Georgia Real Estate License Requirements & Costs in 2023

Acquiring a real estate license in any state in America is thought to be an uphill task. But it can be a walk in the park when you know the step-by-step Georgia real estate license requirements.

The process of acquiring a real estate license in Georgia involves steps discussed in this article. We will also break down the specifications and the subsequent costs tied to each of them.

As you might expect, the requirements for getting a license in each state differ from others. For instance, the standard hours for completing a pre-licensing course in Georgia are different from that in Colorado. Ready to learn more about Georgia’s requirements? Let’s get started!

What is the Georgia Real Estate Commission?

Let’s meet the Georgia Real Estate Commission, shortened as GREC.

This is a body that generally regulates real estate activities in the state of Georgia. It enforces the real estate license laws pertinent to Georgia’s salespersons, brokers, and other real estate associates.

GREC comprises six members, appointed by the governor and approved by the state senate. They have a public meeting once a month.

The Responsibilities of the Georgia Real Estate Commission Include;

• It investigates, licenses violations, and issues disciplinary actions by imposing sanctions, among other things.
• It controls the licensing and licensing renewal processes for real estate professionals.
• It compiles reports and maintains license records.

If you want to commence your real estate career in Georgia, understanding the composition and functions of the GRC is a prerequisite, at least for your benefit. It is a term you will be meeting more often, and you have to familiarize yourself with it.

Since the real estate field is subject to legal changes and regulations, the GREC is always empowered to keep you in the know. The centrality of the commission cannot be overemphasized.

The Georgia Real Estate Commission acts with the goal of public interest in mind, and it ensures that only competent people are licensed to practice real estate. The law is always followed to the letter regarding real estate provisions, maintaining neutrality and an impartial position, and supporting free and open markets. 

If you want to get in touch with the Georgia Real Estate Commission & appraisers board, visit;

229 Peachtree St., NE
International Tower, Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA 30303-1605

Or contact them using;
Phone: (404) 656-3916
Or; grecmail@grec.state.ga.us

For more information about real estate provisions in Georgia and up-to-date information, visit the GA Real Estate Commission site.

What Are The Georgia Real Estate License Requirements?

Now that you have an idea about the authorities that control the real estate activities in Georgia, what are the requirements for you to get licensed?

The Georgia real estate license prerequisites are; you have to be at least 18 years old to be a licensed salesperson agent and 21 years old for a broker.

Step 1: Take & Pass the 75-Hr Georgia Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

This course will equip the salesperson agent with real estate knowledge such as contract law, closings, Georgia laws, listing agreements, real estate finance, and many more.

The course also prepares you for the state exam, and it can be offered online if the Georgia Real Estate Commission fully approves it.

We recommend the the Colibri Real Estate Express Georgia course or the Georgia Real Estate Pre-licensing Course from The CE Shop.

You can check out some of these other online real estate school options or read our full Colibri real estate school review and the CE shop reviews on our website.

Step 2: Take & Pass the Georgia Real Estate Exam

The Georgia real estate salesperson and broker exams will be taken at the 4 PSI centers which are in Marietta, Savannah, Macon, and Duluth.

The exam can only be taken after you have completed the 75-hour pre-licensing course at an approved institution.

You can schedule your Georgia real estate license exam through PSI here.

The Georgia real estate exam is divided into two; the National Real Estate portion and the Georgia Salesperson Supplement portion. It contains 152 multiple-choice questions, 100 for the National portion and 52 for the state part.

Below are topics tested in the two portions of the Georgia real estate exam:
State exam topics;
· State laws and rules
· Real estate practice in Georgia
· Finance and closing

National exam topics;
· Contracts
· General principles of agency
· Real estate calculations
· The practice of real estate
· Financing
· Transfer of title
· Property ownership
· Valuation and market analysis
· Property disclosures
· Land use and control regulations
· Leasing and property management

After completing the Georgia real estate license exam, you will immediately receive the results. Your supervisor shall issue you with your score report.

The passing rate for the Georgia real estate exam is 72%.

Though it is quite overwhelming, it is more than possible to pass the exam if you pay keen attention during your pre-licensing studies.

After passing your exams, you can now apply for your license at the PSI center. You will be issued a Certificate of Accuracy Statement, which is required during your license application.

You can only apply for the license within 12 months or one year of taking the real estate exam. If you fail, you can retake the exam up to three times in one year.

Step 3: Get the Required Background Check

Georgia real estate laws provide that a person with a good reputation, trustworthiness, integrity, competence, and honesty can be issued a real estate license.

The GREC uses the background check to determine that a prospective real estate agent is free of prior convictions. However, the commission cannot necessarily deny you a license if you have prior convictions.

The commission will conduct a review of the particular case involving your conviction, and they will conclude if you are worthy of the license. If you have no prior convictions, you are recommended to submit your background check to the commission before commencing your pre-licensing course or the real estate exam.

Residents of Georgia should submit a Georgia Crime Information Center GCIC report alongside the license application.

Non-residents can submit a criminal background check in their states or a National Crime Information Center report as an alternative.

A GCIC report can be acquired at a police department or sheriff’s office. It costs up to $25 only, and it is valid for 60 days upon the issuance date.

