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Texas License Application Process

Texas License Application Process

TEXAS LICENSE APPLICATION PROCESS

Video by Kaplan Real Estate Education

Who is TREC: Texas Real Estate Commission?

  • The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is the state agency responsible for licensing real estate professionals in Texas.
  • TREC is here to assist and protect consumers of real estate services by requiring that all real estate brokers and salespersons meet and maintain specified levels of education to hold a license to act as a real estate agent. Agents are required to follow the provisions of the Real Estate License Act and the Rules of the Texas Real Estate Commission in all transactions and deal with the public in a competent and honest manner. The Commission also licenses real estate inspectors, residential service companies, real estate schools and registers timeshare properties.

Texas Real Estate Commission Requirements & Regulations

Education Requirement

The following education is required for a salesperson license:

  • Principles of Real Estate [60 classroom hours]
  • Law of Agency (30 classroom hours)
  • Law of Contracts (30 classroom hours)
  • Promulgated Contracts Forms (30 classroom hours)
  • Real Estate Finance (30 classroom hours). (Related course credit may no longer be used to meet education requirements for a salespersons license).

Effective 09/1/2010 a pre-application education evaluation is no longer available prior to submitting an application. Real estate applicants are no longer required to submit an education evaluation request and receive a notice from the commission that the education requirements have been satisfied prior to submitting an application for a license. The education evaluation request form is eliminated and education course completion documents must be submitted when the application is filed.

(Note: To find classes, see Core Real Estate License Education Providers for salesperson and broker applicants)

Filing Your Application

  • After you have completed your education, you may file and pay for the Application for Inactive Salesperson License. Evidence of successful completion of your education via credit transcript or certificate should be submitted with your application. DO NOT submit original transcripts or course completion documents. Keep the originals for your personal files and send photocopies to the Commission.
  • Please apply and pay online for your Inactive Salesperson License. The information requested online is the same as on the paper application. If you are filing online, scan and send your education documents electronically to education@trec.texas.gov or fax them to 512-936-3863 with a copy of your completed application. If submitting your application by mail or in person, please note that an application received without the appropriate fees will be rejected and your check will be returned to you. The following fees should be submitted in ONE PERSONAL CHECK, CASHIERS CHECK OR MONEY ORDER payable to the Texas Real Estate Commission. Cash will not be accepted

***ALL FEES LISTED BELOW ARE NONREFUNDABLE.***

Fees Required with Real Estate > Salesperson License Application

  • Original Application> $143.00> Required for all applicants
  • Recovery Trust Account> $10.00> Required for all applicants unless previously paid

Fingerprint Requirements

  • Pursuant to §1101.3521 of the Real Estate License Act, any person applying for or renewing a salesperson license must provide their fingerprints. Once the applicant has obtained a TREC entity number the FastPass form may be downloaded from our website at http://www.trec.state.tx.us/FASTPass/ and an appointment must be made through MorphoTrust or through PSI. A license will not issue if the background check has not been cleared.

Examination Information

  • License examinations are administered by PSI, a testing service company. Once your application has been received, processed and accepted, you will receive notification that you may obtain a copy of the Candidate Information Brochure (CIB) to register for the exam. The CIB will provide instructions on how to make reservations to take the examination and contains study material and instructions about licensing. A copy of the CIB can be downloaded from the PSI web site. Please DO NOT attempt to register for the exam without first receiving notification from our office.
  • The examination must be passed within one year from the date the application is filed with the commission office.

Investigation May Be Needed

The filing of an application authorizes an investigation of the applicant’s background. Information revealed in an investigation may be cause for disapproval of an application even though other requirements for a license are met. If an investigation is necessary, it may not be conducted until the applicant has passed the examination.

Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Repayment History Checked

  • State law prohibits the renewal of a license if a licensee has defaulted on a student loan guaranteed by TGTM unless the licensee has entered into a repayment agreement with TG. YOU SHOULD CONTACT TG BEFORE FILING THIS APPLICATION if you have defaulted on a student loan. An application or renewal may be rejected if this agency has received information from TGSLC that the applicant has defaulted on a student loan. The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation can be reached at:TGTM
  • P.O. Box 83100
  • Round Rock, Texas 78683-3100
  • Telephone: (800) 252-9743
  • (in Austin, call 219-5700)

Obtain Sponsorship.

  • Before you can practice as a licensed salesperson you must arrange for a Texas real estate broker holding an active license to sponsor you as a salesperson. Applicants and inactive salespersons are not authorized to act as real estate agents.
  • While you are not required to have a sponsoring broker to file an application for a license, a Salesperson Sponsorship Form is included with the application materials. If you wish, you may file the sponsorship request along with the application. Once all licensing requirements have been satisfied, TREC will send an active salesperson license to the broker, and you may act for the broker on receipt of the license.
  • You may also file the application and arrange for sponsorship after TREC notifies you that you have been issued an inactive license. Once a broker holding an active license has mailed a request to TREC to act as your sponsor, you may begin to act for the broker as a salesperson.

Don’t Practice Prior To Licensure

You are not authorized to perform any act for which a real estate license is required until an ACTIVE Texas Real Estate Commission license is in the possession of your sponsoring broker.

As noted above in the Filing Your Application section, online applications travel through the system much faster than paper-based applications. The online application process could potentially save you weeks of waiting for a license, due to the delays of regular mail communication and other factors inherent in the paper-based process (such as data entry time and processing of checks).

Please apply and pay online for your Inactive Salesperson License.

To access the TREC website please click the link below:

https://www.trec.state.tx.us/licenses/salesapp.asp