How to Get a Real Estate License in Louisiana: 2024 Requirements for Taking the Exam
Getting a real estate license in Louisiana is a complex process beginning with the required classes and culminating in an exam.
In this article, we have all the information you need to ensure the process will be hassle-free for you.
To make sure you don’t miss a step when it comes to figuring out how to get your real estate license in Louisiana, we’ve compiled everything you need to know all in one place.
Read on to see exactly what must occur before you can become a licensed real estate agent in the Pelican State.
Louisiana Licensing Requirements for Real Estate Salespeople
To become a licensed real estate salesperson in Louisiana, there are a few initial requirements that must be met.
Without these, you cannot continue on in the process, and you cannot get your real estate license. These requirements include:
- Being 18 years old
- Having your high school diploma or GED
Once you meet those, there are additional requirements, which include:
- Completing the real estate license application issued by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC)
- Completing 90 hours of real estate education in approved courses
- Passing the real estate salesperson licensing exam
The application fee is $90, and you’ll complete it in two parts. Part A is done before you take the real estate license exam, and Part B gets completed after you pass.
The exam itself is administered by Pearson VUE, a leading private administrator of state licensing exams. Registration is easiest to complete online. The exam fee is $78.
The other requirement is to provide proof of errors and omissions insurance before being issued a real estate license.
Errors and omissions insurance helps protect professionals from lawsuits that claim you made a mistake in the professional service you provide.
It can specifically help protect you from claims of negligence, misrepresentation, inaccurate advice, and more.
The final requirement to obtain a Louisiana real estate salesperson license is to be supervised by a licensed real estate broker.
To learn how to evaluate a sponsoring broker, check out our useful article on choosing the right real estate broker to work for as a new agent.
Then, use our directory of the best real estate brokerage firms in Louisiana to find a good one easier.
You must meet all these requirements prior to receiving your license. The LREC provides an easy-to-use checklist to help you keep track of it all as well.
Louisiana Licensing Requirements for Real Estate Brokers
Eligibility for a broker license is a little different than what’s required to become a real estate salesperson in Louisiana.
For this license, real estate agents in Louisiana are required to already have an active license, in any state, for at least four years.
Two of those four years must immediately precede your broker license application.
You’ll also need a high school diploma or GED and proof you’ve completed 150 classroom hours, or its equivalent, in LREC-approved courses.
The pre-licensing requirement for the real estate broker license in Louisiana is broken down into multiple courses:
- A 90-hour fundamentals course known as Real Estate 201.
- A 30-hour course on rules and regulations known as Real Estate 202.
- A 30-hour course on broker responsibility known as Real estate 203.
Again, you’ll need to fill out the real estate license application, and pass the exam, given by Pearson VUE. It’s also required that you have an errors and omissions insurance.
Fees for the Louisiana real estate broker license are not the same as the salesperson license. The testing fee is again $78, but the application fee goes up to $165.
Reciprocal States
What Is Real Estate License Reciprocity?
When a state has real estate license reciprocity, you’re able to take the real estate license you have in one state, and apply it toward getting a license in another.
Some states offer full reciprocity, while others will still have additional requirements for you to meet to make the transfer.
Louisiana is one of the states that offers full reciprocity with certain states. These are typically ones where the real estate licensing standards are most similar.
The states are:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
Each agreement, in this case, is state-specific and the process will require you to verify your current license when you move to Louisiana.
US States Having a Reciprocal Agreement with Louisiana
While there’s no guarantee that a state will always offer reciprocity with any other state, as of right now, quite a few states have a reciprocal agreement with Louisiana.
That means, if you have your real estate license in Louisiana but want to move without having to start from scratch, you should consider going to:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
Moving outside of these states, with a real estate license from Louisiana, can require you to begin the entire licensing process over again.
That means applying, taking pre-licensing education classes, and another exam. It never hurts to inquire, though, if your current experience can count toward any new requirements.
How to Study for a Real Estate License Exam in Louisiana
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?
Pre-Licensing Classroom Courses
In order to qualify to take the real estate license exam in Louisiana, applicants must complete 90 hours of pre-licensing coursework at any of state-accredited pre-licensing education providers.
Find a list of real estate schools in Louisiana in our directory.
Within the course, coverage must include a specific set of topics, which are:
- Real Estate Principles and Practices
- Louisiana Real Estate License Law
- Commission Rules and Regulations
- Law of Agency
- Civil Law, as it pertains to real estate
While the LREC provides this pre-approved list for the pre-licensing coursework, Louisiana may also allow you to apply college credit toward your total hours.
This is based on the applicability of the subject matter in the course.
To be eligible for review, you’ll need to submit an original transcript to the LREC, with a written request for review toward your pre-licensing credit for the salesperson real estate license.
