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Requirements and eligibility

Illinois broker exam requirements and eligibility

Most Illinois broker candidates qualify by turning 18, earning a high school diploma or equivalent, and completing 75 approved class hours. Illinois attorneys and qualified out-of-state licensees have separate routes. Eligibility to schedule, passing the exam, receiving a license, and being authorized to practice are different milestones. This guide separates them so you can verify the right school, preserve your documents, schedule through PSI, and apply to IDFPR before the final deadline.

Who can take the Illinois broker exam?

Short answer: The standard route requires age 18, a high school diploma or equivalent, and 75 approved class hours. The other listed routes are Illinois attorney qualification and broker licensure by endorsement for qualifying out-of-state licensees.

Route
Standard 75-hour
Core requirements
Age 18; high school diploma or equivalent
Education
60-hour Topics course plus 15-hour Applied Interactive course
Route
Illinois attorney
Core requirements
Age 18; admitted by the Illinois Supreme Court
Education
Standard 75-hour path not required
Route
Broker endorsement
Core requirements
Age 18; diploma or equivalent; equivalent license active and in good standing
Education
Approved 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course

Meeting a summary row does not replace PSI’s eligibility review or IDFPR’s license decision. Use the route named in your official application and candidate instructions.

Find your requirement

What does the standard 75-hour route require?

PSI calls this Category A. To qualify, you must meet all three conditions:

  1. Be at least 18 years old.
  2. Hold a high school diploma or equivalent, such as a GED.
  3. Satisfactorily complete 75 class hours through approved Illinois real estate education.

The 75 hours are not one undifferentiated block. They consist of 60 hours of Broker Pre-License Topics and 15 hours of Broker Pre-License Applied Real Estate Principles Interactive.

The two-year education clock

PSI says the pre-license education is valid for two years after satisfactory completion. Keep the completion date and course certificate where you can retrieve them. If the education will expire before you can test, ask PSI and your approved provider what must be completed again.

A college degree, prior sales experience, or work for a brokerage does not replace a listed requirement unless you qualify through a separate official route.

How do you verify an approved school and course?

Verify two things before paying: the education provider and the exact pre-license courses. IDFPR publishes separate lists for approved pre-license and post-license providers and approved pre-license and post-license courses.

Current IDFPR student alert

IDFPR’s Real Estate Brokerage page states that, effective December 16, 2025, courses offered by ABR Real Estate Corporation doing business as Real Estate School of Illinois no longer satisfy Illinois real estate education requirements until further notice.

That alert illustrates why an old recommendation, receipt, or school advertisement is not enough. Check IDFPR’s live listings on the day you enroll and save evidence of the provider, course, and completion.

Online delivery can satisfy the requirement only when the provider and course are approved in the form offered. “Online” by itself is not the approval test.

What is the Illinois attorney qualification?

PSI’s Category C route requires the candidate to be at least 18 and admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court. An admission in another state is not the qualification stated in the Illinois booklet.

The booklet says attorney candidates do not upload documents before scheduling and do not need prior eligibility approval. They can create the PSI account, pay, and schedule under the attorney route.

Attorney qualification changes the pre-exam eligibility path. It does not turn an exam pass into an automatically issued real estate license or remove IDFPR’s application authority.

How does broker licensure by endorsement work?

Endorsement is the route IDFPR identifies for out-of-state applicants. PSI lists these broker conditions:

  • Be at least 18.
  • Have a high school diploma or equivalent.
  • Be licensed as a broker or equivalent in another state or jurisdiction.
  • Hold an active license in good standing.
  • Complete an approved 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course.

PSI requires a Uniform Real Estate Transcript documenting the 30-hour course. Applicants must also be ready to provide proof of good standing from every jurisdiction in which an equivalent license is held.

Use the IDFPR Real Estate Brokerage page for the current out-of-state endorsement application and curriculum link. Do not rely on the word “reciprocity” as a substitute for the current endorsement requirements.

What is the eligibility and application timeline?

