Licensing Procedures

Step 1: Personal and Educational Requirements

You must complete the educational prerequisites for filing an application:

• Principles of Real Estate I real estate course (30 classroom hours)
• Principles of Real Estate II real estate course (30 classroom hours)
• Law of Agency core real estate course (30 classroom hours)
• Law of Contracts core real estate course (30 classroom hours)
• Promulgated Contracts core real estate course (30 classroom hours)
• Real Estate Finance core real estate course (30 classroom hours)
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Note: To be eligible to apply for a real estate Sales Agent License, an individual must be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien, eighteen (18) years of age or older and a legal resident of Texas.

A list of schools and websites where pre-licensing courses are offered is available on the Texas Real Estate Commission site: https://www.trec.texas.gov/education/approved-qualifying-real-estate-courses

Step 2: Complete Application

After you have completed your education, you may file and pay for the Application for Inactive Salesperson License. Evidence of successful completion of your education via credit transcript or certificate should be 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.

TREC now requests that you apply and pay online for your Inactive Salesperson 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.texas.gov or fax them to 512-936-3863 with a copy of your completed Online Payment Summary page. 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.

Step 3: Take the State Exam

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.

After January 1, 2016 any applicant who fails the examination three consecutive times may not register for re-examination or submit a new license application until additional education has been completed. Applicants authorized to register for the examination prior to January 1, 2016 will get three more attempts to pass the examination. After three failed attempts, an additional 30 classroom hours of qualifying real estate education must be completed for each failed portion of the exam. Upon completion of the additional education, please submit copies of the course completion certificates along with a copy of the third failed score report to TREC at education@trec.texas.gov. Allow 5-7 business days for processing and re-authorization to be submitted to Pearson VUE to allow you to re-schedule the exam.

Step 4: Fingerprinting

You are required by law to have your fingerprints on file with the Department of Public Safety for TREC. Fingerprints on file for other agencies will not be accepted. Your license will issue once you meet all licensing requirements and TREC receives confirmation from DPS that your fingerprints are on file. These fingerprints will be valid for subsequent renewals. The fingerprints must be in the FBI’s required format and must be taken at an authorized DPS site. Currently, there are over 90 locations statewide where electronic fingerprints can be taken. The digital fingerprinting process may take up to 10 days, so plan accordingly. You must pay a license application fee AND a fingerprinting fee.

Check the TREC web site at www.trec.texas.gov for updates on the fingerprinting requirement

Step 5: Obtain a Sponsoring Broker

The Texas law states that primary responsibility belongs to the brokerage firm with which the individual licensees are associated. The broker with whom you decide to associate will be selective. A responsible broker will not sponsor you if the broker does not feel the association will be mutually beneficial.

Your broker should provide ongoing educational support and encourage your professional development. When selecting a brokerage firm, you will also want to consider: advertising and market presence, community image, office facilities, public relations, manager's experience, support staff, listing inventory, training program, relocation business, referral network, and the office fees involved.

Before you can practice as a licensed salesperson you must arrange for a Texas real estate broker holding an active license to sponsor you as a salesperson. Applicants and inactive salespersons are not authorized to act as real estate agents.

While you are not required to have a sponsoring broker to file an application for a license, a Salesperson Sponsorship Form is included with the application materials. If you wish, you may file the sponsorship request along with the application. Once all licensing requirements have been satisfied, TREC will send an active salesperson license to the broker, and you may act for the broker on receipt of the license.

You may also file the application and arrange for sponsorship after TREC notifies you that you have been issued an inactive license. Once a broker holding an active license has mailed a request to TREC to act as your sponsor, you may begin to act for the broker as a salesperson.

You're on your way to a challenging and rewarding career in real estate!

For more information contact Merry Crawford Shuck, Talent Recruitment Director, 972-980-6699 or merry@ebby.com.