WHAT'S
NEEDED
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
LICENSE DO'S AND DONT'S
TIPS FOR A SMOOTH
TRANSACTION
CALIFORNIA
BROKER REQUIREMENTS
Effective October 1, 2007, Assembly Bill (AB) 2429 will change the qualifying educational requirements for the salesperson examination and for obtaining a real estate salesperson license. Details here.
SALESPERSON
LICENSE
WHAT'S NEEDED?
An applicant for a California real
estate salesperson's license must:
A
salesperson is licensed to act on behalf of
a broker, and may not act as a real estate
agent independently. A salesperson may only
work for one broker in California at a time.
California does not require an applicant for
a salesperson's license to have a high school
diploma or college degree. There is also no
state residency requirement.
|
top
of page
|
Real Estate Education
Requirements
|
|
Your required
education is comprised of 135 hours Real Estate
Principles, Real Estate Practice and one additional course. You must enroll in these courses prior to applying
for the licensing exam. We also suggest you
attend our License
Exam Preparation Course. |
|
The
Real Estate Licensing Process:
A Step-By-Step Guide |
|
| Step
1: Enroll in Pre-License Courses.
Enroll here. |
|
| Refer
to a current Agent College course list for home
study options. |
|
Step
2: Register for
the State Exam
|
|
Submit
an original Salesperson Examination Application
along with your $25 application fee.
Wait approximately four weeks for notification
of your examination date, time, and location.
This information will be sent to you on an
Examination Schedule Notice. You will also
receive a copy of the Live Scan Request form
(for submitting fingerprints) We recommend
that you submit the Live Scan Request form
immediately upon receipt. The quickest method
for submitting your application
is online at eLicensing. |
|
| Step
3: Complete Your Pre-License Courses |
|
Step
4: Take License
Exam Preparation Course. Enroll here.
|
|
| Step
5: Pass the Exam |
|
| Step
6: Apply for Your License |
|
After
passing the examination, you will be sent a
Salesperson License Application. Within one
year of the examination date this form must
be completed and returned along with the licensing
fee and a copy of your course
transcripts, if you have not already done so.
Also submit your Live Scan Request form (for
submitting fingerprints), if you did not submit
it as outlined in Step 2.
|
top
of page |
| DO'S
AND DON'TS FOR EXAMINATION APPLICANTS |
| DO'S |
|
|
Do
|
Do complete the application form correctly and fully. Any misrepresentations or missing items may result in delays in obtaining an examination date or disqualification from the examination. Transcripts should accompany the initial application.
|
|
| Do |
|
|
| Do |
Do check available exam dates to find out when and where the DRE is scheduling examinations; however, keep in mind that a particular exam may be filled by the time your exam application is submitted and processed. |
|
| Do |
Do wait the posted current processing timeframe for notification of your examination date, time, and location. If you have not received your notice, please check your exam date on the DRE Web site, or through the Interactive Voice Response System by calling the DRE Examination Section at (916) 227-0900. If you have been scheduled, you can request a duplicate Examination Schedule Notice using the eLicensing online system. If you have not been scheduled, call the DRE Examination Section at (916) 227-0900. |
|
| Do |
Do configure your fax transmission to produce a receipt. |
top
of page |
| DON'TS |
| Don't |
Send
cash. |
|
Don't
|
Don't mail or send duplicate faxes for the same transaction. This may result in your account inadvertently being charged twice and an unintentional rescheduling of your examination date. Fees remitted will not be refunded per section 10207 of the business and Professions Code. |
|
TIPS
FOR A SMOOTH LICENSING TRANSACTION |
The
Department’s Licensing Section receives
and processes a high volume of documents
for various licensing transactions, including
original and renewal license applications
and change notices. Processing times can
increase when documents submitted are unacceptable
because they are not properly completed.
The following are some common problems that
are found in documents submitted to the Licensing
Section for processing. To avoid these problems
altogether, use the eLicensing
online system whenever
possible. |
|
|
 |
Incorrect
fees — From time to time,
fees change. Prior to submitting your application,
please check the most current
fee schedule to
ensure you enclose the proper fee. |
top of page |
|
Incomplete
documents — One common problem
that causes delays in processing is the
submission of unsigned or incomplete forms.
