How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Colorado

In this guide you’ll learn all the details you need to know to get your license and become a real estate agent in Colorado.

You’ll learn the basic real estate licensing requirements in Colorado, information about the exam including pass rates and test prep, reciprocity rules, county by county breakdowns of the most expensive real estate in Colorado, and more.

Okay, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s start at the beginning.

Basic Colorado Real Estate Licensing Requirements

Getting a real estate license in Colorado is a little tougher compared to other states. You need a total of 168 classroom hours of commission-approved pre-licensing courses. In comparison, to get a license in Florida, real estate licenses require applicants to complete only 63 hours of courses. Here’s a quick breakdown of the real estate licensing requirements in Colorado.

Pre-licensing Courses Required in Colorado

In order to get a real estate license in Colorado, you will need to complete 168 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses that will cover some of these topics:

• The Real Estate Business
• License Law and Qualifications for Licensure
• License Law and Commission Rules
• Authorized Relationships, Duties, and Disclosure
• Real Estate Brokerage Activities and Procedures
• Violations of License Law, Penalties, and Procedures
• Federal and State Laws Pertaining to Real Estate
• Property Rights: Estates and Tenancies, Condominiums, Cooperatives, and Time Sharing
• Title, Deeds, and Ownership Restrictions
• Legal Descriptions
• Real Estate Contracts
• Residential Mortgages
• Types of Mortgages and Sources of Financing
• Computations and Closing of Transactions
• The Real Estate Market and Analysis
• Real Estate Appraisal
• Real Estate Investments and Business Opportunity Brokerage
• Taxes Affecting Real Estate
• Planning, Zoning, and Environmental Hazard

Colorado Real Estate Exam Information

While the Colorado Real Estate License exam has a higher passing rate (65 percent) than other states, you should still take studying for the test seriously.

If you’re looking for help in studying for the test, we recommend Real Estate Exam Scholar’s Exam prep course. They offer top-notch exam prep for an affordable price. Even better, they also offer a money back guarantee if you don’t pass on the first try.

Visit Real Estate Exam Scholar

Colorado Pre-Licensing Exam Questions

• Total of 154 multiple-choice questions (to be finished in 3 hours and 50 minutes)
  • 80 multiple choice questions on National portion
  • 74 multiple choice questions on Colorado and Federal laws

What to Bring to the Exam

• 2 valid forms of identification with signatures. One ID must be a government-issued Photo ID
• Confirmation number when the test reservation was made.

Passing Score

You must earn a score of 75% to pass the Colorado Real Estate Salesperson Exam (60/80 for the national portion and 52/74 for the state-specific portion).

Pass Rate

65%

Colorado Real Estate License fee

$89 (may be paid online, personal check, or money order)

Exam Fee in Colorado

$85

Education Requirements

You need to have at least a high school diploma or GED in order to apply for a license in Colorado.

Age

Applicants must be at least 18 of age or older.

Residency

Any U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted alien can apply.

Exemptions

Any active member of the Colorado Bar who is in good standing and qualified under the real estate license law is exempt from taking the real estate sales prerequisite course.

Criminal Background

Applicants who have an existing criminal record may still apply for a real estate license. It would be best if applicants were to include their criminal history along with the necessary documents related to the conviction, if any, on their application. After submitting your fingerprints, your application will be forwarded to the Division of Criminal Justice Information Systems and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Upon investigation, each applicant will be considered on their own merits.

Processing Time

The whole process from education to license in hand will take 2-4 months for your application to be processed and approved.

Online Real Estate Schools in Colorado

While taking your real estate pre-licensing course in person can be helpful, online courses are much cheaper and offer the exact same courses. Career WebSchool is a solid choice.

Visit Career Web School

Colorado Real Estate License Reciprocity and Portability

If you plan on working in states besides Colorado, then you need to know the real estate license reciprocity and portability laws for Colorado.

• Reciprocity: Colorado has mutual recognition agreements with all 50 states.
• Portability: Cooperative

To learn more about real estate license portability in Colorado, check out our guide on real estate license reciprocity and portability here.

How to Choose the Right Real Estate Company to Work For in Colorado

Let’s face it. Choosing the right brokerage to work for in any state isn’t easy. In order to make your choice a little bit easier, check out our in-depth guide on choosing the right real estate company to work for.

Once you’ve finished reading the guide, check out our buyer’s guide comparing Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Century 21 here.

If you’re curious about which Colorado brokerages are the most successful, check out Real Trends list of the top real estate brokerages in Colorado for 2017 below.

Denver

Colorado Springs

*Data from Real Trends Market Leaders 2017

Colorado Counties with Highest Average Listing Price and Highest Median Sales Price 2017

Let’s face it, higher listing prices mean higher commission checks! To get a sense of which counties offer the best opportunities for big bucks in Colorado check out this sales data from Trulia’s Colorado home price page below.