  1. Select the correct route. Standard, Illinois attorney, or endorsement.
  2. Complete the required approved education. Save the certificate or transcript.
  3. Create a PSI account. Make the name match the identification you will present.
  4. Upload the required certificate. This applies to the standard scheduling flow described by PSI.
  5. Wait for eligibility approval. Schedule after PSI confirms it.
  6. Choose test center or remote. Then select the appointment and pay the current fee.
  7. Pass both broker portions. National and Illinois are scored separately.
  8. Apply through IDFPR. Complete the license requirements within one year after passing.

The format and scoring guide explains the 140 scored questions, separate passing standards, and current official duration conflict.

Which documents and names should you check?

Item
Course certificate
Why it matters
PSI uses it for the standard eligibility review
Action
Save the original and upload a clear copy
Item
Uniform transcript
Why it matters
Required for the endorsement education route
Action
Confirm it records the approved 30-hour course
Item
License good standing
Why it matters
Supports endorsement from every equivalent jurisdiction
Action
Prepare current official verification
Item
Government ID
Why it matters
The scheduled name must match
Action
Use a valid, unexpired ID with photo and signature
Item
Completion date
Why it matters
Education is valid for two years
Action
Plan the exam before expiration

PSI warns that the first and last name used for scheduling must match the current government-issued identification. Resolve a name mismatch before the appointment, not at check-in.

What is the difference between exam and license eligibility?

Eligible to test

PSI has accepted the route and documents needed to schedule.

Exam passed

Both required portions meet their separate passing standards.

Licensed to practice

IDFPR has approved the license application and applicable sponsorship status.

Passing the exam does not issue the license by itself. The booklet directs successful candidates to IDFPR’s online services portal and gives one year to apply and meet the licensing requirements.

Sponsorship is not listed as a condition for taking the standard exam. It matters when a broker performs licensed brokerage activity. Follow IDFPR’s current instructions for sponsorship, application, and license status.

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Illinois broker requirements FAQ

What are the requirements for the Illinois broker exam?

The standard route requires you to be at least 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and satisfactorily complete 75 class hours through an IDFPR-approved education provider and approved courses.

How many pre-license hours do Illinois brokers need?

The standard route requires 75 hours: 60 hours of Broker Pre-License Topics and 15 hours of Broker Pre-License Applied Real Estate Principles Interactive.

How long is Illinois pre-license education valid?

The PSI booklet says the education used for the standard broker route is valid for two years after satisfactory completion.

Can you take the Illinois broker exam without the 75-hour course?

Not through the standard route. PSI lists separate routes for attorneys admitted by the Illinois Supreme Court and qualified out-of-state licensees seeking endorsement. Each route has its own conditions and documents.

Do Illinois attorneys need broker pre-license education?

Under PSI’s attorney qualification, a candidate who is at least 18 and admitted to practice by the Illinois Supreme Court does not complete the standard 75-hour route. The booklet says attorney candidates do not need prior eligibility approval or a document upload before scheduling.

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

An out-of-state license does not simply transfer. The broker endorsement route requires an active license in good standing as a broker or equivalent, the approved 30-hour Broker Pre-License Endorsement Course, and the other conditions and documentation listed by PSI and IDFPR.

Do you need a sponsoring broker before taking the exam?

Sponsorship is not listed as a condition for standard PSI exam eligibility. Passing the exam is not authorization to practice independently. Follow IDFPR’s licensing and sponsorship instructions after passing.

Can any Illinois real estate school satisfy the requirement?

No. Use an IDFPR-approved provider and approved courses. Confirm both on IDFPR’s current lists before enrolling, because an approval can change.

How do you prove education to PSI?

The booklet directs standard candidates to create a PSI account and upload the required course certificate. PSI reviews eligibility and sends approval before the candidate schedules.

How long do you have to apply after passing?

The booklet says you must apply to IDFPR and meet the licensure requirements within one year after passing. Otherwise, you lose examination accreditation and must retake the appropriate exam.

Primary sources

PSI decides exam eligibility and administers testing. IDFPR approves education and decides licensure. A school cannot replace either agency’s current requirements.