Your Guide to Obtaining a Georgia Real Estate License

One of the oldest and most popular states, Georgia has been a preferred destination for homeowners and investors for years. 

Currently ranking as the 8th most populated state, Georgia is home to a diverse range of population, be it first-time homebuyers or long-time homeowners. 

Being one of the oldest states in the country, historically, Georgia’s real estate market has always garnered interest from commercial, industrial, and residential perspectives. 

Even today, Georgia’s real estate industry continues to be growing steadily and if you are interested in breaking out in the market, now is a good time to start. 

A career in real estate is a rewarding experience, especially when the economy is stable and the job outlook is positive. 

Did you know that licensed and experienced real estate brokers in Georgia can earn as much as $104K annually? 

Georgia’s housing market has made a strong comeback post-pandemic as housing demand continues to soar. Interestingly, a strong boost has been noticed in the luxury market of Georgia, making it a good market to give your career a promising start. 

If working in Georgia real estate is your career goal, then this article is for you.  

In this article, we will walk you through all the requirements for a GA real estate license. 

This step-by-step guide will cover the entire process - from the education requirements to the costs of getting a license.

Expenses for Obtaining A Georgia Real Estate License 

We understand that a career in real estate can be a significant financial investment, especially for first-time aspirants and students. 

This is why it is important to understand the cost of a real estate license in Georgia in detail to make an informed decision. 

Let us look at the two main components of getting a real estate license and the total cost associated with each: 

1. Real estate education courses to get a license:  

Completing the pre-licensing coursework is mandatory and it generally costs between $250 to $550 as it requires a one to two months commitment. 

The exact cost of the pre-licensing course will vary, depending on the course provider, whether you are opting for in-person training or online classes, among various other factors such as learning materials and add-ons. 

Generally, in-person classroom training at a local school or college is more expensive than enrolling in an online real estate course. 

Similarly, the pricing for the pre-licensing course also varies from school to school, as the more experienced ones charge higher. 

There are pros and cons for each approach, and ultimately, it is your choice of what works best for you financially. 

However, completing the 75 hours of pre-licensing training is a must for all applicants and you must only choose a state-approved course provider. 

2. Real estate background verification: 

Just like most states, the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) requires every applicant to fulfill the background verification and fingerprint check.

This is a mandatory step for every applicant and without meeting the state and federal requirements for ethics, you will not be able to proceed further. 

To carry out this step schedule an appointment at any Georgia Application Processing Service point and submit your digital fingerprints.  

Your digital fingerprints will automatically be shared with you electronically through email. 

This will cost you around $50 as a one-time fee and you can obtain the latest copy of your background document along with a criminal history record from the sheriff’s office. 

These charges can be paid online via American Express, Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, this is a safe and simple procedure that is established to ensure and uphold high ethical and professional standards in the real estate industry. 

3. Real estate license exam:

This is all it comes down to - taking and clearing the Georgia real estate license exam. 

Passing the exam is the most crucial step in your journey to becoming a licensed real estate agent. 

The GA real estate exam cost is $119 for an attempt and you are required to pay the fee along with submitting your licensing application. 

Note that if you are unable to achieve the minimum passing score, you will have to take the exam again and pay the fee for a new attempt. 

4. Real estate application fee: 

To obtain a Georgia real estate agent license, you will have to fill out and submit a license application to the GREC. 

Along with your application and supporting documents, you will have to pay a fee of $170 to process your application. 

You can obtain the license application from any of the state-approved exam centers in Georgia.  

Note that this is a one-time charge, however, if you wish to renew your expired or existing license, then this charge may be higher.

Hence, adding up all the variables, the expenses for obtaining a Georgia real estate license range from $500 to $850.  

Note that this is an indicative range and the final prices may vary depending on the above-discussed factors. 

Real Estate Education Cost

So far, we have listed and discussed the most common and critical factors affecting the total of getting a real estate license in Georgia. 

Out of them, completing the pre-licensing education is the most expensive, both in money as well as time.  

Completing the required education is an important step toward building a successful career, and real estate is no exception. 

Before entering into a new and competitive field like real estate, it is fair to ask a simple but crucial question - what exactly is the total real estate education cost to get going?

What Needs to be Done to Get A GA Real Estate License

You will now go through the various steps for acquiring a real estate license in Georgia including the time taken for the whole process and the expenses to be incurred. 

Pre-licensing Course Requirement

According to the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC), every applicant is required to fulfill the mandatory education requirements to obtain a salesperson or broker’s license.

These include completing one of the following options.   

• Completion of 75 hours of pre-licensing salesperson training from a state-approved education provider. 
• Going through a major course in real estate from a state-approved college or university. A degree in real estate is also acceptable.
• Completing 10 quarter hours or 6 semester hours of coursework from a recognized university, either in the USA or Canada.  

Education Provider Accreditation

Now before you get started with joining a real estate training school or college or enrolling in a pre-licensing course online, it is important to keep a crucial factor. 

According to the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC), you must only choose a state-approved and accredited education provider. 

Thus, before deciding on where you want to learn from, make sure you check the eligibility and accreditation of the real estate school or course provider. 

Additional Requirements for Brokers

If you are applying for a real estate broker’s license, then there is an additional cost to be considered as part of the total investment. 

This is known as the brokerage desk fees - and it includes the cost required to maintain your license, cover office costs, insurance, and other miscellaneous expenses associated with your job. 

For brokers in Georgia, the brokerage desk fees are around $30 to $75 per month. It is a recurring fee that you have to pay to ensure your license and work experience remains active. 

Note that in some cases, the brokerage desk fees can go as high as $100. 

Many brokers factor in this cost as part of their fees and commissions to manage their overheads. 

GA Real Estate Exam Cost

The real estate licensing exam has 152 multiple-choice questions to be done in 4 hours. You have to get at least 70% of the answers right to crack the exam.  

Exam Registration Fee

You can pay $121 online as the GA real estate exam cost of registration for appearing for the exam.  

Retake Fee

The cost of registration for the real estate exam for retakes in case you do not pass in the first attempt is also $121 as in the first case.  

Thus, there is a $121 fee for each time you appear for the GA licensing exam. 

Licensing Fee

In addition to the licensing exam fee, you also have to factor in the licensing fee in the total cost to obtain a license. 

The licensing fee is a one-time cost for activating your real estate license. It will cost you $170 for a salesperson or broker’s license in Georgia.