California Real Estate Licensing and Continuing Education State Requirements

California Department of Real Estate

California Salesperson Prelicensing Education Requirements

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Non-California residents, please read: https://www.dre.ca.gov/examinees/outofstate.html
• Applicants must be honest and truthful. Conviction of a crime may result in the denial of a license.
• Successfully complete 135 hours of education to include:

a. Real Estate Principles—45 hours (required)
b. Real Estate Practice—45 hours (required) Effective 1/1/2024, any real estate practice course submitted for purposes of qualifying to take a real estate license exam, must include components on implicit bias and fair housing. The fair housing component must include an interactive participatory component where the applicant role plays as both the consumer and real estate professional.
c. Real Estate Appraisal
d. Property Management
e. Real Estate Finance
f. Real Estate Economics
g. Legal Aspects of Real Estate (Kaplan offers Legal Aspects as the elective in licensing packages)
h. Real Estate Office Administration
i. General Accounting
j. Business Law
k. Escrows
l. Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
m. Computer Applications in Real Estate
n. Common Interest Developments

• Pass the state licensing exam (can only be provided by the state). Please use the eLicensing system to register for the California real estate exam and/or the online application for licensure. Before starting the online application, DRE recommends reviewing this short video for additional information.
• Upon passing the exam, applicants will receive an application for licensure. Please make sure to submit applications with all necessary items at the same time for timely processing; i.e.,
  

I. Fingerprints
II. Background check
III. Payment of all fees

• Review the Current Application Processing Timeframes page to have a clear understanding of the time frame.
• . Statutory Course Important Note: Per California Department of Real Estate guidelines, statutory courses require a waiting period of 18 days before attempting a final exam. Additional exams will become available as the mandated 18-day wait period expires. You cannot apply one 18-day wait period to meet the wait time for all statutory courses. Our Learning Management System will track your wait period time.

CA Broker Prelicensing Education Requirements

• Be 18 years or older.
•  Non California residents please read: https://www.dre.ca.gov/examinees/outofstate.html
• Applicants must be honest and truthful. Conviction of a crime may result in the denial of a license.
• Either, a minimum of two years full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last five years, or two years of unlicensed equivalent experience, or a four-year degree with a major/minor in real estate is required. For further information, see Documenting Experience Requirements for the Broker Examination
• Successfully completed the following 8courses:

I. Real Estate Practice; and (Effective January 1, 2024, any real estate practice course submitted for purposes of qualifying to take a real estate license exam, must include components on implicit bias and fair housing. Additionally, the fair housing component must include an interactive participatory component where the applicant role plays as both the consumer and the real estate professional).
II. Legal Aspects of Real Estate; and
III. Real Estate Finance; and
IV. Real Estate Appraisal; and
V. Real Estate Economics or Accounting**; and

• Three courses from the following list:

I. Real Estate Principles
II. Business Law
III. Property Management
IV. Escrow
V. Real Estate Office Administration
VI. Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
VII. Advanced Legal Aspects of Real Estate
VIII. Advanced Real Estate Finance
IX. Advanced Real Estate Appraisal
X. Computer Applications in Real Estate
XI. Common Interest Developments
**Note: If both Real Estate Economics and Accounting are taken, only two courses from the above group are required.

• Take and pass the broker examination.
• Complete the Employment Verification forms to verify experience.
• Statutory course important note: per California Department of Real Estate guidelines, statutory courses require a wait period of 18 days before attempting a final exam. Additional exams will be available as the mandated 18 day waiting period expires.
• Submit completed application.
• Pay applicable fee.

Salesperson First Renewal CA Real Estate Education Requirements

• Renewal periods are every 4 years.
• Must have completed 45 hours of continuing education to consist of:

I. Five separate 3-hour courses in the following subjects:

i. Ethics
ii. Agency
iii. Trust Fund Handling
iv. Fair Housing
v. Risk Management

II. A two-hour implicit bias training course
III. A minimum of 18 hours of consumer protection courses
IV. The remaining clock hours required to complete the 45 hours of CE may be related to either consumer service or consumer protection courses

• Complete the application and pay the applicable fee.
• See application here: https://www.dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/forms/re209.pdf
• Participants taking a correspondence offering or package of offerings shall be limited to completion of final examinations for a maximum of 15 credit hours during any one 24-hour period. A participant shall not be granted access to additional segments of the final examination for offering or a package of offerings that exceed 15 credit hours until the 24-hour period has elapsed.

