Real estate brokers in Texas typically earn more money than real estate agents. They can explore new career opportunities and ways to earn additional income. Texas real estate brokers can start their own company or lead a team of agents within an existing brokerage.
Are you ready to earn your real estate broker license in Texas? If you meet the basic requirements to become a broker, there are four steps to earn your Texas real estate broker license (education, application, background check, and exam). Let us help you sort through the process with this easy-to-follow guide.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate Broker License in Texas?
It costs approximately $1,400 to earn a real estate broker license in Texas, slightly more the cost of obtaining an initial real estate license in Texas. Here are the approximate costs involved.
Texas Real Estate Broker License Costs
| Classes (270 hours) | $970 (through The CE Shop LLC - License #701046) |
| Exam Prep Course - Texas Real Estate Exam Prep Live Online Class With Complete Online Drill & Practice QBank | $169 (through Kaplan Real Estate Education - License #4546) |
| Texas Real Estate Broker License | $235 |
| Fingerprinting Fee | $38.25 |
| Texas Real Estate Broker Exam Fee | $39 |
| Total Costs | $1,451.25 + cost of additional courses |
(Texas real estate broker license costs as of August 2021)
Pursue your Texas real estate broker license by completing your 900 course hours with The CE Shop. They’re one of our favorite provider and they have some of the best pass rates in the business.
What Are the Texas Real Estate Broker License Requirements?
For starters, you’ll need to meet the following basic qualifications to become a real estate broker in Texas:
You must also have reached a minimum threshold of experience as a Texas real estate agent to become a Texas real estate broker:
Texas Real Estate Commission’s Experience Points
Here is the breakdown of experience points as laid out by TREC. There are additional point designations for commercial real estate experience and farm/ranch real estate transactions. You can also earn experience points by supervising beginning agents at a brokerage.
| Closed Purchase or Sale (with Improvements) | 300 points per transaction |
| Executed Lease Landlord or Tenant (new, renewal, or extension) | 50 points per transaction |
| Property Management (rent collections per property/per year) | 25 points per transaction |
| Exclusive Right to Sell Listings | 10 points per transaction |
| Buyer or Tenant Representation Agreements | 10 points per transaction |
| Closed Purchase or Sale Unimproved Residential Lot | 50 points per transaction |
For more information on the point system, visit the TREC Qualifying Experience Report for a Broker License.
How to Get a Texas Real Estate Broker License in 4 Steps
Step 1: Complete the Texas Qualifying Education Requirements
Step 2: File Your Broker Application With the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)
Step 3: Complete a Background Check
Step 4: Pass the Texas Real Estate Broker Exam
Do you meet all the requirements to start the process of pursuing a real estate broker license in Texas? If you have the requisite industry experience and have worked under a broker for at least four of the last five years, then you are ready to take the next steps to further your real estate career! Let’s get started.
1. Complete the Qualifying Education Requirements for a Texas Real Estate Broker License
Cost: Starting at $975 through The CE Shop
Time commitment: 9 months
You’ll need to complete 900 hours of real estate class hours to become a real estate broker in Texas. We know that this task seems daunting. However, it’s not as overwhelming as it may seem at first glance.
Please note that a bachelor’s degree (or higher) may satisfy all of the educational requirements for a real estate broker license in Texas.
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Section 1: 270 Hours From the Qualifying Education Course List
You must take the following courses to become a real estate broker in Texas. You may have already taken the first six courses (180 hours) on the list if you earned your real estate license in Texas:
- 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)
Additionally, you’ll also have to take the following course within two years of applying for your broker license:
- Real Estate Brokerage (30 classroom hours)
In addition to the 210 hours of classes, you’ll need to complete 60 additional hours from two of the following courses of study:
- Real Estate Appraisal
- Real Estate Law
- Real Estate Marketing
- Real Estate Mathematics
- Property Management
- Real Estate Investments
- Residential Inspection for Real Estate Agents
Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis
Section 2: 630 Hours Additional Hours of Qualifying Courses or Approved Continuing Education Courses
The additional 630 hours of study can come from taking qualifying classes, approved continuing education classes, or college courses that you have taken to date.
