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Real estate license · Texas

Texas real estate license: the official requirements

Age, pre-licensing hours, the exam, background check, broker sponsorship, fees and renewal, from the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Nov 9, 2026 · Requirements: each state's real estate licensing authority or its statute
Quick answer

To get a real estate license in Texas (the sales agent license): Minimum age: 18 or older; a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien who meets TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness and integrity. Pre-licensing education: 180 classroom hours of qualifying courses: Principles of Real Estate I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms and Real Estate Finance (30 hours each), completed before you apply. Licensing exam: The license exams, administered by Pearson; TREC emails scheduling instructions once it has reviewed your education. Failing either exam three times means more education before you can test again. Sponsoring broker: You are first issued an inactive license; a sponsoring broker is required to move to active status and practice. Your licensing authority is the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Requirements

Requirements for the Texas sales agent license

Data
Texas real estate license requirements (Texas Real Estate Commission)
RequirementTexas
License you apply forThe Texas real estate sales agent license; a sales agent acts for a sponsoring broker.
Minimum age18 or older; a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien who meets TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness and integrity.
Pre-licensing education180 classroom hours of qualifying courses: Principles of Real Estate I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms and Real Estate Finance (30 hours each), completed before you apply.
Post-licensing educationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Texas Real Estate Commission.
Licensing examThe license exams, administered by Pearson; TREC emails scheduling instructions once it has reviewed your education. Failing either exam three times means more education before you can test again.
Background checkFingerprints on file with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for a background check; no license is issued without passing it. You may request a Fitness Determination first.
Sponsoring brokerYou are first issued an inactive license; a sponsoring broker is required to move to active status and practice.
State fees$206 for the original sales agent application ($150 fee, $6 Texas Online fee, $40 Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center fee, $10 Real Estate Recovery fee), under the fee schedule effective September 1, 2026; non-refundable.
License termNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Texas Real Estate Commission.
Continuing educationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools and course providers, and fingerprint vendors are not included.

Steps

How to get licensed in Texas

Data
  1. Register for a REALM Portal account to get a pre-license education application number, and give it to your TREC-approved course provider.
  2. Complete the 180 hours of qualifying education and get your course completion certificate.
  3. Apply online in the REALM Portal (Create Application, Sales Agent Application) with the fee, uploading your course documents; the application expires one year after it is filed.
  4. Schedule fingerprints with DPS when your application moves to In Review, and pass the background check.
  5. Pass the license exams with Pearson after TREC emails your scheduling instructions.
  6. Receive your inactive license, then have a broker sponsor you through the REALM Portal to go active.
Next

Go further

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FAQ

Questions people ask

How do I get a real estate license in Texas?
To get a real estate license in Texas (the sales agent license): Minimum age: 18 or older; a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien who meets TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness and integrity. Pre-licensing education: 180 classroom hours of qualifying courses: Principles of Real Estate I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms and Real Estate Finance (30 hours each), completed before you apply. Licensing exam: The license exams, administered by Pearson; TREC emails scheduling instructions once it has reviewed your education. Failing either exam three times means more education before you can test again. Sponsoring broker: You are first issued an inactive license; a sponsoring broker is required to move to active status and practice. Your licensing authority is the Texas Real Estate Commission.
How many hours of pre-licensing education does Texas require?
180 classroom hours of qualifying courses: Principles of Real Estate I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms and Real Estate Finance (30 hours each), completed before you apply.
Do I need a sponsoring broker in Texas?
You are first issued an inactive license; a sponsoring broker is required to move to active status and practice.
How long is a Texas real estate license good for?
Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Texas Real Estate Commission.
How much does a Texas real estate license cost?
$206 for the original sales agent application ($150 fee, $6 Texas Online fee, $40 Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center fee, $10 Real Estate Recovery fee), under the fee schedule effective September 1, 2026; non-refundable. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools and course providers, and fingerprint vendors are not included.
Method

How this page is built

Each fact on this page comes from the Texas Real Estate Commission, read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the Texas Real Estate Commission's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 7, 2027).

What this page can't tell you
  • Not legal advice.
  • Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
  • Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools and course providers, and fingerprint vendors are not included.
  • This page covers the entry-level license. Broker, nonresident and reciprocal licenses have their own rules.
Sources
  1. Texas Real Estate Commission, Become a Real Estate Sales Agent, official source, read Nov 6, 2026.
  2. Texas Real Estate Commission, Fee Schedule Effective September 1, 2026, official source, read Nov 6, 2026.