It can take up to 30 days to get a response.
Meanwhile, you’ll need to decide what format to take the coursework in. Studying in person or online both have their pros and cons.
You can review your options via our article comparing real estate classes online vs classroom courses.
A key advantage to taking in-person classes is you’ll have the chance to network face to face with future colleagues and other peers in your industry.
Attending these classes also provides a set meeting time, allowing you to have consistency in your schedule.
This may make it easier to schedule study groups and work in your other obligations. However, this format may also make course completion take a little longer.
Pre-Licensing Online Courses
Pre-licensing courses for the Louisiana real estate exam can be completed through distance learning.
The state requires that the courses must be internet-based and offered through a certified real estate school.
This should be certified by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), which approves the delivery standards of the course, and the LREC, which approves the content.
Taking your pre-licensing classes online does provide some unique benefits. Most notable of which is the ability to work from your own schedule using your own device and setting your own hours.
This gives you more flexibility to work through the lessons faster, letting you complete your required hours in a shorter timespan.
Another perk is the ability to work alone without any interruption. You can put your whole focus on the work rather than looking around the room or even whispering to those seated nearby.
Read our article on the best way to pass the Louisiana real estate exam to know how and what to study for the test.
Additionally, we have tips on how to effectively study for the real estate exam helping you pass the test on your first attempt.
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?
What is the name of the school where you completed your pre-licensing course?
Expert Insight
Do you see any advantages of taking an online course over the in-person class?
The course I signed up for was considered a hybrid. I went to the first night of class and realized it was too slow. I took it upon myself to get through the content and take notes on my own.
When I didn’t understand a concept, I wrote it down. Once I got through the chapter I was in, if I still had questions, I sought out other sources of information to help explain the concept.
YouTube was a tremendous help in my learning because hearing the concept explained differently helped me understand it.
I made sure to screenshot any questions I didn’t get correct after each chapter review to build a study guide. That was a game changer because it identified the little tricky concepts or principles for me.
For me the advantage was being able to go through the content on my own time. I was working full time and running the household. Any free time I had was spent on coursework.
What would you recommend real estate students to invest extra in to ensure passing the exam on the first try?
If you are worried about not passing the exam the first time, there is a website where you can take exam prep. It is called nightbeforetheexam.com.
You can practice until you are confident enough to take the exam.
I would invest in study guides and practice tests. Those helped me tremendously.
There are lots of options available, some being free even! Those are the ones I utilized. I was able to pass the test on the first try.
Where to Take the Real Estate Exam in Louisiana
In Louisiana, the real estate license exam is proctored by Pearson VUE. The best way to register for the exam, once you are eligible, is online.
There are testing centers in:
- Addis
- Alexandria
- Baton Rouge
- Lafayette
- Lake Charles
- Metairie
- Natchitoches
- New Orleans
The real estate license exam is broken down into two sections — national and state. The salesperson exam has 80 questions on the national section, and 55 on the state section.
The broker exam has the same number of questions for both national and state portions.
Both tests are given over the same set time periods: you get 150 minutes for the national portion and 90 minutes for the state.
The exam fee, regardless of test type, is $78.
After all the pre-licensing course work is done, and Part A of your application is processed, you’ll get an email with instructions on how to schedule your exam. Make sure to bring your ID to the test.
Passing scores for the exam vary based on the type of license you’re applying for. You need to pass a minimum score of 70 if you’re taking the salesperson exam and 75 for the broker exam.
How to File for Your License After the Exam in Louisiana
Once you’ve passed both portions of the real estate license exam in Louisiana, you’ll need to order a background check from the LREC website, turn in Part B of your application, and submit proof you have your E&O insurance.
All of these components will then enable you to get your Louisiana real estate license.
The test results are automatically transmitted to the LREC, so you don’t have to do anything to get that information submitted.
How to Receive Your Real Estate License in Louisiana
After all the requirements for a real estate license are submitted, the LREC reviews everything and contacts you over email once you’ve been approved.
Within that email will be additional instructions for retrieving your real estate license.
When you receive your license, we highly recommend joining a real estate team to be under the best guidance of experienced, well-connected agents.
For the next steps to take, refer to our article discussing what to do after you get your real estate license.
How long does it take to get a Louisiana real estate license when studying in the class?
The total number of hours you need to complete the pre-licensing coursework in Louisiana for a real estate license varies by license type. A salesperson needs 90 hours, but a broker needs 150 hours.
Taking this time through in-person classes puts you into a set schedule of completion which could last as long as four to six months.
You’ll then need to factor in the time to complete the additional requirements of finishing the application, scheduling the exam, and waiting for your background check results.
This won’t add a lot more time but will extend the process slightly.
How long does it take to get a Louisiana real estate license online?
Having the ability to work at your own pace, through online coursework, can speed up the entire process a lot.
