Yes. The California real estate licensing exam is divided into two parts: a national section and a California state section. The national portion covers general real estate principles and practices, while the state portion focuses on California-specific laws, rules, and procedures. If you’re pursuing a salesperson or broker license, you’ll need to pass both sections to qualify for licensure. Start your journey with LEAP's California real estate pre-licensing course.

For California, this structure matters because the state portion can be the bigger hurdle for many test takers. It includes topics like agency, fair housing, disclosures, trust funds, and the California Department of Real Estate’s rules. So even if you already understand the basics from a national real estate perspective, you still need to learn how California handles those issues differently. That’s why state-specific prep is essential, not optional.

As for timing and cost, the exam itself has a fee set by the DRE, and your total expense also includes required pre-licensing education, fingerprints, and any exam retake fees if needed. The pre-licensing education requirement is especially important in California because you must complete approved courses before you can sit for the exam. How long it takes depends on your schedule, but many students plan for several weeks to a few months of study.

If you’re just getting started, a good next step is to review California exam content and enroll in a course that covers both national fundamentals and California law. The California real estate pre-licensing course from Leap Real Estate can help you build that foundation in a structured way, so you’re better prepared when it’s time to test.