Prelicensing Requirements

You must be at least 18 years old and have graduated from high school or obtained the equivalent of a high school degree (GED).

Step 1 • Education Requirements

Successfully complete the required curriculum 75 class hours of Real Estate courses at a real estate school approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. This includes Real Estate Broker Topics (60 hours) and Broker Pre-License Applied Real Estate Principles Interactive (15 hours). Sign up for online classes here to work at your own pace.

• Reporting: Pre-Licensing course completions are reported to PSI on your behalf.
• Expiration Date of Course: The Pre-Licensing course will expire 1 year after the date of purchase. Each individual course will have an expiration date shown in your account.
• Certificates: Upon completion of the course, you will be provided with an electronic certificate of completion from your course provider.

Step 2 • State Exam

You have two years from the completion of your first course to take the state licensure exam, which is administered by PSI (PSI/AMP). It is strongly recommended you print and review the Illinois Real Estate Examination Program Candidate Handbook before registering.

• The exam covers a total of 140 multiple choice questions, including State regulations (40 questions) and National regulations (100 questions).
• Become familiar with the interchangeable words on the national regulation questions:
  • Service Contract, Listing Contract
  • Managing Broker, Sponsoring Broker, Responsible Broker
  • Escrow Account, Fiduciary Account, Trust Account
• A minimum of 75% is required to pass the exam.
• You will receive a pass/fail immediately following the exam.

Step 3 • Prelicensing Requirements

Apply for your license and submit payment for the initial license fee to IDFPR (Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation) www.idfpr.com.

In order to apply for your license, you must be sponsored by a Managing Broker before you submit your application.

Step 4 • Become a REALTOR®

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered trademark of the National Association of REALTORS®. Not everyone that holds a real estate license can call himself or herself a REALTOR®. The term "REALTOR®" can only be used by individuals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its Code of Ethics. Find out how to Become a REALTOR®.

What are my education requirements after I receive my license

Broker licensees (between 11/1/19 to 10/31/21) will need to take an additional 45-Hour Broker Post-License Course prior to the first renewal, April 30, 2022. Brokers from this period, trying to submit a late renewal will need to contact IDFPR directly (888-473-4858).