Calling all aspiring real estate salespeople in Arizona.
Are you confused about the process to get a real estate license?
Don’t know where or how to begin?
Are you even eligible to get one?
We’ve got your back.
Here, we’re going to give you a complete 2023 guide on how to get a real estate license online in Arizona. We won’t leave anything behind, so you know exactly what to do and what to expect from beginning to end.
So shall we?
Who Can Get a Real Estate License in Arizona?
If you…
- Are at least 18 years old
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)
- Are a US citizen or legal alien
- Are an Arizona resident
- Have a Social Security number
- Don’t have any criminal records (although you can still get a real estate license if you do, it will depend on the Arizona Department of Real Estate or ADRE).
…then you are eligible to try your hand at real estate.
Yes, that’s it! You don’t need anything major to qualify.
What are the Requirements to Get a Real Estate License in Arizona?
Now, let’s get to the heart of this article.
To get an Arizona real estate license, you’re required to:
- Complete 90 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses and 6 hours of Contract Writing course
- Pass the Arizona real estate exam
- Get a Fingerprint Clearance Card (FCC)
- Apply for a real estate license from the ADRE
- Find a brokerage to work for
Read below for the details.
1. Complete 90 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses and 6 hours of Contract Writing course
First things first, you’ll need to acquire knowledge about the real estate world.
The 90-hour real estate pre-licensing course includes:
- Arizona real estate license law
- Difference between Arizona law and common law
- Arizona real estate regulation
- National real estate laws
- Principles and practices of real estate
As for the 6-hour Contract Writing course, it focuses on:
- Contract law (3hrs)
- Real estate legal issues (3hrs)
Here’s what you should know.
You can complete the 6-hour Contract Writing course at a later time. Just make sure that it’s finished before the final requirement – applying for the actual license.
That said, both the pre-licensing and Contract Writing courses have exams at the end, which you’ll need to pass to get hold of your certificates of completion. Important: these school exams should be taken in person.
Allow us to take this moment to recommend reliable, online, ADRE-approved real estate schools in Arizona.
The first one is AceableAgent.
AceableAgent is a well-known and trusted online real estate school in the country. Some even say it is the best online provider out there.
And as if that wasn’t enough, they partnered with Kaplan Real Estate School (a household name) to give students a great learning experience. You can trust that their courses are comprehensive, up to date, and will help you ace the final exam and prepare you for your new career.
Check out this video of Kaplan’s OnDemand Course Demo:
Unfortunately, AceableAgent doesn’t offer the 6-hour Contract Writing course at the moment.
If you want the full package, with all 96 hours of education, then check out American Realty Academy. With this school, you have the option to choose online or in person.
If you opt for the online course, then you can finish it within 14 days for a fee of only $400-450.
As for in-person classes, you can visit their main campus at:
15650 North Black Canyon Highway
Suite B235
Phoenix, AZ 85053
Open: Monday-Friday
8:30 am-5:00 pm
2. Pass the Arizona real estate exam
The Arizona real estate exam is conducted by Pearson Vue.
To schedule it, visit the Pearson Vue website. There, you will need to provide:
- Legal name, address, email address, Social Security number, telephone number, and date of birth
- The examination you want to take (AZ_Real Estate Sales/Real Estate Salesperson)
- Examination date and test center location (should be scheduled at least 24 hours before your preferred date)
- Exam fee of $75 (paid with either a credit card, debit card, voucher, or electronic check)
- Real estate pre-licensing certificate of completion
Note: To avail of their online service, you’ll need to create an account with Pearson Vue, if you don’t already have one.
If you need any disability accommodation in the test center, you can make a request here.
On the day of your exam, arrive at the test center 30 minutes early. This is because the administrator has to review your documents first. You’ll also need to sign a Candidate Rules Agreement form to avoid cheating.
In case you’re wondering, here’s a list of the documents you need to bring:
- 2 forms of identification with current signature, with the primary ID being government-issued and has a photo (i.e driver’s license, passport, National/State/Country ID card, etc…)
- Your pre-licensing certificate of completion
Also, we suggest you bring a calculator to help you with the real estate math questions. Calculators that are battery-operated, nonprinting, and don’t have an alphabetic keypad are accepted in the exam room.
Okay, now it’s time to take the exam.
Before you begin, it’s best to take a tutorial on how to operate the computer. And no, your exam time won’t run yet.
Once you’re familiar with it, you can start.
You’re given 300 minutes (5hrs) to complete 180 questions and 15 pretest questions. That’s a total of 195 questions.
When finished, you’ll know right away if you passed or not.
If you passed, you’ll be given a license application form and an email with your ID number. If not, then you’ll have to retake the exam by rescheduling through the Pearson Vue website (you’ll need to pay the exam fee again, as well as show your failed score report.)
Want to have a look at the exam content outline? Check pages 12-13 on the Pearson Vue Candidate Handbook.
