How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License in Louisiana?
This article provides a succinct summary of the steps to becoming a licensed real estate salesperson in Louisiana and the time frame for each one.
With this information, you’ll better understand what to expect in the licensing process, how long it may take, and what can impact that timeline.
Let’s get right to it.
Estimated Timeline to Get a Real Estate License in Louisiana
| Time frame | Step |
| 1-45 days | Check requirements and verify eligibility. |
| 2+ weeks | Get pre-licensing education done. |
| 1-4 weeks | Submit Part A application and wait for approval. |
| At least a week | Do extra exam prep. |
| 2+ days | Schedule and take the exam. |
| 1-2 weeks | Pick a broker to work for. |
| Up to a week | Shop for E&O insurance. |
| 1+ weeks | Wait for background check and license. |
Check Requirements and Verify Your Eligibility: 1-45 Days
Before pursuing a Louisiana real estate license, make it a point to block out part of a day for reviewing requirements and potential disqualifiers for licensure.
You can find related information on the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) website. It’s also helpful to look over the initial application and licensing laws and rules.
If you meet all the eligibility criteria and have a “clean” criminal background, the time you spend on this review is all you need to invest in this step.
However, this part of the process will take more time if you have a prior criminal conviction.
The LREC can only grant licenses to applicants who demonstrate honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity. They evaluate your background to determine this.
If you have a felony history, that evaluation takes place upfront. You must submit an Application for Felony Review so the LREC can predetermine your eligibility to be licensed.
That predetermination can add up to 45 days to the time it takes to obtain your license.
To know how having a criminal history impacts your chances, read our article on getting a Louisiana real estate license with violations on your record.
Get Your Pre-Licensing Education Done: 2+ Weeks
The education portion of the process is where the time needed can vary the most. Louisiana’s required pre-licensing course is 90 hours, which can take 2-24 weeks to complete.
The amount of time you’ll need comes down to how much class time you can allot per week.
You can complete all 90 hours online. So, if you want to do self-study at a fast pace, you can. Approach it like a 40-hour work week and you’ll finish in just under three weeks.
If you’re available to do an accelerated course that combines classroom instruction and online coursework, you’ll earn a certificate of completion in a couple of weeks.
For those who can only study part-time, you have several other options. You can:
- Go to in-person classes 2-3 evenings a week for 6-8 weeks.
- Complete a combination (classroom/online) night course in 3-5 weeks.
- Take live classes taught on a semester system, typically 16 weeks.
Online education providers also have various access periods that let you pace your classwork based on your available time. They offer 30, 60, 90, and 180-day access.
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?
Submit Part A Application and Wait for Approval: 1-4 Weeks
The application for a Louisiana salesperson license has two parts: A and B.
In Part A, you tell the LREC all about yourself, including disclosure of any professional disciplinary actions or criminal history along with supporting documentation.
You must submit this part of the application before you can schedule the licensing exam. Once the LREC has processed it and approved you for the test, you’ll get an email notification.
You can save some time on the front end by applying through the MyLREC portal. That will get your application in line for processing faster than sending a paper application.
How long that processing may take can vary for several reasons.
One is the volume of applications the LREC is processing at any given time. The more applications they have in the queue, the longer your anticipated wait time can be.
Processing may also be delayed if your application is missing information or essential documents, or if something needs clarification.
For example, the LREC may seek more clarity or request additional documentation or explanation related to blemishes on your occupational or criminal record.
Do Extra Exam Prep: At Least a Week
Even if you feel you’re ready for the exam, reviewing the material you learned in class won’t hurt. And you can get that extra studying done while waiting for approval to take the exam.
Given that, the question is: How long should you study for the real estate exam?
While the amount of time varies from person to person, a general guide is to reserve at least a week to go over your coursework and notes, take practice tests, and then see where you stand.
You can always add more study time if your performance on the mock exams is not up to par.
You can use the exam handbook published by the test administrator Pearson VUE to focus your study efforts. You can also refer to my article on how to study for the real estate exam.
It is also important to know what to study for the Louisiana real estate exam.
If you need more structure, you can always take a prep course.
Exam prep courses include topic reviews and practice tests. Some are a day or two in duration. Others offer packages that give you access for set periods, such as one week and one month.
Schedule and Take the Real Estate Exam: 2+ Days
Once you receive the authorization-to-test email confirmation, you can register for the exam and set an appointment to take it.
According to Pearson VUE, making an online reservation is the fastest and most efficient way to schedule. The minimum advance registration time is 24 hours before your desired exam date.
Of course, your ability to get a test slot the following day depends on the bookings at the test centers. You may have to wait longer — a week or more — if no appointments are available.
As for the exam, you should set aside an entire day to allow for travel time, early arrival, and taking the test. The actual onsite time breaks out as follows:
- You should arrive and check in at least 30 minutes before the exam begins.
- You’ll have four hours to take the state and national portions of the exam.
Survey of Experts
How difficult was it for you to study and pass the Louisiana 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.
Seek out resources at your local library for real estate exam study guides and free practice tests. I found a few free ones in the career development section of the library website.
I also used other free exam resources offered around the internet. Many of these websites would give a few questions for free and require payment for the other questions.
