Steps to Earn a Georgia Real Estate License  

Do you believe you have what it takes to sell real estate in Georgia? Before you do, you’ll need to become a licensed Georgia real estate agent. The process of becoming a real estate agent in Georgia is thorough and comprehensive, ensuring that only the most qualified individuals can represent others while transacting real estate. Even if you have the right soft skills, a license is required to ensure the highest standards in the industry. 

Learning about real estate is more than acquiring local knowledge of home prices. The Georgia real estate licensing process provides candidates with essential information about real estate regulations and ethics. These are designed to protect consumers in one of their largest financial decisions, ensuring a secure and ethical real estate market. 

Navigate these steps to earn your Georgia real estate license:

Meet Eligibility Requirements

Before you begin the licensing process, the Georgia Real Estate Commission & Appraisers Board (NECAB or GREC) requires applicants to be 18 years old. You’ll need to have earned a high school diploma or equivalent, like a General Education Diploma (GED). 

Complete Required Pre-License Education Courses

If you meet the minimum requirements, start earning your salesperson license with the mandatory pre-licensing education. Georgia requires 75 hours of pre-license education from an approved real estate school. You can choose between an in-person traditional class setting and self-paced online courses, so you can learn in a way that ensures your success. The average student on the self-paced route can be done within two weeks. The education coursework in the prelicensing classes covers national and state real estate law and regulations, ethics, and business practices.

However, there are alternatives to taking the 75-hour Georgia pre-licensing course. You could meet the real estate education requirement if you take six semester hours of coursework or 10 quarter hours towards a baccalaureate in real estate from a US or Canadian-accredited college or University. Or, if you took a course in real property, agency, or contacts from an accredited school of law, you may also receive credit. If this applies to you, you’ll need an official transcript sent to PSI (formerly AMP), who will determine if the coursework meets the pre-license education criteria.

Finally, suppose you already took a minimum of 75 hours of pre-license coursework that was approved by a real estate authority in another state or Canadian province. In that case, you may be eligible for an education waiver. You’ll need a letter from that agency certifying the coursework was approved in that state or province. 

Either way, you’ll need a certificate of completion for the license application.

Submit Fingerprinting and Background Check

Fingerprinting and a criminal background check are required as part of the application process. A Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) Report or another certified criminal history report from a Georgia police station or sheriff’s department must be brought to the testing center. The report must have been pulled within 60 days before your real estate application date. Official documents, not copies, must be brought to the testing center.

If the report shows any convictions or professional licensing sanctions, the Commission will review the case further to determine whether you qualify for a license. Be prepared to provide more documentation, which varies depending on your scenario. 

Pass the Georgia Real Estate Salesperson Exam

After completing the pre-license education and pulling your background report, it’s time to pass the Georgia real estate salesperson exam. PSI Testing Services, formerly known as AMP, administers the test.

You must register for the real estate licensing exam through the PSI website. There, you can find a testing brochure with information about the test and sample questions. Other vendors also offer study guides and practice tests.

The real estate examination fee is $119, payable by credit card. It’s a nonrefundable fee. The exam has a national portion and a state-specific portion with multiple-choice questions.

Apply to the Georgia Real Estate Commission

Since most tests are computer-based, you’ll know as soon as you finish at the PSI Test Center if you pass. You’ll immediately report to the testing supervisor for a Certification of Accuracy Statement. You’ll also be given the real estate licensing application information you submitted to PSI or the real estate school. Very important: wait to sign the Certification of Accuracy Statement until you are at the PSI Test Center in the presence of the testing official. Witnessing is required. 

If you take the real estate license exam in the morning, you can apply for your license right at the test center. as early as 2 pm on the day you pass. However, you have up to 12 months after passing to apply for a license.

Applying for a real estate license requires you to:

• Present a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, US passport, or government-issued ID card with a photo. 
• Certification of Accuracy Statement Form, signed in the presence of a test center representative
• A Sponsoring Broker Form if you want to go active immediately
• The $170 nonrefundable license fee
• Criminal History Report pulled no later than 60 days before the application date
• Signed and notarized Lawful Presence Affidavit

If you can present all these forms at the PSI Test Center, you’ll walk away that day with two copies of the Georgia licensing certification, one for you and one for your sponsoring broker.

Find a Sponsoring Broker

To activate your license, you must associate with a licensed Georgia real estate broker. Otherwise, your initial license type will be inactive, meaning you cannot represent others when transacting real estate. 

Research and interview with different brokers to find one who is a good fit for you. Who you choose to affiliate with is crucial in setting up your first days and year as an agent for success.

To activate your license, your broker and you must submit a Sponsoring Broker Statement Application, as found in the testing handbook.

Post-license Course

Whether inactive or active in your initial days as a licensed Georgia real estate salesperson, you’ll still need to take a 25-hour post-licensure course. This is not the same as continuing education. The post-licensing education is a one-time requirement to be met within your first year. It must be taken by a GREC-approved provider. Some real estate course providers have package options where you can take the pre- and post-license course with them.

Continuing Education

Georgia requires real estate professionals to complete continuing education to renew and keep active licenses. A real estate license is valid for four years, and the Commission requires active licenses to take 36 hours of approved CE within that renewal period. For perspective, that’s nine hours each year. Renewal fees vary by year, as does any GREC-required coursework and electives. 

Stay informed about the ongoing education requirements. Don’t let your CE hours fall behind; you don’t need the stress of “catching up” before the license renewal deadline to stay active. Plus, savvy real estate agents are always learning about the industry so they can better serve their clients.  

And, if you want to earn the broker license three years after earning your salesperson license, you’ll need to take more prelicensing courses and pass the broker exam.

Next Steps as a Licensed Georgia Real Estate Agent

Consider joining professional organizations like the Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Your local MLS and real estate association may also have memberships, run networking opportunities, and provide additional resources.  

Remember to check the Georgia Real Estate Commission’s website for any updates or changes to the licensing requirements. Staying informed and compliant with state regulations throughout your real estate career is crucial.

Get off on the right foot with these additional resources:

• First 100 Days As a Real Estate Agent
• Steps for Newly Licensed Agents
• Finding Your Value As a Real Estate Agent