How to Become a Real Estate Agent and Broker in Texas
21 min read·
Getting a Texas real estate license lets you work as a sales agent under a sponsoring broker, with the option to later upgrade to a broker license and operate independently. Both a broker and real estate agent must be licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), which requires 180 hours of qualifying education, a two-part exam administered by Pearson VUE, and a fingerprint-based background check. From the date you file your application, TREC gives you one year to complete every requirement.
Eligibility requirements for a Texas real estate license
Texas sets three baseline qualifications for sales agent licensure: you must be 18 or older, hold U.S. citizenship or lawful admission as an alien, and satisfy TREC's character review for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity. No high school diploma or GED is required. The state does not require Texas residency, but applicants must demonstrate geographic competency under Texas Occupations Code §1101.652(a)(6)[1]. Texas does not have a separate commercial real estate license; one sales agent license authorizes all property types.
To obtain a Texas real estate sales agent license, an applicant must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien, and meet TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity. The applicant must complete 180 classroom hours of qualifying education across six 30-hour courses (Principles of Real Estate I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms, and Real Estate Finance), pass a fingerprint background check, and pass both the national and state portions of the licensing exam administered by Pearson VUE. After meeting all requirements, TREC issues an inactive license, and the applicant must find a sponsoring broker to activate it.See the answer for every state
Texas does not issue a separate license for commercial real estate. The same sales agent license covers all types of real estate transactions, whether residential or commercial. An applicant completes the same 180 hours of qualifying education and passes the same licensing exam administered by Pearson VUE. Experience gained from commercial transactions counts toward the broker license experience requirement, just as residential transactions do.See the answer for every state
Request a fitness determination before applying
Applicants with a criminal record, unpaid judgments, or prior disciplinary actions can request a Fitness Character Determination from TREC before committing to the full licensing process. The fitness determination fee is $54[2] per the TREC fee schedule effective December 15, 2025. TREC reviews your background and issues a non-binding opinion on whether your history would disqualify you from licensure, letting you decide before paying for education and exam fees.
Complete 180 hours of qualifying education
Texas requires 180 classroom hours of qualifying education from a TREC-approved provider[3], structured as six 30-hour courses. College credit can substitute for some coursework: one semester hour equals 15 classroom hours, and one quarter hour equals 10 classroom hours.
Texas sales agent applicants must complete 180 classroom hours across six 30-hour qualifying courses: Principles of Real Estate I, Principles of Real Estate II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms, and Real Estate Finance. Each course includes a final examination that must be passed to receive credit. The courses must be taken from a TREC-approved qualifying education provider and are available in classroom, online, or correspondence format.See the answer for every state
Course completion certificates have no stated expiration under TREC rules. The one-year limit governs the application window, not individual course credentials. A separate TREC rule under 22 TAC §535.51(d)(2) prevents duplicate course credit within a two-year period, but this does not set a certificate expiration date.
TREC does not specify a general expiration period for course completion certificates. The application is valid for one year from the date of filing, and all license requirements, including passing the exam, must be met within that one-year window. TREC rules prohibit awarding credit for the same qualifying course taken more than once within a 2-year period, but this is a duplicate-credit restriction rather than a certificate expiration. For broker applicants specifically, the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course must be completed not more than two years before the application date.See the answer for every state
TREC-approved qualifying education courses are available in online, correspondence, and classroom formats. The TREC searchable database of approved qualifying courses allows filtering by delivery method, including Online. Course completion certificates must be uploaded as PDF documents when applying through the REALM Portal.See the answer for every state
TREC maintains a searchable database of approved qualifying real estate courses on its website, where applicants can filter by provider, delivery method, hours, and expiration status. Courses are available in three delivery formats: online, correspondence, and classroom. All 180 hours of qualifying education must be completed through a TREC-approved provider, and each course concludes with a final examination that the student must pass to receive credit.See the answer for every state
Texas requires 180 hours of qualifying pre-licensing education through a TREC-approved provider, available in classroom, online, or correspondence formats. Course costs vary by provider and delivery format, with online packages generally costing less than in-person classroom instruction. TREC's searchable database of approved qualifying courses allows applicants to filter by provider, delivery method, and course. The six required 30-hour courses are Principles of Real Estate I, Principles of Real Estate II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms, and Real Estate Finance.See the answer for every state
Submit your sales agent application to TREC
You file the sales agent application online through TREC's REALM Portal[3], uploading course completion certificates as PDF documents. The application costs $206[2] under the current fee schedule, covering the base filing fee, Texas Online processing, the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center fee, and the Real Estate Recovery Fee. Your application remains valid for 12 months from the filing date, and all requirements must be satisfied within that period.
