How to get a Illinois real estate license
Illinois real estate salesperson exam requirements: hours, vendor, national vs state portions, and how to prepare for the licensing exam — from the official commission.
- Salesperson hours
- 75 (called "Broker" license in Illinois: 60-hour Broker Pre-License Topics + 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles, live/interactive)
- Broker requirement
- Called "Managing Broker" in Illinois: 45 hours (30-hour Managing Broker Topics + 15-hour Applied Management/Supervision) plus 2 years of licensed-broker experience within the last 3 years
- Exam vendor
- PSI
- Exam structure
- National portion 100 items + Illinois state portion 40 items, scored separately (plus 5-10 unscored pretest items each); ~3.5 hours total
- Passing
- Scaled score of 75 on both national and state portions
Preparing for the Illinois exam
PrepTempo's Salesperson and Broker courses cover the national portion — property, contracts, financing, agency, and practice — which is the same in Illinois and the larger share of the exam. Study your Illinois state-law portion from the commission on top of the core.
Illinois real estate license FAQ
How many hours are required for a Illinois real estate license?
75 (called "Broker" license in Illinois: 60-hour Broker Pre-License Topics + 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles, live/interactive)
What does the Illinois real estate salesperson exam cover?
National portion 100 items + Illinois state portion 40 items, scored separately (plus 5-10 unscored pretest items each); ~3.5 hours total
How do I become a realtor in Illinois?
Complete required pre-license education (75 (called "Broker" license in Illinois: 60-hour Broker Pre-License Topics + 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles, live/interactive)), pass the licensing exam (PSI; National portion 100 items + Illinois state portion 40 items, scored separately (plus 5-10 unscored pretest items each); ~3.5 hours total), meet any broker affiliation rules, and apply through the Illinois real estate commission. PrepTempo covers the national exam portion with free sample questions and free Chapter 1.
Official sources
Educational information only, researched July 2026 — not legal or licensing advice. Requirements change; confirm with the Illinois real-estate commission. PrepTempo is not affiliated with any state commission or exam vendor.