How to Get Your Real Estate License in Broadview, Illinois

If you want to become a real estate agent in Broadview, Illinois, the first step is completing an approved Illinois broker pre-licensing program. A flexible Illinois pre-licensing course can help you satisfy the education requirement while preparing for the state and national licensing examination.

Illinois real estate agents are licensed as brokers, rather than salespeople. To work with buyers, sellers, landlords, or tenants, you must meet the state’s education, examination, application, sponsorship, and background-review requirements.

Illinois Real Estate License Requirements

The basic requirements for an Illinois real estate broker license include:

Being at least 18 years old.
Having a high school diploma or GED.
Completing the required approved pre-license education.
Passing the Illinois real estate licensing examination.
Completing the license application.
Satisfying the state’s background-check and fingerprinting requirements, when applicable.
Working under a sponsoring broker after receiving the license.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s professional requirements document lists a high school diploma or GED, 75 hours of pre-license education, successful completion of the state and national examination, and sponsorship by a sponsoring broker as broker-license requirements.

Applicants should check the current IDFPR instructions before enrolling or submitting an application. Some IDFPR materials display older or different requirements, including a 90-hour education figure and different application-fee information. The current licensing documents and online application portal should control when requirements conflict.

How Much Education Is Required?

The current IDFPR professional-requirements document identifies 75 hours of approved pre-license education for an Illinois real estate broker license.

The required coursework generally covers subjects such as:

Illinois real estate law.
Agency relationships.
Contracts.
Real estate finance.
Property ownership.
Fair housing.
Real estate brokerage operations.
License law and professional responsibilities.
Federal and state regulations.

Education must come from an Illinois-approved real estate education provider. Before paying for a program, confirm that the provider and course are approved by IDFPR.

Online Real Estate Courses in Illinois

Online education may be available through approved providers. Depending on the provider and course format, students may be able to complete coursework through:

Online, self-paced distance education.
Live online classes.
Interactive webinars.
Traditional classroom instruction.

Not every online course has the same format, attendance rules, testing procedures, or completion deadline. Confirm that the course is approved for Illinois broker pre-license education and that it provides the documentation needed for the license application.

An online Illinois real estate licensing course may be useful for Broadview residents who need to balance education with work, family, or other obligations. Course availability, tuition, exam-preparation features, and student-support services vary by provider.

Step-by-Step: How to Become a Broadview Real Estate Agent

1. Confirm Your Eligibility

Before registering for classes, verify that you meet the age and education requirements. Illinois identifies 18 as the minimum age for a real estate broker applicant and requires a high school diploma or GED.

Some licensing instructions may describe different age provisions for particular application methods or older procedures. If you are under 21, have unusual education credentials, or are applying under a special category, contact IDFPR before proceeding.

2. Complete Approved Pre-License Education

Enroll in an IDFPR-approved broker pre-license program and complete the required education hours. Keep your course-completion certificate and other records because you may need them during the application process.

Do not assume that a general real estate course, continuing-education class, or out-of-state program automatically satisfies Illinois’s requirement.

3. Prepare for the Licensing Examination

Illinois broker applicants must pass both the state and national portions of the real estate examination.

A quality exam-preparation program should help you review:

Real estate vocabulary and calculations.
Contracts and agency.
Illinois license law.
Brokerage relationships.
Property ownership and transfer.
Financing and settlement.
Federal fair-housing requirements.
Practice questions and timed tests.

The examination vendor, scheduling procedures, identification rules, retake policies, and testing fees can change. Review the current candidate handbook and examination instructions before scheduling.

4. Complete Background Check and Fingerprinting

Illinois licensing applicants may be required to submit personal-history information and complete a criminal-background review. Fingerprinting may be required through an approved vendor or process identified by IDFPR.

A criminal record does not necessarily mean automatic denial. However, applicants should answer all questions accurately and disclose information as required. Omissions or inconsistent answers can create additional delays.

If you have a prior conviction, disciplinary action, professional-license issue, or other concern, consider asking IDFPR for guidance before submitting the application. Do not rely on informal assurances from a school or sponsoring broker.

5. Pass the State and National Examination

After meeting the education requirement, schedule and take the licensing examination through the state’s authorized testing process. You must pass the required portions before applying for the broker license.

If you do not pass one portion, the testing authority’s current rules will determine whether you need to retake only that portion or follow another procedure. Check the current examination handbook for deadlines, retesting rules, and fees.

6. Apply for the Illinois Broker License

Complete the Illinois broker application through the method permitted by IDFPR. The application typically requires information about your education, examination results, personal history, and sponsoring broker.

IDFPR provides online licensing instructions and identifies a broker application fee in its online instructions. Another IDFPR brochure lists a $150 initial broker licensure fee. Because these official materials are not fully consistent, confirm the exact fee shown in the current application portal or directly with IDFPR before submitting payment.

Incomplete applications, missing documents, unresolved background questions, or incorrect sponsorship information can delay processing.

7. Find a Sponsoring Broker

An Illinois broker generally must be sponsored by a sponsoring broker to practice real estate. The sponsoring broker is usually the managing broker or brokerage responsible for supervising the licensee’s real estate activities.

When comparing brokerages serving Broadview and surrounding communities, ask about:

Commission splits and transaction fees.
Desk, technology, and administrative fees.
Training and mentoring.
Lead distribution.
Office and brokerage culture.
Marketing support.
Transaction coordination.
Required working hours or floor time.
Independent-contractor policies.
Local coverage and service area.
Professional liability or errors-and-omissions arrangements.

The highest advertised commission split is not always the best choice for a new agent. Training, supervision, transaction support, and realistic business expectations may matter more during the first year.

How Long Does It Take to Get Licensed?

The timeline varies. It depends on:

How quickly you complete the required education.
The availability of examination appointments.
Whether you pass both examination portions on the first attempt.
How quickly fingerprinting and background information are processed.
Whether the application is complete.
How quickly you secure a sponsoring broker.
Whether IDFPR requests additional information.

A student who completes coursework promptly and passes the examination may move through the process more quickly than someone studying part time or needing to retake an exam. No fixed timeline should be assumed.

Costs to Budget For

The total cost includes more than the state application fee. Potential expenses include:

Pre-license education tuition.
Textbooks or digital course materials.
Exam-preparation products.
Licensing-examination fees.
Fingerprinting and background-check fees.
State application and license fees.
Association or multiple-listing-service fees, if applicable.
Brokerage, technology, desk, or transaction fees.
Marketing, signs, photography, mileage, and continuing education.

Fees can change, and some are paid to separate organizations. Confirm each amount with the provider, examination vendor, IDFPR, and brokerage before budgeting.

Post-License Education

New Illinois brokers must complete 45 hours of post-license education during the first license term. The requirement consists of three 15-hour courses covering applied brokerage principles, risk management and discipline, and transactional issues.

Each course requires a provider-administered 50-question final examination.

The post-license requirement must generally be completed before the first renewal. A broker who receives an initial license within 180 days before the first renewal deadline may receive additional time until the second renewal deadline, subject to Illinois rules.

New agents should track these deadlines immediately after licensure. Completing post-license education is separate from simply attending informal brokerage training.

Continuing Education After the First Renewal

After the first license term, Illinois brokers generally must complete 12 hours of approved continuing education during the current license term.

The exact renewal cycle, course categories, deadlines, and exemptions can change. Licensees should monitor IDFPR renewal notices and use approved courses. Failure to complete required education can affect renewal and the ability to practice.

Potential Earnings for Real Estate Agents in Broadview

Real estate income is highly variable. Many agents are paid through commissions tied to completed transactions rather than a guaranteed salary. Earnings may depend on:

Number of closed transactions.
Property prices and transaction types.
Commission arrangements.
Brokerage splits and fees.
Lead generation and marketing.
Referral business.
Experience and specialization.
Time spent building a client pipeline.
Market conditions in Broadview and nearby communities.

New agents may have inconsistent income while developing relationships and learning the business. Before changing careers, create a personal budget that accounts for education, licensing, transportation, marketing, taxes, insurance, and several months of potentially uneven revenue.

Broadview-specific income figures should be treated cautiously unless they come from a transparent, current, reputable source with a clearly defined methodology. National or statewide salary estimates may not reflect local commission structures or an individual agent’s results.

Career Opportunities Near Broadview

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

Residential buyer representation.
Residential listing services.
Leasing and rental representation.
Relocation services.
New-construction sales.
Investment-property sales.
Commercial real estate.
Property-management-related work, subject to applicable laws and licensing requirements.
Real estate referral business.
Transaction coordination and brokerage operations.

Many Broadview-area agents serve clients across multiple nearby communities rather than limiting their work to one municipality. A new agent should learn the neighborhoods, transportation patterns, housing stock, local ordinances, taxes, disclosures, and contract practices relevant to the areas where the sponsoring brokerage operates.

How to Choose a Real Estate School

When comparing Illinois pre-license programs, evaluate:

IDFPR approval.
Whether the program satisfies the current 75-hour requirement.
Online, live-online, or classroom format.
Course-completion deadlines.
Instructor access.
Practice examinations.
Tuition and refund policies.
Exam-preparation support.
Procedures for course completion and transcripts.
Student reviews considered alongside official approval information.

Do not select a provider solely because it advertises the lowest price. A course that helps you understand Illinois law and pass the licensing examination may reduce the risk of paying for retakes or delaying your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a college degree to become an Illinois real estate agent?

No. Illinois requires a high school diploma or GED for the broker license; a four-year college degree is not listed as a general requirement.

Can I complete the Illinois real estate course online?

Online options may be available through approved education providers. Verify the course format and approval status before enrolling.

Is a sponsoring broker required?

Yes. Illinois identifies sponsorship by a sponsoring broker as part of the broker licensing requirements.

How many hours of post-license education are required?

New brokers must complete 45 hours of post-license education, generally consisting of three 15-hour courses with separate final examinations.

How much does an Illinois real estate license cost?

The amount can include education, examination, fingerprinting, background-check, and state licensing fees. Current IDFPR materials list different broker-application or initial-license fee amounts, so confirm the amount in the current application system before paying.

Can a person with a criminal record receive an Illinois real estate license?

Possibly. A criminal record may require review, but it is not necessarily an automatic bar. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information and should contact IDFPR about individual circumstances.

Is real estate a salaried job?

It depends on the brokerage and role. Many residential agents earn income primarily from commissions, so earnings can vary substantially and may be irregular.

Authoritative Sources