Upgrade From Texas Sales Agent to Broker License in 4 Steps

Ready to take your real estate business to the next level? It’s time to upgrade your sales agent license to a Texas real estate broker license! The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) requires all broker applicants to meet specific education and experience qualifications. Here are the steps you need to follow to start practicing as a real estate broker in Texas.

1. Complete Education Requirements

To obtain a broker’s license in Texas, TREC requires agents to complete 900 hours of approved education, which includes credit hours earned through Texas pre-license courses, SAE courses, CE courses and other qualifying education. If you’re licensed in another state, your existing credits won’t count, and you’ll need to complete TREC-approved courses. Below is a breakdown of the 900 hours of required education.

270 Hours of Qualifying Education

Brokers must complete 270 hours of qualifying education.  The following courses count toward this requirement:

• Principles of Real Estate I (30 classroom hours)
• Principles of Real Estate II (30 classroom hours)
• Law of Agency (30 classroom hours)
• Law of Contracts (30 classroom hours)
• Promulgated Contract Forms (30 classroom hours)
• Real Estate Finance (30 classroom hours)
• Real Estate Brokerage (30 classroom hours)

If you are a Texas agent that completed 180 hours of pre-license education prior to obtaining your sales license and 90 hours of SAE education during your first renewal, you will likely already satisfy these education requirements.  Please note, TREC requires the 30 hour real estate brokerage course to be completed within two years of applying for your broker’s license.

If you are missing any of the above qualifying courses, License Classroom offers a 270 hour broker pre-license package along with a variety of individual courses. Upon completion, we will submit your course certificates to TREC on your behalf.

630 Hours of Additional Classroom Hours

The remaining 630 hours may come from Continuing Education (CE) or related qualifying courses approved by TREC. Qualifying elective course topics include appraisals, law, marketing, math, property management, investments, and residential inspections. Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university may satisfy all the related education requirements.

2. Meet the Qualifying Experience Requirements

TREC requires all Texas broker applicants to have at least four years of experience as a licensed sales agent or broker during the 60 months prior to applying. Your experience is assessed through a point system where specific transaction types earn points. For example, a closed purchase or sale is worth 30 points per transaction, while an executed lease is worth 5 points. You must accumulate and report 360 points on the Qualifying Experience Report for a Broker License, along with a detailed list for each reported transaction.

3. Submit Your Application

You may submit your application to become a broker through TREC’s online portal or by mail. Include your Qualifying Experience Report with supporting documents and any transcripts or course certificates not already submitted. There is a $150 application fee plus an additional $85 in fees for research purposes and online payments. 

If your fingerprints are not on file with the Texas DPS, you’ll need to complete this for the background check before your application will be fully processed.

4. Pass the Exam

The Texas Real Estate Broker Exam is administered by Pearson Vue and split into two portions. The National portion contains 80 questions, while the State portion has 50 questions. You’ll have four hours to finish and are allowed three attempts to pass by 75% or higher before more education is required. Try License Classroom’s Exam Prep course to improve your chances and gain confidence!

Receive Your Broker’s License

After passing the Texas broker exam, TREC will finish processing your application. Upon approval, they will email a copy of your broker’s license, with the actual license to follow. You must not practice real estate as a broker until you receive the physical license.