Broker First Renewal Education Requirements in California

• Renewal periods are every 4 years from the date of issuance
• Must have completed 45 hours of Continuing Education to consist of:

I. Six 3 hour courses in the following subjects:

i. Ethics
ii. Agency
iii. Trust Fund Handling
iv. Fair Housing
v. Risk Management
vi. Management and Supervision

II. A two-hour implicit bias training course
III. A minimum of 18 hours of consumer protection courses
IV. The remaining clock hours required to complete the 45 hours of CE may be related to either consumer service or consumer protection courses

• Complete the application and pay the applicable fee.
• See application here: https://www.dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/forms/re209.pdf
• Participants taking a correspondence offering or package of offerings shall be limited to completion of final examinations for a maximum of 15 credit hours during any one 24-hour period. A participant shall not be granted access to additional segments of the final examination for offering or a package of offerings that exceed 15 credit hours until the 24-hour period has elapsed.

California Salesperson Subsequent (2nd) Renewal Education Requirements

• Renewal periods are every 4 years.
• Must complete 45 hours of Continuing Education to consist of:

I. One 9-hour survey course covering the seven mandatory subjects (Ethics, Agency, Fair Housing, Trust Fund Handling, Risk Management, Management and Supervision, and Implicit Bias).
II. Licensees are able to take each subject separately if so desired.
III. A minimum of 18 clock hours of Consumer Protection
III. The remaining clock hours required to complete the 45 hours of continuing education may be related to either consumer services or consumer protection courses.

• Complete the application and pay the applicable fee.
• Participants taking a correspondence offering or package of offerings shall be limited to completion of final examinations for a maximum of 15 credit hours during any one 24-hour period. A participant shall not be granted access to additional segments of the final examination for offering or a package of offerings that exceed 15 credit hours until the 24-hour period has elapsed.

Broker Subsequent (2nd) Renewal Education Requirements in CA

• Renewal periods are every 4 years from the date of issuance.
• Must complete 45 hours of Continuing Education to consist of:

I. One 9-hour survey course covering the seven mandatory subjects (Ethics, Agency, Fair Housing, Trust Fund Handling, Risk Management, Management and Supervision, and Implicit Bias)
II. Licensees are able to take each subject separately if so desired
III. A minimum of 18 clock hours of consumer protection courses
IV. The remaining clock hours required to complete the 45 hours of continuing education may be related to either consumer services or consumer protection courses.

• Complete the application and pay the applicable fee.
• Participants taking a correspondence offering or package of offerings shall be limited to completion of final examinations for a maximum of 15 credit hours during any one 24-hour period. A participant shall not be granted access to additional segments of the final examination for offering or a package of offerings that exceed 15 credit hours until the 24-hour period has elapsed.
  

Exam Provider Information 

• Examinations are held by the DRE.
• Review this website, https://www.dre.ca.gov/examinees/HowWhereScheduled.html, to find locations, exam times, and dates.
• To apply for the SALESPERSON exam:

I. Complete the Salesperson Examination Application
II. Include any required fees; cash is not accepted
III. Obtain transcripts showing successful completion of the required education
IV. Applicants are now able to complete an online application via DRE’s eLicensing system. Before starting the online application, please watch this short video that goes through the additional information needed
V. Wait six weeks, or check current processing timeframes. 
VI. Once qualified, an examination schedule notice will be sent to you
VII. If you are not qualified at the time the application is submitted, applicants will be notified in writing, and applicants will have 2 years from the date of receipt of the application to complete the qualifications and take the examination
VIII. See the process in detail here: https://www.dre.ca.gov/examinees/applysalesperson.html

• To apply for the BROKERS exam:

I. Complete the Broker Examination Application
II. Include any required fees; cash is not accepted
III. Obtain transcripts showing successful completion of the required education
IV. Mail in the completed application, appropriate fees, and course transcripts, or apply online
V. Wait six weeks, or check current processing times. Once qualified, an examination schedule notice will be sent to you
VI. If you are not qualified at the time the application is submitted, applicants will be notified in writing, and applicants will have 2 years from the date of receipt of the application to complete the qualifications and take the examination
VII. See the process in detail here: https://dre.ca.gov/Examinees/ApplyBroker.html