State Licensing Requirements

Professional & Continuing Education Center

Real Estate Broker

State of Illinois License Requirements and Qualifications, Real Estate Broker:

Who needs an Illinois real estate broker’s license: A broker is a person or an organization acting as an agent for others in negotiating the purchase and sale of real property for a fee. A broker must fulfill additional qualifications before being issued a broker’s license. Brokers may conduct real estate business under their own name or under a trade name, they may form a partnership with another broker, or they may be a part of a corporation.

* To be eligible for the Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination, candidates must meet all of the requirements in one of the following categories:

Category A-1 120 Class Hour Qualification, (never licensed in Illinois as a real estate salesperson)
To qualify for an Illinois Real Estate Broker’s license under Category A-1, applicants must:

Be at least 21 years old.
Have graduated from high school or obtained the equivalent of a high school degree (GED).
Have successfully completed the required 120 class hours, including:

45 class hours - Real Estate Transactions course. NOTE: An applicant for a broker’s license who is currently licensed as an Illinois real estate salesperson is presumed to have completed a 45 credit hour Real Estate Transactions course, provided that the licensee has not been non-renewed for the preceding two years or more.

Plus

75 class hours - Real Estate Broker courses. Broker courses must be completed at a real estate school approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

Mandatory Courses (45 hours)
*Broker Administration (15 hours)
*Contract and Conveyances (15 hours)
*Advanced Principles 2000 (15 hours)

Elective Courses (30 hours - any two listed below)
*Real Estate Appraisal (15 hours)
*Financing (15 hours)
Property Management (15 hours)
Sales and Brokerage (15 hours)
Farm Property Management (15 hours)
Real Property Insurance (15 hours)
Other approved elective (15 hours)

*Classes currently offered at Northwestern Business College

THE UNIFORM REAL ESTATE TRANSCRIPT IS VALID FOR THREE YEARS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE COURSE. THREE YEARS IS IS DETERMINED BASED UPON THE GRADUATION DATE OF THE FIRST COMPLETED COURSE.

Category A-2 75-Class Hour Qualification (holds an active Illinois Salesperson license):
To qualify for an Illinois Real Estate Broker’s license under Category A-2, applicants must:

Be at least 21 years old.
Hold a valid Illinois real estate salesperson license.
Have successfully completed 75 class hours of broker courses at a real estate school approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

Mandatory Courses (45 hours)
*Broker Administration (15 hours)
*Contract and Conveyances (15 hours)
*Advanced Principles 2000 (15 hours)

*Classes currently offered at Northwestern Business College

THE UNIFORM REAL ESTATE TRANSCRIPT IS VALID FOR THREE YEARS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE COURSE.
Documentation Required: An original Uniform Real Estate Transcript, from an approved Illinois provider, bearing an embossed seal documenting 75 course hours.

Category C - Attorney Qualification:
To qualify for an Illinois Real Estate Broker’s license under Category C, applicants must:

Be at least 21 years old.
Be admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court.

NOTE: Persons qualifying under Catagory C MUST register for the examination by submitting the registration form found in the AMP Candidate Handbook and a photocopy of their current Illinois attorney registration pocket card certificate by mail to AMP, 8310 Nieman Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66214-1579, for approval prior to taking the examination. (Visit www.goamp.com for a copy of the Candidate Handbook)

Category D - Reciprocity Qualification:
To qualify for an Illinois Real Estate Broker’s license under Category D, applicants must:

Be at least 21 years old.
Have graduated from high school or obtained the equivalent of a high school degree (GED).
Be a resident of the reciprocal state at the time of application for examination as well as licensure; and
Brokers must be actively licensed in the reciprocal state for a minimum of two years.
Candidates applying for licensure on the basis of reciprocity need only take the Illinois State Supplemental examination.

Documentation Required: Certification required from each state of licensure. (See page 25 of the Candidate Handbook.)
NOTE: It will be necessary for the applicant to contact the DFPR to obtain a reciprocity application. Please contact DFPR at (217) 782-3414 or visit DFPR's Web site at www.ildfpr.com