Aspiring real estate professionals can take advantage of the real estate industry by obtaining a real estate license from the Georgia Realty Commission. With such rapidly growing metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Georgia is home to a thriving real estate market that shows no signs of slowing down.

Professional Real Estate License in Georgia

The Georgia Real Estate Commission & Appraisers Board (GREC) oversees the licensing process and aims to ensure all active real estate agents and brokers meet qualification standards that promote ethical business practices.¹ Once licensed by the state, real estate agents also have the option to join professional associations like the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) for additional resources and networking opportunities.

This comprehensive guide provides aspiring real estate agents with everything needed to successfully get licensed in Georgia. Here’s a quick rundown of some key facts about getting a real estate license from the Georgia Realty Commission.

• First-time applicants must complete 75 hours of pre-licensing education from an accredited school before applying for a license.
• All applicants must sit for and pass the 2-part Georgia Real Estate Exam administered by PSI Exams
• All license applicants must submit fingerprints and pass a background check conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) through its Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC).
• The Georgia real estate exam is considered moderately challenging, with a pass rate of around 60%. It covers both national topics and state-specific laws.
• New licensees (salespersons) must find a sponsoring brokerage to hang their license with for years initially. Real estate agents cannot practice independently right after licensure.
• Georgia has reciprocal licensing agreements with all 50 states with a special exception to Florida, making it easy to transfer an active out-of-state license.
• Real estate agents in Georgia must renew their licenses every 4 years.

Must Haves For Becoming a Real Estate Agent in Georgia

The Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) has set baseline eligibility criteria that every real estate license applicant must meet.^2,3 These requirements ensure you have reached the legal age of adulthood, received basic education, and have no criminal history that would prevent practicing real estate safely and legally.

These mandatory qualifications aim to ensure applicants have the abilities, knowledge, and ethical foundation needed.

• Meeting the minimum age of 18 years old
• Possessing a high school diploma or equivalent
• Finishing the 75 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education
• Passing the two-part Georgia Real Estate Exam
• Undergoing a fingerprint criminal background check
• Carrying errors and omissions insurance
• Affiliating with a sponsoring brokerage
• Submitting a completed application with fees to the GREC

Fulfilling each of these steps demonstrates an applicant’s preparedness to take on the duties of a licensed real estate agent. Here is an overview of each must-have requirement to become authorized to transact real estate in Georgia:

Age and Basic Education Requirements

The GREC requires that all real estate license applicants are at least 18 years old on the date they submit their license application.³ Individuals who are 17 years old may take the pre-licensing education and the licensing exam but cannot activate their licenses until they turn 18.

This age minimum aims to ensure prospective agents have reached an adequate level of maturity and life experience to work with clients.

While Georgia does not require formal post-secondary education, you must have at least a high school-level education.³ Earning a diploma or GED provides evidence of basic literacy and numeracy abilities needed to comprehend real estate concepts and perform job duties.

Official transcripts showing proof of graduation must be submitted with the license application.

Additionally, many real estate schools also require applicants to have a high school diploma before enrolling in pre-licensing courses. Check with your chosen real estate school to see if you must submit your diploma or transcripts as part of the enrollment process.

Having the academic abilities to handle college-level coursework can also help you succeed in real estate classes.

Pre-Licensing Course Hours Required (Can I Take Free Real Estate Classes Online?)

Before qualifying to take the Georgia real estate exam, you must complete a set number of pre-licensing education hours approved by the Georgia Realty Commission.

For a Salesperson License:

The Georgia Real Estate Commission mandates the completion of 75 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education before applicants can qualify to take the state licensing exam.³

These 75 hours provide the core knowledge and skills every real estate agent needs. The 75 hours must cover:

• Real Estate Principles and Practices (30 hours)
• Real Estate Law (25 hours)
• Real Estate Brokerage (5 hours)
• Real Estate Finance (5 hours)
• Real Estate Appraisal (5 hours)
• Real Estate Contracts (5 hours)

For a Broker License:

• Applicants must complete 60 hours of pre-licensing instruction⁴

Covering advanced topics like managing agents, broker supervision, trust accounting, and running a brokerage.

For a Community Association Manager License:

• Applicants must complete 25 hours of in-person pre-licensing instruction⁵

This provides training in HOA management, governance, and association regulations.

