Last Updated on July 29, 2025 by Lexy Summer
Should you become a real estate agent in California? Is it worth the time and effort? Is the process to get a California real estate license fraught with complexities or simple and straightforward? These are some of the first questions to be asked if you are looking to launch a satisfying and rewarding career in this niche.
This post will go into the various aspects of how to get a real estate license in the Golden State as well as the points to keep in mind to make the process seamless for you.
The real estate sector in the state is controlled by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). This body lays down the rules and regulations for becoming a real estate agent and is responsible for issuing the relevant licenses in California. As per the DRE requirements, if you want to lease, rent, sell, or buy properties in California on behalf of third persons for a commission, you must have a California real estate license.
There are many benefits to becoming a real estate agent in California. First, you are your own boss and get to fix your work schedules, thus maintaining a harmonious work-life balance. Additionally, the sky is the limit for earnings, and bringing home six figures is not a pipe dream.
However, what takes the cake for real estate agents is the several career opportunities that a California real estate license brings to the table. Your work ambit is not limited to being a buyer’s or a seller’s agent doing basic real estate transactions only, you can be a property manager, a real estate investor, or specialize in commercial or residential properties.
Click here to learn more about how to get a California real estate license.
Let us dive now into the steps to get a real estate license in the state.
Prerequisites to apply for a license
You must be at least 18 years old to apply for a real estate license in California. However, if so desired, you can complete the pre-licensing coursework and other formalities before you turn 18. You must also be a citizen of the USA though legally admitted migrants with working rights in the country and take up a career in real estate. A high school diploma or an equivalent such as a GED is necessary as an educational qualification.
Pre-licensing coursework
As mandated by DRE, aspiring real estate agents must go through 135 hours of pre-licensing coursework. It lays the foundation to master the various intricacies of the real estate sector so that they can offer excellent and error-free services to their clients in the future. This aspect is so important that only courses approved by DRE count as fulfilling eligibility norms to appear for the licensing exam.
The complete 135-hour coursework to get a California real estate license consists of 3 modules of 45 hours each. The first two are Principles of Real Estate and Practice of Real Estate. The other is an Elective module of a subject of your choice restricted to the following options only.
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate
- Real Estate Economics
- Real Estate Investments
You can select either an online pre-licensing course or a physical classroom-based one per your preferred learning style. However, if you want the flexibility of studying anytime and from anywhere without upsetting your normal daily routine, choose an online course.
Once you download the lessons onto any Internet-enabled device, you do not have any study time or place restrictions. Further, you do not have to spend time commuting to physical classrooms.
Among the leading online DRE-approved course providers in California is RealEstateU. The coursework is designed by leading real estate professionals and is of the highest quality while being the most affordable too.
What sets them apart is the study guides and exam prep offered in their top-end packages. The exam prep has sample questions that replicate those of the actual licensing test and provides information about the type and format of the exam questions You thereby know about your level of preparation, getting the confidence to pass the licensing exam on the first try.
Background verification
After completing the 135-hour pre-licensing coursework, submit your fingerprints electronically for background checks for criminal records. Many first-time applicants often ask how do you get a background check, and in this case, it involves submitting electronic fingerprints through an authorized service provider. Real estate agents must have high moral and financial integrity and values and one way of checking it is to delve into your past records. In positive cases, DRE reserves the right to reject your application for a California real estate license. The fingerprint scan fee is $40.
Schedule and pass the licensing exam
Visit the DRE portal, pay $60, and schedule the licensing test. Select a convenient exam center from the designated list. The test is proctored by a third-party service provider and you must visit the exam center physically to take the online test.
The California real estate license test is in a multiple-choice format consisting of national and state-specific questions. There are 175 questions and you must score at least 75% to get a pass grade. The results are announced soon after completing the test as it is held online and collating the answers does not take much time.
Apply for a real estate license in California
After passing the licensing exam, visit the DRE portal, pay $245, and apply for a real estate license. A provisional license will be issued to you at this stage but you cannot practice with it.
Find a licensed broker to sponsor you
Find a licensed broker to sponsor you in the initial stages of your career and get the required infrastructure and guidance to launch your career.
Now inform DRE about your employment status in a brokerage and have your California real estate license converted from an inactive to active one.
Lexy Summer is a talented writer with a deep passion for the art of language and storytelling. With a background in editing and content creation, Lexy has honed her skills in crafting clear, engaging, and grammatically flawless writing.
