Illinois broker eligibility
Illinois broker license age and education requirements
For the standard Illinois broker route, you must be at least 18, meet the secondary-school requirement and complete 75 approved real estate course hours. You do not need a college degree. Age and education are only part of qualifying for the license; they do not authorize you to start practicing.
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What age and education do you need?
| Requirement | What it means | Do not confuse it with |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age: 18 | Must be met before the licensing examination | A school's permission to enroll earlier |
| Qualifying secondary education | The high-school or Illinois diploma qualification in Section 5-27 | The separate real estate course |
| 75 approved real estate hours | 60-hour topics plus 15-hour applied principles | General college study or an exam-prep app |
| College degree | Not required for the standard broker route | An automatic waiver of pre-license education |
225 ILCS 454/5-27(a) supplies the broker qualifications; Section 5-35(a) requires the minimum age and completed required education before examination eligibility. The PSI booklet dated June 24, 2026, printed page 1 lists the standard 60-hour and 15-hour course components.
You do not have to wait until 21. Archived instructions can show that older minimum and a college-study exception. Use the current broker qualification of 18 when planning your application.
Which school records should you check?
There are two separate checks: your secondary-school qualification and your approved real estate education. Finishing the real estate course does not replace the first requirement.
The broker statute requires a completed four-year high-school or secondary-school course approved by the state where the school is located, or a State of Illinois High School Diploma, verified under oath. For a credential that does not clearly fit that wording, ask IDFPR which evidence it accepts for your record before paying for a course. Describe the issuing jurisdiction and credential rather than assuming that a familiar name establishes equivalency. PSI's familiar GED wording does not decide every unusual credential.
For the real estate courses, use IDFPR's approved-provider and approved-course listings and check current notices. Ask the provider how the applied component works, what assessments are required and when it issues completion records. The approved-school guide explains the separate checks.
Keep the final completion date with your records. Section 5-35(a) gives approved pre-license education two years from satisfactory completion of all required education, rather than purchase or enrollment. See the education-validity guide if timing is tight.
Who qualifies for the Illinois attorney exception?
Section 5-27(b) applies to applicants currently admitted to practice law by the Illinois Supreme Court and currently in active standing. It exempts the secondary-school and 75-hour education requirements in subsection (a)(3) and (5). It does not waive the examination or the remaining applicable qualifications.
Check active standing, rather than relying on a law-school diploma or another state's bar admission. Follow the attorney route and PSI's corresponding instructions. An out-of-state real estate license is a different question; review Illinois endorsement separately.
Check the requirement against your own record
Use these boxes as a planning aid for this visit. They do not submit an application or determine eligibility.
Example: a completed course does not move a birthday
Nia meets the secondary-school requirement and has completed all 75 approved hours. She turns 18 on October 22, 2026. Can she take the broker examination on October 21?
No. She is still 17 on that date. The course completion does not replace the age condition. After turning 18, she must still establish eligibility through PSI and complete the remaining licensing steps. This fictional example applies one condition; it is not approval of an actual candidate.
Once the education and age conditions are met, use the full licensing checklist for the exam, application and other requirements. Confirm valid licensure and registered sponsorship before practicing. The completion record shows the education step; it does not issue a broker license.
Age and education questions
Can I start real estate school at 17?
Ask the school about its enrollment policy before paying. Enrollment permission and state examination eligibility are different. Illinois requires the minimum age and completed required education before the examination. Do not assume enrollment gives you permission to test before turning 18.
Does a GED count for an Illinois broker license?
PSI uses high-school-equivalent wording, including GED. The broker statute names a qualifying four-year secondary-school course or a State of Illinois High School Diploma. If your equivalency credential was issued elsewhere or your schooling is overseas or otherwise unusual, ask IDFPR what evidence it accepts for that particular record.
Does a college degree replace the 75-hour course?
Not automatically. A college degree is not a standard broker prerequisite, and unrelated college study does not establish completion of the approved real estate curriculum. Check any claimed credit or exemption through the official route before buying a course or skipping one.
Can an active Illinois attorney skip the broker exam?
No. Section 5-27(b) exempts the specified active Illinois attorneys from the secondary-school and pre-license-course requirements. It does not remove the broker examination or other applicable qualifications. A law degree alone or admission only in another state is not this exception.
Prepare after checking the course requirements
Try the free practice questions alongside your approved course. If you prefer studying on your phone, you can download Pass Illinois for additional practice. It is an optional study tool, not a substitute for approved pre-license education.