Being a real estate agent comes with a lot of perks.
Not only do you get good pay if you do well, but learning the ropes is also incredibly easy and convenient.
Yes, you will need a real estate license.
But thanks to the internet, getting ahold of that is now easier than ever before!
Today, we’re giving you a rundown of how to get a real estate license online in Texas.
We’re breaking it up into bite-sized steps that you can take one at a time.
And by the end of it?
You’ll know exactly what to do.
So let’s jump in!
How You Can Get a Texas Real Estate License Online
To get your real estate license online in Texas, you have to meet specific requirements and:
- Take pre-licensing education and exam online
- Complete a background check
- Submit your application to TREC
- Pass the real estate exam
- Obtain sponsorship from a broker and get your license!
The steps to get your Texas real estate license online aren’t that different from getting it offline.
But!
One small change – taking your pre-licensing course online – makes things 10x better and more convenient.
Why?
Well, let’s go over all the steps:
Real Estate License Requirements in Texas
Before you even begin to study your pre-licensing course, it’s a good idea to check if you meet these requirements:
- Must be 18 years old or above
- Must be an American citizen or a legal alien
- Must meet TREC’s qualifications of honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity
I know what you’re thinking:
“What the heck are TREC’s qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity?”
Well, it’s not that difficult.
Ask yourself:
- Do you have a criminal record?
- Do you have unpaid judgments?
- Have you done any unlicensed real estate activities?
- Have you ever had disciplinary action taken against your license?
- Have you ever had an application for a real estate license declined before?
If you answer no to everything, then you’re all clear.
But if you answer yes, then you should get a Fitness Determination from TREC.
You don’t want to go through all the training only to get disqualified, do you?
Getting and submitting this form will clear you from any doubts you may have.
You can download the FD form on TREC’s website.
If you’re sure you meet all the requirements, then you can get started!
Step 1: Take a Pre-Licensing Course and Exam Online
Here’s where things get serious.
Taking a pre-licensing course is the first BIG step to getting your license.
Now, you could go the traditional route with in-person classes.
But who wants that?
There are a handful of schools in Texas that provide certified real estate pre-licensing courses online.
Best Texas Online Real Estate Schools For 2023
To qualify for the official exam, you’ll need to complete 180 hours of real estate education.
That further breaks down into 30 hours of:
- Principles of Real Estate I
- Principles of Real Estate II
- Law of Agency
- Law of Contracts
- Promulgated Contracts and Forms
- Real Estate Finance
Once you finish each course, you can take your school’s final exam.
Take note: this is NOT the official TREC exam yet. But you will need to pass your online school’s exams before you can take that.
Step 2: Complete a Background Check
Next up, you’ll have to complete a background check with the TREC.
Don’t fret. It’s not at all difficult.
All you have to do is submit a background history form and have your fingerprints taken.
For more information on the fingerprinting process, check out TREC’s website.
Here’s some info on trying to become a real estate agent with a felony.
Step 3: Submit Application
With your pre-licensing certificate and background check, you can now submit your application to TREC.
To submit your application online, head over to https://mylicense.trec.texas.gov/ and filling out the forms (if you’re old-fashioned, you can also mail your application).
There is a submission fee, which costs around $200.
IMPORTANT: Once you’ve paid, send your payment confirmation, all six certificates from your pre-license course exams, and your background history form to documents@trec.texas.gov.
Then all there’s left to do is wait.
TREC will process your application, which typically takes 5-7 days. You can follow their progress here.
Step 4: Pass the Real Estate Exam
After your application is processed, it’s exam time!
Head over to your real estate exam center, and put your knowledge to the test.
You will have to pay about $60 as a fee, and the exam takes a maximum of 2.5 hours.
There will be 110 multiple choice questions – 80 on national real estate and 30 on Texas.
To pass, you’ll need to get 70% right (77 questions).
Now, trust us when we say this, you do NOT want to fail your exam.
Yes, you can retake it up to three times. But you’ll have to spend another $60 for every attempt.
That’s why we say, study hard!
Step 5: Obtain Sponsorship from a Broker and Get Your License!
Once you pass your exam, congrats!
You’ll finally get your real estate license.
However!
You’re not done yet!
To activate your license, you’ll have to obtain sponsorship from an active real estate broker.
Don’t worry. It’s not as hard as it sounds.
Choosing the right broker can take time. But once you find the right one and submit your broker sponsorship form, you’ll finally get your activated real estate license.
So you can go straight to work!
Texas Online Real Estate License FAQs
With those steps, you should know everything you need to know to get your real estate license online.
However, you may still have a few questions.
Especially about the online pre-licensing courses.
Let’s address some of those.
Is it Better to Take Real Estate Classes Online or In-Person?
For most people, taking pre-licensing education is far better online than in person. This is because it allows you to study at your own pace and place.
If you’re going after a real estate license as a side-job, studying online is the way to go. It won’t matter how busy you are at home, because finding the time to study will be a breeze.
What’s more, online classes are far more enjoyable.
Since it’s all on a modern platform, you won’t have to worry about reading block after block of text (which can put you to sleep).
Good online real estate schools provide you with entertaining graphics, videos, and even interactive features.
Aceable does an excellent job of demonstrating the perks of online classes in this video:
All that said, there are still a few people who prefer in-person classes.
Perhaps you’re the type of person who can’t focus while at home?
Whatever the case, you have to remember that passing the exam on the first attempt is very important.
So if in-person classes help you learn, then go for it!
What is the Best Online Real Estate School in Texas?
The best online real estate school is one that has an easy-to-follow curriculum, allows you to take course exams online, is affordable, and has high passing rates.
There are only a handful of online real estate schools in Texas, and some have dismal passing rates.
That’s why with all those in mind, our top pick is Aceable Agent.
Aceable Agent doesn’t only offer a modern platform (as you saw in the video above), but they also have excellent passing rates.
Right now, 72% of Aceable students passed the final TREC exam – which is one of the highest numbers in Texas.
You can take all six course exams online. Plus, you can download their official app and study on the go.
All of these make Aceable Agent an excellent online real estate school.
There are several other good online schools you could go for.
Among them are Colibri Real Estate and The CE Shop.
But as a rule of thumb, always check the school’s passing rates before signing up.
It’ll save you from paying for an old, dull course that’ll fail you in the end.
How Much Does Online Real Estate School In Texas Cost?
Good pre-licensing courses cost around $350 – $450.
To get your license, you’ll also have to pay several other fees, like the application fee and the exam fee.
All in all, the total price of getting your license varies on several factors, but it shouldn’t cost you more than $1,000.
How Long Does Online Real Estate School In Texas Take?
From start to finish, getting your real estate license takes around 4 – 6 months. You could go faster if you study all day, and you could go slower as well.
But remember, you’ll need to spend 180 hours studying.
Each real estate school must have a method in place to help ensure that the student who registered for the course is the same person completing the course and taking the exam.
Ready to Take Texas Real Estate Classes Online?
And there you have it!
With everything you’ve read, you now know all you need to know to grab your real estate license online in Texas.
So get out there and work on that license.
We’re rooting for you!