How to Get Your Real Estate License in Texas - A Step by Step Guide

Getting your real estate license in Texas takes time, money, and commitment. Here's exactly what the process looks like, step by step.

First, confirm you meet the three qualifications to become a licensed real estate agent in the state of Texas:

• You must be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
• You must be 18 years or older
• You must meet TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity

Next, complete TREC's requirements, starting with 180 hours of required qualifying education. There are lots of different real estate schools to choose from! Aceable Agent is one of the more affordable and flexible options. It's self-paced, so you can finish the classes and take the tests on your own schedule. Note: the exams are proctored, so you do have to actually study! If you're not a self-learner and prefer a classroom environment, our team recommends Champions School of Real Estate (which also has online and self-paced options, just more expensive). Keep in mind the courses are tedious, but don't let that stop you from being motivated to finish as soon as possible.

Either before, during, or after taking classes, be on the lookout for any teams you'd like to sponsor you. This is crucial to your future business and success. The right supportive team can provide encouragement and accountability as you work through your courses. Some agents complete their courses in about 5 months, and others finish in just one month. It's totally dependent on your schedule and which class route you decide to pursue.

The required courses to get your real estate license in Texas (as of this blog post) are:

• Principles of Real Estate I (30 classroom hours)
• Principles of Real Estate II (30 classroom hours)
• Law of Agency (30 classroom hours)
• Law of Contracts (30 classroom hours)
• Promulgated Contract Forms (30 classroom hours)
• Real Estate Finance (30 classroom hours)

Here's how the different real estate schools compare in pricing:

• Aceable Agent: $449 - 593
• Champions School of Real Estate: $980 - 1134
• 360 Training: $356 - 396
• Kaplan: $499 - 899
• Realtor Academy: $899 - 989
• The CE Shop: $360 - 710
• RealEstateU: $249 - 377

After completing the courses, apply for a license through the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). The application process consists of submitting proof of completion of your classes, fingerprints, and a background check. The application itself is $185, and the fingerprinting and background check are around $40.

Once everything is received and approved, you can take the state and national Real Estate Exams. That's right, it consists of two parts. You are required to pass both the state portion (40 questions in Texas) and the national portion (85 questions). To pass the state portion, you'll need to answer at least 21 questions correctly, and for the national portion, you'll need to answer at least 56 questions correctly. If you pass one portion and fail the other, you only have to retake the one you failed. If you talk to ANY tenured real estate agent, they will tell you this: It's okay to fail. A lot of them actually did their first time around. You get THREE tries! If you fail three times, you have to take additional education before retrying the exam. The real estate exam costs $43 per attempt.

Here are a couple of tips to help you study and pass the exams quickly:

• If you're not taking your courses through Champions School of Real Estate, purchase their Exam Prep study tools. Both the exam prep booklet and online practice exams are worded very similarly to the actual exam questions. It's $120 and worth every penny.
• PREP AGENT! Prep Agent on YouTube can be a GAME CHANGER. Whether you're at your desk taking notes or driving to the grocery store, his exam question seminars help keep the information fresh in your mind.
• Be committed to dedicating the time to study!

After passing, expect to wait about 5-10 business days for the official email with your TREC License number. This comes with another fee of $205.

Now, if you haven't already, it's time to find a team or brokerage to sponsor you. Once you've connected with a team and/or been accepted by a brokerage, you can start signing up for all the necessary accounts needed to run your business, like the local MLS, Supra Key, and NAR dues.

Keep in mind, these are only the expenses to get licensed. You are then responsible for your MLS dues (ours are quarterly and annual), Supra Key fees, and brokerage fees. Different brokerages have different fees and splits! Not to mention the cost of other things like lockboxes, marketing, ads, headshot photography, signs, e-signing platforms, CRM systems, listing photography, leads, and more.

And there you have it. That's how YOU can get your Real Estate License in Texas. Good luck! And if you're looking for a stellar team to support your journey, we'd love to talk.