I just put all the free questions together, along with my practice workbook from the library, the screenshots from the questions I missed on chapter learning quizzes, and free practice tests to really digest the content.
Anything I missed on a practice test is what I went back and focused on for review. I did not try any of the games or other paid resources available.
The most helpful study tip I have is to take the exams and quizzes over and over until you are able to answer all the questions confidently.
I felt like the exam questions were made to make you second-guess yourself. Stick with your gut answers.
Pick a Broker to Work For: 1-2 Weeks
For those not planning to practice real estate right away, you can postpone this step and get a license on inactive status.
However, if you want to assist clients with real estate transactions immediately after becoming licensed, you must carve out some time to find a broker to supervise you.
No two brokerages are alike, and the one you select will set the foundation for your new business. You need information that will help you choose well.
Here are some suggestions:
- Read insights and tips on how to choose the right broker to work for as a new agent.
- Research various companies in your area, listing the pros and cons of each.
- Use our directory of the best real estate brokerages in Louisiana to narrow down your selection and save time.
Your decision is a crucial one. Therefore, don’t rush through it. Instead, give yourself a week for research. Then shortlist the brokerages that meet your needs and jot down questions you have.
Schedule interviews with those firms and spend another week interviewing them. You can add or subtract time based on the number of firms and how quickly you progress through interviews.
Shop for Errors & Omissions Insurance: Up to a Week
Securing E&O (professional liability) insurance is required. However, shopping for it is a step you can skip if you get coverage through the LREC’s group policy.
You also have the option of purchasing your own. If you do, you’ll need to research insurers, compare policies, and get quotes.
Going online is the fastest way to accomplish this. If you enroll and pay online, you can typically get a declaration page from the insurer on the spot.
Allow a week to finish your comparison shopping, pick the policy that best matches your needs, and get proof of coverage if it’s not immediately provided.
Wait for Your Background Check and License: 1+ Weeks
After meeting all the requirements, you need to order your background check and submit Part B of the application if you want to be active in the profession right away.
Note that the LREC recommends you wait to pass the exam before ordering your background check so that your report doesn’t expire before your license is issued.
You’ll also need to submit another document — the Independent Errors and Omissions Coverage form — but only if you get E&O insurance through the group policy.
Submitting paperwork is quick. You order the background check from the vendor Clearbox via the LREC’s web portal. The Part B application and E&O form are handled the same way.
You’ll spend most of the time estimated for this step waiting for the LREC to get your criminal history information and grant your salesperson license.
Your license won’t be issued until the LREC receives and reviews your background report. So the sooner you get that started, the more you could shave off the timeline.
While you wait for approval, use this time to prepare for your real estate career. You can start by learning from the experiences of industry experts on what to expect when working as an agent.
We discuss this in an article that zeroes in on the question: Is being a real estate agent worth it?
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 finished the coursework in about 2 1/2 weeks while working full time. I then took two weeks to study while registering for the license exam.
It was about seven weeks from when I signed up for the course until I took the test in all. I did it rather quickly, considering the other things I had going on.
I recommend putting blinders on and getting through it versus taking it slowly. The goal is not to learn everything but to pass the test.
The big learning comes once you are licensed and getting your feet wet.
I was pleased with how fast I was able to obtain my license. The only problem I had was the testing centers were closed due to Covid.
So I was not able to take the state exam until the centers opened again.
Where to Study for a Real Estate License Exam?
Completing the required pre-licensing education will take up the most time in the entire licensing process, depending on the format you choose for your studies.
In Louisiana, you can attend pre-licensing school in a physical classroom, study online, or do a combination of the two.
If you go the traditional route, you get to choose between a couple of settings. You can take classes at one of the accredited real estate schools in Louisiana. Or, you can opt for a college campus experience.
The combination course is a hybrid format. You attend live classes in addition to completing mandatory online coursework, which you can do at a study spot of your choosing.
If you take a self-paced online course, where you study is entirely up to you. Although you have the flexibility to study anywhere, experts suggest the following:
- Have a single study space that signals “it’s time to work.”
- Avoid somewhere like your sofa or bed that’s too comfortable.
- Pick a spot with little noise and few to no distractions.
Like pre-licensing education, you can also take an exam prep course in the classroom at a local real estate school or anywhere and anytime online.
If you’re debating which format would work best for you, read up on the pluses and minuses of online vs in-person real estate classes summarized in our A-to-Z video guide.
And remember, whatever delivery format you settle on, you must complete your pre-licensing education at an LREC-approved school to get credit for the course.
We hope that this information is helpful as you map out your timeline in pursuit of becoming among the licensed real estate agents in Louisiana.
Also, reference our articles that detail the requirements for getting a Louisiana real estate license and fill you in on how much a Louisiana real estate license costs so that you can cover all your bases.
Once you get licensed, take time to plan on your next steps after getting your real estate license.
Also, we highly recommend that you become a part of a real estate team to meet experienced agents who can help guide your career. We have an article that shows you how to join a real estate team.
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.
__
If you want to contribute your expert advice on a topic of your expertise, feel free to apply to our Expert Contributor Program.
__
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.