How Long Does It Take to Get a Real Estate License? (2026 State Guide)
How long it takes to get a real estate license depends mostly on your state’s required pre-license education, which ranges from 40 hours in states like Massachusetts and Michigan to 180 hours in Texas. After the coursework, you schedule and pass the exam, complete a background check and wait for your application to be processed. The table below shows every state’s required hours and the time limits that apply along the way.
Updated October 2026. Hours and time limits come from each state’s real estate commission; each state page lists its official sources.
The steps that set your timeline
- Pre-license education. The biggest variable. Self-paced online courses let you move as fast as your schedule allows.
- The licensing exam. In many states you can schedule once your school reports your completion. Others require board approval first: Oklahoma’s exam vendor emails your candidate ID within 48 hours of approval, and North Carolina sends a Notice of Exam Eligibility after reviewing your application.
- Background check. Usually fingerprints. In Washington, results can take up to 14 business days to reach the licensing office, and California won’t issue a license until Department of Justice fingerprint results arrive.
- Application processing. Kansas processes complete applications in 7 to 10 business days, Utah currently takes about 30 days, and Nebraska’s typical application process takes 4 to 8 weeks.
- Broker sponsorship. Most states require you to affiliate with a broker before your license is active.
How long the coursework takes
Your pace is up to you in self-paced courses. As a simple example, studying 10 hours a week, a 40-hour course takes about 4 weeks, a 75-hour course about 8 weeks, and Texas’s 180 hours about 18 weeks. At 20 hours a week, those times roughly halve.
Pre-license hours and time limits by state
| State | Education before licensing | Time limits to know |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 60 | Pass the exam within 6 months of the course |
| Alaska | 40 | Apply within 6 months of passing the exam |
| Arizona | 90 + 6-hr Contract Writing | Apply within 1 year of passing |
| Arkansas | 60 | Send forms and fees within 90 days of passing |
| California | 135 (three 45-hr courses) | No license until DOJ fingerprint results arrive |
| Colorado | 168 | Exam results good for 1 year |
| Connecticut | 60 | Pass both portions within 1 year of eligibility |
| Delaware | 99 | Apply after passing the exam |
| Florida | 63 | Course counts for 2 years |
| Georgia | 75 | Apply within 3 months of the exam |
| Hawaii | 60 | Course certificate valid 2 years |
| Idaho | 90 | Courses within 3 years of applying |
| Illinois | 75 | Education valid 2 years; apply within 1 year of passing |
| Indiana | 90 | Pass both parts within 1 year of the course |
| Iowa | 96 (60 + three 12-hr courses) | All courses under 1 year old at application |
| Kansas | 60 | Licenses processed in 7–10 business days |
| Kentucky | 96 | Apply within 60 days of passing |
| Louisiana | 90 | — |
| Maine | Sales Agent course | Pass the exam within 1 year of the course |
| Maryland | 60 | Pass both portions within 1 year of the course |
| Massachusetts | 40 | Pass the exam within 2 years of the course |
| Michigan | 40 | — |
| Minnesota | 90 (30 before the exam) | — |
| Mississippi | 60 | One-year temporary license, then post-license |
| Missouri | 72 (48 + 24-hr MREP) | Apply within 6 months of the 48-hr course |
| Montana | 70 | Course within 24 months, exam within 12 |
| Nebraska | 96 | Typical application process: 4–8 weeks |
| Nevada | 120 | Exam results within 12 months |
| New Hampshire | 40 | Pass both portions within 6 months |
| New Jersey | 75 | Pass and apply within 1 year of eligibility |
| New Mexico | 90 | Pass both portions within 90 days of first try |
| New York | 77 | Passing result good for 2 years |
| North Carolina | 75 | 180-day exam eligibility window |
| North Dakota | 90 | Apply within 2 years of the course |
| Ohio | 100 | — |
| Oklahoma | 90 | Course valid 3 years |
| Oregon | 150 | Exam scores and background check good for 1 year |
| Pennsylvania | 75 | Exam within 3 years of applying |
| Rhode Island | 45 + 3-hr lead course | Hours older than 2 years don't count |
| South Carolina | 90 (60 before the exam) | Application good for 1 year |
| South Dakota | 116 | — |
| Tennessee | 90 (60 before the exam) | Apply within 1 year of passing |
| Texas | 180 | Application expires after 1 year |
| Utah | 120 | Apply within 90 days of passing; about 30 days to process |
| Vermont | 40 | — |
| Virginia | 60 | Exam scores valid 1 year |
| Washington | 90 | Exams within 2 years of the course |
| West Virginia | 90 | Course valid 3 years |
| Wisconsin | 72 | Course within 4 years; exam score valid 1 year |
| Wyoming | Salesperson I, II and Wyoming Law | — |
Hours are for the entry-level salesperson license. A dash means the state’s sources we reviewed don’t set a specific deadline for that step.
Watch the deadlines
The clock doesn’t only run forward. Many states put an expiration date on each step, so a long pause can mean repeating work:
- Course windows: Iowa requires courses under one year old at application, Florida and Illinois give you two years, and North Carolina three.
- Exam windows: Alabama requires you to pass within 6 months of your course, and New Mexico within 90 days of your first attempt.
- Application windows: Kentucky requires your application within 60 days of passing, and Utah within 90 days.
After you’re licensed
Many states add post-license education early in your career, and every state requires continuing education to renew. Plan for those when you budget your time.
Common questions about getting licensed
How long does it take to get a real estate license?
It depends mostly on your state's pre-license hours, which range from 40 hours (Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont) to 180 hours in Texas. Add time to schedule and pass the exam, complete a background check and have your application processed.
What is the fastest state to get a real estate license?
The states with the fewest required hours are Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire and Vermont at 40 hours, followed by Rhode Island at 45.
Which state takes the longest?
Texas requires the most pre-license education at 180 hours, followed by Colorado (168), Oregon (150), California (135), and Nevada and Utah (120 each).
Can I take real estate pre-license courses online?
In most states, yes. Many boards allow self-paced online or live virtual courses from approved schools, though some require specific courses to be live, such as Iowa's three 12-hour practice courses.
Do my courses expire?
Often, yes. Many states set a window, such as two years in Florida and Illinois, three years in North Carolina, Oklahoma and West Virginia, or one year in Iowa. Arkansas is an exception: its 60-hour certificate doesn't expire.
Is getting licensed the end of the education?
No. Many states require post-license education soon after licensing, such as 45 hours within 180 days in Louisiana or 90 hours within 18 months in North Carolina, and every state requires continuing education to renew.
Ready to start? Pick your state in the table above to see its full licensing steps and compare approved pre-license courses. For exam details, see how many questions are on the real estate exam.