About Brenda Savage
Brenda Savage is a Real Estate Broker and Instructor licensed in the State of Arizona. She has been active in the real estate industry since 1988, and has been a Real Estate Instructor since 1999.
More...
How to obtain your California Real Estate Agent License
The California Department of Real Estate requires the following for you to become a licensed real estate sales person: (all information regarding California Real Estate Licensing can be found at http://www.dre.cahwnet.gov/saleslic.htm).
Minimum Requirements to Apply for the Salesperson Exam and License
To obtain a real estate salesperson license, you must first qualify for and pass a written examination. Those who pass the examination are provided a license application which must be submitted to and approved by the DRE.
Age: You must be 18 years of age or older to be licensed.
Residence: Proof of Legal Presence in the United States is required. If you are not a California resident, see Out-of-State Applicants.
Honesty: Applicants must be honest and truthful. Conviction of a crime may result in the denial of a license. Failure to disclose any criminal violation or disciplinary action in an applicant's entire history may also result in the denial of a license. For further information, see Help Avoid Denial of Your License Application and Application Eligibility Information (RE 222).
Experience: None required.
Education: Successful completion of the following college-level courses is required to become a real estate salesperson:
- Real Estate Principles (must be completed or in progress to apply for examination and must be completed prior to applying for a license); and
- Real Estate Practice (must be completed prior to applying for a license or within 18 months of license issuance); and
- One course from the following list (must be completed prior to applying for a license or within 18 months of license issuance):
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Property Management
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Economics
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate
- Real Estate Office Administration
- General Accounting
- Business Law
- Escrows
- Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
- Computer Applications in Real Estate
- Common Interest Developments
Note: Members of the bar of any state in the United States or graduates of law schools recognized by the California State Bar will generally qualify on the basis of their education, and as such are exempt from the college-level course requirements. Evidence of admission to practice law, such as a photocopy of both sides of a current State Bar membership card, or of an LL.B. or J.D. Degree should accompany the application.
Also, applicants who submit evidence of having completed the eight statutory college-level courses required for the broker examination and license are eligible to take the salesperson examination without submitting further evidence of experience or education.
Courses must be three semester-units or four quarter-units at the college level. Courses must be completed at an institution of higher learning accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or by a comparable regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or by a private real estate school which has had its courses approved by the California Real Estate Commissioner. Search for approved statutory/pre-license real estate courses.
Courses completed through foreign institutions of higher learning must be evaluated by a foreign credentials evaluation service approved by the Department of Real Estate. See Examination Applicant Foreign Education Information (RE 223).
Copies of official transcripts are generally acceptable evidence of completed courses. Transcripts of equivalent courses submitted as substitutes for the college-level courses listed above must be supported by an official course or catalog description in order to be evaluated for equivalency.
When you apply for examination:
- If you have completed all three courses, submit transcripts showing completion of the three courses with your examination application.
- If you have completed Real Estate Principles only, submit transcripts showing completion with your examination application.
- If you have not completed Real Estate Principles, you must certify under penalty of perjury that you are currently enrolled in an acceptable Real Estate Principles course by signing the examination application.
After you pass the examination and apply for your license:
- If you have completed all three courses, submit transcripts showing completion of the three courses with your license application if you have not already done so.
- If you have completed Real Estate Principles only, submit transcripts showing completion with your license application if you have not already done so. Transcripts showing completion of the other two courses must be submitted within 18 months of the date the license is issued and an additional fee for processing a conditional license will apply. See License Fees and Additional Requirements for Salespersons Issued a Conditional License for further information.