Education is a major part of the Illinois real estate broker licensing process. Before becoming licensed, prospective brokers need to satisfy the basic education requirement and complete qualifying real estate pre-license education. After initial licensing, additional post-license and continuing education requirements can apply.
This guide explains the Illinois broker education requirements from the beginning of your licensing journey through your first renewal and later professional education.
There are several different education requirements to understand when pursuing an Illinois real estate broker license.
| Education Stage | General Requirement |
|---|---|
| Basic educational eligibility | High school diploma or GED |
| Broker pre-license education | 75 hours |
| Licensing examination | State and national examination required |
| First renewal education | 45 hours of post-license education for applicable new brokers |
| Later renewals | Continuing education requirements apply |
These stages should not be confused with one another.
Pre-license education is completed before initial licensing, while post-license and continuing education apply after you become licensed.
Illinois identifies a high school diploma or GED as the minimum general education requirement for a real estate broker applicant.
A college degree is not listed as the minimum requirement for entering the Illinois broker licensing process.
This means you do not generally need:
However, meeting the basic education requirement does not eliminate the real estate-specific education requirement.
Prospective brokers still need to complete the applicable Illinois broker pre-license education.
No college degree is listed as the basic educational requirement for an Illinois broker applicant.
The state identifies a high school diploma or GED as the minimum education level.
However, applicants still need to satisfy the other licensing requirements, including:
A person should therefore distinguish between general academic education and required real estate education.
Illinois broker applicants generally need to complete 75 hours of qualifying pre-license education.
This education is specifically designed for individuals preparing to become Illinois real estate brokers.
It provides instruction in the laws, principles, calculations, transactions, and professional responsibilities that future brokers need to understand before taking the licensing examination and beginning professional practice.
The Illinois broker pre-license curriculum is generally divided into two major components:
This portion covers the primary knowledge areas students need to understand for real estate licensing and professional practice.
This portion focuses more heavily on applying real estate concepts through practical situations, exercises, case studies, demonstrations, and transaction-related scenarios.
Together:
60 Hours + 15 Hours = 75 Hours
Both components contribute to the overall Illinois broker pre-license education requirement.
The main Real Estate Topics curriculum covers a broad range of subjects.
Students may study areas such as:
These subjects create the knowledge foundation for the licensing examination and future brokerage activity.
The Applied Real Estate Principles portion is intended to help students move from theory into practical application.
Instead of studying only definitions and rules, students may work through situations that show how multiple real estate concepts come together.
Applied learning may include:
The purpose is to help students understand how the concepts learned in the main course can appear in actual brokerage situations.
Real estate professionals work with transactions involving property, contracts, money, legal rights, clients, deadlines, disclosures, and professional obligations.
Pre-license education helps students develop foundational knowledge before entering the profession.
A new broker may eventually encounter situations involving:
Understanding these topics before professional practice helps prepare brokers for their responsibilities.
Agency describes the professional relationship between a real estate broker and the person or party being represented.
Students may study concepts involving:
Students should understand more than definitions.
They should be able to examine a situation and identify who is being represented and which responsibilities apply.
Real estate transactions frequently involve contracts.
Broker education may cover:
Future brokers should understand the role of contracts while also recognizing the limits of a broker's role when legal advice is required.
Students also need to understand the property itself.
Education may include:
These concepts help explain what someone owns, what rights may exist in the property, and what issues can affect the transfer or use of real estate.
Real estate education also includes important federal laws and consumer-protection concepts.
Students may learn about:
Fair housing is especially important because brokers regularly interact with people seeking to buy, sell, rent, or otherwise obtain housing.
Financing plays a major role in many real estate transactions.
Broker education may introduce:
A broker is not being trained to act as a mortgage lender, but understanding financing helps brokers better understand the transactions in which they participate.
Students should also expect mathematical questions during broker education and exam preparation.
Calculations may involve:
Most calculations rely on basic arithmetic, percentages, fractions, and careful reading.
Regular practice can make this part of the course easier.
Suppose a question asks you to calculate 2.5% of a $320,000 amount.
First convert the percentage:
2.5% = 0.025
Then calculate:
$320,000 × 0.025 = $8,000
The important skills are:
Qualifying broker education may be available through online formats offered by approved education providers.
Online education can be useful for people balancing their studies with:
However, do not enroll simply because a course is advertised as an "Illinois real estate course."
Before paying, confirm that the provider and course meet the current Illinois education requirements for the licensing path you are pursuing.
This is one of the most important checks to make before enrolling.
Illinois maintains information about approved real estate education providers and approved courses.
Before beginning your education, verify:
Do not assume that all real estate schools or online training programs qualify for Illinois licensing purposes.
Meeting the state requirement is essential, but course quality also matters.
Consider factors such as:
Is the material organized logically?
Can you ask questions when a topic is unclear?
Are there quizzes, examples, and exam-style questions?
Does the course give you opportunities to practice calculations?
Does the education explain Illinois rules rather than relying only on generic national material?
Does the schedule and delivery method work for you?
Will you receive appropriate documentation after successfully completing the course?
Education should prepare you to understand the material, not simply help you accumulate hours.
No.
Completing the required broker education is only one stage of the licensing process.
A simplified path looks like this:
Confirm the basic age and education requirements.
Complete the required 75 hours.
Pass the applicable state and national examination.
Establish the required sponsoring broker relationship.
Submit the applicable licensing information and satisfy remaining requirements.
Verify that your Illinois broker license has actually been issued before conducting licensed brokerage activity.
Pre-license education provides the knowledge foundation for the licensing examination.
The exam can require students to recall information and apply it to scenarios.
For example, you may need to identify:
This is why understanding the course material is more valuable than simply memorizing definitions.
