If you'v'e dreamed of a real estate career and are interested in earning your real estate license, you may be wondering exactly what you need to do in order to pursue your dream. One of the first steps if you want to sell or lease real estate in the state of California is to obtain your California Real Estate Salesperson license.
Here's what you need to know about the process to ensure your success.
One of the critical steps in getting a real estate license in California is passing the Salesperson license exam. In order to qualify to take the exam, you must meet the following general requirements as specified by the DRE:
Steps to getting a
Real estate license
The state required education courses for a California real estate license are a combination of the following:
This is particularly important, as California requires you to take pre-licensing training from an approved course provider before you can even think about sitting for the exam. Note that the required number of training hours will vary widely depending on the state. In California, for example, you need to take 135 hours to meet this criteria. That number might be different if you were taking courses in another state.
In California you have the option of taking this pre-licensing education both in-person and by way of real estate courses online.
Once you have met the exam's educational requirements, it's time to apply for the actual exam. You may apply for the salesperson examination by using the Salesperson Exam Application or the Combined Salesperson Examination and License Application. We recommend doing the combo application. The combined application allows you to apply for both the exam and license and pay all applicable fees at the same time and if you have a clear criminal background, your license can be issued immediately!
Once you have submitted your application, you should be prepared to wait around 4–6 weeks for your application to be processed. Once approved, you will receive an Examination Schedule notice, allowing you to schedule a time for your examination. California has an scheduling system that you will use to schedule your examination and check on the status of your exam.
During the exam, you'll be asked 150 multiple choice questions that cover California real estate laws, rules and regulations. You are given 3 hours to complete the examination and you must score 70% or higher to pass. The exam is qualifying in nature only, which means that a score is not reported unless you fail the test. If you take one of our exam prep real estate crash courses you should be just fine!
The good news is that ADHI Schools will fully prepare you for this leg of your journey so you pass the real estate exam with minimal stress!
At this point it's important to note that in order to legally practice real estate in California, you'll need to work under a supervising broker. Brokers are typically real estate companies who make sure that you (and all other new agents) are adhering to both legal and ethical standards in all interactions with clients and are responsible for supervising their sales staff.
In addition to searching online for a broker with a great training program, our students are also introduced to brokers in their area for career placement. Because brokerages usually pay their agents exclusively in commissions, they're often willing to welcome new people into the fold because they can do so at no direct cost. This means there’s always room for a new agent.
When trying to find a brokerage to partner with, just be sure to find one that you're both comfortable with and that will offer you the type of on-the-job training you need to really make the most out of your career.
Once you have passed the exam, you will need to complete and submit the Salesperson license application (unless you have previously completed the Combined Examination and License application) along with providing the applicable fees.
As part of a background check, you will be required to be fingerprinted through a live scan fingerprint service provider in the state of California, which will typically cost anywhere between $70 and $80. ADHI Schools offers this Livescan service.
Official transcripts for the completed courses are sufficient as evidence that you’ve completed the required real estate education courses. If you take the coursework through ADHI Schools our certificates will work just fine!
Out-of-state applicants have a few additional steps in applying for a license. Out-of-state persons must submit a notarized Consent of Service Process form along with their original application.
Once you have completed the application, the Department of Real Estate will review your application for approval.
Once your license has been approved, a copy will be provided to your sponsoring real estate broker. If you do not currently have a sponsoring broker, you will be mailed a copy of the salesperson license with a non-working status.
Short answer: Fastest legal path is ~54 days to finish the 135 hours of coursework, because CA requires a minimum 18 days per 45-hour course.
Typical reality: Most students take 2–4 months part-time for the courses. After that, add time for:
Bottom line: From first enrollment to license in hand, plan on ~3–6 months (faster if you sprint the coursework and test availability lines up).
There are two buckets:
All-in estimate: Tuition + roughly $650–$1,100 in education and licensing costs. (Fees can change—always verify on the DRE fee schedule.)
The DRE gives in-person, computer-based exams at state test centers (you choose when you apply). Locations commonly include Los Angeles area, San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland, and Fresno. Remote/at-home testing isn’t offered. You’ll pick a site and date through DRE eLicensing.
Take them from a California DRE-approved sponsor like ADHI Schools (look for a Sponsor ID ours is S0348). For salesperson eligibility you must complete 135 hours total:
You’ll pass each course’s final exam(s), then submit your completion certificates with your DRE application (online via eLicensing or by mail).
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ADHI Schools
"Hey guys,
I took the exam today and passed!!!!
It only took me one try which was one of my goals. I took the online
classes and follow your suggestions so I took the crash course,
used the crash course app a lot, took 7 mock tests and went
confident to present the exam. Thank you for the great job you are
doing, you guys are awesome!!!! May God continue to bless you!"
Willie V.
