Want to Know How Can I Get My Real Estate License in California? Read this before starting
California is one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in the country, many aspiring agents are asking, how can I get my real estate license in California? as the state continues to attract interest and investment from wealthy homebuyers and investors.
The sunny climate, natural parks, world standard living, and the presence of diverse cultural and global businesses are some of the reasons why California is unlike anything else.
As the epicenter of technology and arts, California’s real estate market is flourishing with a steady demand for housing and commercial real estate, evidenced by a double-digit growth in the number of homes sold in CA.
Over the last few years, California’s real estate landscape has created exciting income and commission opportunities for agents and brokers.
With popular markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Las Vegas among others, California real estate is at the pinnacle of the industry’s sought-after destinations.
As more buyers and investors continue to flock to CA to own or rent real estate, there are emerging opportunities for aspiring real estate agents who want to make good money.
Working as a California-based real estate agent can be a profitable career move, especially if you want to earn a six-figure income and become financially independent in life.
Whether part-time or full-time, real estate agents in California’s booming real estate landscape can join a lucrative profession and achieve their career goals.
The best part about working as a real estate agent in a diverse, fertile market like CA is the fact that you can practically earn as much money as you want - the more deals you close, the more commissions you can make.
The most important step in starting a fulfilling and rewarding career is to obtain your California real estate license first.
As per the CA law, only licensed real estate agents are allowed to work with clients and represent the interests of clients in transactions.
When compared to other well-paying jobs, starting a career in real estate has a low entry barrier which means you do not need to spend years getting a college education to begin.
All you need to start working in CA real estate is a state-approved license and you will be on your way to earning commissions through deals.
To help you move in the right direction and prepare for the licensing process, this in-depth post covers all the key steps you need to complete to get your CA salesperson license.
After reading this post, you will get all the answers to your question how do I get my real estate license in CA and you will be able to achieve your goals with confidence.
How Can I Get My Real Estate License in California? Basic Eligibility Requirements for a Salesperson License.
Before committing to the journey of obtaining a California real estate license, you must understand that the process requires time, effort, and money as an investment.
Thus, before you start applying for a license, it is important to understand what it takes so you can align your expectations better.
If you're wondering how can I get my real estate license in California, the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) outlines the following minimum eligibility requirements:
- You must be at least 18 years of age or older
- You must be a legal resident of the state of California or a lawfully admitted alien
- You must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent in education
The state law also requires that you must have a clean background with no history of felony or criminal activity.
Note that if you have a history of felony or any unlawful, illegal, or criminal activity, it is important to report them to the DRE to avoid getting your application rejected.
You can take a fitness determination test to ensure that you fully comply with the basic statutory requirements in California.
When starting, you must apply for a salesperson license in California and after a few years of experience and knowledge, you can apply for a broker’s license in CA.
With that out of the way, let us walk you through the steps on how to get a California real estate license as a beginner.
Complete CA salesperson pre-license education
Thinking about how can I get my real estate license in California? You must apply for a CA salesperson License after you have done the necessary qualifying education and training.
Like other states, California also requires aspiring real estate agents to become proficient in the knowledge of the principles of real estate, including the state and federal laws.
As per the California license requirements, you must complete 135 hours of state-approved pre-license course credits from an approved education provider.
Completing mandatory and elective courses will give you the knowledge of how to work as a real estate agent and do your job as a professional.
Plus, you will also learn about the California real estate industry, including state and federal laws, industry standards, and practices.
The course credits require you to complete both mandatory and elective courses to obtain the necessary training for a salesperson license.
For elective courses, you can choose from the following ones:
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Appraisal
- General Accounting
- Business Law
- Property Management
Real estate in California is a competitive industry and to succeed as a professional, you must invest in your pre-license education and training.
By completing 135 hours of CA salesperson license education, you will become proficient with core topics and concepts including your job duties and responsibilities.
Pre-license coursework will not only help you qualify for a license, but it will also help you become a well-rounded professional capable of helping clients and prospects.
When it comes to how to get your CA real estate license by completing pre-license courses, you have the flexibility to choose your preferred medium of learning.
You can choose to join a physical, classroom-based environment or enroll in an online pre-license course.
Generally, students prefer the flexibility offered by online courses as they can be completed from anywhere on any device which can help you save commuting time.
Irrespective of your preferred learning medium, of course, it is important to ensure that you choose a DRE-approved education provider only.
Pass the California Real Estate Licensing Exam
You might be thinking about how to get a California real estate license after completing 135 hours of pre-license course credits.
The next step is to take the California salesperson license exam and prove your knowledge and preparation.
As per the DRE in California, it is mandatory to take the real estate license test to obtain a salesperson license.
The salesperson license exam is a multiple-choice question-based test consisting of both state and national-specific portions.
You will have to tackle 175 questions in total within a timespan of 3 hours. You can pass the test by scoring at least 70 percent or above.
The real estate exam can be scheduled at any of the state-approved Pearson VUE centers as per your preferred time and date.
Here are some popular locations in California where you can take the test:
- Los Angeles
- Oakland
- San Diego
- Fresno
- Sacramento
Many students often wonder about the difficulty of the California real estate license exam and the answer depends on your level of preparation.
To improve your chances of passing the California real estate exam on your first attempt, understanding how do you get a real estate license in CA is key.
A critical step is preparing effectively with real estate exam prep resources. These tools, such as practice tests and study guides, allow you to practice for the test and familiarize yourself with the exam format, increasing your confidence and success rate.
With the help of exam prep resources including sample tests and simulated exam sessions, you will be able to understand the exam format, type of questions, and other key details.
Pass Background Verification
After completing pre-license education and passing the CA real estate license exam, you might wonder how can I get my real estate license in California now.
Another key step in getting licensed is clearing the federal background verification and criminal history check.
As per the California license law, every applicant must meet the minimum standards of honesty, integrity, and truthfulness to prove good moral conduct.
Along with your fingerprint scan, you can submit your California salesperson license application to the DRE for review and approval.
Find Employer Sponsorship
By now you would have got the answer to the question how do I get a real estate license in CA?
However, there is one last step you need to complete to start working with clients and that is to find a sponsoring employer in CA.
To activate your salesperson license, you must work under the supervision of a senior, more experienced broker.