To get a Texas real estate license, you 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. You must complete 180 classroom hours of qualifying education from a TREC-approved provider across six required 30-hour courses, then submit an online application through the REALM Portal with a $206 fee. TREC reviews your education and sends instructions to schedule fingerprinting ($37, paid to IDEMIA) and the licensing exam ($43, administered by Pearson VUE). After passing both the national and state portions of the exam and clearing the background check, TREC issues an inactive license. You must then find a sponsoring broker and submit a sponsorship request through the REALM Portal to activate your license.See the answer for every state
TREC gives applicants one year from the date the application is filed to meet all license requirements, including completing 180 hours of qualifying education, passing the two-part exam, and clearing the background check. Most candidates complete the process within a few months depending on study pace, with full-time students moving faster than those balancing other commitments. After passing the exam, TREC issues an inactive license, and the agent must secure a sponsoring broker through the REALM Portal to activate it.See the answer for every state
The TREC fee schedule effective December 15, 2025 lists three fixed regulatory costs: the Sales Agent Original Application at $206, the sales examination fee at $43 paid to the exam provider, and the fingerprint fee at $37 paid to IDEMIA. Pre-licensing education costs vary by provider and delivery format, and TREC maintains a searchable database of approved qualifying education providers where applicants can compare options. The total cost depends primarily on the education provider chosen, since the regulatory fees are fixed.See the answer for every state
TREC has reported delays processing applications because of integration issues between the REALM Portal, the Pearson VUE exam system, and DPS fingerprinting. Form letters from Pearson VUE may indicate a 10-business-day turnaround after passing the exam, but TREC states this is not accurate due to these integration issues. TREC will contact you if additional information is needed or if a background check issue arises.
Complete fingerprinting and background check
TREC requires fingerprints on file with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for a background check, and fingerprints submitted for other agencies are not accepted. You complete fingerprinting through IDEMIA, and the fee is $37[2] per the TREC fee schedule effective December 15, 2025, paid to IDEMIA.
Register for and take the licensing exam
After TREC reviews your education, it sends an eligibility email with a registration ID for scheduling through Pearson VUE[4]. Appointments require a minimum of one day's notice; walk-ins are not accepted.
The Texas real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE under contract with TREC. The sales agent exam consists of a National portion with 85 items (80 scored plus 5 pretest) in 150 minutes and a State portion with 50 items (40 scored plus 10 pretest) in 90 minutes, for a total of 240 minutes (4 hours). To pass, sales agent candidates must answer 56 questions correctly on the National portion and 28 on the State portion. The exam fee is $43 per attempt, paid at the time of reservation, and candidates have three attempts to pass both portions before additional education is required.See the answer for every state
Pearson VUE administers the Texas real estate licensing exam under contract with TREC. The sales exam fee is $43 per attempt, paid at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance, and walk-in examinations are not available. After a candidate passes both portions and clears the background check, TREC issues the license.See the answer for every state
Candidates have three attempts to pass both portions before the application expiration date. If you fail either portion three times, you must complete additional qualifying education before retesting: 30 hours if you failed one portion, or 60 hours if you failed both portions. After each failed attempt, you must wait 24 hours before scheduling a re-examination. Exam scores for each portion are valid for one year from the passing date.
