You need a California real estate salesperson license from the Department of Real Estate (DRE). That means three college-level real estate courses, passing a 150-question state exam, fingerprints, and state fees of $450 if you file the exam and license together, plus a $49 fingerprint fee (DRE, checked September 24, 2026).

The license is statewide, so the steps are the same in Richmond as anywhere in California. What’s local is where you study, where you test, and what you’ll need to learn once you start working here.

What are the steps, in order?

Six of them:

  1. Check that you qualify. You must be 18 or older to be issued a license, and the DRE says applicants must be honest and truthful. A criminal conviction may lead to a license being denied (DRE, Requirements to Apply for a Real Estate Salesperson License, checked September 24, 2026).
  2. Finish three college-level courses. Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice and one elective.
  3. Apply to the DRE. Online through eLicensing, or by mail with form RE 435 for the combined exam and license application (DRE, How to Apply for the Salesperson Exam, checked September 24, 2026).
  4. Get fingerprinted by Live Scan, using form RE 237.
  5. Pass the exam.
  6. Start working under a licensed broker.

Here’s what each one involves.

Where can I take the courses near Richmond?

Close by. Contra Costa College, at 2600 Mission Bell Drive in San Pablo, right next to Richmond, teaches Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice and electives such as Legal Aspects of Real Estate, Real Estate Finance and Property Management. The college says you can finish all three in one semester through evening classes (Contra Costa College, Real Estate program page, checked September 24, 2026).

Whatever school you pick, the DRE’s rules are the same. Each course must be three semester units or four quarter units at the college level and at least 45 hours long. Since January 1, 2024, the Real Estate Practice course must include implicit bias and fair housing, with a role-play part where you act as both the consumer and the agent (DRE, Salesperson Requirements page, checked September 24, 2026). DRE-approved private and online schools also count.

How much will I pay the state?

Here’s the DRE’s current fee form, RE 206 (Rev 7/26), checked September 24, 2026:

  • Exam only: $100.
  • License, after you pass: $350.
  • Exam and license filed together: $450 in exam and license fees. The form’s total with fingerprinting is $499.
  • Fingerprint processing: $49. If you live in California, you pay it directly to the Live Scan provider.
  • Retaking the exam: $100. Rescheduling: $40.

The combined exam and license fee is not refundable for any reason, including failing the exam or a license denial. Tuition for your courses is separate and depends on the school.

What is the exam like, and where do I take it?

Three hours, 150 multiple-choice questions, and you need 70% to pass (DRE, Taking the Exam page, checked September 24, 2026). The DRE says its Oakland site gives the exam in an electronic format, and electronic results are provided when you finish.

The closest site to Richmond is Oakland: the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building, 1515 Clay Street, Room 703, 7th Floor (DRE, Exam Sites page, checked September 24, 2026).

How long do I have to finish?

Two years from the date the DRE receives your application. You can send in missing items anytime in that window. If you don’t qualify and pass within two years, you start over with a new application, a new fee and current qualifications (DRE, form RE 206, checked September 24, 2026).

That clock is a good reason to finish your courses before you apply, not after.

Can I start working the day I’m licensed?

Only under a broker. The DRE says the salesperson license is for people who do licensed real estate activities under the supervision of a licensed broker (DRE, Salesperson Requirements page, checked September 24, 2026). So choosing where to hang your license is the first real business decision you’ll make.

What will I need to learn about Richmond once I’m licensed?

The exam covers state law. Your clients will also ask about local rules, like Richmond’s own city transfer tax and its Rent Program. You won’t give legal or tax advice on either. Your job is to know the official source and send clients to an attorney, a tax professional or the agency. Our answer on what to look for in a real estate team walks through those local questions and how a good team trains you on them.

Questions people also ask

How much does a California real estate license cost in 2026?

Per the DRE’s fee form RE 206 (Rev 7/26), checked September 24, 2026, the salesperson exam is $100 and the license is $350, or $450 if you file both together. Fingerprint processing is $49, paid to the Live Scan provider if you live in California. The combined fee is not refundable. Course tuition is separate and varies by school.

How long do I have to pass the California real estate exam?

Two years from the date the DRE receives your application, per its fee form RE 206, checked September 24, 2026. You can submit missing requirements anytime in that window. If you don’t qualify and pass within two years, you need a new application, a new fee and current qualifications. Finishing your courses before you apply keeps the clock from working against you.

Where is the real estate exam site closest to Richmond, CA?

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. The DRE says the Oakland exams are given electronically. The salesperson exam is 150 multiple-choice questions in three hours, and you need 70% to pass.

Can I take real estate classes near Richmond?

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 finish all three required courses in one semester through evening classes, per its Real Estate program page checked September 24, 2026. DRE-approved private and online schools are another option.

Your next step

Studying for your license now? Talk to us before you choose a broker. We’ll show you how our leads, training, support, mentorship and systems work, and you decide if it fits. Start here or call (510) 949-5525.

By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Richmond, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.

Sources

  • California Department of Real Estate, Requirements to Apply for a Real Estate Salesperson License, How to Apply for the Salesperson Exam, Taking the Exam, Exam Sites, and Fee Changes pages: dre.ca.gov (checked September 24, 2026)
  • California Department of Real Estate, Exam, Licensing and Petition Fees, form RE 206 (Rev 7/26): dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/forms/re206.pdf (checked September 24, 2026)
  • Contra Costa College, Real Estate program: contracosta.edu/academics/departments/real-estate (checked September 24, 2026)