How to Get Your Real Estate License in Bentley, Illinois

If you want to become a real estate agent in Bentley, Illinois, the usual path is to earn an Illinois real estate broker license, pass the state and national examinations, complete fingerprinting and a background check, and associate with a sponsoring broker. An approved Illinois pre-licensing course can provide the required education in a structured format and may be available online.

Bentley is a town in Illinois, so licensing is handled at the state level rather than by the municipality. You do not need a separate “Bentley real estate license,” but you should choose a sponsoring brokerage and develop a business plan suited to the communities and clients you intend to serve.

Illinois Real Estate License Requirements

Illinois generally licenses entry-level real estate professionals as brokers. To qualify, applicants must meet the state’s eligibility requirements, including:

Be at least 18 years old under the Real Estate License Act.
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Demonstrate good moral character.
Complete the required Illinois-approved pre-license education.
Pass the state and national portions of the licensing examination.
Complete the application process through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, commonly called IDFPR.
Submit required background-check and fingerprint information.
Obtain sponsorship from an Illinois-licensed sponsoring broker before practicing under the license.

Some IDFPR application materials describe a 21-year minimum age with an exception for applicants age 18 or older who have completed qualifying postsecondary education. Because official materials may differ depending on the application pathway and current administrative instructions, applicants should confirm the applicable age rule directly with IDFPR before applying.

Complete 75 Hours of Pre-License Education

Illinois law requires prospective brokers to complete 75 hours of approved pre-license education before taking the licensing examination. The curriculum must include at least 15 hours devoted to situational and case-study instruction, delivered in an approved classroom, live interactive webinar, or online distance-education format.

The education is designed to cover subjects such as:

Real estate principles and practices
Illinois license law and rules
Agency relationships
Contracts and disclosures
Property ownership and interests
Financing and settlement
Fair housing
Brokerage operations
Professional responsibilities
Real estate calculations

Course providers may organize the 75 hours differently, so confirm that the provider and curriculum are approved for Illinois broker pre-licensing.

Online Illinois Real Estate Courses

Online education can be a practical option for someone living in or near Bentley, particularly if traveling to a classroom is inconvenient. Illinois permits approved distance education and online formats for qualifying instruction, including the required case-study component when delivered in an approved format.

Before enrolling, check:

Whether the school is approved by IDFPR.
Whether the course includes all 75 required hours.
Whether required final exams or checkpoints are included.
How attendance, identity verification, and course completion are documented.
Whether the format is self-paced, live online, or a combination.
Whether the provider offers exam preparation and student support.

A reputable Illinois real estate licensing course can help organize the education requirement, but completing a course does not itself grant a license. You must still satisfy the examination, application, background-check, and sponsorship requirements.

Apply for the Illinois Broker Examination

After completing the required education, follow the current IDFPR examination instructions and register with the state’s examination vendor. Applicants must pass both the national and Illinois state portions of the broker examination.

The examination tests knowledge of topics such as:

General real estate principles
Agency and fiduciary duties
Contracts
Financing
Property ownership
Leasing and property management
Valuation and market analysis
Illinois license law and regulations
Illinois-specific brokerage practices

Read the candidate handbook and current examination instructions carefully. They explain registration, identification, scheduling, score reporting, retesting, and any applicable examination charges. Examination fees and procedures can change, so they should be confirmed with the current testing vendor rather than estimated.

Fingerprinting and Background Check

Applicants should expect a criminal-history review as part of the licensing process. Fingerprinting is generally completed through an authorized vendor, and the results are transmitted for review as required by the state.

A record does not automatically mean an application will be denied. However, applicants should disclose information accurately and follow IDFPR instructions about criminal history, prior professional discipline, or other background matters. Failing to disclose required information can create a separate licensing problem.

Fingerprinting charges are typically separate from the license application fee, and the amount can vary by vendor and service. Confirm the current price and approved fingerprinting locations through IDFPR or the designated vendor.

Submit the License Application

Once the education and examination requirements are complete, submit the broker application through the current IDFPR process. The IDFPR online licensing instructions identify a $125 application fee for a real estate broker license.

The application process may require documentation such as:

Proof of education
Examination results
High school diploma or GED information
Fingerprint and background-check information
Sponsoring-broker details
Explanations or supporting records for affirmative background answers

Review every field before submission. Missing documents, inconsistent information, or unresolved background questions can delay processing.

Find a Sponsoring Broker

A new Illinois broker must be sponsored by a sponsoring broker to practice real estate. The sponsoring broker is generally an established brokerage or managing broker who supervises the licensee and provides the framework for conducting transactions.

When comparing brokerages serving Bentley and surrounding areas, ask about:

Commission splits and transaction fees
Monthly desk or technology fees
Training and mentoring
Lead distribution
Availability of managing brokers
Transaction-coordination support
Marketing policies
Office, telephone, and technology resources
Expectations for sales activity
Geographic coverage and client-service model

Compensation structures vary substantially. A higher commission split may come with more fees or fewer leads, while a lower split may include training, technology, or administrative support.