The Texas real estate sales agent exam has a first-time pass rate of 56.12% based on TREC data covering December 2023 through November 2025, meaning slightly more than half of first-time test takers pass both the national and state portions on their first attempt. Candidates must complete 180 hours of qualifying education and pass a two-part exam with 125 total questions in 4 hours, requiring 56 correct answers on the national portion and 28 correct on the state portion. Candidates who fail either portion three times must complete additional education, 30 hours for one failed portion or 60 hours for both, before retesting.See the answer for every state
Pearson VUE publishes a Candidate Handbook and content outlines as downloadable PDFs that detail the exam structure and topics covered on both the national and state portions. The sales exam includes 85 national items and 50 state items across 240 minutes, with passing scores of 56 correct on the national portion and 28 correct on the state portion. TREC also publishes quarterly exam topic reports on its website covering the last five years that identify topics where success rates are lower. Pearson VUE offers national-portion practice tests for $19.95 to help candidates assess their readiness.See the answer for every state
Pearson VUE offers online sales and broker practice tests for $19.95 each, covering national real estate topics only; state-specific practice tests are not available from Pearson VUE. TREC publishes quarterly exam topic reports on its website covering the last five years, which show success rates by topic to help candidates identify areas with lower pass rates. The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook and content outlines are also available as downloadable PDFs from the Pearson VUE website.See the answer for every state
Pearson VUE, the official exam vendor for TREC, offers national practice tests for $19.95 each, but these cover only general real estate topics and contain no Texas-specific content. State-specific practice tests are not available from Pearson VUE. Some education providers offer free practice exams as part of their course packages, though content and availability vary by provider. The official Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook, content outlines, and study guide are available as free downloadable PDFs.See the answer for every state
Activate your license with a sponsoring broker
After you pass both exam portions and clear the background check, TREC issues an inactive sales agent license by email within 5 to 10 business days. An inactive license means you cannot practice real estate brokerage until you find a licensed broker to sponsor you. You or the sponsoring broker submit the sponsorship request through the REALM Portal[3], and once approved, your license moves to active status.
Texas does not have reciprocity with any state, so out-of-state licensees must satisfy all current Texas licensing requirements. Out-of-state applicants who hold an active license in a state participating in ARELLO[5] national exam accreditation may be exempt from the national portion of the Texas exam.
Sales agents must renew their license every two years through the REALM Portal online, and TREC sends a renewal notice about 90 days before the expiration date. For subsequent renewals, 18 hours of approved continuing education are required: 4 hours Legal Update I, 4 hours Legal Update II, 3 hours Contract-Related coursework, and 7 hours of elective CE. First-time renewals require 270 total hours of qualifying education plus Legal Update I and II. If CE is not complete at the time of active renewal, a $200 CE deferral fee provides an additional 60 days to complete the requirement before the license is placed on inactive status.See the answer for every state
A Texas real estate sales agent license is valid for two years. TREC sends a renewal notice approximately 90 days before the expiration date. The licensee must complete required continuing education and pay the renewal fee to maintain active status.See the answer for every state
Texas requires 18 hours of approved continuing education per two-year license period: 4 hours of Legal Update I, 4 hours of Legal Update II, 3 hours of Contract-Related coursework, and 7 hours of elective CE. A broker or designated broker who sponsors one or more sales agents, or a delegated supervisor, must also complete a 6-hour Broker Responsibility Course as part of the 18-hour requirement. If CE is not complete at the time of active renewal, a $200 deferral fee provides a 60-day extension to finish the coursework.See the answer for every state
Continuing education in Texas real estate refers to the 18 hours of approved coursework that license holders must complete during each two-year license period to renew an active license. The required breakdown is 4 hours of Legal Update I, 4 hours of Legal Update II, 3 hours of Contract-Related coursework, and 7 hours of elective CE. Brokers who sponsor one or more sales agents, or delegated supervisors, must also complete a 6-hour Broker Responsibility Course as part of the 18-hour requirement. If a license holder renews active without completing CE, a $200 deferral fee provides a 60-day extension to finish the coursework while remaining active.See the answer for every state
TREC allows continuing education courses to be completed online, by correspondence, or in a classroom. The TREC searchable database of approved CE courses includes a filter for delivery method, so license holders can find online options. Available delivery methods listed by TREC are Online, Correspondence, and Classroom.See the answer for every state
TREC maintains a searchable database of approved continuing education courses on its website, with filters for delivery method and provider. Approved CE courses are available in three formats: online, correspondence, and classroom. Texas REALTORS® and local REALTOR® associations also offer CE courses in person and online for license-renewal education.See the answer for every state
Texas broker applicants must complete 270 classroom hours of qualifying education (the six sales agent courses plus a 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course), an additional 630 classroom hours of related education including a 6-hour Broker Responsibility Course, and accumulate 720 experience points from at least four years of active experience as a licensed sales agent during the 60 months preceding the application. A bachelor's degree satisfies up to 300 hours of the related education requirement, and candidates with experience points above 720 can substitute at a rate of one classroom hour per two excess points, up to 300 hours. The broker application fee is $308 per the TREC fee schedule effective December 15, 2025, and applicants have one year from filing to meet all requirements.See the answer for every state
Broker applicants in Texas must complete 270 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses, which include the same six 30-hour courses required for a sales agent license plus a 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course. The six sales agent courses are Principles of Real Estate I, Principles of Real Estate II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms, and Real Estate Finance. The Real Estate Brokerage course must be completed not more than two years before the application date. An additional 630 classroom hours of related qualifying or approved CE courses are also required, including a 6-hour Broker Responsibility Course, though a bachelor's degree or higher can satisfy up to 300 of those 630 hours.See the answer for every state
A real estate sales agent is licensed by TREC to act on behalf of a broker and must be sponsored by a licensed broker to perform any real estate service. A broker has completed additional education, experience, and examination requirements and can work independently, sponsor and supervise sales agents, and operate a brokerage. Sales agents cannot accept compensation from anyone other than their sponsoring broker, and all commissions must be paid through the broker. Brokers in Texas must complete 270 hours of qualifying education plus 630 hours of related education and have at least four years of active experience totaling 720 experience points.See the answer for every state
Texas brokers must complete 18 hours of CE per two-year renewal cycle. For brokers who sponsor one or more sales agents or serve as delegated supervisors, the breakdown is 4 hours Legal Update I, 4 hours Legal Update II, 3 hours Contract-Related, 6 hours Broker Responsibility, and 1 hour elective. Brokers not required to take the Broker Responsibility Course follow the standard 18-hour breakdown of 4 hours Legal Update I, 4 hours Legal Update II, 3 hours Contract-Related, and 7 hours elective.See the answer for every state
REALTOR® membership and the Code of Ethics
The REALTOR® designation is a voluntary membership title from NAR[6], the National Association of REALTORS®, and is not a TREC license. Only NAR members may use this title.
Becoming a REALTOR® requires three steps: obtain a real estate license, join a local REALTOR® association, and pay membership dues. Membership in a local association provides membership in the state and national associations. Principals of a real estate firm must join before non-principal agents at the firm can join. NAR membership is voluntary and separate from state licensure through TREC. For 2027, NAR national dues are $156 per member, plus a $45 special assessment for the Consumer Advertising Campaign, totaling $201 per year at the national level.See the answer for every state
Becoming a REALTOR® requires first obtaining a real estate license and then joining a local REALTOR® association, which also provides membership in the state and national associations. The licensing process for a Texas sales agent involves completing 180 hours of qualifying education, passing the state exam, and clearing a background check, which typically takes several months depending on study pace. After licensing, joining a local association and paying membership dues completes the process. Membership in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is voluntary and separate from state licensure through TREC.See the answer for every state
A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) who agrees to abide by NAR's Code of Ethics, while a real estate broker is a licensee who has met additional education, experience, and exam requirements beyond those of a sales agent. Brokers can work independently, sponsor sales agents, and operate a brokerage. Not all brokers are REALTORS®, and not all REALTORS® are brokers: NAR membership is open to agents, brokers, property managers, appraisers, and other real estate professionals. Joining NAR is voluntary and separate from state licensure through the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).See the answer for every state
Next steps
To start the licensing process, verify your eligibility on TREC's sales agent page[3] and request a fitness determination if you have a criminal history. Enroll in a TREC-approved 180-hour qualifying education course, then file your application through the REALM Portal. Schedule fingerprinting with IDEMIA, and after TREC sends your eligibility email, register for the exam with Pearson VUE. Once you pass both portions and clear the background check, find a sponsoring broker to activate your license and begin practicing real estate in Texas.
