Most first-time Illinois Real Estate Broker applicants must complete 75 hours of approved pre-license education before taking the standard Broker licensing examination.
But students often have questions beyond the basic 75-hour requirement.
Can the course be taken online? What is the difference between the 60-hour and 15-hour courses? How long does completed education remain valid? Can you use home study? What happens if you fail the licensing exam four times? Do out-of-state Brokers need the same course?
This FAQ answers the most common questions about Illinois Broker pre-license education and helps you identify which education path applies to you.
| Question | Quick Answer |
|---|---|
| Standard Broker education | 75 hours |
| Main Topics Course | 60 hours |
| Applied Real Estate Principles | 15 hours |
| Minimum standard Broker age | 18 |
| General education requirement | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Can qualifying education be online? | Yes |
| Can the 15-hour Applied course be online? | Yes |
| Can the 15-hour Applied course be correspondence/home study? | No |
| Education validity | 2 years after satisfactory completion |
| Standard Broker exam after education | National + Illinois State portions |
| Four consecutive exam failures | Pre-license education must be repeated |
| Out-of-state endorsement applicant | Different 30-hour endorsement course may apply |
| Illinois Supreme Court attorney | Separate examination qualification route applies |
These are general current requirements.
Your individual licensing route can change which education requirement applies.
Do not begin by asking:
"Which real estate school is cheapest?"
First ask:
"Which Illinois licensing route applies to me?"
You may be:
Generally requires the 75-hour Broker pre-license program.
May qualify for the separate 30-hour endorsement education route.
May qualify through a separate examination route.
Choosing the correct licensing path before purchasing education can prevent you from completing a course you did not need.
For the ordinary first-time Broker route:
60-Hour Broker Pre-License Topics
+
15-Hour Applied Real Estate Principles
=
75 Total Hours
The first course develops the main real estate knowledge base.
The Applied course focuses more heavily on using that knowledge in realistic transaction situations.
Pre-license education is one stage of the licensing process.
A typical standard path is:
Meet Basic Eligibility
↓
Complete 75-Hour Pre-License Education
↓
Prepare for the Broker Examination
↓
Establish PSI Exam Eligibility
↓
Pass the Required Examination
↓
Arrange Sponsorship for Active Status
↓
Submit the Illinois Broker License Application
↓
Receive the License
Course completion by itself does not authorize you to perform licensed brokerage activity.
A standard first-time Illinois Broker applicant generally must complete 75 credit hours of approved pre-license education.
The required education consists of:
Together, these courses satisfy the standard 75-hour Broker pre-license education requirement.
The two portions serve different purposes.
The 60-hour Broker Pre-License Topics course teaches the principal real estate concepts, laws, transactions, property principles, financing, agency, contracts, and related subjects.
The 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles course focuses on practical application through transaction situations, case studies, exercises, and similar applied learning.
The official curriculum includes major areas such as:
For the detailed curriculum, visit:
The Applied course focuses on practical use of Broker knowledge.
Topics can involve situations such as:
The goal is to move from knowing a definition to applying the rule in a transaction.
No.
For a standard first-time Broker applicant using the 75-hour route, the Applied Real Estate Principles course is part of the required education.
Completing only the 60-hour Topics course does not satisfy the entire standard 75-hour requirement.
Yes.
Illinois permits approved Broker education through qualifying online formats.
Depending on the provider and course, education may be offered through formats such as:
Always verify the specific provider, course, and delivery format before enrolling.
Under Illinois rules, online distance education is interactive education delivered online but not necessarily in real time.
Students independently work through material and their participation and comprehension are verified through interaction with:
or
It is different from simply reading an unmonitored PDF or book.
An interactive webinar is live instruction delivered through technology that allows real-time two-way communication between:
This can include live video, webcam, discussion, and other methods that allow student participation.
Unlike self-paced online distance education, a webinar normally takes place at scheduled times.
Yes.
Current Illinois rules allow the 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles course to be presented through:
Students do not necessarily need to attend a physical classroom for this portion if they use an approved online format.
No.
Illinois rules specifically prohibit the 15-hour Broker Pre-License Applied Real Estate Principles course from being taught as a correspondence or home-study course.
It must use an approved classroom, interactive webinar, or online distance education format.
Illinois treats them as different education formats.
Online distance education is interactive and includes verification of student participation and comprehension through an instructor or Learning Management System.
Correspondence or home study is generally non-interactive self-study in which mandatory instructor interaction and ordinary attendance verification are not part of the format.
Different rules can therefore apply to each.
