Real Estate License Cost: How Much Are Real Estate Classes?
If you’re thinking of becoming a real estate agent, there are a few steps you’ll have to go through before you can close your first sale. You’ll need to take a pre-licensing course, pass your state exam, and get your real estate license. However, there are expenses that come with every single one of these steps. It’s good to be prepared and take these costs into consideration before diving headfirst into the field. In this blog, we’ll go over how much it costs to get your license to get you started on your real estate journey!
HOW MUCH DOES A REAL ESTATE LICENSE COST?
This depends on a few things and can become complicated quickly. A lot depends on the steps that your state or locality requires, but you can build a roadmap of the path ahead and calculate from there the costs associated with becoming licensed.
You'll want to check current requirements, approved schools, current fees, and other details with the official website of your state's real estate regulatory agency, often called a "real estate commission." These can be less user-friendly than other sites, but it's the only place where you can be sure the information is accurate and up to date.
HOW MUCH IS REAL ESTATE SCHOOL?
How you go about schooling can make a big difference. There are various factors to consider, but generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $200 to $1000. As you go about finding which option is right for you, consider the following:
- How many hours of "pre-licensing" coursework does your state commission require?
- Where is the list of approved "pre-licensing" schools on their website?
- What's the best delivery method for you?
- Do you just need the coursework, or do you want to invest in exam prep and practice as well?
- Does the state require your final exams to be proctored (or monitored by an impartial third party)?
- How long are your courses valid?
These questions can help you determine the how and when of completing real estate school. Here are some things that might help in answering these questions:
- The complexity of your course requirements often impacts the real estate class prices.
- Bookmark approved schools, and confirm your school is there before you enroll. If you stray from the approved list, your courses won't be accepted, which can be a huge waste of time and money.
- Some people need a classroom to thrive, but online pre-licensing courses are generally cheaper. Plus, on-demand coursework lets you fit your career prep around your current schedule.
- Even if you're a good test taker, it can save you from repeating your exam (and paying a second fee) if you practice before the big day.
- Proctored exams often have associated fees. In some cases, states allow online proctoring, which saves you time and trouble.
- In many states, courses need to be taken within 2-5 years of the application. If you delay your application beyond that, you'll have to repeat them.
- Always check potential schools’ pass rates and their commission approval status
HOW MUCH IS THE REAL ESTATE EXAM?
In most cases, your state licensing exam is the next step, though some states require you to submit part or all of your application first. You have to pay an exam fee that is usually somewhere between $30 and $100 per exam attempt. Some states give you multiple attempts before you have to pay the fee again.
HOW MUCH DOES THE REAL ESTATE APPLICATION COST?
This can be the trickiest part because you can't just look at the application fee itself. You need to check your state's application requirements and look for ALL expenses and fees that you'll need to pay.
Some fees, often the fingerprinting, background check, and state exam, may need to be paid to a third party rather than the state.
These fees can include:
- Application fee
- Fingerprinting and/or Background Check
- Additional fees that vary by state
- In a few states, this can amount to less than $100 or more than $500. However, most applications fall in the $200-$400 range.
To have an active license in most locations, new agents need to "hang their license" or officially associate with a real estate broker. In some states, an applicant without a sponsoring broker has to pay one fee for an "inactive" license application and another fee to "activate" it once a sponsor is attained. This can also impact your application cost.
COST TO GET A REAL ESTATE LICENSE BY STATE
There are other expenses that you should plan for immediately after you receive your license, which we'll outline below. But first, here are a few state-specific examples of how much a real estate license can cost.
For the sake of a firm number, we'll use our own Premium pre-licensing courses that include exam prep.
TEXAS REAL ESTATE LICENSE COST
How much does a real estate license cost in Texas?
Pre-Licensing Courses (w/required proctoring): $429 or more
State Exam Cost: $43 per attempt
Application Cost: $150
Fingerprinting Cost: $38.25
That's a total cost of $660 (or more) in Texas if you use online proctoring for the final exams, buy Texas exam prep, pass on the first try, and have no special circumstances.
