If you're a resident of Texas and are considering pursuing a career as a real estate agent, you will have to first obtain the appropriate license to do so. This guide is designed to teach you how to get a real estate license in Texas.

If you enjoy working with people and think that you may have knack for matching prospective buyers with the home of their dreams, becoming a real estate salesperson may prove to be a rewarding career choice. However, becoming a real estate agent isn't as easy as simply getting a job with a local real estate company. To legally buy and sell properties in the state of Texas, will have to obtain a license to do so.

Your first step in getting your real estate license is to complete the educational courses required by the Texas Real Estate Commission. A total of 210 hours of classroom instruction is required and must include:

1. 60 hours of the Principles of Real Estate core course
2. 30 hours of the Law of Agency core course
3. 30 hours of the Law of Contracts core course
4. 30 hours of another core real estate course
5. 60 hours of commission approved core or related real estate courses

• After completing the above 210 hours of classroom instruction, you must prove that you have completed the required courses. To do so, provide the Texas Real Estate Commission with:

1. A completed Request for Evaluation of Education Documents form
2. Photocopies of course completion certificates or credit transcripts that document your completion of the required courses
3. A check or money order for the $30 evaluation fee

• If you receive official notification from the commission that your educational requirements have been satisfied, you can then fill out an Application for Inactive Salesperson License. You can fill out and submit the application online or obtain a paper application from the commission. To be eligible for a license, you must be at least 18 years of age and be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien and a legal resident of Texas. For your application to be considered, you must enclose a check or money order for the processing fee of $94.50.

• Your next step toward getting your license is to take the required real estate exam. If your application is approved, you will receive notification from the Texas Real Estate Commission that you can proceed with the examination process. You have six months from the date of your application approval to take the exam.

• The exam is administered by the Psychological Services Incorporated (PSI) testing service company. Contact PSI to obtain your Candidate Information Brochure, which contains study guides, instructions and information about scheduling an exam.

• After passing the exam, you will have to submit to a background check administered by the FBI, for which you will have to be fingerprinted. To make an appointment to have your fingerprints taken by the appropriate company and submitted in accordance with FBI requirements, contact the Texas Real Estate Commission to obtain a FAST Fingerprint Pass. Once you have your FAST Fingerprint Pass, you can then set up an appointment to be fingerprinted.

• To complete the application process and become licensed to sell real estate in the state of Texas, you must be sponsored by a licensed real estate broker. After finding a broker to sponsor you, ask them to fill out the Salesperson Sponsorship Form and then submit the completed form to the Texas Real Estate Commission. If you have been approved, the commission will send your license to the broker, and you will be authorized to act as an agent of the sponsoring broker.

• Although selling real estate may seem like an easy gig, the process to become licensed to do so in the state of Texas is actually relatively complex and takes some people several years. For more information on becoming a licensed real estate agent, Contact the Texas Real Estate Commission.

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