How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License in Texas in 2024?
This article shares the steps to becoming a licensed real estate agent in Texas and the time estimates for completing each one.
We’ve also included information on factors that can speed up the process or slow it down to help you set your timeline for getting licensed and getting to work.
Here are the steps, timelines, and tips.
Review Applicant Fitness Requirements: 1+ Day
As honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity are qualifications for getting a license, it’s a good idea to read up on what the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) considers.
Give yourself the better part of a day to go over associated material.
Texas Administrative Code spells out the fitness requirements for applicants. TREC’s website covers this also, along with in-depth information on rules for professional ethics and conduct.
Looking over the license application will give you insight into what questions can lead to TREC requiring additional background information for review.
If you happen to have a prior criminal conviction or other potentially damaging background issues, see if requesting a Fitness Determination may be your best next step.
It costs $50 and takes up to 30 days, which you can add to your timeline if you go that route.
Complete Qualifying Education: 3-6 Weeks (Full-time)
This step can have a significant impact on the answer to “how long does it take to get your real estate license in Texas?”
With six individual courses to take at 30 hours each, you have 180 hours of required coursework to complete.
The good news is you don’t have to spend time figuring out what order to take the classes in and enrolling in each one.
Providers offer all six as a package. So, when you shop for courses among the best real estate schools in Texas, you can narrow down your choices in short order.
How quickly you can work your way through the 180 hours is another story. That depends on the amount of class time you can manage and your study method.
The shortest time to finish is three weeks, which you can do online. But it requires a herculean effort that only works if you study full time straight through.
Even if you can do it, you have to abide by TREC’s rules:
- You can’t exceed 12 hours of coursework each day.
- You must take at least 72 hours to complete each course.
- You’re not allowed to take more than one course at a time.
- You can’t participate for fewer hours than are awarded.
If you can do full-time day classes at a lesser intensity, you could finish up in 4-6 weeks. That time lengthens to around 12 weeks if you take evening classes.
Going to class at a college or community college will take longer. Each course is taught over the semester or quarter, depending on the school.
That typically translates into 15 weeks for a semester and 10 weeks for the quarter system.
If you can’t decide which format you should go for, I recommend checking out our article that compares the pros and cons of real estate classes online vs. classroom to help you make the best choice.
Survey of Experts
Did you take your pre-licensing real estate course online or in person?
Do you think taking a real estate pre-licensing course online can save students time compared to in-person courses?
Expert Insight
Do you see any advantages of taking an online course over the in-person class?
I worked full time as a daycare teacher, and it was so much easier to make a full paycheck and still get my license at the same time.
I would say if you have a full-time job, online courses make it possible for you to work while earning your license.
You get to study at your own pace. You don’t have to hear people get off target.
I was sick at the time, and taking the courses online allowed me to work at my own pace.
Apply and Wait for Your Eligibility Letter: 1-3 Weeks
Once you’ve completed the qualifying education, you’ll need to submit your course certificates or college transcripts to TREC, along with your application for a license.
The fastest way to apply is online. It only takes a few minutes to register for an account. If you’re wondering: Yes, you can submit a paper application, but that adds time to the process.
Allow a day to pull your certificates or transcripts together and complete the application. That’s likely more than enough time, even if you need to fill out the Background History Form.
However, if you haven’t obtained the required background documents for an out-of-state license or a criminal conviction, allow a few days or a week to gather all the paperwork.
Otherwise, if you’re good to go, pay the $185 fee, submit your application, and wait up to 21 days to hear from TREC. Once you’ve met all the requirements, they send an eligibility letter.
It’s worthy of a mention here that some people apply before they start classes or when they are close to finishing them. You can file an application at any time.
You have 12 months to fulfill the requirements. If you start your application earlier, you have a jumpstart when classes are done.
Do read our guide – How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate License in Texas? – for the costs you will incur when completing all the requirements.
Prepare for the Licensing Exam: 1-2 Weeks
While waiting for TREC to process your application, you can do exam prep. The question most consistently asked about that topic is: How long should you study for the real estate exam?
There’s no single correct answer. But, a good rule of thumb, given the required number of pre-licensing education hours, is to study for a week or two before you take the exam.
This time frame includes reviewing materials for each course for a couple of hours each day.
In addition to that, it’s recommended that you spend a week doing as many practice tests as you can.
Studies show that practicing is one of the best ways to prepare for the actual test.
Also, reserve an hour or two to review the Candidate Bulletin for the exam during one of those weeks.
Pearson VUE, the company that manages the exams for TREC, provides everything you need to know for the day of the test, plus practice tests and study guides.
Participating in an exam prep class is an alternative to a week of review on your own. Most of the education providers offer prep as part of a package.
There are also standalone courses. Allow 2-4 days for the course.
Read our guide on the best way to pass the Texas real estate exam to know the topics that will be covered in the test.
Our tips on studying for the real estate exam can also walk you through the top ways you can prepare for the test and ensure that you pass it on your first attempt.
Get Your Background Check Done: 1-2 Weeks
Nearly all of the time specified for this step consists of waiting to find out if you cleared the background check. You can take the exam while you wait or find a sponsoring broker or both.
But you’ll also have to wait until you get your eligibility letter before you can start this part of the process.
The letter includes an ID number required to set an appointment with MorphoTrust, the fingerprinting service TREC uses. Once you’re fingerprinted, the criminal history check begins.
Making a reservation with MorphoTrust is relatively quick. You can book online. How much time it takes to get the fingerprinting done varies based on your proximity to one of their centers.
You can use their location finder to estimate your travel time.
Being out of state can change the timeline for the fingerprinting portion from days to weeks.
