How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Illinois

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

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

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

Basic Illinois Real Estate Licensing Requirements

To get a real estate license in Illinois, you need to be at least 21 years old, have a high school diploma or its equivalent, complete 90 hours of pre-licensing education, and pass the exam. However, if you are 18 years old and have attained the 48 semester hours required by Section 5-27, you may also apply.

On the bright side, the pre-licensing education required for a real estate agent applicant in Illinois is significantly shorter than in other states. For example, to get a license in Texas, you need to take 180 hours of coursework to get your license. Here’s a quick breakdown of the real estate licensing requirements in Illinois:

(Please note that your pre-licensing education must be completed at a real estate school approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.)

­Pre-Licensing Courses Required In Illinois

In order to get a real estate license in Illinois, you will need to complete 90 hours of real estate pre licensing education that will cover the following:

75-hour Broker Licensing Course Includes:

• • Real Property and the Law
  • Real Estate Agency and Brokerage
  • Interests in Real Estate
  • Forms of Real Estate Ownership
  • Legal Descriptions
  • Real Estate Taxes and Other Liens
  • Real Estate Contracts
  • Transfer of Title and Recording
  • Illinois Real Estate License Law
  • Real Estate Financing Principles and Practices
  • Leases and Property Management
  • Real Estate Appraisal
  • Land-Use Controls and Property Development
  • Fair Housing and Ethical Practices
  • Environmental Issues and the Real Estate Transaction
  • Closing the Real Estate Transaction

15 Hour Broker Live Interactive Licensing Course Includes:

• • Listing Presentation
  • Disclosure/Fraud
  • Fair Housing/Discrimination
  • Personal Assistant/Administrative Services
  • Distressed Property/Working with Professionals Outside of Brokerage
  • Presenting Offers and Counteroffers
  • Case Studies and Exercises

Illinois Real Estate Exam Information

If you work hard and take the courses seriously you should have no problem passing the exam. If you’re looking for help 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

Illinois Pre-Licensing Exam Questions

• Total of 140 multiple-choice questions:
  • 100 questions on the national portion
  • 40 questions on the state-specific portion

What to Bring to the Exam

• Confirmation number
• Photo ID
• Signature ID

Passing Score

You must earn a score of 75 to pass the Illinois Real Estate Exam

Pass Rate

N/A

Illinois Real Estate License Fee

$75

Tuition Fee

$190 (For those who took the self-study pre-licensing course)

Exam fee in Illinois

$46

Educational Requirements

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

Age

Applicants must be at least 18 of age or older

Residency

You are not required to be a citizen of the United States or of Illinois. It is necessary, however, to meet the age and education requirements, and have a Social Security number.

Exemptions

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

Criminal Background

To get a real estate license in Illinois you should have a clean criminal background. Please note that if you have a felony, the licensing board might not issue you a license. The best thing to do is to disclose all the information related to the case. There is no way to predict what the licensing board will do regarding your license.

Online Real Estate Schools in Illinois

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

Illinois Real Estate License Reciprocity and Portability

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

• Reciprocity: Illinois has mutual recognition agreements with 9 states:
  • Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
• Portability: Physical Location

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

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

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 Illinois brokerages are the most successful, check out Real Trends list of the top real estate brokerages in Illinois for 2016 below.

Chicago

Greater Chicago

*Data from Real Trends Market Leaders 2016

Illinois Counties with Highest Average Listing Price and Highest Median Sales Price 2016

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