It could take as little as eight weeks to finish your pre-licensing coursework.
To know how much time you need to dedicate for each step in the licensing process, read our guide on how long to get a real estate license in Louisiana.
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.
Is there a background check for a Louisiana real estate license?
Yes. A background check is conducted by the LREC once you’ve passed the Louisiana real estate license exam.
You must request the check through the LREC, and the cost is $49.
How much does a Louisiana real estate license cost?
The total out-of-pocket expenses you’ll need to have while getting your Louisiana real estate license will vary based on where you take your pre-licensing courses.
However, this cost is in addition to the application fee, exam fee, and cost of the background check.
Those three items combined will cost you between $250 and $325. The difference in price is based on what type of license you’re getting.
The application fee for the broker license is significantly higher.
Read our article, How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate License in Louisiana?, for all the costs involved in getting licensed in the state.
Survey of Experts
In your opinion, was the cost of getting your real estate license reasonable?
Approximately how much did it cost you to get your real estate license? Including school fees, study materials, and other related expenses.
Expert Insight
What were your ‘surprise costs’?
There was a minimal fee to have a proctor for the course’s final exam. I was able to go to the local library and pay a fee of $20.
What were your ‘surprise costs’ after getting your license?
While I was well prepared for the costs associated with a real estate license because I did my research in advance, it still seemed like everywhere wanted money.
There are dues for the MLS, Supra (Bluetooth door access), brokerage fees, and E&O insurances to purchase just to get up and rocking to get to work.
Then came the fees for the SaaS services I selected, real estate signs to purchase, business cards, and website creation.
It was a bit overwhelming at first, and I was very much in the red until my first commission check a few months later.
Overall, the investment was well worth it, but I do feel some of the people recruiting others to join the real estate industry often minimize the initial investment.
I would have appreciated more transparency at the career event I attended. They did, however, talk about all the money you could make. But they are salespeople, and their job is to get you to say yes to the course.
I am glad I had the funds available to make the initial investment. My real estate career has changed my life in so many positive ways.
What costs could have been avoided and how?
I purchased a few services and subscriptions that I probably didn’t need like complex CRMs, personal websites, listing marketing materials that look fancy, a ton of little trinkets for open houses, and a magnet for my car to advertise my real estate business.
I suppose if there was a free test proctor service, this fee could have been avoided.
How long do you have to wait to retake the real estate exam in Louisiana?
Should you need to retake all, or a portion, of the Louisiana real estate exam, you must apply for new examination eligibility from the LREC.
This means you can’t immediately reschedule your exam, but rather have to wait to become eligible again. The LREC emails you when this is complete.
How many times can you retake the Louisiana real estate exam?
Should you fail the exam, you have the ability to retake the test as many times as you want within a one-year period after your initial examination.
Each time, however, you’ll have to go through the re-eligibility process. After a year, you lose eligibility.
Do you have to pay to retake the real estate exam in Louisiana?
There are two separate fees associated with retaking the real estate exam in Louisiana.
The first is the re-eligibility fee paid to the LREC. The second is the testing fee itself.
How much does it cost to retake the real estate exam in Louisiana?
It costs $93 to retake both sections of the real estate exam in Louisiana each time. You will pay $54 if you need to take one section only.
Can you get a real estate license with a felony in Louisiana?
It is possible to get a real estate license in Louisiana with a felony conviction, but you’ll need to fill out a special Felony Applicant Form and submit it to [email protected].
Once reviewed, you may get asked to appear for a hearing at a regularly scheduled Louisiana Real Estate Commission meeting where a final decision will be made.
Can you get a real estate license with a misdemeanor in Louisiana?
Anyone with a criminal record can get their real estate license in Louisiana, as long as the information is shared and it’s reviewed by the LREC.
To manage this process properly, fill out the Felony Applicant Form and submit it to the email address provided in the previous section.
For more information, read our article on getting a Louisiana real estate license with violations on the record.
Will a DUI prevent you from getting a real estate license in Louisiana?
You can, in fact, get a real estate license if you have a DUI charge when applying in Louisiana.
You’ll just need to disclose the charge by completing the Felony Applicant Form and submitting it to the corresponding email address.
The LREC will review your specific situation and make a ruling on your eligibility for licensure.
Survey of Experts
Is it more challenging to get a real estate license with violations on one’s record?
Do you know any people who got a real estate license with violations on their record?
Can I get a real estate license without a high school diploma in Louisiana?
A high school diploma, or GED, is a base requirement for eligibility to get your real estate license in Louisiana. Without it, you are not eligible to apply.
Once you’re licensed, it will serve you well to know what is involved when working as a realtor.
Our article on the pros and cons of being a real estate agent provides insight from industry experts that can help you plan ahead.
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.