Once you successfully complete your 75 hours of education:
Save certificates, transcripts, provider information, and other course records.
Identify subjects you found difficult.
Use practice questions, calculations, and structured review.
Check registration requirements, exam instructions, fees, and testing procedures.
Complete the applicable licensing examination.
After passing the examination, move into the remaining sponsorship and application stages.
Keep your own copy of important education records even when education information may also be reported electronically.
Records may include:
Having your own records can be useful if you later need to verify education during licensing or another professional process.
Illinois real estate education does not necessarily end when your initial license is issued.
A new broker generally has post-license education requirements during the applicable first renewal period.
For qualifying new brokers, Illinois requires:
45 hours of post-license education
Post-license education is different from the 75-hour education completed before initial licensure.
It occurs after becoming licensed and is associated with the first broker renewal period.
Post-license education is intended for newly licensed brokers after they enter the profession.
The current Illinois broker post-license curriculum totals 45 hours.
Its purpose is to build on the knowledge learned before licensing and continue developing practical professional understanding.
New brokers should determine:
Do not confuse the post-license requirement with regular continuing education.
After a broker moves beyond the applicable first-renewal post-license stage, regular continuing education requirements apply to later renewal periods.
For example, the 2026 renewal cycle required qualifying brokers subject to regular CE to complete 12 hours of continuing education, including the applicable Core and elective requirements.
The exact CE structure can change between renewal cycles.
Brokers should therefore review the current requirement for the renewal period that applies to them rather than relying on an older course plan.
| Education Type | When It Applies | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-License Education | Before initial broker licensure | Prepares applicants for licensing and the broker exam |
| Post-License Education | Applicable first renewal period | Continues education for newly licensed brokers |
| Continuing Education | Later renewal cycles | Maintains professional education and supports license renewal |
These terms describe different stages.
Completing one does not automatically replace another.
An applicant already licensed outside Illinois may follow a different path from someone pursuing an Illinois broker license for the first time.
Effective January 1, 2026, Illinois uses a licensure-by-endorsement process for brokers and managing brokers applying from outside Illinois.
The state also publishes separate endorsement curriculum information.
Because requirements depend on the applicant's existing license and circumstances, an out-of-state licensee should review the current endorsement instructions rather than automatically enrolling in the standard 75-hour Illinois pre-license path.
The required Illinois real estate education is separate from having a college degree.
Confirm the provider and course before paying.
Education is only one stage of the licensing process.
Completing the hours without understanding the concepts can make exam preparation more difficult.
National concepts are important, but Illinois-specific law and licensing material also matter.
Calculations become easier with repeated practice.
Keep your own course completion documentation.
They apply at different stages of a broker's licensing cycle.
Use this checklist to organize your education journey:
A structured education plan can make the Illinois licensing journey easier to understand.
Rather than learning agency, contracts, financing, property ownership, calculations, and Illinois law from unrelated sources, students can work through the subjects in a logical sequence.
Illinois Broker Academy provides education and learning resources for individuals preparing to become Illinois real estate brokers.
The goal is not only to complete required education but to develop the understanding needed for the licensing exam and future professional practice.
If you want an overview of pre-license education:
If you want to see the subjects covered:
If you want information about the pre-license course:
Illinois Real Estate Pre-License Course
If you prefer online education:
Online Illinois Real Estate Classes
If you are preparing for the examination:
Illinois Real Estate Broker Exam
If you are already licensed and approaching your first renewal:
Illinois Broker Post-License Education
If you need later continuing education information:
Illinois broker applicants generally need a high school diploma or GED and 75 hours of qualifying broker pre-license education. They must also satisfy the other licensing requirements, including the applicable examination and sponsorship requirements.
A college degree is not listed as the minimum academic requirement for an Illinois broker license. The basic education requirement is a high school diploma or GED.
Illinois broker applicants generally need 75 hours of qualifying pre-license education before completing the remaining licensing requirements.
The standard broker pre-license curriculum generally consists of 60 hours of Real Estate Topics and 15 hours of Applied Real Estate Principles.
Topics include real property, agency, contracts, federal and Illinois law, fair housing, buyer and seller relationships, advertising, valuation, financing, real estate calculations, title transfer, leasing, property management, and applied transaction scenarios.
Applied Real Estate Principles is the practical portion of the broker curriculum. It helps students apply real estate concepts through scenarios, case studies, demonstrations, role-playing, and other practical activities.
Qualifying online options may be available through approved education providers. Students should verify the provider, course, number of hours, and delivery method before enrolling.
No. Completing pre-license education satisfies one licensing requirement. Applicants must also pass the applicable examination, complete the licensing application process, satisfy sponsorship requirements, and meet the other applicable requirements.
Yes. Illinois broker applicants must pass the applicable state and national examination as part of the licensing process.
Yes. Applicable new brokers have 45 hours of post-license education during their first renewal period. Regular continuing education requirements apply during later renewal cycles.
Pre-license education is completed before initial licensure and helps prepare an applicant for licensing and the broker examination. Post-license education applies after a new broker becomes licensed and is associated with the applicable first renewal period.
No. Post-license education generally applies to newly licensed brokers during their first renewal period. Regular continuing education applies during later renewal cycles.
Yes. Keep certificates, transcripts, provider information, completion dates, and other relevant records even if education information is also reported electronically.
They can be. Illinois uses a licensure-by-endorsement process for qualifying brokers and managing brokers applying from outside Illinois. Out-of-state applicants should review the current endorsement requirements instead of assuming the standard first-time Illinois education path applies.
Students should use an appropriate IDFPR-approved real estate education provider and confirm that the specific course satisfies the requirement they need. Students can also explore Illinois Broker Academy for Illinois broker education and learning resources.