Basic eligibility

You need to be 18, but you do not need a college degree

Some old licensing pages still say an Illinois broker applicant must be 21 or complete college semesters to qualify at 18. The current statute is simpler: the ordinary minimum is 18, plus the specified secondary-school credential and approved real estate education.

Last updated: August 1, 2026

The answer first

Direct answer: A standard Illinois broker applicant must be at least 18 years old. The applicant must have completed a four-year high-school or secondary-school course approved by the state where the school is located, or hold a State of Illinois High School Diploma, and must verify that credential under oath. The standard route also requires 75 hours of approved real estate education. A college degree is not listed as a broker qualification. An applicant currently admitted to practice by the Illinois Supreme Court and in active standing is exempt from the high-school credential and 75-hour course, but not from the broker examination or remaining requirements.

Minimum age

College degree

Not required by Section 5-27

Secondary education

Qualifying high school or State of Illinois High School Diploma

Standard real estate education

75 approved hours

Use the current statute, not an archived instruction sheet

Section 5-27 now sets the broker minimum age at 18. An old PDF or third-party page may describe a 21-year threshold with a college-course exception. That was an earlier rule structure and should not be used for a 2026 application. Check the source date and the current ILGA text whenever age guidance conflicts.

Being old enough does not authorize immediate work. Age is one qualification among character, secondary education, approved real estate education, examination, application, fee, and sponsorship.

Turn 18 before certifying eligibility.
Use a legal identity consistent across education, PSI, identification, and IDFPR.
Do not pay a vendor to solve an age rule that no longer exists.

Understand the two education layers

Secondary education and real estate pre-license education are separate. The first is a four-year high-school or secondary-school course approved by its state, or a State of Illinois High School Diploma. The second is the standard 75-hour Illinois real estate curriculum delivered through approved providers and courses.

A college degree does not replace either requirement in the current standard text. Prior college or professional education can make the material easier, but the candidate should claim only the qualification that the application and law recognize.

Credential: High school or Illinois equivalency credential
Standard candidate: Required
How to verify: Applicant verifies under oath and follows application evidence instructions

Credential: College degree
Standard candidate: Not required
How to verify: Do not upload unless the application asks for relevant history

Credential: 75-hour real estate education
Standard candidate: Required
How to verify: Approved course certificate reviewed through PSI process

Credential: Active Illinois attorney status
Standard candidate: Creates specified exemptions
How to verify: Use official Illinois attorney record and PSI route

Broker education qualifications
Credential	Standard candidate	How to verify
High school or Illinois equivalency credential	Required	Applicant verifies under oath and follows application evidence instructions
College degree	Not required	Do not upload unless the application asks for relevant history
75-hour real estate education	Required	Approved course certificate reviewed through PSI process
Active Illinois attorney status	Creates specified exemptions	Use official Illinois attorney record and PSI route

Prepare records before creating mismatches

Use the same legal name on the school enrollment, completion certificate, PSI account, government identification, and IDFPR application. If the secondary-school record uses a former name, retain the legal name-change document. International or unusual credentials may require individual direction from PSI or IDFPR, so ask before assuming an unofficial translation or evaluation is acceptable.

The PSI booklet identifies the eligibility evidence and account process for standard and attorney candidates. Its current instructions control document upload and review.

Avoid turning a minimum into a career decision

Meeting the age and education floor does not prove that someone is ready for commission-based work, client responsibility, irregular hours, expenses, or legal duties. Before enrolling, compare career expectations, sponsor support, cash reserves, schedule, transportation, technology, and comfort with prospecting.

The licensing threshold answers whether a person may qualify. A separate career assessment answers whether the path fits now.

Example: an 18-year-old applicant

Situation: Nia is 18, graduated from an Illinois high school, and sees a 2018 IDFPR instruction page saying an applicant under 21 needs four semesters of college real estate courses.

Best response: Nia should use current Section 5-27 and the June 24, 2026 PSI booklet. The current minimum is 18 and no college-semester exception appears in the broker statute. Nia still needs the standard 75 approved hours, examination, application, character qualification, fee, and sponsorship before practice.

Quick questions

How old do you have to be for an Illinois real estate license?

At least 18 years old under current 225 ILCS 454/5-27.

Do you need to be 21?

No. That threshold appears in outdated material. The current statute and PSI booklet use age 18 for a broker applicant.

Do you need a college degree?

No college degree is listed as a broker qualification. The standard education requirements are the specified secondary-school credential and 75 approved real estate hours.

Does a GED qualify?

The statute names a State of Illinois High School Diploma, the current Illinois credential terminology, or completion of an approved four-year secondary course. Confirm the exact evidence for a particular equivalency record with PSI or IDFPR.

Are active Illinois attorneys exempt?

They are exempt from the secondary-school and 75-hour requirements, but the remaining broker qualifications, including examination, still apply.

Primary sources and review status

Checked against the cited primary sources through August 1, 2026. Current IDFPR, Illinois law, and PSI instructions control if a rule or procedure changes. This guide is educational information, not legal advice.

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