Illinois Real Estate Exam Prep

In Illinois, the entry-level real estate license is titled Real Estate Broker, not salesperson. Illinois retired the salesperson tier when the Real Estate License Act of 2000 took full effect (2011-2012), and the current IDFPR professions list shows Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Managing Broker as the two license types, with no salesperson license anywhere. The Managing Broker tier sits above Broker and is required to supervise other brokers or run an office.

PSI Services LLC administers the Illinois real estate exam under contract to IDFPR, confirmed directly through IDFPR's own links to the PSI registration portals for the Broker exam and the Managing Broker or Leasing Agent exam. The exam includes state and national portions. Broker prelicensing education was restructured to a 75-hour curriculum (a 60-hour Real Estate Topics course plus a 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles course) effective February 1, 2020, replacing an older 90-hour requirement; older study materials that cite 90 hours are outdated.

Illinois recognizes the following real estate credential types:

• Real Estate Broker - The current entry-level license in Illinois. Requires 75 hours of prelicensing education (60-hour Real Estate Topics course plus 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles course).
• Real Estate Managing Broker - The advanced tier; supervises other brokers or manages an office. Requires an active broker license and 45 hours of Managing Broker prelicensing education.
• Residential Leasing Agent Permit - A separate, narrower license limited to residential leasing.

IDFPR's Division of Real Estate also licenses Real Estate Branch Offices, Corporations, Partnerships, LLCs, Virtual Offices, CE Instructors, Pre-License Instructors, and Education Providers.

PSI Services LLC administers the Illinois real estate licensing exams. The Broker exam is registered through PSI's test-taker portal, and the Managing Broker and Leasing Agent exams through a separate PSI portal. The exam includes a state portion and a national portion. Review the official PSI Illinois Real Estate Candidate Handbook, linked directly from the IDFPR real estate page, for question counts, time limits, and reference material rules.

IDFPR does not publish a passing score for the real estate exam on its own page. Check the PSI Illinois Real Estate Candidate Handbook for the current passing standard before your exam date.

Requirements for the Illinois Real Estate Broker license include:

• Completion of 75 hours of prelicensing education: a 60-hour Real Estate Topics course (contracts, math, real property) and a 15-hour Applied Real Estate Principles course, which must be taken in a classroom, live interactive webinar, or online distance format (not fully self-paced).
• Passing the PSI Broker exam (state and national portions).

For the Managing Broker tier: an active Illinois broker license held active for at least 2 of the past 3 years, plus 45 hours of Managing Broker prelicensing education. A one-time 45-hour Broker Post-License course is also required within the first license renewal cycle. Out-of-state applicants may use a 30-hour endorsement curriculum instead of the full prelicensing course.

Requirements can change. Always confirm current licensing rules with IDFPR before applying.

Exact current fee amounts for the Broker application, Managing Broker application, and license renewal are not published as flat figures on the IDFPR real estate page itself. Confirm current fees directly through the IDFPR online licensing portal before submitting payment.

A focused 6 to 8 week study plan works well for most Illinois Broker candidates:

• Week 1-2: Review real estate principles, property types, and ownership concepts.
• Week 3-4: Work through contracts and agency relationship practice questions.
• Week 5-6: Study real estate finance topics, including mortgage types and closing costs.
• Week 7-8: Take full-length practice tests covering both the state and national exam portions, and review missed questions.