Start your licensing education with LEAP's Texas real estate pre-licensing course, designed to help you complete the required coursework online.

In Texas, you take the real estate exam after you apply, not before. The normal process is to finish the required education first, submit your application to the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), and then wait for authorization to test.

For a Texas sales agent license, you must complete 180 hours of qualifying education. That usually includes Principles of Real Estate, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, and Promulgated Contract Forms.

After your application is reviewed and your education is verified, TREC will send instructions for scheduling the exam through the testing provider. At that point, you can book both the state and national portions.

You do not typically take the exam first and apply later. The application is part of what gets you cleared to test, so the order matters.

Other steps also need to be in place, including fingerprints, a background check, and complete education records. If anything is missing, your test authorization can be delayed.

Many future agents finish the coursework and gather all documents before filing, which helps avoid delays. A prep package such as LEAP Texas Pre-Licensing can help with both the required classes and exam preparation.

If you pass the exam, you still need to complete any remaining licensing steps before you can work as an active agent, such as finding a sponsoring broker. Always confirm the latest requirements with TREC, but the basic rule is simple: finish your education, apply, and then take the Texas real estate exam after approval.