How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License?
If you’ve been considering a career in real estate, you’re likely wondering how long it takes to get your license. The timeline of obtaining your real estate license can vary depending on the state you’re in and whether you choose to take pre-license education before the licensing exam.
Steps to Getting a Real Estate License
- Pre-license education
- Pass the licensing exam
- Complete/ submit license application
- Find a broker to affiliate with
- Begin work as a real estate agent
Pre-license Education
The amount of pre-license education you’ll need to take depends on the state you’re in. Generally, you’ll need to complete anywhere between 40-150 hours of education in real estate basics, depending on the state you’re in. On average it takes 20 or more days of studying around 8 hours a day to complete your state’s pre-license education requirement.
Pass the License Exam
Once you’ve completed your pre-license education, you’re eligible to schedule your real estate state licensing exam. The exam can take anywhere from two to four hours, depending on the state you’re in. Results for the exam are available shortly after you finish it.
License Application
In some states, you are able to submit your real estate license application once you’ve passed the licensing exam. It takes a few weeks to process the license application, and you need to have your license in-hand before you are able to officially begin working as a real estate agent.
Find a Broker to Affiliate With
Once you’ve passed the exam and have received your license in the mail, it’s time to find a broker to affiliate with. Most real estate agents join brokerages, so you’ll need to research and decide which one is best for your career. This step typically takes at least a couple of weeks.
Begin Work as a Real Estate Agent
Once you’ve affiliated with a broker, you’ll finally be able to begin working as a real estate agent. Depending on the specific state and broker, you may need to take additional courses as part of a post-license education and/or complete additional paperwork before officially starting work so your jurisdiction can keep track of your activities as a real estate professional.
Generally it takes three to six months to obtain your real estate license, depending on the state you live in and your timeline for pre-license education. You can likely shorten this timeline if you focus and expend all your effort on the necessary steps and move quickly. However, in order to be a successful and effective real estate agent, you need to learn the basics of the industry through pre-license education and other applicable trainings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the amount of time it takes to get a real estate license varies depending on the state, with typically 3-6 months being the average timeline. It is important to complete your pre-license education to ensure that you are prepared for the challenges of the real estate industry.