Illinois real estate license checklist

Verify age and high-school graduation or the accepted Illinois high-school equivalency route. Active Illinois attorneys have a narrow exemption from the secondary-education and 75-hour items, not an exemption from the examination, application, fee, sponsorship, or practice rules.

Before paying, check both the provider and the exact course in IDFPR's current approved records. Use the same legal name on your identification, education records, PSI registration, and license application.

School warning checked October 21, 2026: IDFPR names ABR Real Estate Corporation, doing business as Real Estate School of Illinois. Its notice says this provider's courses no longer meet Illinois real estate education requirements from December 16, 2025, until further notice. Read the current notice on the IDFPR Real Estate Brokerage page before enrolling.

The curriculum consists of 60 hours of broker pre-license topics and 15 hours of interactive applied principles. The interactive block uses classroom, live webinar, or qualifying interactive distance education with situational and case-study work. Merely watching recordings does not satisfy an interactive requirement unless the approved course and delivery method do.

Complete the provider's assessments and correct any spelling or reporting error before exam registration. If the provider cannot supply accepted proof, do not assume PSI or IDFPR will repair it later.

Use the current PSI Illinois Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin. Create one account with the matching legal name, follow the provider-record process, pay the current $58 fee for each attempt, choose test-center or available remote delivery, and check identification and technical rules before exam day.

After passing, save the score report and immediately calendar the one-year license-application deadline. Four consecutive failures require repeating the 75-hour pre-license education before another attempt.

Interview sponsors before or during exam study. Read the employment or independent-contractor agreement, fee schedule, supervision, lead ownership, insurance, termination, and post-license support terms. For an active application, the sponsoring broker must participate in the official registration workflow.

Submit the signed application, fee, passing-score proof, sponsorship proof for active status, and transcript when applicable. Answer current history questions accurately. Keep the receipt, then use IDFPR License Lookup to confirm the correct credential, sponsor, status, issue date, and expiration before any licensed activity.

Record the original issue date and applicable April 30 even-year renewal. Most new brokers complete three approved 15-hour post-license courses and pass each provider final by the first renewal. A broker first licensed within 180 days before that deadline generally completes them before the second renewal instead.

Store the electronic license, sponsor agreement, post-license certificates, exam results, and IDFPR lookup evidence. Update address, email, phone, or office information within the current 24-hour reporting window.