Texas Real Estate Broker License Information
Steps You Need To Follow For Your Texas Real Estate Broker License
To be eligible to apply for a real estate Broker License in Texas, an individual must furnish the Commission satisfactory evidence of successfully completing the following five education & experience requirements:
Effective September 1, 2012, the requirements are: At least four years active experience in Texas as a licensed real estate salesperson or broker during the 60 month period immediately preceding the filing of the application OR if licensed as a broker in another state, not less than four years active experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or broker during the 60 month period immediately preceding the filing of the application.
Not less than 3600 points of qualifying practical experience obtained during four out of five years as required by §535.56(b) of the Rules of the Texas Real Estate Commission. One of the supplemental forms promulgated by the commission must be used:
(1) To report qualifying experience with an application use TREC No. BL-A, Supplement A-Qualifying Experience Report for a Broker License.
(2) To report qualifying experience after an application for a broker license is filed use TREC NO. BL-B, Supplement B-Qualifying Experience Report for a Broker License after an Application has been filed.
270 hours of core real estate courses. (A 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course must be completed as part of the 270 core hours.)
An additional 630 hours in related courses acceptable to the Commission. A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university satisfies all of the “related” education requirements for a brokers license. A copy of the college transcript awarding the degree must be submitted as evidence of completion of the degree.
Effective 09/1/2010 a pre-application education evaluation is no longer required prior to submitting an application. Real estate applicants are no longer required to submit an education evaluation request and receive a notice from the commission that the education requirements have been satisfied prior to submitting an application for a license. The education evaluation request form is eliminated and education course completion documents must be submitted when the application is filed.
After you have met the experience requirement and completed your education, you may then file and pay for the Application for Broker License by an Individual. Evidence of successful completion of any education that has not been posted to your records with our office should be submitted via credit transcript or certificate and submitted with your application. DO NOT submit original transcripts or course completion documents. Keep the originals for your personal files and send photocopies to the Commission.
Please apply and pay online for your Real Estate Broker License. The information requested online is the same as on the paper application. If you are filing online, scan and send your education documents electronically to education@trec.state.tx.us or fax them to 512-936-3863 with a copy of your completed application. If submitting your application by mail or in person, please note that an application received without the appropriate fees will be rejected and your check will be returned to you. The following fees should be submitted in ONE PERSONAL CHECK, CASHIERS CHECK OR MONEY ORDER payable to the Texas Real Estate Commission. Cash will not be accepted.
ALL FEES LISTED BELOW ARE NONREFUNDABLE.
The fees required with your Real Estate Broker License Application include:
Original Application Fee – $378.25 (required for all applicants)
Recovery Trust Account (formerly Recovery Fund) – $10.00 (required for all applicants unless previously paid)
Background Check Fee – All licensees who have been fingerprinted for TREC will have to pay another fee for a background check with each subsequent renewal or application. Licensees who were fingerprinted for a 2008 renewal, application or late renewal, and whose current license expiration is March 31, 2009 or thereafter, must pay the renewal or application fee and an additional fee (currently $34.25) for a subsequent background check. Fees will be returned to licensees who submit incorrect fee amounts (and, for renewals: the license will expire if the correct amount is not timely received.)
Pursuant to §1101.3521 of the Real Estate License Act, any person applying for or renewing a salesperson license must provide their fingerprints. Once the applicant has obtained a TREC entity number the FastPass form may be downloaded from our website at http://www.trec.state.tx.us/FASTPass/ and an appointment must be made through L1 Enrollment Services or through PSI.
If fingerprints were submitted for a Texas salespersons license, fingerprints do not need to be resubmitted but the $34.25 fee is required to obtain a background check. Fingerprints on file for other agencies will not be accepted. A license will not issue if the background check has not been cleared.
Examination Information
License examinations are administered by Pearson VUE, a testing service company. Once the complete application is received and processed and education is satisfied, the applicant will be notified of eligibility to sit for the examination. The exam eligibility notification will have instructions for contacting the exam administrator and obtaining a copy of the Candidate Handbook to register for the exam. The Candidate Handbook contains information about the examination, study material, and instructions for making an exam reservation. Two forms of current signature identification are required for admission to a testing site. The name on the identification must match the name on the application for a license. The applicant must pass the examination within one year after the date the application is filed with TREC.
Investigation May be Needed
The filing of an application authorizes an investigation of the applicant’s background. Information revealed in an investigation may be cause for disapproval of an application even though other requirements for a license are met. If an investigation is necessary, it may not be conducted until the applicant has passed the examination.
State law prohibits the renewal of a license if a licensee has defaulted on a student loan guaranteed by TGTM unless the licensee has entered into a repayment agreement with TG. YOU SHOULD CONTACT TG BEFORE FILING THIS APPLICATION if you have defaulted on a student loan. An application or renewal may be rejected if this agency has received information from TGSLC that the applicant has defaulted on a student loan. The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation can be reached at:
TGTM
P.O. Box 83100
Round Rock, Texas 78683-3100
Telephone: (800) 252-9743
(in Austin, call 219-5700)
You are not authorized to perform any act for which a real estate license is required until an ACTIVE Texas Real Estate Commission license is in your possession.
As noted above in the Filing Your Application section, online applications travel through the system much faster than paper-based applications. The online application process could potentially save you weeks of waiting for a license, due to the delays of regular mail communication and other factors inherent in the paper-based process (such as data entry time and processing of checks).
Please apply and pay online for your Real Estate Broker License.