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Documenting the Experience Requirement for the Broker Examination

A minimum of two years full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last five years or the equivalent is required. Following are acceptable methods of documenting the experience requirement for the broker examination.

Verification of Licensed Sales Experience

The fact that you have held a salesperson license for two years does not necessarily qualify you for a broker license. You must document employment as a licensed salesperson on a full-time basis (or part-time for the equivalent of two years full-time) in the form of certifications from your employing broker or former employing broker(s). These certifications must be made using the Employment Verification (RE 226) form, which is included in the broker examination application package and is available on the DRE Web site. Letters of recommendation will not suffice. Plus, this experience must have been gained sometime during the five years immediately preceding the date of your broker examination application.

The License Status Check feature of the DRE Web site may be used to find your employing current and prior broker's address of record.

If it is impossible to obtain verification of employment from a former employing broker, you must still complete the Employment Verification (RE 226) form in full and indicate the reason why you could not obtain the employing broker's signature (e.g., deceased, litigation, etc.) in the space labeled "Signature of Certifying Broker." In addition, you must attach two Employment Certification (RE 228) forms from persons who work in a related professional capacity and who are in a position to attest to your experience and activity. One Employment Verification (RE 226) form and two Employment Certification (RE 228) forms are required for each separate employment when the actual employing broker is not able to verify employment.

When submitting the Employment Verification (RE 226) form and the Employment Certification (RE 228) forms, it is important that you provide sufficient detail to enable the Department to perform an evaluation. The Department may conduct further inquiry when evaluating experience.

Licensed Experience Defined
  1. Full-time salesperson activity means at least 40 hours per week devoted to activities that require a real estate license. No additional credit will be given for more than 40 hours of activity.
  2. Part-time activity as a real estate salesperson will be given credit on a prorated basis. For example, 20 hours of activity per week would be given credit as half time employment, and four years of such employment would be required to qualify for a broker license. No credit is given for less than 10 hours of activity per week.
  3. Salespersons who claim full-time employment for 40 hours per week, but who are employed as full-time employees in another industry, will not, ordinarily, be credited in excess of 20 hours per week maximum (or half-time employment in the real estate business).
Education in Lieu of Experience

Four-year Degree

  1. An applicant with a four-year degree from an accredited college may be exempt from the two-year salesperson experience requirement. This may be verified by submitting either a copy of the diploma or transcript showing the degree earned. Regardless of the degree, the applicant must show evidence (transcripts) of having completed the eight required college-level courses at the time of filing the application. The eight required courses, which is considered the equivalent of a minor in Real Estate, may be part of the degree requirements or they may be completed separately from the degree course work.
    Courses completed or degrees earned through foreign institutions of higher learning must be evaluated by a foreign credentials evaluation service approved by DRE. See Examination Applicant Foreign Education Information (RE 223) available on the DRE Web site for further information.

Other Educational Substitutes for Experience

  1. Members of the California State Bar are statutorily exempt from the college-level course requirements. Evidence of admission to practice Law in California must be furnished, such as a photocopy of both sides of a California State Bar membership card.
  2. Members of any other State Bar as well as individuals holding an LL.B or J.D. degree who are not members of any State Bar, including CA, may generally qualify on the basis of education. These applicants are required to submit evidence of an LL.B. or J.D. Degree from a college or university accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (or comparable regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education) for evaluation, as well as proof of successful completion of a three semester or four quarter unit college-level courses in Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Appraisal.
  3. Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Appraisal may be taken through either a college or university accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (or comparable regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education), or by a private real estate school which has had its courses approved by the California Real Estate Commissioner.
Equivalent Activities in Lieu of Experience

General Information

  1. A claim of equivalent experience, in lieu of the two years of sales experience required for the broker examination, may be based on any combination of salesperson experience and equivalent experience, which, considered as a whole, would satisfy the intent of the law.

    An applicant who has not been active as a licensed real estate salesperson may be eligible for the broker examination, provided Equivalent Experience Verification (RE 227) form(s) showing real estate-related experience are submitted. The Equivalent Experience Verification form(s) must be completed in full and must have two verifying signatures on each form.

    When submitting the Equivalent Experience Verification (RE 227) form(s), it is important that you provide sufficient detail to enable the Department to perform an evaluation. The Department may conduct further inquiry when evaluating equivalent experience.

    Regardless of the experience, the eight college-level courses required for a broker's license must be completed and cannot be waived based on the equivalent experience.

Acceptable Kinds of Equivalent Experience

An applicant may qualify with two years full-time experience , gained within the five-year period immediately prior to the date of application for the broker examination, in any of the following areas:

  1. Experience as an escrow or title officer or as a loan officer in a capacity directly related to the financing or conveying of real property.
  2. Experience as a subdivider, contractor, or speculative builder, during which time applicant performed comprehensive duties relating to the purchase, finance, development, and sale or lease of real property.
  3. Experience as a real property appraiser.

The above-referenced patterns are designed to assist the applicant in understanding the general types of equivalent experience which can be used to qualify for the broker examination. Other types of real estate-related experience will be considered, provided that it satisfies the intent of the law. It should be noted, however, that claims for equivalency by unlicensed persons for activities which require a real estate license will not be considered.

NOTE: Care in preparing the claim of qualification and presentation of adequate supporting letters or certifications will facilitate clearing an application. Do not have verifiers send individual letters separate from your application submissions. Be accurate as to dates, etc., as incompleteness or inaccuracies will result in delays and additional correspondence.

DRE Evaluation of Experience

All qualification requirements must be met before you can be scheduled for the broker examination. DRE evaluation of claimed experience or education cannot be conducted with applicants in person at any office of the Department or on the telephone.

If you wish an evaluation of your previous college courses, degree or experience you must submit a completed application and fee as described in the next section.

How to Apply for the Broker Examination

See How to Apply for the Broker Exam.