How to Become a Real Estate Broker in Illinois

Illinois requires a license for work as a real estate broker.

Real estate brokers engage in the business of listing and selling houses and land. Illinois places several requirements on applicants for a real estate broker's license. Applicants must attend prescribed real estate courses. Applicants completing these requirements must also pass a real estate exam before they can apply for a license to become an Illinois real estate broker.

Things You'll Need

• License application
• Exam registration form
• Exam study references
• "Uniform Real Estate Transcript"

Instructions

1. Choose a real estate school from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's "Illinois Approved Real Estate Schools" list to complete your pre-license educational requirements. Use the contact information in the list of schools to get enrollment information.

2. Complete the pre-license required education for an Illinois real estate broker license. All applicants must complete 75 hours of courses. The mandatory courses include 15 hours each of Brokerage Administration, Contracts and Conveyances and Advanced Principles 2000. You may take any two of the following to complete your 75 hours: Real Estate Appraisal, Property Management, Financing, Sales and Brokerage, Farm Property Management, Real Property Insurance or other approved electives. Applicants must also complete a 120-hour course in Real Estate Transactions or have an active Illinois real estate sales license. After completing your courses, you'll need a copy of your Uniform Real Estate Transcript from the real estate school.

3. Download the Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP) "Candidate Handbook" for the real estate exam. AMP administers the exam. Use the course outlines in the handbook to determine the subjects on the exam. The handbook also has a list of reference books you can use to study for the exam. You may also take a sample real estate broker's exam at the AMP website. As of 2010, the fee is $25, payable by credit card. The sample exam gives detailed answer explanations for each question.

4. Schedule and take the exam. You may take the Illinois real estate exam up to four times to avoid having to attend the required courses again. You may use the school transcript to register again, but only for four years. As of 2010, the examination fee is $46. You may pay by credit card or a cashier's check or money order made out to AMP. Fill out the registration form in the handbook and mail or fax the form and fees. You may also register online at the AMP website. Use the following contact information:

   AMP
   P.O. Box 8557
   Springfield, IL 62791-8557
   Phone: [phone]
   Fax: [phone]
   goamp.com

5. Fill out a broker's license application. AMP will give you a passing score report and license application when you pass the exam. As of 2010, the fee for a license application is $125, payable by check or money order to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Send the application and fee to AMP for processing. Use the following mailing address to submit the application:

   AMP
   P.O. Box 8496
   Springfield, IL 62791

Tips & Warnings

• Applicants must possess a high school diploma or GED and be at least 21 years of age to obtain a broker's license.

• Attorneys licensed to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court may get a real estate broker's license upon passing the exam. These applicants do not have to attend real estate courses.

• Residents of another state with an active real estate broker's license for at least two years may apply for a reciprocal license. Reciprocal licensees must obtain certification of the license from the state that granted the license. These applicants need only take the Illinois state portion of the real estate exam.

References

• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: Approved Real Estate Schools
• Applied Measurement Professionals: Candidate Handbook
• Applied Measurement Professionals: Real Estate Examination Program

Resources

• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: Certification