How to Become a Realtor in Texas: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Last reviewed: September 2026

To become a licensed real estate sales agent in Texas, you must complete 180 hours of TREC-approved pre-license education, pass the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam at a Pearson VUE test center, and activate your license under a TREC-licensed sponsoring broker. To use the title "Realtor," you must also join the National Association of Realtors through a local board.

Many people searching for how to become a Realtor in Texas are actually asking two different questions without realizing it. The first is how to get a real estate license, which is a state-issued credential regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). The second is how to become a Realtor, which is a trademarked membership title granted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This guide covers both, in order.

Step 1: Confirm You Meet TREC Eligibility Requirements

Before enrolling in any courses, confirm you meet TREC's baseline eligibility requirements for a sales agent license.

What Are the Basic Requirements to Apply in Texas?

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted alien
• Meet TREC's honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity standards
• Have a U.S. Social Security number

Texas does not require a college degree. A high school diploma or GED is sufficient for eligibility. If you have a prior criminal history, TREC allows you to request a Fitness Determination before investing in coursework, which tells you in advance whether your record would disqualify you.

Step 2: Complete 180 Hours of TREC-Required Pre-License Education

Texas requires more pre-license education than most states. Candidates must complete 180 hours across six specific courses, each 30 hours, approved by TREC.

What Are the Six Required Pre-License Courses in Texas?

Courses can be completed online or in person through any TREC-approved provider. There is no single state-mandated end-of-course exam format, but each provider is required to verify completion before issuing a certificate. You must obtain a completion certificate from each course before you can sit for the state licensing exam.

Can You Take the Courses in Any Order?

TREC does not mandate a specific sequence for the six courses. Most candidates start with Principles of Real Estate I and II to build foundational knowledge before moving into the more specialized courses. Law of Agency and Law of Contracts are heavily tested on the state exam, so treat them as priorities regardless of the order you complete them.

Step 3: Submit Your TREC License Application

You can submit your TREC application online at trec.texas.gov before, during, or after completing your coursework, but you cannot schedule the licensing exam until both your application is approved and your education is on file with TREC.

What Does the TREC Application Require?

• Completed application through the TREC online portal
• Payment of the application fee ($206 total TREC application fee ($150 application + $6 Texas Online Fee + $40 Texas A&M Research Center + $10 Real Estate Recovery Fund) for a new sales agent license as of 2026)
• Electronic fingerprints submitted through an approved vendor for a background check
• Disclosure of any criminal history

Once TREC approves your application, they issue an eligibility notice. Your exam eligibility is valid for one year from the date TREC approves the application. If you do not pass the exam within that window, you will need to reapply.

How Long Does TREC Application Approval Take?

Processing times vary. TREC publishes current estimated processing times on its website. Submitting early, before you finish your coursework, is a common strategy to avoid delays between completing your courses and scheduling the exam.

Step 4: Schedule and Pass the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent Exam

The Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam is administered by Pearson VUE at physical test centers throughout Texas. Remote or online proctoring is not available for this exam.

What Is the Format of the Texas Real Estate Exam?

The exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions divided into two sections: 85 questions covering national real estate principles and practices, and 40 questions covering Texas-specific law and TREC rules. You must pass each section independently with a score of at least 70%. Passing one section does not carry over if you fail the other.

What Topics Are Covered on the Texas Exam?

The national section covers topics common to real estate licensing exams across the country, including property ownership, land use, valuation, financing, contracts, agency relationships, and fair housing. The state section focuses on Texas-specific content, including TREC rules, the Texas Real Estate License Act, agency disclosure requirements under Texas law, and promulgated contract forms.

What Happens If You Fail One Section?

If you fail one section, you only retake the section you failed. You do not have to retake the section you passed, provided you schedule your retake within the one-year eligibility window. Each retake requires paying the $43 Pearson VUE exam fee again.

Step 5: Find a TREC-Licensed Sponsoring Broker

Passing the exam does not activate your license. In Texas, a sales agent license cannot be activated without a sponsoring broker. Your license remains inactive until a TREC-licensed broker sponsors you and submits the sponsorship request through the TREC portal.

What Should You Look for in a Sponsoring Broker?

The sponsoring broker relationship is more than a compliance formality. The broker you choose affects your training, commission split, access to tools, and daily support. Consider the following when evaluating brokers:

• Training and mentorship programs for new agents
• Commission split structure and any desk fees
• Geographic market presence and transaction volume
• Technology platforms, CRM tools, and marketing support
• Culture and team size

Many candidates begin interviewing brokers while still completing their coursework so the sponsorship can be submitted promptly after passing the exam.

Can You Work as an Independent Agent in Texas Without a Broker?

No. Texas law requires all sales agents to operate under the supervision of a TREC-licensed broker. You cannot perform licensed real estate activity independently until you have reached broker eligibility, which requires additional experience and education beyond the sales agent level.

Step 6: Complete the NAR Membership Process to Become a Realtor

Once your license is active, you have the option to join the National Association of Realtors. This is how you earn the right to use the Realtor title and the registered Realtor trademark.

Is Every Licensed Real Estate Agent a Realtor?

No. This is one of the most common misconceptions in the industry. A licensed real estate agent is anyone who holds a state-issued real estate license. A Realtor is a licensed agent or broker who is also a dues-paying member of NAR and has agreed to abide by NAR's Code of Ethics. The terms are not interchangeable.

How Do You Join NAR and Become a Realtor?

Membership in NAR is obtained through a local association of Realtors affiliated with NAR. The process typically involves:

• Joining your local association (membership automatically includes state and national membership)
• Paying annual dues at the local, state, and national levels
• NAR requires new members to complete ethics training as part of the new-member orientation; the ongoing ethics training cycle is every three years.

Many sponsoring brokers are already NAR members and can guide new agents through the local association enrollment process. In some offices, NAR membership is a condition of affiliation.

Do You Need to Be a Realtor to Practice Real Estate in Texas?

No. NAR membership is voluntary. A licensed Texas sales agent can practice real estate without joining NAR. However, in most Texas markets, MLS access is tied to local association membership, though terms vary by MLS. NAR's professional development resources and the ability to use the Realtor trademark in marketing are also available to members.

Why Practice Questions Are a Critical Part of Exam Preparation

Reading a textbook teaches you concepts. Working through practice questions trains the specific skill the exam actually measures: reading a scenario, identifying the relevant rule or calculation, and selecting the correct answer from four options where at least two will look plausible on first read.

The Texas exam, like most state licensing exams, is scenario-based. Many questions are scenario-based and often test application of rules rather than definition recall. They present a situation and ask what a licensee should do, what is legally required, or what the correct calculation result is. Candidates who only read their course materials often find the exam format unfamiliar on test day, not because they lack knowledge, but because they have not practiced applying that knowledge under exam conditions.

Regular practice also exposes you to question patterns that repeat across the exam. Certain topics appear in multiple question formats. Seeing those variations in advance means you are not encountering them for the first time when it counts. Reviewing a glossary of key terms alongside practice questions reinforces the specific vocabulary the exam uses, which often differs from informal industry language.

For candidates who struggle with math-based questions, working from a formula sheet during practice sessions builds familiarity with the calculation sequence before the exam, where no reference materials are permitted.

Texas vs. Florida Licensing: Key Differences at a Glance

If you are considering licensing in both states or relocating, the differences between Texas and Florida requirements are worth knowing upfront.

Frequently Asked Questions

AhaPrep offers Texas real estate exam prep at ahaprep.com/texas, with practice questions covering both the National and State portions of the exam.