Licensing Costs

The total cost of becoming an Illinois real estate broker depends on the provider and services selected. Common expenses include:

Pre-license education tuition
Course materials or exam-preparation products
Licensing examination fees
Fingerprinting and background-check charges
The $125 state application fee identified in IDFPR’s online licensing instructions
Transportation, technology, or professional costs
Brokerage-specific fees after sponsorship

Illinois does not establish one universal price for private education, fingerprinting, exam preparation, or brokerage services. Obtain written pricing from each provider and brokerage before committing.

How Long Does Licensing Take?

There is no single guaranteed timeline. The process may take several weeks or longer depending on:

How quickly you complete the 75-hour course
Availability of examination appointments
Whether you pass both examination portions on the first attempt
Fingerprint and background-check processing
Application completeness
IDFPR processing times
How quickly you select a sponsoring broker

A self-paced online course may allow faster scheduling, while a live course follows a fixed calendar. Applicants should avoid promising clients that they will be licensed by a specific date until IDFPR has issued the license.

Post-License Education

New Illinois brokers must complete 45 hours of post-license education during the first license period. The requirement consists of three 15-hour courses covering:

Applied brokerage principles
Risk management and discipline
Transactional issues

Each course requires its own provider-administered 50-question final examination.

The post-license education must generally be completed before the first renewal deadline. If the initial license is issued within 180 days of the first renewal deadline, the deadline may extend to the second renewal deadline under the applicable rules.

The 45-hour post-license requirement replaces the ordinary continuing-education requirement for that initial license term.

Continuing Education After the First Renewal

After the initial post-license period, Illinois brokers generally must complete 12 hours of continuing education during each license term to renew. The required curriculum includes core and elective education, and the core curriculum must include at least two hours of fair-housing training.

Continuing-education rules, renewal dates, exemptions, and approved course formats can change. Confirm the current requirements with IDFPR before beginning a renewal cycle.

A managing broker has additional requirements, including a broker-management continuing-education course during the applicable license term.

Potential Earnings in Bentley, Illinois

Real estate income is not guaranteed. Most residential real estate professionals are paid through commissions or commission-based arrangements, so earnings can vary significantly based on:

Number and value of completed transactions
Local demand and competition
Brokerage compensation structure
Lead generation and marketing
Experience and specialization
Full-time or part-time work
Expenses, taxes, and transaction fees

New agents may have irregular income while building a client base. Budget for licensing, transportation, marketing, technology, insurance, association or listing-service costs, and periods without a closing.

For a realistic estimate, compare current compensation data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with written commission information from brokerages serving the area. National or statewide wage figures should not be treated as a guaranteed Bentley income.

Career Opportunities for Illinois Brokers

An Illinois broker license can support several real estate career paths, including:

Residential buyer representation
Residential listing services
New-construction sales
Commercial real estate
Leasing
Property management, where separately applicable requirements are satisfied
Relocation services
Land and rural property transactions
Real estate investment support
Transaction coordination and brokerage operations

With additional experience and education, a broker may pursue a managing broker license. IDFPR materials identify managing-broker eligibility requirements that include being at least 20, holding a high school diploma or GED, and having been a licensed broker for two consecutive years out of the preceding three years.

Local success depends on compliance, responsiveness, market knowledge, and the ability to build trusted relationships—not simply on obtaining the license.

Practical Steps for a Bentley Applicant

Review the current IDFPR broker requirements.
Enroll in an IDFPR-approved 75-hour pre-license course.
Complete the required education and course examinations.
Study for and schedule the Illinois broker examination.
Complete fingerprinting and the background-check process.
Pass both the national and Illinois portions of the examination.
Submit the application and required $125 fee.
Interview potential sponsoring brokerages.
Activate and practice under the appropriate sponsoring-broker relationship.
Complete the 45-hour post-license curriculum before the applicable renewal deadline.
Maintain continuing education and license-renewal compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Bentley-specific real estate license?

No. Real estate brokers are licensed by the State of Illinois. Bentley applicants follow the same state licensing process as other Illinois applicants.

Can I complete the Illinois pre-license course online?

Yes, approved online distance education and live interactive webinar formats are permitted for qualifying Illinois real estate education.

How many education hours are required before the exam?

The standard broker pre-license requirement is 75 hours, including the required situational and case-study instruction.

Is fingerprinting required?

Applicants should expect fingerprinting and a criminal-background review as part of the application process. Follow the current IDFPR instructions for the approved vendor and submission procedure.

What is the Illinois broker application fee?

IDFPR’s online licensing instructions list a $125 broker application fee. Education, examination, fingerprinting, and brokerage expenses are separate.

Do new brokers need continuing education immediately?

New brokers generally complete 45 hours of post-license education during the first license term and are not required to complete the ordinary 12 hours of continuing education during that same term.

Can I work independently after passing the exam?

Passing the examination is not the same as being ready to practice independently. A new broker must meet the state’s licensing and sponsorship requirements and practice under the appropriate sponsoring-broker arrangement.

Authoritative Sources