The Most Frequently Asked Alabama Real Estate Career Questions

• Complete 60 Hours of Approved Pre-Licensing Education.

  To start, you must successfully complete 60 hours of approved Pre-Licensing coursework.

• Pass the Course Exam.

  After completing your pre-licensing course, you’ll need to pass a course final exam. This exam must be taken in the presence of a proctor. Find out more about how online proctoring works.

• Pass the National & Alabama Real Estate Salesperson Exam.

  Next, you’ll need to pass the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson Exam. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE. Read all about exam registration and preparation procedures in the Alabama Real Estate Candidate Information Handbook.

• Select a Sponsoring Broker.

  Before you can become licensed, you need to be sponsored by an active Alabama sponsoring broker. It's important to find the right broker to work with. Your broker will serve as your mentor as you start your new career in real estate.

• Complete Your Real Estate License Application.

  Within 90 days of passing your licensing exam, you must submit your Alabama Real Estate Salesperson application, along with the related documents, and a $210 application fee. You will also be required to submit fingerprints and obtain a criminal background check when applying. Follow these license application instructions. Once your application is accepted, you will be issued a temporary Alabama Real Estate Salesperson license.

• Complete Alabama Post-Licensing Coursework.

  Within your first six months as an active Alabama Real Estate Salesperson, you must complete a 30-Hour Post-Licensing course before you can receive a permanent active license. If you were issued an inactive Alabama Salesperson license, you have 12 months to complete the course before you can apply to receive your active license. Pre-registration with the Alabama Real Estate Commission and a temporary ID number are both required prior to enrolling in your Post-Licensing course.

You must take and pass 60 course hours from an approved education provider to be eligible to earn a Real Estate Salesperson license in Alabama. If you treat completing your pre-licensing education like a 40-hour workweek, you can finish your coursework in as little as two weeks.

You’ll then move on to take your licensing exam, apply for your Alabama real estate license, submit to a background check, and choose a sponsoring broker. Most of our students complete these requirements within a few months.

• Your Pre-Licensing education in Alabama ranges in cost from $250 to $600, depending on the provider you choose and the package you purchase.

• Your initial active license and new application fee for an Alabama Salesperson license is $210. This includes a $150 License Fee, a $30 Research and Education Fee, and a $30 Recovery Fund Fee.

• The National & Alabama Real Estate Salesperson Exam fee is $73. Learn more at the Pearson VUE website.

^{*Note that licensing fees are subject to change.}

You must be at least 19 years old to become an Alabama Real Estate Salesperson. You must also have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent.

If you have a criminal or license discipline record and are concerned that you may not be deemed eligible for a license, you can apply for a Determination of License Eligibility. This process allows you to address your record with the Commission and receive a decision regarding your eligibility prior to working on your pre-licensing education.

The Alabama Real Estate Commission contracts with Pearson VUE to facilitate and administer the National & Alabama Real Estate Salesperson Exam. The exam fee is $70. Learn more in the Pearson VUE Candidate Information Handbook.

Alabama has mutual license reciprocity with all states.

To become licensed in Alabama, both salespersons and brokers who are licensed in other states are required to:

• Complete a 6-hour course in Alabama real estate law for salespersons or brokers.

• Take and pass the Alabama portion of the Real Estate Salesperson or Broker Licensing exams.

• Submit an official "Certificate of Licensure" form with your reciprocal license application. This certificate is proof that you currently hold a license in another state. The form must have been issued within 120 days of receipt of your application.

Learn more about license reciprocity in Alabama in our Real Estate License Reciprocity and Portability Guide.

Newly licensed Alabama real estate salespersons are required to complete 30 hours of Post-Licensing education in order to receive a permanent active Salesperson license. If you received your temporary Alabama real estate license on an active status, you must complete your Post-Licensing course within six months of licensure. If you received your temporary license on an inactive status, you have 12 months to complete the course.

There is no post-licensing education requirement for Alabama brokers.

Required CE hours are due by September 30^th during every even-numbered year for both Alabama salespersons and brokers. Salespersons and brokers must renew their licenses every even-numbered year by August 31^st.

Alabama real estate salespersons are required to complete 15 hours of CE coursework approved by the Alabama Real Estate Commission every 24 months. New Alabama salespersons will complete the required Post-Licensing coursework for the first renewal period and then complete the required CE for every renewal period thereafter.

Alabama brokers are also required to complete 15 hours of CE coursework approved by the Alabama Real Estate Commission every 24 months.

Immediately upon finishing your CE course, The CE Shop will provide you with an electronic copy of your course certificate(s) of completion. You can also download a copy of your course completion certificates using your account at The CE Shop at any time.

You’ll need to show proof of CE completion when renewing your Alabama real estate license. Licensees can also check their earned CE credits using the Alabama Real Estate Commission’s online portal.

You can do a LOT with a Broker license in Alabama, including:

• Help clients sell, lease, and buy properties

• Establish and manage your own real estate brokerage firm

• Supervise and hire other agents to work for you

• Become a property manager

The biggest advantage you’ll have as an Alabama broker is the ability to hire other salespersons to work for you — which can be financially rewarding!

Yes! To start your own business, you’ll need to earn an Alabama Broker license. Then, you’ll be able to hire other salespersons to work for you.

To get a Broker's license, you must first meet these eligibility requirements:

• Be at least 19 years old

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien, or legally present in the U.S.

• Have earned a high school diploma or equivalent education

• Have held an active real estate license (in any state) for at least 24 months out of the 36 months prior to applying

Then, you'll follow these steps:

• Complete Broker Pre-Licensing Education. You must complete a state-approved 60-Hour Broker Pre-Licensing course before you can apply to upgrade your Salesperson license.

• Pass Your Course Exams. You’ll need to pass your Broker Pre-Licensing course unit exams and the course final exam with a score of 70% or higher. The final exam must be taken in the presence of a proctor. Find out more about how online proctoring works.

• Pass the National & State Portions of the Alabama Real Estate Broker Exam. This exam is administered by Pearson VUE and has an exam fee of $70. Exam results must be submitted along with your application to the Alabama Real Estate Commission within 90 days of your exam date. Find out more at Pearson VUE.

• Complete a Federal and State Background Check With Fingerprinting. Broker applicants must submit to a fingerprint-based federal and state criminal background check by working with the Alabama Real Estate Commission’s processing company, Fieldprint.

• Complete the Alabama Real Estate Broker Application & Pay State Fees. Finally, you’ll send in your Broker application, related documents, and a $210 application fee to the Alabama Real Estate Commission.

Learn more about how to earn an Alabama Broker license.

According to ZipRecruiter, Alabama brokers make nearly $90,000 per year on average.* See the current average salary range here. Your average broker salary also depends on your education and experience.

*January 2025 Data