In some situations, applicants may also want to submit a Fitness Determination request for $50 before starting the training and application process. This ensures that you don't waste time and money if you're ineligible under the "honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity" requirement.
Please note the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) eliminated some previous application fees in January 2020.
You can learn more about the steps in the process with our Texas real estate licensing guide.
CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE LICENSE COST
How much does a real estate license cost in California?
Pre-Licensing Courses: $124 or more
State Exam Cost: $100 per attempt
Application Cost: $345
Fingerprinting Cost: $49
That's a total cost of $618 (or more) in California if you buy exam prep, pass on the first try, and have no special circumstances.
You can learn more about the steps in the process with our article on How to Get a California Real Estate License. Since California has two potential application paths, it's more complicated than most.
FLORIDA REAL ESTATE LICENSE COST
How much does a real estate license cost in Florida?
Pre-Licensing Courses: $167 or more
State Exam Cost: $36.75 per attempt
Application Cost: $39.37
Fingerprinting Cost: $58.12
That's a total cost of $301 (or more) in Florida if you buy exam prep, pass on the first try, and have no special circumstances.
You can learn more about the steps in the process with our Florida real estate licensing guide.
OTHER REAL ESTATE START-UP COSTS
Once you've received your license, there are usually other expenses you need to plan for, whether it's the following day or throughout your first year.
That includes:
- Living Expenses: most new agents have no income for at least six months
- Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance: roughly $30/mo
- REALTOR® Association Fees: at least $156 a year, but reportedly as much as $1,000
- Marketing & Business Expenses: varies around $1500-$2000 a year. Some expenses may be covered by the brokerage, but don't count on it.
- Desk Fee (if applicable): your sponsoring broker may require a desk fee, commission split, or a mixed fee structure. Desk fees are due monthly whether you sell anything or not. They can run up to $2,000 per month.
- Post-License Education (if required): Georgia and Alabama, for example, require additional coursework within the first year. Budget around $100. In other states, coursework won't be due until your second or third year.
BOTTOM LINE
Real estate licenses can be expensive, but pre-license classes can help balance the need for quality training and affordability. With 15 years of experience, we offer convenient, cost-effective online courses for real estate agents. Our self-paced, mobile-friendly classes are convenient, cost-effective, and available to fit busy schedules. We offer exam prep for Texas, Florida, and California! Start your education today and achieve your career goals.
How Much is Real Estate School?
The price of real estate classes will vary based on many factors, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $1,000, typically.
Some factors to consider:
- How many hours of "pre-licensing" coursework does your state commission require? The complexity of your course requirements often impacts the real estate class prices.
- Where is the list of approved "pre-licensing" schools on their website? Bookmark it, and confirm your school is there before you enroll. If you stray from this list, your courses won't be accepted, which can be a huge waste of time and money.
- What's the best delivery method for you? Some people need a classroom to thrive, but online pre-licensing courses are generally cheaper. Plus, on-demand coursework lets you fit your career prep around your current schedule.
- Do you just need the coursework, or do you want to invest in exam prep and practice as well? Even if you're a good test taker, it can save you from repeating your exam (and paying a second fee) if you practice before the big day.
- Does the state require your final exams to be proctored (or monitored by an impartial third party)? This has associated fees. In some cases, states allow online proctoring that saves you time and trouble.
- How long are your courses valid? In many states, you need to take them within 2-5 years of the application. If you delay your application beyond that, you'll have to repeat them.
Once you've answered these questions, you can look for a school that's the right fit. Check their students' pass rates for the state exam as well as their commission approval status.
How Much Is The Real Estate Exam?
In most cases, your state licensing exam is the next step, though some states require you to submit part or all of your application first.
You have to pay an exam fee that is usually somewhere between $30 and $100 per exam attempt. Some states give you multiple attempts before you have to pay the fee again.
