How to Get a Real Estate License in California

California has one of the most demanding licensing paths in the country: 135 hours of required pre-licensing coursework across three mandatory college-level courses, followed by an exam administered directly by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) — not a third-party provider like PSI or Pearson VUE. Licenses renew every four years (longer than most states) and require 45 hours of continuing education. Despite those high barriers, California's sheer market size — with median home prices among the highest in the nation in markets like the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego — makes a California real estate license one of the most potentially lucrative in the country.