Step 4: Apply For Your Georgia Real Estate License

After completing the exam and getting the score report, you can now apply for the Georgia real estate salesperson’s license within twelve months of the exam date. If you do not apply within that period, you will be forced to retake the exam.

An active salesperson’s license requires you to bring a GA Sponsoring Broker Statement Form.

If you do not want to work for a broker, you can apply for an inactive license.

Georgia Real Estate Broker License Requirements

Georgia, like most states in the United States, requires that the license application for a broker be of someone with more substantial experience as an active salesperson agent.

To qualify for the Georgia broker exam, one must have three years of experience in the previous five years.

Non-resident applicants for this license in Georgia have to provide a certification of their license history from the state they have been practicing.

Acquiring your GA real estate broker license it can sometimes feel daunting. However, we will highlight its requirements in simple, precise steps.

Here is a Quick Overview of the Georgia Real Estate Broker Requirements;

1. Minimum of three years of working as a real estate agent
2. Complete 60 hours of pre-broker real estate course at an approved institution.
3. Pass a final exam and apply within a year of the exam date
4. Pass a background check

We will get into more detail on each of these GA broker requirements below.

Step 1: Complete the 60-hour Georgia Broker Course

The broker pre-licensing course gives you a stronger foundation in Georgia and national real estate laws and practices. The course is to be taken in state-approved real estate schools.

The programs on this course are available on the Georgia Real Estate Commission website.

Step 2: Complete a Background check

Just as in an application for a salesperson agent license, a background check for a broker is a must. The Broker real estate applicant must get a certified criminal history report through the GCIC.

As earlier mentioned, a GCIC report is available in any police department or sheriff’s office.

Non-residents can obtain a report from their respective states or submit a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) report.

If you have a criminal background and history or are sanctioned by any real estate authority, it is prudent to include it on your application. Not including it in the application may lead to disciplinary action or denial of a license.

The background check should be submitted at the exam center.

Step 3: Take & Pass the State of Georgia Broker License Exam

The broker exam is made and administered by AMP/PSI. You can register online to take the exam. The testing sites for the exams are the same as those of the salesperson’s agent exam and are found throughout the state.

The exam takes three hours but is structured differently from the salesperson exam.

It does not contain multiple-choice questions but rather 11 simulations. Simulations test how well you would use the real estate knowledge of brokerage. They aim to see your level of experience, judgment, and ethics in dealing with typical broker problems.

In simulations, you will be asked to choose the most appropriate option on the information provided. There is more than one correct answer, but you have to choose the most appropriate one.

The areas covered in the State of Georgia real estate exam can be from the following topics;

• Fair housing
• Governmental regulations
• Georgia Agency relationships and property representations
• Handling money
• Training and supervision of licensees
• Georgia Contracts
• Freehold and leasehold property
• Finance
• Land Description and measurement
• Georgia Private restrictions
• Georgia Property valuations
• Conveyance
• Calculations
• Ethical behavior

After completing your exam, you will be provided with your results and issued a Certificate of Accuracy Statement.

Applying for the Georgia Real Estate Broker License

If you want to work for another broker, as an associate broker, you can apply for your license at the exam center on the day you complete the test. However, if you want to venture out and be your brokerage firm, then you have to apply for an inactive license.

Your GA Broker license state application must include the following;

• Certificate of Accuracy Statement
• GCIC criminal report that is still valid (Not more than 60 days old)
• Sponsoring Broker Statement, signed by the supervising broker
• Your Georgia salesperson’s certificate and pocket card

How Much Does it Cost to Get Your Georgia Real Estate Salesperson License

1. The 75-hour Georgia pre-licensing course cost goes up to $300 plus, depending on the school.
2. The background check costs $25.
3. The Georgia exam fee costs $121.
4. License application costs $170 plus.
5. Continuing education and renewal fees go up to $300 plus. A license is renewed after every four years.

How Much Does it Cost to Get Your Georgia Real Estate Broker License?

1. 60-hour pre-licensing cost goes up to $350
2. Background check goes up to $25
3. Exam fees cost up to $121
4. License fee costs up to $171

How Do You Lose a Real Estate License in Georgia?

Since getting a license takes time and is expensive, it is important to do your best not to lose it.

Here are some reasons that can cause you to lose your Georgia real estate license:

• Failing to disclose information
• Mishandling or robbing a client of money
• Violating the Fair Housing laws
• Mortgage frauds
• Breaching client’s privacy

Georgia Real Estate License Requirements – Final Take Away

However costly acquiring the Georgia real estate license may be, the expenditure is worth it. If you compare the cost of getting a real estate license to just about any other career the barrier to entry is quite small.

Working as a broker or a salesperson agent can be very fulfilling, both financially and career-wise.

If you do your best, provide exemplary customer service, and track leads well, you can make a great deal of money. Most of the mistakes many real estate agents and practitioners make are failing to market properties in ways that leads to fast sales, poor customer service inadequate prospecting.

You can start the Georgia real estate licensing process with Colibri Real Estate or The CE Shop.

There is great potential in being a real estate agent and broker in the state of Georgia!

Learn the real estate license requirements for all 50 states.