At any of the Illinois real estate schools you can receive the pre-license education requirements the state demands in order to obtain your Illinois real estate license. The state bureau issues three kinds of real estate licenses, for an individual person, a leasing agent’s licenses, salesperson licenses and broker’s licenses.
To earn a leasing agent license, you will need 15 hours of instruction in an approved course of study, which covers the leasing of residential property.
A salesperson license will require more hours than a leasing agent. For this license you will need to obtain 45 hours of instruction at an Illinois real estate school. At least 15 of these hours have to be in the areas of disclosure and environmental issues or other current topics approved by the Education Advisory Counsel.
If you want a broker’s license, and you do not already have a salesperson license, you will need to seek 120 instructional hours at Illinois real estate schools; they of course have to be approved courses. Of the 120 required hours 45 are the same as the salesperson license requirements.
If you already have a salesperson license, and you now want to pursue a broker’s license, you will need 75 hours of instruction at Illinois real estate schools. This 75 does not include the 45 hours you needed for your original license.
Some people are exempt from the pre-licensure education obtained at real estate schools. These include Illinois licensed attorneys, people with a baccalaureate degree who studied real estate or related courses (check with the Licensing Department in Springfield to determine whether or not your degree qualifies) and people who qualify due to reciprocity with another State. Check the Office of Banks and Real Estate Web page for reciprocal states.
Even after you earn your Illinois real estate license, the state requires continuing education classes to maintain your license. Every two years, salespeople and brokers will have to complete 12 hours of these classes. There are just a few exceptions to this continuing education requirement, such as those who received their license before January 01, 1977.
Each person with a license will be expected to properly renew his or her license. There is a renewal application and a fee that needs to be sent to the Licensing Department in Springfield.
If a person has a license that has been expired for more than two years, he or she will have to meet the requirements for a new license. This will include entail taking pre-license education courses at Illinois real estate schools and passing the exam again.
The bureau may deny an application because of a criminal offense or a previous denial of another professional license. Denials and acceptances are all subject to the board’s discretion.
The real estate market in Illinois is booming. You can enter the profession and take advantage of the market with a little help from an Illinois real estate school.
By Laura Hogg