Broker and real estate agent: Texas Real Estate Broker Licensing Guide

Becoming a real estate broker in Texas requires upgrading from a sales agent license through additional education, experience, and examination. An applicant must hold an active sales agent license for at least four years (totaling 720 experience points), complete 270 hours of qualifying courses and 630 hours of related education, pass a two-part broker exam, and pay a $308 application fee to the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). The distinction between a broker and real estate agent causes frequent confusion: a broker holds a state license with independent authority, while a REALTOR® is a trade-association member who agrees to follow the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Code of Ethics. This guide walks through each step of the broker licensing process, from eligibility through renewal.

How Texas real estate license tiers work

Texas issues two tiers of individual real estate licenses through TREC: the sales agent license and the broker license. The broker tier grants independent authority to operate a brokerage, while the REALTOR® designation is a separate trade-association membership open to any licensee.

TREC uses "sales agent" as its statutory term for the entry-level license. In everyday conversation, "agent" and "salesperson" mean the same thing. In Texas, all sales agent compensation flows through the sponsoring broker, and agents cannot be paid directly by clients. A broker license removes that restriction and adds the authority to sponsor agents, open a brokerage, and manage trust accounts. The upgrade from sales agent to broker is the focus of this guide.

Texas broker license requirements

To qualify for a Texas broker license, an applicant must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien, and meet TREC's standards for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity. The applicant must already hold or have held an active Texas sales agent license, since the broker license is an upgrade, not an entry point.

Applicants with a criminal history or prior disciplinary record can request a Fitness Determination from TREC before committing to coursework and fees. TREC gives applicants one year from the filing date to complete all remaining requirements, including education, exam passage, and background check clearance, per the TREC broker licensing page^[1]. Attorneys licensed in Texas must also first obtain a sales agent license. There is no attorney exemption for the broker pathway.

Education requirements for a Texas broker license

Broker applicants face a two-part education requirement: qualifying real estate courses plus additional related coursework. The related coursework can be filled with TREC-approved qualifying education, approved continuing education, or accredited college courses in subjects such as accounting, business management, finance, law, and real estate. An accredited bachelor's degree or higher counts toward up to 300 hours of this requirement when the applicant provides a transcript, per the TREC broker licensing page^[1].

The Brokerage course, required only for broker applicants, must be finished within two years preceding the application date. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience point threshold can substitute extra points for education credit at a rate of one classroom hour for every two points above the minimum, up to 300 hours of the additional requirement.

Earning and documenting experience points

Broker applicants must have at least four years of active experience as a licensed sales agent or broker during the 60-month period preceding the application filing. That experience must total 720 points, a threshold TREC increased from 360 to 720 effective January 1, 2026, as stated on the TREC broker licensing page^[1]. Points are earned through qualifying real estate transactions, and applicants must submit a transaction identification list for each transaction claimed on the experience report.

The sponsoring broker must sign off on the experience documentation. TREC uses separate forms for points claimed at the time of application filing and points earned after filing, and both require the sponsoring broker's signature. The 60-month lookback window means transactions older than five years from the application date do not count toward the point total.

The Texas broker licensing exam

Pearson VUE administers the broker exam under contract with TREC, and the fee is $39 per attempt. The exam consists of two portions in a single four-hour sitting. The National portion tests general real estate topics across 8 subject areas, and the State portion tests Texas-specific law across 7 subject areas with a case studies section. To pass, candidates must answer 60 questions correctly on the National portion and 38 on the State portion, according to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook^[2] dated January 2026.

The State portion includes 10 case study questions based on narratives or contract scenarios. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance through Pearson VUE, and candidates must arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled start time with two forms of identification matching the name on the registration.

Candidates have three attempts to pass both portions before the application expiration date. Failing the exam three times triggers additional education: 30 hours if one portion was failed, or 60 hours if both portions were failed. A 24-hour waiting period applies before scheduling a retake. Exam results for each section are valid for one year from the passing date, and both sections must be passed before the application expires.

Applying for your Texas broker license

Broker license applications are submitted through TREC's REALM online portal. The table below summarizes the fees a broker applicant can expect:

The $308 application fee comprises a $150 base application fee, $8 Texas Online fee, $140 Texas A&M Research Center fee, and $10 Real Estate Recovery Fee, per the TREC fee schedule^[3] effective December 15, 2025. Fingerprints must be on file with Texas DPS before a license issues, with the $37 fingerprinting fee paid to IDEMIA. After passing both exam portions and clearing the background check, TREC issues the license by email within 5 to 10 business days, according to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook^[2].

TREC also issues business entity broker licenses for LLCs and corporations at a $309 application fee, but this guide focuses on the individual broker license.

Renewing a Texas broker license

A Texas broker license is valid for two years. The active on-time renewal fee is $218 per the TREC fee schedule^[3] effective December 15, 2025, and brokers must satisfy continuing education requirements to renew in active status.

If TREC records do not show completed CE at renewal, a $200 deferral fee provides a 60-day extension to finish the coursework while remaining active, per TREC's CE information page^[4]. Late renewal within 90 days of expiration costs $254, and late renewal after 90 days costs $290. License holders are rechecked for criminal backgrounds at each renewal.

Out-of-state applicants

Texas does not have reciprocity with any state. All current Texas broker licensing requirements must be satisfied regardless of an applicant's existing license in another jurisdiction, per the TREC reciprocity policy^[5]. Out-of-state broker applicants must submit a paper Application for Broker License by an Individual; the online REALM portal is not available for out-of-state brokers.

An applicant who holds an active real estate license in a state participating in National exam accreditation through ARELLO may be exempt from the National portion of the broker exam, though the State portion remains mandatory.

Next steps after earning your broker license

Once TREC issues your broker license, you can activate it by paying the $50 Request to Go Active fee and affiliating with a brokerage or opening your own. As an active broker, you can sponsor sales agents and earn commissions directly from clients, authority that a sales agent does not have. Plan ahead for your first renewal cycle, and if you intend to sponsor agents, review the broker-tier continuing education requirements early. Check the TREC broker licensing page^[1] for current rules before applying, as requirements and fees can change.