Getting Your Illinois Real Estate License

Yes. Illinois just uses different terminology — a Broker license here is the entry-level license everyone starts with. What other states call a "broker" (the next level up), Illinois calls a Managing Broker.

Total costs typically run $558–$1,208, covering the 75-hour pre-licensing course ($300–$900), the $58 exam fee, the $150 application fee, and $50–$100 for fingerprinting.

You need one to activate your license — you can pass your exam and get approved without one, but you can't legally practice until a managing broker sponsorship is on file with IDFPR.

75% on both the national and Illinois-specific sections. You only retake the section you fail, and you have one year from passing to submit your application.

Do it early — results route through the Illinois State Police and can take a few weeks to clear, and your fingerprints must be within 60 days of your application submission, not your exam date.