How long does it take to get a real estate license in Texas?
The fact of the matter is that getting a real estate license in Texas doesn’t have to take very long if you are motivated and willing to put in the work. In order to take the Texas real estate exam, an applicant must complete 180 hours of course work as set out by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).
The 180 hours consist of 6 individual courses, each comprising 30 hours. Depending on your method of study and learning style, you can complete the course work in as little as 2-3 weeks. For self-paced online study, TREC limits your accumulated hours to just 12 each day. The reality is that attempting more than 12 hours of study per day probably would hinder retention of the material covered. It is our recommendation that once a student begins his/her courses that they be completed within 90 days. We feel that is a good window to retain the information and be prepared to take the real estate exam.
Application To TREC
Once the courses are completed, you will want to submit your application to TREC along with the required application fee. An applicant is required to have fingerprints on file and will also be required to have a background check before an application can be approved. More information regarding fingerprints and background check can be found on the TREC website at https://www.trec.texas.gov/.
When the application is approved, you will schedule your exam date with Pearson VUE, the company that administers the exam. You have one year from the time the application is filed with TREC to pass the exam. The time between the date the application is submitted to TREC and the approval to schedule your exam can vary depending on the number of applicants received by TREC. As of this writing, the wait time is about 3-4 weeks. Our recommendation is to begin your review course as soon as you submit your application to TREC so that you are ready to take the exam once your application is approved.
When You Pass The Exam
After you have passed both the state and national portion of the exam, and satisfied all other requirements including background check and fingerprinting, you will receive notification from TREC within a couple of days that you have an inactive license. It’s then time to select a sponsoring broker who will hold your license and through which you will conduct real estate sales. At this point the process is moving fairly quickly and you are well on your way to a career in real estate.
How Things Add Up
So let’s recap on just how long this process is going to take. Realistically you should be able to complete your classes within 60 days of registering and having access to your course content. Give yourself another 30 days to get your application approved by TREC, get fingerprints, and have the background check completed. Allow another 1-2 weeks to get your test scheduled. And upon passing the exam, you should be able to establish an active license with your broker of choice within a week. This adds up to a maximum timeline of 4 months. If you are really aggressive and work hard you can likely do it in less time than that.
Ready To Get Started?
We have an excellent platform for your pre-licensing 180 hours with a history of a high pass rate on the first attempt at taking the real estate exam. The Texas Real Estate Commission website’s Education Provider Exam Passage Rate page can be found here: TREC Provider Exam Pass Rates
If you would like to get started, simply go to https://pioneerschool.pdx.catalog.canvaslms.com/ and register for our Correspondence courses or to https://portal.recampus.com/re/Pioneer/portal/welcome for our Online courses. We would love to have you as a student at Pioneer School of Real Estate.