FAQs and Requirements for TX Real Estate Licensing

How Do I Become a Real Estate Sales Agent in Texas?

Step 1: Meet TREC's Qualifications

Before applying for your license, you must meet the following requirements:

Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
Be at least 18 years old
Meet TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity

For anyone with past criminal offenses or disciplinary actions, TREC recommends requesting a Fitness Determination (FD) to help save time during this step (learn more about FDs below)

Step 2: Complete an Approved 180-Hour Texas Pre-License Course

Before you submit your application or take an exam, TREC requires that you complete 180 total hours of pre-license real estate education. The main topics of required education are broken down as follows:

30 hours on Principles of Real Estate I
30 hours on Principles of Real Estate II
30 hours on Law of Agency
30 hours on Law of Contracts
30 hours on Promulgated Contract Forms
30 hours on Real Estate Finance

If you don't have time to spend 180 hours sitting in a classroom, we've got you covered! Complete your pre-licensing education online at your pace with our TREC-approved course packages.

Step 3: Complete and File Your Application

When you're ready to apply, you have two options: Complete the Inactive Real Estate Sales Agent License (Form ID: ISL-9) application online or fill out a paper copy.

Step 4: Have Your Fingerprints Taken and Pass Your Background Check

TREC requires that all applicants undergo a background check and submit fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

IdentoGO by IDEMIA collects and submits fingerprints to the FBI via DPS. To schedule your fingerprinting appointment, visit this page and search for your account using your TREC ID or first name, last name, and birth date.

Step 5: Pass the Texas Real Estate Exam

TREC uses the testing service company PearsonVUE to administer the Texas real estate license exam. You will get a notice with instructions for scheduling the exam and will receive a copy of the exam Candidate Handbook. To pass, you need to get 56 of the 85 national questions correct, and you'll need to answer 21 of the 40 state questions correctly.

Want to pass the exam on your first try? We offer a comprehensive Exam Prep study tool that's based on the exam outline and offers unlimited practice tests.

Step 6: Select a Sponsor

Once you pass your exam, TREC will issue you an inactive license. Now you need to find an active and licensed Texas broker to sponsor you. Once you find your broker, submit your sponsorship request through TREC's Online Licensing Service portal. As soon as the broker accepts your sponsorship request, TREC will issue you an active Texas real estate sales agent license.

Can I Complete My Application Online?

Yes. TREC offers two ways to complete your real estate sales agent application: online or by mail.

Whichever way you choose to apply depends on personal preference; the application fee is the same for both methods. If you apply online, you must create an Online Licensing Service account.

What Is a Fitness Determination?

According to TREC, a Fitness Determination (FD) is an optional but recommended way for anyone with a history of criminal offenses, unpaid judgments, disciplinary action, or unlicensed activity to determine if they are eligible to pursue a license.

In other words, it's an additional prescreening step to prevent you from paying for the application, background check, and test, only to be denied a license. Learn more about FDs here.

Note: You must request an FD before you submit your license application, and it is not a substitute for the state-required background check. If you clear your FD but don't pass your background check, you cannot become licensed.

Is Proctoring Required for My Pre-License Course Exams?

Yes. All six sections within the 180-hour pre-license education end with a 60-question exam. These exams must be proctored, either in-person or online.

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of scheduling time for an in-person proctor for all your course exams, we can help! Our 180-Hour Texas Real Estate Sales Agent Package with Online Proctoring includes our online proctoring service, so you can finish your exams from home.

How Long Is the Texas Real Estate Licensing Exam?

The Texas Real Estate Sales Agent licensing exam is 125 questions long and split up into national and state sections.

The national portion is 85 questions long and covers federal laws and regulations. The state-specific portion is 40 questions and covers material from the Texas Real Estate License Act and other TREC regulations. The exam may include pre-test questions. Pretest questions are mixed in with the scored questions and are not identified nor do they affect a candidate's score. Information concerning pretest questions are available within the exam Candidate Handbook.

Does Texas Offer Reciprocity with Other States?

No. Texas requires applicants to satisfy all current state requirements to become licensed.

What Are the Pre-License Education Requirements for a Texas Real Estate License?

Before applying for your real estate sales agent license, you must complete 180 hours of pre-license education that cover the following topics:

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

Can I Take My Texas Real Estate Pre-License Education Online?

Yes! Instead of spending 180 hours in a classroom setting, you can complete your pre-licensing education online at your pace with our TREC-approved course packages.

We offer two TREC-approved course packages — one with online proctoring included and the other without — that fulfil your pre-licensing education requirement.