Illinois rules allow qualifying pre-license education to be provided through correspondence or home-study formats where permitted and properly approved.
However, home-study or correspondence pre-license courses have separate final-examination requirements.
The 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles course cannot use that format.
Always confirm the exact approved course structure with the provider before enrolling.
Yes.
Current Illinois rules require each correspondence or home-study pre-license course to include a:
Mandatory proctored final examination
The exam must contain at least:
25 questions for every 15 credit hours
The minimum passing score must be at least:
75%
No.
These are separate examinations.
A course final examination, when applicable, is part of completing the education.
The Illinois Broker licensing examination is the separate professional examination administered through the state's designated testing service, currently PSI.
Passing a school exam does not mean you have passed the licensing examination.
For courses presented through:
current Illinois rules require the licensed education provider to verify attendance.
The method can vary according to the course platform and provider.
Not necessarily.
Approved providers must follow attendance-verification requirements, and the Learning Management System may track participation, progress, interaction, or other course activity.
Follow your provider's actual completion instructions.
Do not assume leaving a course open on your computer satisfies the education requirement.
It may be possible to complete qualifying education without attending a traditional physical classroom when you select approved online delivery formats.
For example, the required Applied course can be delivered through approved online distance education or interactive webinar.
Confirm the complete 75-hour package and delivery method before enrolling.
Illinois establishes the total education requirement, but your calendar schedule depends on the approved provider and delivery format.
A student may complete education over a period of days or weeks according to the provider's schedule and applicable instructional requirements.
Do not confuse flexibility in calendar scheduling with a reduction in the required 75 credit hours.
There is no single calendar duration that applies to every student.
Completion time depends on:
The legal education requirement remains 75 approved credit hours for the standard route.
Not necessarily.
Fast completion can be useful if your schedule permits serious study, but the course is also the foundation for your licensing examination.
Rushing through concepts such as:
can create much more work during exam preparation.
Choose a pace that allows you to understand the material.
Current Illinois rules provide that approved Broker pre-license education is valid for:
2 years after satisfactory completion of all required pre-license education.
Keep your completion date in your licensing records.
The current rules provide a two-year period during which qualifying pre-license education is accepted.
If your education falls outside that period before you complete the relevant examination process, it may no longer satisfy the current requirement.
Verify your individual status with the current IDFPR or PSI process before scheduling an examination.
The current rule states that the pre-license education is valid for two years after the:
Satisfactory completion of all required pre-license education.
Keep documentation showing your official completion date.
Keep copies of:
Store them somewhere you can access even if you later lose access to the school's online portal.
Use current resources from the:
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — Division of Real Estate
to verify education providers and approved courses.
Do not rely only on the provider's advertising.
Illinois regulates real estate education providers and their qualifying courses.
Before enrollment, verify both:
A company offering some approved real estate education should not automatically be assumed to have every course approved for every licensing purpose.
Confirm:
Not necessarily.
The 75-hour program is the required licensing education.
A provider may separately include:
but optional exam preparation should not be confused with the required instructional hours.
No.
A standard first-time Broker applicant must satisfy the approved pre-license education requirement.
A general exam-prep program does not substitute for the required qualifying education merely because it prepares students for test questions.
Pay particular attention to:
Use:
Illinois Real Estate Course Study Guide
for a structured topic-by-topic study system.
Yes, topic-based questions can be useful while learning.
For example, after studying agency, complete agency questions.
After studying calculations, practice calculations.
Full timed practice tests generally become more useful after you have studied most of the course.
A standard applicant generally moves into the examination stage.
Typical next steps include:
No.
Completing the education satisfies the pre-license education requirement.
You still need to satisfy the other applicable licensing requirements, including:
IDFPR—not the real estate school—issues the Illinois Broker license.
No sponsorship is generally required merely to enroll in or complete the standard Broker pre-license education.
Sponsorship becomes important later when seeking an active Illinois Broker license and beginning licensed brokerage activity.
Standard examination eligibility is based on the applicable candidate requirements, including qualifying education.
Sponsorship is generally part of the licensing application and active-status process rather than a prerequisite simply to sit for the standard Broker examination.
The current minimum age for the standard Illinois Broker license is:
18 years old
Applicants must also satisfy the other applicable education and licensing requirements.
No college degree is required under the standard Broker qualifications.
Current IDFPR requirements identify a:
High school diploma or GED/equivalent
as the general educational qualification.
The licensing requirements concern qualification for the Broker license and examination process.
If you are under 18 and considering enrolling in education, verify the provider's enrollment policy and current licensing timing before paying so that your education and examination plans fit the applicable eligibility rules and two-year validity period.