How Much Does The Real Estate Application Cost?
This can be the trickiest part because you can't just look at the application fee itself. You need to check your state's application requirements and look for ALL expenses and fees that you'll need to pay.
Some fees – often the fingerprinting, background check, and state exam – may need to be paid to a third party, rather than the state.
That can include an:
- Application fee
- Fingerprinting and/or Background Check
- Additional fees that vary by state
In a few states, this can amount to less than $100 or more than $500. However, most applications fall in the $200-$400 range.
To have an active license in most locations, new agents need to "hang their license" or officially associate with a real estate broker. In some states, an applicant without a sponsoring broker has to pay one fee for an "inactive" license application and another fee to "activate" it once a sponsor is attained. This can also impact your application cost.
Cost to Get a Real Estate License by State
There are other expenses that you should plan for immediately after you receive your license, which we'll outline below.
But first, here are a few state-specific examples of how much a real estate license can cost.
For the sake of a firm number, we'll use our own Premium pre-licensing courses that include exam prep.
Texas Real Estate License Cost
How much does a real estate license cost in Texas?
- Pre-Licensing Courses (w/required proctoring): $415 or more
- State Exam Cost: $54 per attempt
- Application Cost: $185
- Fingerprinting Cost: $38.25
That's a total cost of $693 (or more) in Texas, if you use online proctoring for the final exams, buy Texas exam prep, pass on the first try, and have no special circumstances.
In some situations, applicants may also want to submit a Fitness Determination request for $50 before starting the training and application process. This ensures that you don't waste time and money if you're ineligible under the "honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity" requirement.
Please note, the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) eliminated some previous application fees in January 2020.
You can learn more about the steps in the process with our Texas real estate licensing guide.
California Real Estate License Cost
How much does a real estate license cost in California?
- Pre-Licensing Courses: $115 or more
- State Exam Cost: $60 per attempt
- Application Cost: $245
- Fingerprinting Cost: $49
That's a total cost of $469 (or more) in California, if you buy exam prep, pass on the first try, and have no special circumstances.
You can learn more about the steps in the process with our article on How to Get a California Real Estate License. Since California has two potential application paths, it's more complicated than most.
Florida Real Estate License Cost
How much does a real estate license cost in Florida?
- Pre-Licensing Courses: $145 or more
- State Exam Cost: $36.75 per attempt
- Application Cost: $83.75
- Fingerprinting Cost: $50
That's a total cost of $232 (or more) in Florida, if you buy exam prep, pass on the first try, and have no special circumstances.
You can learn more about the steps in the process with our Florida real estate licensing guide.
Other Real Estate Start-Up Costs
Once you've received your license, there are usually other expenses you need to plan for, whether it's the following day or throughout your first year.
That includes:
- Living Expenses: most new agents have no income for at least six months
- Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance: roughly $30/mo
- REALTOR® Association Fees: at least $185 a year, but reportedly as much as $1,000
- Marketing & Business Expenses: varies around $1500-$2000 a year. Some expenses may be covered by the brokerage, but don't count on it.
- Desk Fee (if applicable): your sponsoring broker may require a desk fee, commission split, or a mixed fee structure. Desk fees are due monthly whether you sell anything or not. They can run up to $2,000 per month.
- Post-License Education (if required): Georgia and Alabama, for example, require additional coursework within the first year. Budget around $100. In other states, coursework won't be due until your second or third year.
Bottom Line
There aren't many opportunities to control the cost of earning your real estate license, but your pre-license real estate classes are one area where you have choices. It's a balancing act – you want a quality training provider that will help you prepare for your career and pass the state licensing exam on the first try, but you also want to keep the price down.
We have 15 years of experience helping real estate agents accomplish their pre-licensing and continuing education goals through online coursework. Our classes are convenient, cost-effective, and always available, so you can fit your studying around your busy schedule. They're also self-paced and mobile-friendly so you can study however you prefer. Get started today!
