How to Get Your Real Estate License in De Soto, Illinois

If you are considering a real estate career in De Soto, Illinois, an approved online pre-licensing program can help you complete the required education on a flexible schedule while preparing for the state exam. Explore the Illinois pre-licensing course to review an online education option before beginning the licensing process.

Illinois licenses real estate professionals as brokers and managing brokers. Most people entering the profession begin by earning an Illinois real estate broker license, finding a sponsoring broker, and building experience through residential sales, commercial transactions, leasing, property management, or related services.

Illinois Real Estate Broker Requirements

To apply for an Illinois real estate broker license, an applicant generally must:

Be at least 18 years old.
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Complete the required Illinois-approved pre-license education.
Pass the Illinois real estate licensing examination.
Complete the application and pay the required licensing fee.
Satisfy the state’s background-check and fingerprinting requirements.
Obtain sponsorship from an active Illinois sponsoring broker before practicing.

IDFPR’s current professional-requirements document lists 75 hours of pre-license education, passage of the state and national examination, sponsoring-broker sponsorship, and 45 hours of post-license education during the first renewal period.

Applicants should rely on the current IDFPR requirements rather than older course advertisements or outdated licensing guides. Illinois rules and application procedures can change, so confirm eligibility and documentation requirements with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation before submitting an application.

Complete 75 Hours of Pre-Licensing Education

Illinois requires prospective brokers to complete 75 hours of approved pre-license education before taking the licensing examination.

The education is designed to introduce the legal, practical, and ethical principles used in real estate practice. Coursework commonly addresses subjects such as:

Real estate principles and practices.
Illinois real estate law.
Agency relationships.
Contracts and disclosures.
Property ownership and land use.
Financing and mortgages.
Fair housing and civil rights.
Leasing and property management concepts.
Real estate mathematics.
Professional responsibilities.

The course must come from an education provider and program approved by IDFPR. Completing an unapproved program may not satisfy the state’s education requirement.

Online Course Options

Illinois permits approved real estate education through distance education formats. Online programs may be useful for De Soto residents who want to study around work, family, or other responsibilities.

Before enrolling, check that the provider:

Is approved to offer Illinois real estate education.
Offers the required broker pre-license curriculum.
Explains attendance, identity-verification, testing, and completion policies.
Provides documentation needed for the license application.
Clearly identifies any separate course, exam, technology, or administrative charges.

An online course can offer flexibility, but it does not remove the requirement to learn the material and pass the licensing examination. Students should budget time for practice questions, Illinois-specific terminology, and real estate calculations.

Apply for the Illinois Real Estate Exam

After completing the required education, the applicant must register for and pass the Illinois real estate broker examination. IDFPR identifies the state and national examination as part of the broker licensing process.

The examination generally tests two areas:

A national portion covering broad real estate principles and practices.
A state portion covering Illinois laws, regulations, and licensing practices.

The testing vendor, registration process, examination fee, scheduling rules, and retake charges may change. Applicants should follow the current examination instructions provided by IDFPR and the authorized testing vendor.

How to Prepare

A practical study plan can include:

Reviewing the course textbook and state-specific material.
Taking timed practice examinations.
Memorizing key formulas and terminology.
Studying agency, contracts, disclosures, and fair housing rules.
Reviewing questions missed on practice tests.
Confirming the identification and scheduling requirements before test day.

Passing a course final exam does not necessarily mean the state licensing examination will be easy. The state exam is a separate requirement.

Background Check and Fingerprinting

Illinois real estate applicants may be required to complete a criminal-history background check and submit fingerprints through an approved process. Fingerprinting requirements and approved vendors can change, so applicants should use the current instructions issued by IDFPR rather than relying on an old vendor list.

A criminal record does not automatically mean an applicant cannot receive a license. However, applicants should answer disclosure questions accurately and provide any documentation requested by the Department. Failing to disclose required information can create additional licensing problems.

Because background-check timing varies, completing fingerprinting promptly can help avoid delays after the education and examination requirements have been completed.

Submit the License Application

Once the education, examination, and other required steps are complete, the applicant submits the Illinois broker application through the process designated by IDFPR.

The application may require:

Personal identification information.
Education-completion evidence.
Examination results.
Background-check or fingerprinting information.
Disclosure of prior legal, professional, or disciplinary matters.
Application payment.
Sponsoring-broker information, when required.

IDFPR’s online licensing instructions list an application fee, but applicants should verify the current amount before applying because fees can be revised and different documents may show different fee schedules.

The Department’s real estate licensing page provides current forms, education information, and licensing resources for applicants and licensees.

Find a Sponsoring Broker in De Soto or the Surrounding Area

A newly licensed Illinois broker generally must be sponsored by an active sponsoring broker before conducting licensed activities. The sponsoring broker is responsible for supervision and provides the professional structure in which the new broker practices.

When comparing brokerages serving De Soto, Jackson County, and nearby Southern Illinois communities, ask about:

Commission splits and transaction fees.
Desk, technology, and marketing charges.
Training for new brokers.
Mentorship and transaction supervision.
Lead-generation expectations.
Office, showing, and administrative support.
Continuing education assistance.
Independent-contractor or employee classification.
Availability of local and regional clients.

A sponsoring broker is more than a place to hang a license. For a new agent, the brokerage’s training, supervision, transaction systems, and ethical culture can strongly affect the first years of practice.

Do not begin activities that require a license until the license and sponsorship are properly active. The sponsoring broker can explain which activities a new broker may perform and how Illinois supervision rules apply.

How Much Does It Cost?

The total cost varies because it includes more than the state application fee. Common expenses include:

Approved pre-license education.
Course materials or online learning access.
School or course examination fees, if charged separately.
State licensing examination fees.
Fingerprinting and background-check charges.
Illinois license application fee.
Retake fees, if the examination must be repeated.
Brokerage, association, lockbox, marketing, technology, and insurance expenses after licensing.

IDFPR’s materials have listed different broker fee amounts depending on the document and licensing transaction. The current professional-requirements and fee documents should be checked immediately before payment.

Applicants should request a written fee schedule from each education provider and prospective brokerage. Avoid assuming that a low advertised course price includes state examination, fingerprinting, application, or brokerage costs.

How Long Does It Take?

There is no single guaranteed timeline for becoming a broker in Illinois. The process can take longer or shorter depending on:

How quickly the applicant completes the 75-hour course.
Course scheduling and final-exam availability.
Examination appointment availability.
Whether the applicant passes on the first attempt.
Fingerprint and background-check processing.
Application review.
The time needed to select a sponsoring broker.

A full-time student may finish the education relatively quickly, while someone studying part time may need longer. The safest approach is to treat licensing as a multi-step process rather than assuming that an advertised course-completion date equals the date the license will be active.

Complete 45 Hours of Post-License Education

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

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

The post-license requirement is different from the initial 75-hour pre-license education. It is intended to help new brokers apply classroom concepts to actual brokerage work, including transaction procedures, risk reduction, professional conduct, and common compliance issues.

Illinois provides an extended deadline for a broker whose initial license is issued within 180 days before the first renewal deadline. In that situation, the post-license education may be completed before the second applicable renewal deadline. Confirm the deadline associated with the individual license rather than relying on a general calendar date.

Continuing Education After the First License Period

After the initial post-license period, Illinois brokers generally must complete 12 hours of approved continuing education during each license term.

The continuing education curriculum includes core and elective content. Illinois requires at least two hours of fair-housing training within the applicable core curriculum.

The 45-hour post-license education satisfies the education requirement for the initial broker license term, so new brokers should not assume they must also complete the ordinary 12-hour CE requirement during that same initial term.

Managing brokers have additional education obligations, including a broker-management continuing education requirement. A broker who later seeks a managing broker license should review the separate education, experience, examination, and application requirements.

Potential Earnings in Real Estate

Real estate income is usually variable rather than guaranteed. Many brokers are paid through commissions or commission splits, and earnings can be affected by:

Number of completed transactions.
Property prices and transaction types.
Brokerage commission arrangements.
Lead-generation costs.
Local competition.
Experience and professional network.
Time spent prospecting and serving clients.
Market conditions and transaction volume.

New brokers may have limited income during the initial months while they build a client base and learn transaction procedures. Business expenses can also reduce take-home income.

Public wage data may combine real estate brokers and sales agents, may use different geographic areas, and may not reflect the income of self-employed or commission-based professionals. For that reason, national or statewide wage figures should not be presented as a guaranteed salary for a De Soto broker. Applicants should review current U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and ask local brokerages about commission structures rather than relying on a single earnings estimate.

Career Opportunities for Illinois Brokers

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

Residential buyer representation.
Residential listing services.
New-construction sales.
Commercial real estate.
Land and rural property transactions.
Leasing and tenant representation.
Property management, where permitted and properly structured.
Relocation services.
Real estate investment support.
Referral-based business.
Transaction coordination and brokerage operations.
Later advancement to managing broker.

For someone in De Soto, a practical business plan may involve serving clients across Southern Illinois rather than limiting activity to the village itself. The appropriate service area depends on the broker’s network, transportation, brokerage coverage, market knowledge, and compliance with Illinois licensing rules.

Local success also depends on developing accurate property knowledge, responsive communication, reliable follow-up, and strong relationships with lenders, attorneys, inspectors, contractors, and other professionals.

A Practical Licensing Checklist

Confirm that you meet the age and education requirements.
Choose an IDFPR-approved 75-hour broker pre-license course.
Complete the course and school examination requirements.
Register for the Illinois broker licensing examination.
Pass the national and state examination portions as required.
Complete fingerprinting and the background-check process.
Prepare disclosures and supporting documents.
Submit the license application and current fee.
Interview prospective sponsoring brokers.
Activate the license with a sponsoring broker before practicing.
Complete the 45-hour post-license requirement by the applicable deadline.
Complete ongoing approved continuing education for later renewals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take the Illinois real estate course online?

Yes, an approved provider may offer qualifying education through an online distance-education format. Confirm that the specific course is approved by IDFPR and satisfies the current 75-hour broker curriculum.

Do I need a college degree?

No. The basic education requirement is generally a high school diploma or GED. Illinois may have additional eligibility rules or exceptions in specific circumstances, so applicants should verify their situation with IDFPR.

Do I need a sponsoring broker?

Yes. A new Illinois broker generally must be sponsored by an active sponsoring broker before practicing real estate.

What happens if I fail the exam?

An applicant who does not pass must follow the testing vendor’s retake procedures and pay any applicable additional examination fees. Review the current testing instructions before rescheduling.

Is fingerprinting always required?

Background-check and fingerprinting procedures can depend on current IDFPR instructions and the applicant’s circumstances. Follow the Department’s current instructions and use an approved process.

How much can a De Soto real estate agent earn?

There is no reliable guaranteed local salary. Income depends on transactions, commission arrangements, expenses, experience, and market conditions. Public wage data should be treated as a general reference rather than a promise of earnings.

What education is required after I receive my license?

New brokers must complete 45 hours of post-license education, generally consisting of three 15-hour courses with separate final examinations. After the initial period, brokers generally complete 12 hours of approved continuing education during each license term.

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