Texas Real Estate Sales Agent License: Requirements, Cost & Timeline
Texas requires a state license for this trade. Here is every step, fee and hour it takes — and what it pays once you are licensed.
Do you need a license?
Yes. The credential is the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent License, issued by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). Working without it is a violation in Texas and can carry fines or a stop-work order, so the sequence below matters: training first, then the exam, then the application.
Steps to get licensed
- Complete 180 classroom hours of TREC qualifying courses (six 30-hour courses: Principles I & II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms, Real Estate Finance).
- Submit the Sales Agent application through the REALM Portal with the $150 application fee ($206 total with online, A&M and recovery fees).
- Complete DPS fingerprinting ($40) and pass the background check.
- Pass the Pearson VUE state and national licensing exams ($58 exam fee); three failures require additional education.
- Get sponsored by a licensed broker to move the inactive license to active status.
What it costs
The figures below are what the state charges. Training is separate and quotes vary by provider — a community-college programme and a private trade school can differ by thousands for the same licence.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $150 |
| Exam fee | $58 |
| Renewal fee | $66 |
| Total state fees | $208 |
Full cost breakdown for Texas →
How long it takes
The state requires 180 hours of training or supervised work before you can sit the exam. At 40 hours a week that is about 1 months of full-time work — most people take longer because they train part-time while earning.
Keeping it valid
The licence renews every 2 years and the renewal fee is $66. No license-by-recognition. An active license in a state participating in the ARELLO National exam accreditation can exempt the applicant from the national portion of the exam; the Texas state portion is still required.
What it pays in Texas
Median annual wage for Real Estate Sales Agent in Texas: $78,390 ($37.69/hour), across 23,810 jobs. That is the midpoint — half of people in this trade earn more, half less.
Pay detail for Texas, and how it compares →
Other states
| State | State fees | Time | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $499 | 0.8 mo | $72,870 |
| Florida | $63 | 0.4 mo | $68,100 |
Common questions
Do you need a license to be a Real Estate Sales Agent in Texas?
Texas Real Estate Sales Agent License. Yes — issued by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).
How much does a Real Estate Sales Agent license cost in Texas?
$208 in state fees. Exam retakes cost extra.
How long does it take to get a Real Estate Sales Agent license in Texas?
About 1 months of full-time work: the state requires 180 hours of training or supervised experience before the exam.
What does a Real Estate Sales Agent make in Texas?
The median is $78,390 a year ($37.69 an hour) statewide, per BLS OEWS May 2024.
Sources
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/sales-agent“A sales agent applicant must complete 180 classroom hours of the following qualifying real estate courses:”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/agency-information/fee-schedule“Original Application | 150.00 | | | 6.00 | 40.00 | 10.00 | 206.00”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/agency-information/fee-schedule“Renewal | 66.00 | | | 4.00 | 40.00 | | 110.00”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/agency-information/fee-schedule“Real Estate Sales Examination Fee, paid to exam provider”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/agency-information/fee-schedule“58.00”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/sales-agent“License exams are administered by Pearson , a testing service company.”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/sales-agent“You must be sponsored by a broker to move to active status and be able to practice brokerage activity.”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/sales-agent“You can be exempt from taking the National portion of the exam if you hold an active license in a state that participates in the National exam accreditation with ARELLO.”
- https://www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/sales-agent“License holders must complete 18 hours of continuing education (CE) during each two-year license period.”