You get a California salesperson license from the Department of Real Estate, and it’s the same license whether you live in Pinole or San Diego. The path is three college-level real estate courses, a 150-question state exam, fingerprints, and $450 to the DRE if you file the exam and license together, plus a $49 fingerprint fee you pay the live scan provider (DRE, checked September 24, 2026).
Then you need a broker to work under. Here’s each step, in order, with the official source.
What are the basic requirements?
You must be 18 or older to be issued a license, and you must be honest and truthful. The DRE says a criminal conviction may result in a license being denied (DRE, Salesperson Requirements page, checked September 24, 2026). If you have something on your record, read the DRE’s guidance before you pay for anything.
What courses do I need to take?
Three college-level courses, each at least 45 hours (DRE, Salesperson Requirements page, checked September 24, 2026):
- Real Estate Principles.
- Real Estate Practice. Since January 1, 2024, this course must include implicit bias and fair housing components.
- One elective from the DRE’s list, such as Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Appraisal, Property Management, Legal Aspects of Real Estate, Real Estate Economics, Escrows, Business Law or Common Interest Developments.
Each course has to be three semester units or four quarter units from an accredited college, or from a private real estate school with courses approved by the Real Estate Commissioner (same source). The DRE’s site has a search tool for approved courses.
Close to home: Contra Costa College, at 2600 Mission Bell Drive in San Pablo, teaches Principles, Practice and several electives, and says you can finish all three in one semester through evening classes (Contra Costa College, Real Estate department page, checked September 24, 2026). Online schools approved by the DRE are another route. Pick the one you’ll actually finish.
What does the license cost?
These are the DRE’s current fees, and the DRE says fees are nonrefundable (DRE, Fees page, checked September 24, 2026):
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Salesperson exam | $100 | DRE |
| Salesperson license | $350 | DRE |
| Exam and license filed together (combination, form RE 435) | $450 | DRE |
| Fingerprint processing | $49 | Live scan provider |
| Live scan service fee | Set by the provider | Live scan provider |
| Re-take the exam | $100 | DRE |
| Reschedule an exam | $40 | DRE |
Course tuition is extra and depends on the school.
What is the California real estate exam like?
Three hours, 150 multiple-choice questions, four answer choices each. You need 70% to pass (DRE, Taking the Exam page, checked September 24, 2026). If you pass, you aren’t told your score. If you don’t, you get your score by subject area and can apply to re-take it, but only after you get your results.
The exam covers real estate law, contracts like deposit receipts and deeds, agency duties, and basic math common to real estate (DRE, Salesperson Examination Content page, checked September 24, 2026). For any legal question about your own situation, ask an attorney or the DRE directly.
Where you’ll test. The closest DRE exam site to Pinole is in Oakland, at the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building, 1515 Clay Street, Room 703 (DRE, Exam Sites page, checked September 24, 2026). Bring a valid photo ID, such as a current state driver’s license or a passport. Phones, watches, bags and food stay out of the room.
How do fingerprints work?
Take the Live Scan Service Request (form RE 237) to a live scan provider. You pay the $49 fingerprint processing fee and the provider’s own service fee there, not to the DRE. You can do it after you apply for the exam or after you pass. The DRE won’t issue your license until it gets the Department of Justice and FBI reports back (DRE, Fingerprint Requirements page, checked September 24, 2026).
What happens after I pass?
If you filed the combination exam and license application, you’re already in line for the license. If you filed for the exam only, log into your DRE eLicensing account, fill out the Salesperson License Application (RE 202), and send it with the live scan form and the $350 license fee (DRE, Once You Pass the Examination page, checked September 24, 2026).
Your license is good for four years. The DRE emails a renewal reminder about 90 days before it expires (DRE, License Renewal page, checked September 24, 2026).
Do I need a broker?
Yes, to actually work. The DRE lets you hold a salesperson license without a broker, but a salesperson without a responsible broker may not do anything that requires a license (DRE, Salesperson Requirements page, checked September 24, 2026). So picking a brokerage, and maybe a team inside it, is the real first-year decision.
That choice is a whole question on its own. We wrote up what to ask any team before you join in what to look for in a real estate team in West Contra Costa.
How long does it take?
It depends on you more than the state. Three courses can take one semester at Contra Costa College, per the college. After that it’s how fast you can get an exam date, pass, and have your fingerprints clear. We’re not going to guess a number of weeks for you. Ask the DRE and your school what they’re seeing right now.
Questions people also ask
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in California?
The DRE charges $450 when you file the salesperson exam and license together: $100 for the exam and $350 for the license, per the DRE Fees page checked September 24, 2026. You also pay a $49 fingerprint processing fee plus a service fee to the live scan provider. Tuition for the three required courses is extra and varies by school.
How many questions are on the California real estate salesperson exam?
The salesperson exam has 150 multiple-choice questions and you get three hours, per the DRE’s Taking the Exam page, checked September 24, 2026. You need to answer at least 70% correctly to pass. If you pass, the DRE does not tell you your score. If you fail, you see how you did in each subject and can re-apply.
Where is the closest real estate exam site to Pinole?
Oakland. The DRE lists an exam site at the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building, 1515 Clay Street, Room 703, 7th Floor, per its Exam Sites page checked September 24, 2026. Arrive 30 minutes early with a valid photo ID. Cell phones, watches and bags are not allowed in the exam room and go in a locker or storage area.
Can I take real estate courses near Pinole?
Yes. Contra Costa College at 2600 Mission Bell Drive in San Pablo offers Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice and electives, and says you can complete all three required courses in one semester of evening classes, per its Real Estate department page checked September 24, 2026. DRE-approved private and online schools are also options.
Your next step
Working on your license now? Talk to us before you pick a broker. We’ll tell you how our leads, training, support, mentorship and systems work, and you can decide if it fits. Start here or call (510) 949-5525.
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Pinole, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.
Sources
- California Department of Real Estate, Salesperson Requirements, Fees, Taking the Exam, Salesperson Examination Content, Exam Sites, Fingerprint Requirements, Once You Pass the Examination, and License Renewal pages: dre.ca.gov (checked September 24, 2026)
- Contra Costa College, Real Estate department: contracosta.edu/academics/departments/real-estate (checked September 24, 2026)