If you have access to a MorphoTrust location in your area, you have the option to go there, and your fingerprints will be transmitted electronically.
If not, you must request a TREC Hard Card (sent by mail) and get your fingerprints done by a law enforcement agency.
Get all the information you need when undergoing a background check in the state through our article – Getting a Texas Real Estate License with Violations on the Record.
Take the Licensing Exam: 1 Day
You can make an appointment to take the in-person exam once you have your eligibility letter. The same as you did for fingerprinting, you’ll need the ID number to schedule with Pearson VUE.
FYI, here’s how to book a reservation for the exam:
- Set up an account online.
- Pay the $43 fee.
- Pick a date, time, and testing center location.
Timewise on exam day, allow for five hours, plus travel time. The five hours include arriving a minimum of 30 minutes early to check in. To be on the safe side, aim for 45 minutes to an hour.
Here’s how the allotted time for the exam breaks down:
- The national portion has 85 questions, and you have 150 minutes to complete it.
- You have 90 minutes to answer 40 questions on the state-specific section.
That’s a half day for the exam if you use all of the time allowed. There’s no wait time for your score. You’ll get a report of “pass” or “fail” right after you have completed the exam.
So that you know, you must answer 56 questions correctly on the national section and 21 on the state portion to achieve a passing score.
If you pass and your background check has cleared, you should receive your license document by email within 5-10 business days.
If you fail one or both parts of the exam, you get two more attempts.
Survey of Experts
How difficult was it for you to study and pass the Texas real estate license exam?
How many attempts did it take you to pass your real estate license exam?
Expert Insight
Tips to help future agents pass the real estate exam
Don’t hurry the process. The classes do a good job of covering the wide range of material you must know to pass the state exam.
Take special note of those things that the classes highlight, as most likely those are items that will be a part of the exam.
Champions exam prep class is exactly that! It prepares you on how to answer the questions and explains how the questions are asked because the exam is not straightforward!
Study hard and use all the resources you can get plus more! It never hurts to take practice tests either. I think practice tests helped me a lot when it was time for me to take my final exam.
Read the questions carefully. They are done in a very tricky manner so you do not pass the test.
Once you get your license, consider becoming a member of a real estate team. Joining a real estate team can help familiarize you on the ins and outs of the real estate business.
You can learn from seasoned professionals on the strategies you can adopt to become a successful agent in the state.
To better prepare for a bright future ahead, I highly advise that you create a good action plan that will detail all the next steps to take after passing the real estate exam and getting your license.
Choose a Broker to Sponsor You: 1-2 Weeks
Although it’s listed last, choosing a broker need not be the step you take after you’ve done everything else.
If you want to obtain an active license so that you can work right away, you’ll need to fit this step in before you apply. Otherwise, you’ll be issued an inactive license.
Taking a couple of weeks to make a decision may seem somewhat long. But there’s more to picking a broker than meets the eye.
A couple of weeks will give you ample time to start your search with several days of legwork. Our information-packed article on choosing a broker as a newly licensed agent is a great start.
It will familiarize you with the different kinds of brokerages and what attributes to look for. Then, our directory of top-rated brokerages in Texas can help narrow your list of potential firms.
The remainder of the time is for interviewing the brokers on your short list. Do a deep dive on each one beforehand so that you’re prepared to ask everything you need to know.
Then, once you’ve made your choice, your last step is submitting a Sales Agent Sponsorship Form to TREC if you still need to activate your license.
Survey of Experts
How long did it take you to get your real estate license? From the time you signed up for school till your license was issued.
Expert Insight
Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently to get your license faster?
I was at home with a newborn baby and trying to get my real estate license at the same time.
It was stressful trying to fit in studying and coursework between naps, diaper changes, and feedings.
It took me several months to complete what would have likely taken half the time had I waited just a little longer until my son was old enough for me to dedicate longer stretches of time to my coursework.
I think you can go as fast or as slow as you need to though, as long as you stay committed to completing your goal.
Getting your license faster isn’t necessarily a good thing if you won’t be ready to use it once you have it.
Have all your personal and professional ducks in a row so that as soon as you do pass your national and state exams, you can give 100% effort to being successful and committed to your new role.
There’s not much I would do differently because at the time I was working full time.
Aceable was awesome because I could download the app on my phone and take it everywhere. My goal of six months was reached with the help of Aceable.
Nothing. I took one test per month. It was great timing.
So, how long does it take to get your real estate license and become one of the professional realtors in Texas?
As you can see, the time varies based on your individual pace and TREC’s response time. But, a plan to get your license within 4-6 months falls well within the average.
It should be noted that your schedule will be impacted as well by how quick you complete all the prerequisites for acquiring a license.
Keep our guide on how to obtain your real estate license in Texas handy for all the requirements you need to check off your list.
And when you get licensed, it’s time explore the wealth of resources you can take advantage of as you build your real estate business.
Prepare for the difficulties associated with the role through insight shared by industry experts tackling the topic of what it’s like to be a real estate agent as a career.
To help you build and grow your real estate career quickly, we at Real Estate Bees created a directory for real estate professionals.
It’s designed to help you get more exposure for your business, including receiving leads. Create a free profile by signing up here.
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About the Author
Kristina Morales is a REALTOR® with over 20 years of professional experience. She actively practices real estate in Ohio but also has practiced real estate in California and Texas. Conducting her real estate business in three states has allowed her to gain unique experiences that make her a well-rounded realtor. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and her MBA with a concentration in Banking and Finance. Prior to real estate, Kristina had an extensive corporate career in banking and treasury. She ended her finance career as an Assistant Treasurer at a publicly traded oil & gas company in Houston, TX.