StateLicensed

Real Estate Agent License Requirements in Illinois

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
75 hrs
Upfront cost
$208
Exam
Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination (National + State portions)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Real Estate

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, High school diploma or GED, plus the 75-hour pre-licensing course., pass a criminal background check. Applicants must complete fingerprint-based criminal background checks through an IDFPR-approved Livescan vendor, taken within 60 days of application submission. A valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is required. A broker's license is issued Inactive until sponsored by an actively licensed Illinois managing broker/brokerage firm. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 75 hours of training at a state-approved program. Illinois calls its entry-level license 'Broker' (what most states call 'salesperson'); the supervisory tier is 'Managing Broker.' 75 hours of IDFPR-approved pre-licensing education: 60 hours of core principles/laws/contracts/ethics coursework plus 15 hours of Applied Real Estate Principles, which must be completed live (in-person or live webinar). New brokers first issued a license on or after November 1, 2023 must also complete 45 hours of Post-License Education (including 1 hour of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training) before their first renewal. [1]

  3. 3

    Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination (National + State portions)

    Pass the Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination (National + State portions) (fee: $58). 3.5 hours; national portion 100 questions, state portion 40 questions 75% required to pass both portions. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Real Estate with the $150 application fee. [1]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Real Estate issues your Real Estate Broker License for Illinois.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [1] $150
License fee [1] None specified
Renewal fee [1] None specified
Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination (National + State portions) [2] $58

The $150 IDFPR application fee (increased from $125 effective 2024-01-01) is understood to cover license issuance as well, so license is null. A specific renewal fee amount was not found on the pages reviewed — IDFPR's CE Fact Sheet covers only education requirements and deadlines, not a dollar renewal fee, so renewal is null rather than guessed.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 12 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Broker licenses (first issued before 11/1/2023) renew biennially with a fixed April 30 deadline (e.g. the 2026 cycle deadline is 4/30/2026) and require 12 hours of CE: a 6-hour Core course plus 6 elective hours, including Sexual Harassment Prevention Training. Brokers first licensed 11/1/2023-10/31/2025 or later instead complete 45 hours of Post-License Education by their first renewal deadline. Managing Broker licenses renew on a separate odd-year cycle.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers real estate licensing. Effective 2026-01-01, Illinois eliminated its prior state-by-state reciprocity agreements and replaced them with a universal Endorsement process open to an active broker or managing broker license (or equivalent) in good standing from ANY other state or jurisdiction (managing broker applicants must have practiced actively for the preceding 2 years). Endorsement requires a Pre-license Endorsement Course (Uniform Real Estate Transcript), passing the Real Estate Endorsement Examination on Illinois brokerage law, and a non-refundable $150 fee (broker) or $175 (managing broker) — confirmed directly on IDFPR's own Endorsement application form.

1 state-approved training provider in Illinois — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $150
  • $58
Total$208

Frequently asked questions

Does Illinois have a 'salesperson' license?

No — Illinois calls its entry-level license 'Broker' (what other states call salesperson/agent). The supervisory license is called 'Managing Broker.'

How many pre-licensing hours does Illinois require?

75 hours (60 core + 15 hours of live Applied Real Estate Principles). Newer brokers must also complete 45 hours of Post-License Education before their first renewal.

Who administers Illinois's real estate broker exam and what does it cost?

PSI Services LLC, under contract with IDFPR. The exam fee is $58.

Do I need a sponsoring managing broker to get licensed in Illinois?

To be Active, yes — a broker's license is issued Inactive until sponsored by a licensed Illinois managing broker/brokerage firm.

Can an out-of-state real estate licensee transfer to Illinois?

Yes, via Illinois's universal Endorsement process (replacing state-by-state reciprocity as of 2026-01-01): an active license in good standing from any state qualifies, but you must complete a Pre-license Endorsement Course and pass an Illinois brokerage-law exam.

Sources

  1. [1] idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/realest.html — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] psiexams.com/test-takers/ilrep/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/forms/dre/2026cefactsheet-realestatebroker.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/forms/dre/real-estate-endorsement-application.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12