Here is a breakdown of the time frames involved in getting your California real estate license:
Step 1: Complete the required 3, 45-hour pre-license courses - 7-1/2 weeks
According to the DRE, you cannot complete any one, 45-hour course within 2-1/2 weeks. This means it will take a minimum of 7-1/2 weeks to complete all three courses.
Step 2: Apply to take the state exam - 6-8 weeks
You can check the DRE Current Application Processing Timeframes to see how long it will take to receive an exam date from the DRE.
Step 3: Apply for your real estate license - 2-4 weeks
Total Time Frame: 15-1/2 - 19-1/2 weeks
Due to the long processing times, we recommend submitting a Combined Salesperson Exam and License Application. This will save you at least 2-4 weeks of time.