Louisiana real estate school: 90-hour pre-licensing course requirements

Louisiana requires 90 hours of pre-licensing education from a state-certified real estate school before you can sit for the salesperson licensing exam. The coursework combines national real estate principles and practices with a non-substitutable 30-hour Louisiana-specific portion covering license law, commission rules, agency law, and civil law as it applies to real estate transactions. This guide details the full pre-licensing course syllabus, approved schools, online and in-person delivery options, completion requirements, and the educational steps that follow.

What the Louisiana 90-hour pre-licensing course covers

The Louisiana salesperson pre-licensing course requires 90 hours of education approved by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC)^[1], covering general real estate principles and practices alongside Louisiana-specific law. Under Chapter 53, §5331 of the Commission Rules and Regulations, each school must submit a timed, detailed course outline with clearly defined learning objectives, a Principles and Practices textbook title and table of contents, a narrative of Louisiana-specific material, and copies of the final exam and answer key for LREC approval.

The national portion of the curriculum addresses general real estate concepts applicable across jurisdictions, including property ownership, contracts, financing, valuation, and market analysis. The Louisiana portion covers state-specific statutes, rules, and civil law concepts that govern real estate practice within the state.

The 30-hour Louisiana-specific portion: what makes it non-substitutable

LREC prohibits any substitution^[1] for the 30-hour Louisiana-specific portion of the pre-licensing course, meaning every salesperson applicant must complete this segment from an LREC-certified school regardless of prior education or out-of-state licensing. This portion covers four subject areas: the Louisiana Real Estate License Law, Commission Rules and Regulations, Law of Agency, and Civil Law pertaining to real estate.

Louisiana's civil law tradition distinguishes this coursework from pre-licensing requirements in other states. Louisiana is the only U.S. state whose legal system derives from French and Spanish civil codes rather than English common law. The Civil Law portion of the course addresses how this distinct framework governs real property ownership, conveyance, and transactions in Louisiana.

The License Law and Commission Rules component covers the statutes and regulations that govern real estate practice in the state, including licensing requirements, licensee duties, and disciplinary procedures. The Law of Agency component addresses the legal relationships and fiduciary duties between brokers, salespersons, and their clients under Louisiana law.

How schools structure the national and state content

LREC-certified schools organize the coursework as a national principles and practices segment and a Louisiana law segment, though the exact sequencing and delivery format vary by provider. Each school's course outline must meet LREC's content standards under Chapter 53, §5331^[2] of the Commission Rules, which requires a timed schedule, learning objectives, and a detailed narrative of Louisiana-specific material.

The national segment is structured around a Principles and Practices textbook selected by the school. Schools must submit the textbook title and table of contents to LREC as part of the course approval process. This segment provides the foundation in general real estate concepts that the Louisiana-specific material then builds upon.

Only a Certified Pre-license Instructor may teach pre-licensing courses. Under Louisiana RS 37:1443^[3], the instructor application and certification fee is $35, and the school certification fee is $650. LREC requires that all quizzes and the final exam use a multiple-choice format with at least four possible answers per question, ensuring consistent assessment standards across providers.

LREC-approved real estate schools in Louisiana

The LREC publishes a directory^[4] of approved pre-license schools that prospective agents can use to find certified education providers. Several providers offer fully online courses, while others provide classroom instruction at locations across the state.

The approved schools include Adams Real Estate Institute, Bob Brooks School, Bossier Parish Community College, Burk Baker School of Real Estate, Colibri Real Estate, Delgado Community College, Donaldson Educational Services, Excel School of Real Estate, Gulf South Real Estate Institute, Kaplan Real Estate Education, Patriot Title / Patriot Preaux Educators, ProEducate, The CE Shop, The Real Estate School LLC, and Webtaught.

When choosing a school, consider whether you prefer classroom instruction or self-paced online learning, the length of course access, and whether the provider includes exam review materials. Some schools offer access periods as short as 30 days, while others provide up to six months. Tuition differs substantially depending on the provider and how long you need course access.

Taking the pre-licensing course online

Online pre-licensing courses offer self-paced study that lets you complete the required coursework on your own schedule, with access periods typically ranging from 30 days to six months depending on the provider. Several LREC-approved schools provide fully Internet-based courses that include multimedia presentations, digital textbooks, practice quizzes, and online final exams.

Course formats vary by school. Some providers use slide-based presentations with audio narration, while others use text-based materials or a combination of both. Most online courses track your progress and allow you to log in and out as needed, resuming where you left off. The course final exam is typically administered online as well.

Course completion: final exam and certificate of completion

Students must pass a final examination^[2] on course content to receive a certificate of completion from their approved school. LREC requires that the final exam use a multiple-choice format with at least four possible answers per question. The certificate of completion is the document that qualifies you to register for the state licensing exam.

Passing scores and retake policies for the school's final exam vary by provider. Most schools allow students to retake the exam if they do not pass on the first attempt.

Once you have your certificate, the next step is to register for the Louisiana salesperson licensing exam, administered by Pearson VUE^[5]. The state exam is a separate test from your school's final exam and covers both national and Louisiana-specific content in a single sitting.

Transferring out-of-state coursework toward Louisiana requirements

LREC may grant partial credit^[1] toward the pre-licensing requirement for coursework completed in another licensing jurisdiction. The Louisiana-specific segment is always required, regardless of how much transferable credit LREC awards for prior coursework.

LREC may also consider granting partial credit for courses completed more than five years prior to the date of application. Old real estate coursework is not automatically disqualified, but LREC evaluates each case individually rather than granting automatic transfer.

The amount of transferable credit depends on whether your prior coursework covered equivalent material. Out-of-state licensees should contact LREC directly to request a transcript review before enrolling in a Louisiana pre-licensing course.

After pre-licensing: post-license education and next steps

After completing the pre-licensing course and passing the state exam, new Louisiana licensees must complete 45 hours of post-licensing education^[1] within 180 days of initial licensure. Initial licensees must also complete 12 hours of continuing education in the year the license is issued.

Post-licensing education hours may count toward a portion of the annual CE requirement, but they do not satisfy mandatory course topic hours. The 45-hour post-licensing requirement is a separate educational obligation from the pre-licensing course and focuses on practical application for new agents.

For licensees who plan to advance to a broker role, broker pre-licensing requires 150 hours of LREC-approved coursework^[6], which is separate from and does not include the salesperson course.

Your immediate next steps after completing pre-licensing education are to pass the state licensing exam administered by Pearson VUE, find a sponsoring broker to activate your license, and begin your 45-hour post-licensing education within the 180-day window.