A failed examination attempt does not automatically mean you must repeat the entire 75-hour course.
You can review the failed material and follow current PSI retesting procedures.
However, Illinois has a special rule after four consecutive failures.
Current Illinois rules require a person who fails the Broker examination:
Four consecutive times
to repeat the applicable pre-license education requirement before taking the examination again.
The candidate must also complete a new examination application as required.
No.
Current PSI procedures generally allow standard candidates to retake the failed portion under the applicable examination rules.
The education-repeat rule becomes especially important after four consecutive examination failures.
No.
Pre-license education is completed before initial standard Broker licensing and totals 75 hours.
Post-license education generally applies to qualifying newly licensed Brokers and totals 45 hours during the applicable first license term.
They are separate education stages.
Qualifying new Brokers generally complete:
45 hours of post-license education
consisting of three 15-hour courses covering:
Each course includes its own required final examination.
No.
The 75-hour pre-license program and 45-hour post-license program are separate education stages.
Do not add the post-license requirement to the initial 75 hours when determining whether you have completed your pre-license education.
No.
Continuing education applies to license maintenance and later renewal requirements.
Pre-license education is completed before initial standard Broker licensing.
Not necessarily.
Beginning January 1, 2026, qualifying out-of-state Brokers use Illinois:
Licensure by Endorsement
The current Broker endorsement route includes a separate:
30-hour Pre-License Endorsement Course
rather than the standard first-time 75-hour curriculum.
Determine whether you qualify for endorsement before purchasing the 75-hour course.
No.
The 75-hour program is the standard first-time Illinois Broker education route.
The 30-hour endorsement course is specifically designed for qualifying applicants who already hold an equivalent active real estate license in another U.S. jurisdiction.
Beginning January 1, 2026, qualifying new out-of-state Broker and Managing Broker applicants use:
Licensure by Endorsement
rather than the previous reciprocity system.
Illinois provides a separate examination qualification route for applicants who are:
Currently admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Illinois
Current rules allow such applicants to establish Broker examination eligibility through that attorney status instead of proof of completing the ordinary 75-hour education route.
An attorney should verify current IDFPR requirements before enrolling in standard education.
The current Illinois rule specifically refers to an applicant:
Currently admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Illinois.
Do not assume admission in another jurisdiction alone satisfies that Illinois-specific exception.
Illinois Managing Broker licensing has separate education and experience requirements.
Your Broker education forms part of your real estate education history, but becoming a Managing Broker requires additional qualifying education, Broker experience, examination, and other applicable requirements.
Yes.
Course completion means you satisfied the instructional requirement.
Before taking the licensing exam, review:
Then complete practice questions and timed preparation.
No.
Course completion and licensing examination passage are separate.
Your education provider documents course completion.
PSI administers the current licensing examination.
IDFPR ultimately determines whether you satisfy the requirements for licensure.
Current PSI materials list:
The examination is a separate stage after qualifying education.
No.
An education provider supplies qualifying instruction and education records.
The professional licensing authority is the:
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — Division of Real Estate
Use current official sources, including:
Requirements can change, so official current sources should take priority over older blogs or forum posts.
Use this simple decision path:
Start with:
Illinois Real Estate Pre-License Course
Review:
Out-of-State Real Estate License in Illinois
Review:
Online Illinois Real Estate Classes
Move to:
Illinois Broker Exam Study Guide
Use:
The complete standard path can be viewed as:
Confirm Eligibility
↓
Choose Approved 75-Hour Education
↓
Complete 60-Hour Topics Course
↓
Complete 15-Hour Applied Principles Course
↓
Save Completion Records
↓
Prepare for the Broker Exam
↓
Pass the Required Examination
↓
Choose a Sponsoring Broker
↓
Apply to IDFPR
↓
Verify License Issuance
↓
Complete Applicable Post-License Education
Understanding the entire path helps you see where pre-license education fits and what comes next.
Pre-license education should do more than satisfy an hour requirement.
Use the course to build a working understanding of:
Illinois Broker Academy provides educational resources that help prospective Brokers understand each stage of the Illinois licensing process and move from course study into exam preparation.
For complete education requirements:
Illinois Broker Education Requirements
For the full 75-hour course:
Illinois Real Estate Pre-License Course
For course topics:
For online education:
Online Illinois Real Estate Classes
For study planning:
Illinois Real Estate Course Study Guide
For exam preparation:
Prepare for Illinois Broker Exam
For the licensing process: