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Can convicted felons get real estate license in Illinois? It depends on the type of conviction that you have. In most cases, you are still qualified to get a license. However, the Department of Professional Regulation will consider all factors when deciding whether to grant you a license. The IDFPR says that more than 95% of applicants in the real estate profession with a prior conviction who accurately completed their application disclosing the conviction obtained a license. The IDFPR will more closely consider any convictions related to conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, extortion, forgery, larceny, obtaining money under false pretenses, or a felony involving moral turpitude. It may also consider misdemeanors involving dishonesty or fraud. You should fully and honestly disclose any prior criminal activity when you make your application for your broker license. There is a screening form I will ask about your criminal history and for any supporting documentation to be uploaded.

Can you get real estate license without high school diploma in Illinois? Yes, you do need to have a high school diploma or a general education development diploma before you can earn your Illinois broker license.

Illinois requires broker license applicants to be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and complete 75 hours of pre-license education from an IDFPR-approved provider: 60 hours of Real Estate Topics and 15 hours of Applied Real Estate Principles in an interactive format. After passing the licensing exam (100 national questions at 70% passing and 40 state questions at 75% passing, administered by PSI for $58 per attempt), the applicant must secure sponsorship from a licensed managing broker and submit a license application with the required fee to IDFPR. A passing exam score is valid for 1 year, and pre-license education is valid for 2 years from the date of completion.

Illinois does not offer a "salesperson" or "agent" license; the entry-level real estate license is the broker license. To qualify, an applicant must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, complete 75 hours of approved pre-license education (a 60-hour topics course plus a 15-hour interactive applied real estate principles course), pass the broker examination administered by PSI, obtain sponsorship from a managing broker, and submit a license application to IDFPR. Attorneys admitted to the Illinois Supreme Court in active standing are exempt from the education requirement.

To become a REALTOR®, a licensed real estate broker must join their local REALTOR® Association and pay membership dues. Membership in the local association also includes membership in the state REALTOR® association and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). REALTORS® must uphold the NAR Code of Ethics and complete ethics training every three years. In Illinois, the entry-level license is called a broker license, so a licensee must first obtain that license before joining a REALTOR® Association.

In Illinois, a real estate career begins with a broker license, as the state does not issue a "salesperson" or "agent" license. The path requires completing 75 hours of pre-license education (60 hours of topics and 15 hours of interactive applied principles), passing the state licensing exam administered by PSI, and securing sponsorship from a licensed managing broker before practicing. Income data from the NAR Member Profile 2025 shows the average REALTOR® earns $58,100 annually, though those with two years or less of experience earn $8,100 on average, compared to $78,900 for those with 16 or more years of experience. New brokers must also complete 45 hours of post-license education before their first renewal and 12 hours of continuing education each subsequent two-year cycle.

How to get a copy of your real estate license in Illinois? The IDFPR will no longer provide traditional paper licenses. Licensees may get a copy of their license(s) by going to https://www.idfpr.com/getmylicense.

IDFPR maintains an online services portal where the public can verify real estate licenses. Illinois issues three real estate license types: broker, managing broker, and residential leasing agent, so verification searches should use one of these categories rather than the terms agent or salesperson, which Illinois does not use as license types. The IDFPR website also provides a CE Lookup tool that tracks continuing education completion for licensees. IDFPR's Division of Real Estate can be reached at 1-888-473-4858 for license verification assistance.

IDFPR provides an online services portal on its website where you can verify the status of any Illinois real estate license, including broker, managing broker, and residential leasing agent licenses. The Division of Real Estate also offers a CE Lookup tool for tracking continuing education compliance on completed coursework. IDFPR can be reached at 1-888-473-4858 for licensing questions, with offices in Chicago at 555 West Monroe Street and in Springfield at 320 West Washington Street.

A REALTOR® is a licensed real estate professional who also holds membership in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) through a local association. The Illinois broker licensing process, which includes completing 75 hours of pre-license education and passing the state and national licensing exams, can take several months depending on course pace and exam scheduling. After obtaining a broker license, joining NAR requires applying through the local REALTOR® association, paying membership dues, and agreeing to uphold the NAR Code of Ethics, with ethics training required every 3 years.