How to get an Illinois real estate broker license

Illinois issues a broker license, not a real estate agent license, as its entry-level credential for buying and selling property. To earn an Illinois broker license, you must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or GED, complete 75 hours of pre-licensing education, pass a two-part exam, undergo a fingerprint-based background check, and secure sponsorship from a managing broker to activate your license. The application fee is $150, and the exam costs $58 per attempt.

Illinois real estate license types

Illinois licenses 3 real estate professions: broker, managing broker, and residential leasing agent. The real estate broker license is the entry-level credential that allows you to represent buyers and sellers in transactions. A managing broker has additional education and experience and can sponsor and supervise other brokers. A residential leasing agent handles only residential leasing, not sales.

The term "broker" in Illinois refers to the entry-level license, unlike in states where "broker" is a senior tier above a "salesperson" license. Illinois has no salesperson or agent license. The state also does not issue a separate commercial real estate license; a single broker license covers all property types.

Who qualifies for an Illinois broker license

You must be at least 18 years old, hold a high school diploma or GED, and be of good moral character to qualify for an Illinois real estate broker license. Under Section 5-27 of the Illinois Real Estate License Act^[1], applicants must also provide a Social Security Number or ITIN. No college degree is required.

Attorneys admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court and in active standing are exempt from the pre-licensing education and high school diploma requirements. They must still meet the minimum age requirement and pass the broker licensing exam.

Complete your pre-licensing education

The required pre-licensing education must be completed at a school approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) before you can register for the broker exam. Illinois Administrative Code section 1450.400^[2] establishes the education requirement for broker license applicants.

Pre-license education remains valid for 2 years after the date of satisfactory completion, per Section 5-35(a) of the Real Estate License Act^[1].

Pass the Illinois broker licensing exam

You must pass a written licensing exam to earn your broker license. The exam fee is paid directly to the testing vendor, and all fees are non-refundable.

A passing exam score is valid for 1 year. If you do not submit a license application within that year, your exam credit expires and you must retake the exam, per Section 5-35(b) of the Real Estate License Act^[1]. After 4 consecutive exam failures, you must retake the full pre-licensing education before testing again.

Complete the fingerprint background check

All broker license applicants must submit to a criminal background check through a fingerprint vendor licensed by IDFPR. Fingerprints must be taken within 60 days of submitting your application, according to the IDFPR fingerprint background check guide^[3]. The Illinois State Police and the FBI both process the check, and results are transmitted electronically to IDFPR. The guide does not set a fixed fee for fingerprinting; applicants should contact the vendor directly for pricing.

Out-of-state applicants must complete an Identity Verification Certifying Statement form and use an Illinois fingerprint vendor with card scan capability.

Secure a sponsoring broker

Your broker license remains inactive until a managing broker registers a sponsorship with IDFPR. Under Section 5-27(c) of the Real Estate License Act^[1], you must not engage in licensed activities until a valid sponsorship is registered. The sponsoring broker must notify IDFPR of the sponsorship within 24 hours of establishing it.

If you change sponsoring brokers, the sponsorship transfer processing fee is $35, effective January 1, 2024, under Illinois Administrative Code section 1450.130(h)(5)^[4]. The new sponsoring broker must approve the transfer request within 7 calendar days, or the request expires and the transfer fee is forfeited, according to IDFPR's sponsor transfer instructions^[5].

Submit your license application

After passing the exam and securing sponsorship, submit your license application through IDFPR's online services portal. The application fee for an initial broker license is $150, as stated in Illinois Administrative Code section 1450.130^[4]. The exam fee of $58 per attempt is paid directly to PSI Services LLC, the state's testing vendor, according to the PSI candidate bulletin^[6]. IDFPR advises allowing 2 to 4 business days for a license to post in its system after submission.

All fees are non-refundable. Starting June 4, 2024, applicants can submit payments for paper applications online through the IDFPR Division of Real Estate^[7] ePay system.

Post-license education and your first renewal

New brokers must complete 45 hours of post-license education before their first renewal deadline. The post-license education consists of 3 courses of 15 hours each, covering applied brokerage principles, risk management and discipline, and transactional issues, according to Section 5-50(b) of the Real Estate License Act^[1]. Each course requires a passing score on a 50-question final exam. The 45-hour post-license curriculum satisfies the continuing education requirement for the initial license term.

After the first renewal, brokers must complete 12 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, including at least 2 hours of fair housing training, per Section 5-70(b) of the Real Estate License Act^[1]. Broker licenses expire on April 30 of even-numbered years. The renewal fee is $200, per section 1450.130(b)(2)^[4]. A late fee of $75 applies to licenses expired for 2 years or less, per section 1450.130(b)(3)^[4].

Out-of-state applicants

Starting January 1, 2026, all out-of-state brokers and managing brokers seeking Illinois licensure must apply through an endorsement process that replaced the previous reciprocity process with specific states. The IDFPR Division of Real Estate^[7] requires endorsement applicants to hold an active license in good standing in another state and complete a 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course.

Becoming a real estate agent

The REALTOR® designation is an optional professional title, separate from state licensure. A broker earns it by joining a local association affiliated with NAR and agreeing to follow the NAR Code of Ethics.

REALTORS® must complete ethics training every 3 years, according to the National Association of REALTORS® membership page^[8].

Your next steps

Confirm you meet the eligibility requirements, then enroll in an IDFPR-approved pre-licensing course. The IDFPR Real Estate Professionals page^[9] lists approved education providers, links to curriculum documents, and provides contact information for the Division of Real Estate at 1-888-473-4858. The IDFPR pre-license curriculum document^[10] outlines the topics covered in each course segment. After completing your coursework, schedule your exam with PSI, complete your fingerprint background check, and begin conversations with managing brokers who can sponsor your license.