You can satisfy the education requirement through three formats:

• In-person pre-licensing courses from an approved real estate school in Georgia. This includes virtual instructor-led live classes.
• Online on-demand pre-licensing courses from an approved Georgia real estate school. Learn at your own pace.
• College-level real estate coursework. This includes six semester hours or 10 quarter hours of real estate courses³ from accredited colleges, universities, or law schools in the U.S. or Canada. Submit official transcripts for review.

The most common route involves taking 75 hours of pre-licensure education online or in person through an approved provider.

Can I Take Free Real Estate Courses in Georgia?

While you can find a wealth of free real estate content online, free courses will NOT count towards Georgia’s pre-licensing education requirements. Only approved courses completed through the Georgia Real Estate Academy or another GREC-authorized school meet the mandatory criteria.

Some brokers also provide scholarship programs or discounted in-house real estate classes to newly hired agents. Ask brokers you interview with if they offer new agents financial assistance with completing pre-licensing education.

Other than these limited options, expect to pay tuition ranging from $200 to $500+ to enroll in pre-licensing courses that satisfy Georgia requirements. View the expense as an investment into launching your real estate career.

The knowledge gained also helps you succeed after getting licensed.

You can verify that a real estate school is state-approved by checking the Georgia Real Estate Commission’s list of Approved Real Estate Schools.⁶ Avoid schools that are not on the approved list.

Real Estate School Pre-Licensing Tuition

As mentioned, while free real estate courses exist online, to qualify to take the state licensing exam, you must complete 75 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education offered through a GREC-approved real estate school.⁶

As such, on average, tuition for the required 75 hours of pre-licensing courses ranges from $200 to $500+. Costs vary primarily based on:

• Delivery format: Online vs in-person
• Provider selected
• Extra components like exam prep guarantees

Look around for different approved real estate schools to balance your budget with factors like instruction methods, study resources, exam pass guarantees, and technology requirements.

Some students appreciate the interaction and accountability of in-person or live online formats. Others prefer the flexibility of pre-recorded online courses.

Also, decide if you want a school that includes exam prep, sample tests, and retake guarantees in case you don’t pass the licensing exam the first time. Prep courses cost $50 to $100 on average.

Some real estate schools may offer discounts if you bundle the pre-licensing course with exam prep classes or materials. For the best deal, compare tuition costs across 3 to 5 approved schools before enrolling.

While paying over $500 seems expensive, an accredited pre-licensing program gives structure and expert instruction. This helps many students successfully retain the material which is crucial for passing the state exam.

Investing more upfront can save headaches and the cost of having to retake expensive exams.

Mandatory Real Estate Background Check (Fingerprinting Center Information)

Along with pre-licensing education, all Georgia real estate license applicants must pass a fingerprint-based background check and complete a Background Clearance Application.⁷ Your fingerprints will be matched against criminal databases by the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to uncover any potentially disqualifying convictions.⁸

Applicants are required to get fingerprinted and obtain a certified GCIC criminal history report dated within 60 days of applying for the license.

Here are step-by-step instructions for completing the required criminal history record check:

1. Schedule an appointment with Fieldprint Georgia (the official vendor contracted by Georgia Applicant Processing Service – GAPS) to submit fingerprints at one of their locations spread out across Georgia and the country.^9,10 You can also get fingerprinted at any law enforcement agency in Georgia like your local police department or Sheriff’s office.
2. Bring a completed Fingerprint Consent Form to your appointment. This authorizes running your prints.
3. Provide your fingerprints via traditional ink or electronic submission. Traditional ink cards must be mailed to the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC).
4. Pay the $50 to $60 fingerprinting fee. This covers processing and running your prints through the GCIC and FBI databases.
5. Wait for fingerprint results. Turnaround time is typically 3 to 6 weeks. The GCIC will share your record with the Georgia Realty Commission internally for review.
6. Dispute any discrepancies by contacting GCIC right away. If something doesn’t match up, work quickly to get mistakes corrected through the channels provided.

The collected fingerprints get transmitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to check for potentially disqualifying offenses.

Having a criminal history does NOT automatically disqualify you from obtaining a Georgia real estate license. However, certain types of convictions within the past 5 to 10 years may impact your eligibility.

These include felonies, violent crimes, sex offenses, and crimes involving real estate, breach of trust, or theft.

Even with potentially disqualifying records, you can submit a Background Clearance Application before investing time into education.⁷ This preliminary review will indicate if you can expect approval for a license.

Don’t let past mistakes stop you from pursuing an exciting real estate career.