To avoid processing delays, applicants
should carefully read all instructions
that accompany all forms and ensure that
all required information on each form is
properly and legibly completed. In addition,
applicants should ensure that forms are
legibly signed by the required parties. |
|
|
Processing
time frames — Before you call
to check the status of your application,
please allow sufficient time for processing
in accordance with the current processing
time frames published on the DRE Web
site. You can also check your license
status on the DRE Web
site using the eLicensing online system or by
clicking on click on Licensees, License Status
Check. Changes in license status are indicated
on the Web site as soon as they are completed.
Please do your best to submit a complete application
with all required documentation. When incomplete
applications are received, processing delays
are incurred. These delays not only adversely
affect the individual whose application is pending
until receipt of the required information, but
also all other applicants.
|
|
|
Renewal
processing — Renewal applications
are automatically mailed to licensees approximately
90 days prior to their license expiration
date. In order for a license application
to be considered on-time, the application
must be postmarked on or before the license
expiration date. Salespersons and brokers
may use the eLicensing
online system system to
renew their licenses up to 90 days prior
to their license expiration date. Using eLicensing
is a faster, paperless way to renew your
license. With respect to paper renewal applications
submitted, the Department processes renewal
applications in expiration date order, as
opposed to received date order because of
the large volume of licensees who submit
applications within two weeks of license
expiration. Although the conscientiousness
of 57 licensees who submit their renewal
applications early is appreciated, processing
renewal applications in expiration date order
works best as licenses are then renewed prior
to their expiration date, absent a backlog
situation.
While the Department makes every attempt to maintain
processing times at reasonable levels, there
are occasions when processing times exceed what
we hope to accomplish. When this occurs, please
remember that Section 10156.2 of the California
Business and Professions Code provides that licensees
who submit a renewal application and fee in good
faith prior to their license expiration date
are entitled to continue operating until such
time as they either receive a renewed license
certificate, or until they are notified that
their renewal application is deficient. This
provision was put in place because of the potential
for processing delays which would otherwise prohibit
an individual who submitted an on time renewal
application from operating until the application
is processed. |
|
|
Legal
presence requirement — A high
percentage of the original and renewal applications
received since August 1, 1998, have been
incomplete in that the State Public Benefits
Statement (RE 205) and/or an acceptable legal
presence document were not included. Please
help us to help you by ensuring that you
submit an appropriate document establishing
legal presence in the United States, together
with a properly completed State Public Benefits
Statement (RE 205), with your original or
renewal license application. Also, remember,
these documents should not be included with
your examination application. The proof of
legal presence requirement applies when you
submit an original or renewal license application. |
|
|
Mailing
address changes — Many licensees
fail to notify the Department of a change
in their mailing address, although required
to do so by Commissioner’s Regulation
2517. Without a proper mailing address, the
Department is unable to provide the licensee
with important information, such as a courtesy
reminder that a license is due for renewal,
or with current editions of the Real Estate
Bulletin that provide information on changes
to license requirements and other developments.
You 58 may change your mailing address using
the eLicensing
online system which
immediately updates the DRE database and
your public license record. Or, you may submit
a Salesperson Change Application (RE 214),
Broker Change Application (RE 204), or Corporation
Change Application (RE 204A) to the Licensing
Section. |
top
of page |
The Department of Real Estate (DRE) will implement AB 2429 as follows:
1. Original salesperson examination applications post marked or submitted in person to any DRE office on or after October 1, 2007, will be required to include evidence of completion of all three required courses before being scheduled for an examination.
2. Salesperson examination applications are valid for a two-year period. Original salesperson examination applications post marked or submitted in person to any DRE office before October 1, 2007, that contain an acknowledgement that the applicant is enrolled in or has completed a Real Estate Principles course, will be entitled to continue to take the examination within the two-year period for which the application is valid.
3. Applicants, who qualify for the examination as set forth in Item 2 above, must take and pass the examination before October 1, 2007, and have the license application post marked, or submitted in person to any DRE office, before October 1, 2007, to be eligible for a conditional license.
4. Applicants who qualify for the examination as set forth in Item 2 above, but who pass the examination on or after October 1, 2007, or whose license application is post marked, or submitted in person to any DRE office on or after October 1, 2007, will be required to include evidence of completion of all three required courses before their four-year license can be issued.
5. Examination applications that contain proper verification that the applicant has completed all three required courses will be entitled to take the examination and apply for a four-year license upon the successful completion of the salesperson examination.
|