3. Get a Fingerprint Clearance Card (FCC)
Although we listed this as the 3rd requirement, you can get your FCC at any time with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). Better if you do it earlier as it can take 8-10 weeks to process.
To do that, you first need to get fingerprinted at a local law enforcement agency. Important: the agency should be using the standard applicant fingerprint card (FORM FD-258).
From there, send a completed FORM FD-258, a completed Application for Fingerprint Clearance Card form, a fee of $67 (should be made payable to DPS), to:
Applicant Clearance Card Team
PO Box 18390 – MD 3180
Phoenix, AZ 85005-8390
Here are some important things to know when sending these items:
- Include your return address in the envelope
- The envelope should be 9” x 11” or larger
- Do NOT fold the FORM FD-258 (DPS might not be able to read it properly)
Once you receive your FCC, you must fill up the Disciplinary Action Disclosure (Form LI-214/244).
Now, if you have an offense that has not yet been disclosed, you should follow this Disclosure Document Checklist (Form LI-400).
Again, you can still get a real estate license if you have been convicted of a felony, but it will depend on the decision of the ADRE. However, they won’t grant you a real estate license if you are incarcerated, paroled, under community supervision, or on probation.
4. Apply for a real estate license from the ADRE
Good news! You can apply for a real estate license online!
Check your license application form (the one you received after the exam) for instructions on how to apply online through the ADRE Online Licensing System.
As for required documents, here is a complete list:
- License application (original copy)
- $60 license fee (credit or debit card, checks, or money order)
- Proof of legal presence (birth certificate, passport, driver’s license)
- Exam score report (original copy)
- 90-hour real estate pre-licensing certificate of completion (should have an authorized signature)
- 6-hour Contract Writing course certificate of completion
- DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card
- Disciplinary Action Disclosure (Form LI-214/244)
- *If applicable – required documents from the Disclosure Document Checklist (Form LI-400)
Note: if you have a disclosure, you cannot submit your application online. It has to be in person or through US mail.
Note II: You should file for an application within 1 year of passing the Arizona real estate exam. If you exceed that period, you’ll have to retake the exam.
Once your application is sent and approved, you’ll receive an “inactive” real estate license.
Hurray!
But you might be wondering, “how do I activate my license?”
There’s one more requirement that you must do…
5. Find a Brokerage to Work For
In Arizona, all real estate salespeople MUST work under a brokerage firm or designated broker. Without one, your transactions will be considered illegal.
Okay, this requirement can be done before or after applying for a real estate license. But since you should take time to find a good brokerage, we’d advise you to do it after.
With real estate booming in Arizona, there is no end to brokerage firms looking for salespeople. So that’s not a big problem.
And, if you want to be accepted into a brokerage easily, you should take your pre-licensing course with a reputable real estate school – such as the ones we mentioned here.
How about you?
What should you look for?
It’s important to work for a brokerage firm that suits your needs and preferences.
Here are some questions that you can ask yourself:
- Do you want a traditional or independent broker sponsor?
- Do you want a strict work schedule or a free one?
- What do you feel about sales quotas?
- Do you want to work under someone that will give you additional training?
- What kind of commission do you want?
When you answer these questions, you can then check every local brokerage firm or designated broker and see what they offer. It’s best to schedule interviews with them.
Once you find the perfect sponsoring broker, you can then “activate” your license.
To do that, access your ADRE online system and request to be hired to a new broker. In turn, your designated broker should access their ADRE online system and approve your ‘hire request’.
Congrats!
You can now get started with your new career!
Real Estate License in Arizona FAQs
How do I get my Arizona real estate license?
To get an Arizona real estate license, you must:
- Complete 90 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses and 6 hours of Contract Writing course
- Pass the Arizona real estate exam
- Get a Fingerprint Clearance Card (FCC)
- Apply for a real estate license from the ADRE
- Find a brokerage to work for
For details, you can read the instructions above.
Can I get my real estate license online in Arizona?
Yes!
Arizona now allows you to fulfill most of the requirements online. This includes taking your pre-licensing and Contract Writing courses, scheduling for the Arizona real estate exam, applying for a license, and activating your license.
How hard is the real estate exam in Arizona?
The Arizona real estate exam is challenging, with a first-time passing rate of 73%.
However, if you take your education seriously, you should be able to understand and answer the questions.
And, if you want to be more prepared, you can take an exam prep offered by many online real estate schools, including AceableAgent. Or, you can take our FREE practice exam here.
How much can real estate agents make in Arizona?
On average, real estate salespeople can earn up to $50,640. That means you can either earn lows of $24,600 or highs of $104,500. This will depend on your brokerage firm/designated broker and your work ethic/performance.
Conclusion
So there you have it!
That is how to get a real estate license online in Arizona.
As you can see, it isn’t as complicated as you might expect. It will, however, require time, dedication, and investment.
So if you’re interested, then you can get started with requirement 1 right away!
Good luck!