If you choose to take college courses to satisfy your educational requirements, they need to be in the following subject areas:
- Accounting
- Advertising
- Architecture
- Business
- Construction
- Finance
- Investments
- Management
- Marketing
- Real Estate
A top-notch real estate school will help you fulfill your education requirements. We recommend you take your courses through The CE Shop because they offer both the required 270 hours of qualifying education classes and continuing education courses in one bundle.
2. File Your Broker Application With TREC
Cost: $235
Time commitment: 1 hour
Once you have the necessary experience and education, you’ll be ready to file your broker application with the TREC. The form isn’t long and simply asks you to provide your personal information and answer questions about your legal history.
The online form is available when you log in to your TREC account.
You’ll also be required to submit documentation to prove that you completed your broker coursework and work experience requirements. Applicants must also submit a $235 fee.
The Average Real Estate Broker Salary for Every State
3. Complete a Background Check
Cost: $38.25
Time commitment: 1-2 hours
Your fingerprints must be on file for your Texas real estate broker license application to be processed. The good news is that if you already submitted your fingerprints to the TREC to become a real estate agent, you can skip this step.
If the TREC doesn’t have your fingerprints, you’ll be required to visit a MorphoTrust location and pay $38.25 to go through the process. To make an appointment, enter your TREC ID here.
4. Pass the Texas Real Estate Broker Exam
The last step in the process of getting a real estate broker license in Texas is to pass the Texas broker exam. The test is administered by Pearson VUE, and you can learn details about the test-taking process by downloading the Candidate Handbook from Pearson VUE’s website.
There are over 30 Pearson VUE testing sites across Texas. You should plan to arrive 30 minutes early to your nearest testing site.
You’ll learn whether you passed or failed immediately upon completion. If you don’t pass on your third try, you’ll need to take additional classes before trying again.
Passing your Texas real estate broker license exam is serious business. To improve your chances of passing the first time you take it, consider enrolling in a live online course through Kaplan Real Estate Education. Their course is called Texas Real Estate Exam Prep Live Online Class With Complete Online Drill and Practice QBank.
Kaplan’s course includes two practice exams, two content review sessions, and online access to the National Pearson VUE and Texas Real Estate Drill and Practice QBank.
Texas Real Estate Broker License FAQs
Is a Texas real estate broker license worth pursuing? We discuss the pros and cons of advancing your real estate career and answer other FAQs below. If you have other questions about a career as a Texas real estate broker, please drop them in the comments section.
Should I get my broker license in Texas?
As you already know, real estate agents in Texas are required to work under brokers, and they share commissions and may pay desk fees for the privilege. This system usually means that real estate brokers earn more than real estate agents. ZipRecruiter reports a $16,000 difference in the annual salary between the two job titles.
Other advantages of earning your Texas real estate broker license include greater marketability. Property owners may be more likely to choose a broker to represent their interest since a broker may have a more impressive set of credentials, not to mention experience.
However, becoming a real estate broker comes with a set of required skills and responsibilities. You’ll need to develop the necessary skills to recruit, hire, coach, and manage other agents. You’ll also face enormous fiscal responsibilities, including signing off on other agents’ transactions.
Learn more about a broker’s income and expenses by reading Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis.
How long does it take to become a real estate broker in Texas?
After you meet the minimum experience requirements, it takes nine to 12 months to become a real estate broker in Texas.
The bulk of the time will be spent fulfilling the 900 hours of education requirements. However, you may be able to count some of your prelicensing coursework and continuing education classes to meet those thresholds, which would reduce the time it takes to earn your license.
You’ll also have to set aside time to study for the Texas real estate broker exam and for the TREC to process your application.
How long do you have to be a realtor to become a broker in Texas?
You have to work at least four of the last five years as a real estate agent before you can go through the steps to become a real estate broker in Texas. Additionally, you have to earn enough points (based on your transactions) to qualify to test for a brokerage license.
What if I have a real estate broker license from another state?
Unfortunately, Texas does not allow brokers licensed in other states to work as brokers in Texas. Even if you’re a licensed broker in another state, you’ll need to complete all of the Texas real estate broker license requirements before you can work in Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio.
However, those with a Texas real estate license can work in the following states:
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- Virginia
- Washington
[Related article: Real Estate License Reciprocity & Portability: A State-by-State Guide]
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More Career Resources From The Close
We’ve outlined the steps to get your real estate broker license in Texas. In addition, The Close offers plenty of excellent career resources for new brokers.
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