.

Washington real estate pre-licensing courses are approved by the Department of Licensing (DOL), which oversees the approval of real estate instructors, schools, and courses. The DOL maintains an online course search portal where prospective students can find state-approved pre-licensing courses. Additionally, PSI's real estate exam content is ARELLO-accredited, meaning it meets industry standards for quality and compliance.

Wisconsin real estate pre-licensing courses are approved by the Wisconsin Real Estate Examining Board rather than accredited in the traditional academic sense. Schools must submit a Request for Approval of Real Estate Pre-License Program to the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) to obtain Board approval for their 72-hour course. As an alternative to the Board-approved program, applicants may complete 10 academic semester hour credits in real estate or real estate-related law at an accredited institution of higher education.