A real estate license takes a state-approved prelicensing course, a state exam and a sponsoring broker, and in the four large states below the course alone ranges from 63 classroom hours in Florida to 180 in Texas. Every state requires agents to be licensed. Most of the work of choosing a path is learning your own state’s rules before you pay for a course. The harder part comes after the license: most agents are paid by commission, and BLS warns that beginners can go weeks or months without a sale.

This guide is desk research from the licensing agencies of California, Texas, Florida and New York, and from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), checked on October 5, 2026. Course and exam fees change, so check them with your state agency. Requirements vary by state, so confirm yours before you enroll.

What the job is

BLS says real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell and rent properties. The typical duties include finding clients, comparing properties to set a competitive price, showing properties, presenting offers, mediating negotiations and preparing documents such as purchase agreements and leases. Most sell residential property.

The license title matters. BLS says brokers are licensed to manage their own real estate businesses, while sales agents must work with a broker, often on a contract basis that pays them a portion of the commission on each sale. Most states require at least 2 years as a licensed agent before you can apply for a broker’s license.

What every state requires

BLS says minimum requirements vary by state but typically include:

  • being at least 18
  • a high school diploma or equivalent
  • completing prelicensing courses
  • passing an exam

Some states add a background check. Licenses typically aren’t transferable between states, though some states have reciprocity agreements. BLS says most states renew licenses every 2 to 4 years, and most require continuing education to renew.

Prelicensing hours in four large states

State Prelicensing education Before you can practice Afterward
California Three college-level courses, each at least 45 hours You need a responsible broker to do licensed work 45 clock hours of approved continuing education for the first renewal
Texas 180 classroom hours (six 30-hour courses) Fingerprints, background check, state and national exams, then a sponsoring broker 270 qualifying hours in total plus two legal update courses before first renewal
Florida 63 classroom hours Fingerprints and an exam score of at least 75; license is inactive until activated A 45-hour post-licensing course before the first license expires
New York 77 hours of approved qualifying education Pass the state exam and be sponsored by a licensed broker Two-year license term

California requires Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice and one elective from a list that includes appraisal, finance, property management and legal aspects of real estate. Since January 1, 2024, the practice course must include implicit bias and fair housing components. The Department of Real Estate notes you can hold a license without a broker, but you can’t perform acts that require a license.

Texas requires six named courses: Principles of Real Estate I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms and Real Estate Finance. Your application expires one year after you file it, and all requirements must be done in that year. Pearson runs the exams, and anyone who fails either exam three times must take more education before testing again. The Texas Real Estate Commission issues an inactive license until a broker sponsors you.

Florida accepts the 63-hour course for 2 years after you finish it. A broker can activate a new sales associate’s license through the broker’s online account.

New York requires you to be 18, finish 77 hours of qualifying education, pass the salesperson exam and be sponsored by a New York broker.

For any other state, the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) keeps a directory of regulatory agencies. Start with your state’s agency page, not a course seller’s summary.

Choosing a broker

BLS says training varies by company. Some brokerages provide formal training, while others let agents start right after licensing. Larger companies may run classroom training for new agents. In some states, agents must be sponsored by a broker while they are working toward their license.

Because a sales agent’s income comes through the broker, ask any broker you interview how commissions are split, what fees you pay, and what training and leads you get in the first year. BLS notes that commissions are often divided among the buying agent, selling agent, brokers and firms.

Early income: what the data does and doesn’t show

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $52,830 for real estate sales agents and $73,220 for brokers. Read those numbers carefully. They come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which BLS says does not cover the self-employed. BLS also says 54 percent of sales agents are self-employed. So the published median describes the minority of agents who work for a wage or salary, not the self-employed majority.

BLS’s description of earnings is more useful for a career changer. Brokers and agents earn most of their income from commissions. Income depends on economic conditions, motivation and the properties available, and it usually rises with experience. “Earnings may be irregular, especially for beginners, and agents sometimes go weeks or months without a sale.”

That makes a cash cushion part of the license plan. Our guide to budgeting for a career-change transition period walks through how to size one. BLS also notes that the real estate market is highly sensitive to the economy, and that work often slows when interest rates rise.

BLS measure (May 2025 and 2025 to 2035) Sales agents Brokers
Jobs in 2025 427,000 103,500
Share self-employed 54 percent 55 percent
Median annual wage (wage and salary only) $52,830 $73,220
Lowest and highest 10 percent Less than $32,970; more than $123,590 Less than $37,110; more than $143,300

Across both occupations, BLS projects 2 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, with about 40,400 openings a year.

A practical order of steps

  1. Read your state agency’s requirements page and note the hours, exam and background-check rules.
  2. Interview two or three brokers before you finish the course, so sponsorship doesn’t stall your start.
  3. Pick an approved prelicensing provider from the state’s own list.
  4. Schedule the exam as soon as you are eligible, keeping any application deadline in mind.
  5. Plan for post-license or first-renewal education, and for several months of uneven income.

For more on why a course certificate is not the license itself, see our guide to accreditation vs licensing for certificate jobs. If you are also weighing insurance sales, our insurance license guide compares license lines and how agents are paid.

FAQ

How many hours does a real estate license take?

It depends on the state. Florida requires a 63-hour course, New York 77 hours, and Texas 180 classroom hours. California requires three college-level courses of at least 45 hours each.

Can I work on my own once I pass the exam?

No. BLS says sales agents must work with a broker. Texas, for example, issues an inactive license until a broker sponsors you, and New York requires sponsorship by a licensed broker.

How much do new real estate agents make?

There is no reliable official first-year figure. BLS says earnings may be irregular for beginners and agents sometimes go weeks or months without a sale. Its median for sales agents covers only wage-and-salary workers, while most agents are self-employed.

Is there more education after I get licensed?

Often, yes. Florida requires a 45-hour post-licensing course before the first license expires, Texas requires additional qualifying hours and two legal update courses before the first renewal, and California requires 45 clock hours of continuing education for the first renewal.

Can I use my license in another state?

Usually not directly. BLS says licenses typically are not transferable, though some states have reciprocity agreements.

Sources