Illinois Real Estate Licensing Guide

The Kaplan Commitment* - Achieve Success with Kaplan's Real Estate Licensing Program

At Kaplan, we're committed to your success. With our proven program and your dedication, you'll have everything you need to complete your education, pass your state exam, and start your real estate career. We’re confident that you’ll pass your state exam the first time. If not, we’ll help you pass at no additional cost.  *Kaplan Commitment applies to course purchases on or after 8/26/24. 

Kaplan’s Commitment to You:

• Ongoing Support: If you don’t pass your state exam, Kaplan will continue to provide personalized assistance at no cost.

• Personalized Study Plan: Our instructors will create a study plan based on your strengths and areas for improvement, ensuring you’re fully prepared.

• Access to Resources: You’ll keep access to Kaplan’s exam prep tools and expert instructors for up to 18 months (varies by state).

Steps to Qualify for Kaplan’s Commitment Offer:

1. Watch the Commitment Video (See The Kaplan Commitment course in the LMS)

   • Within 14 days of enrolling, watch the video and complete the final exam.

   • Look for the green checkmark next to the second image in your course as confirmation.

2. Complete the Program

   • Finish all required courses and exam prep materials.

3. Take Your State Exam

   • Sit for the State exam within 30 days of completing the program (some states may allow more time).

   • If you pass, you do not need to complete any more steps.

   • If you don't pass, move on to steps 4-6.

4. Submit the Kaplan Commitment Form (if you do not pass)

   • Fill out the Kaplan Commitment Request Form (See The Kaplan Commitment course in the LMS) within 7 days of taking and not passing the State licensing exam to schedule a personalized meeting with an instructor.

5. Follow the Study Plan

   • Engage with the study plan created by your instructor and attend all scheduled meetings.

6. Retake Your State Exam

   • Attempt the state exam again within 30 days of your one-on-one meeting.

• Verify your correct Legal Name and your personal information is correct (as necessary for your state)

  • Please verify that you have registered using your full legal name (First, Middle, Last), as it appears on your government-issued ID, as well as the correct personal information.  This will ensure the accuracy of your certificates of completion upon passing your final exam(s).  

  • If you did not register using your full legal name, or your personal information needs to be corrected, please get in touch with Customer Support PRIOR to taking your final exams and applying for your state exam.

  • If the name on your Kaplan certificate and photo ID do not align, the testing provider will prohibit you from taking the examination. Failure to set this up correctly may result in applications being flagged as incomplete and subsequently lost in the system. 

• All students will have six months to complete their course from the date of purchase. 

1. 1. Age and Educational Requirements

      • You must be at least 18 years of age, provide a high school graduation certificate or its equivalent (GED), be of good moral character, and provide a Social Security number or an identification number applied by the state. 

   2.  Complete the 75-hour Licensing Courses 

      • Successfully complete the 75-Hours of state-approved real estate education

        • Illinois 60-Hour Broker Licensing Course

        • Illinois 15-Hour Broker Interactive Prelicensing Online Video Course

   3. Create a Student Account with PSI Services LLC

      • You must pre-register with PSI as a student before your course completion!

      • You must provide your PSI Illinois registration number for Kaplan to report your course completion.

      • To register as a new student with PSI click on the New Student Registration link, here 

      • When you register, you will receive a student number starting with IL followed by a series of numbers

      • Please email your registration number to cs_gradingQA@kaplan.com to assist with the reporting process

   4. Take and Pass the Illinois Real Estate License (IDFPR-authorized) written exam 

      • Illinois exam is administered by PSI  at multiple examination centers throughout the state

      • The Illinois  Exam is a 145-question, multiple choice, timed exam (4 hours)

      • To pass, you will need a score of 75%   

      •  Broker Examination cost is $58

      • Register for your exam here.

   5. Apply for an Illinois License 

      • Choose a Brokerage/Sponsoring Broker and apply for your license with that Sponsoring Broker and receive a sponsor card.  

      • Submit an online application with a $125 fee and the required transcript (provided by the education provider).

• Consider joining NAR, IL Realtors, and the local MLS Board.  When dues are paid, MLS and Sentrilock access are given. 

We are here to help you on your education journey.  Here are some important teams that will help you along the way:

Customer Support Team

Chat is available via the Kaplan website, here

Email: restudentsupport@kaplan.com

Phone: 800.636.9517

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm CT

Contact for help regarding: printing a certificate, upgrading your package, locating/tracking materials, extensions, or requesting a transfer.

Technical Support Team

Phone: 888.213.5124

Email: retechsupport@kaplan.com

Contact for help regarding: accessing or viewing your courses or exam, assistance with online education issues.

Instructor Support Team

Email: releadinstructoril@kaplan.com

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm CT or by appointment

Contact for help regarding: questions involving course content, materials, or setting up a study schedule. All emails will be answered within 24 hours or the next business day. 

Community Forum

Website:  https://community.kaplan.com/realestate/

Kaplan Real Estate Community (KREC) creates one place for students to ask questions, find answers, engage with our expert instructors, and network with other Kaplan students.  Access the Community Forum from your LMS through Your Live Online Learning HUB.

We are here for you and are committed to doing our part so you can achieve your goals!

Kaplan Real Estate Education

Kaplan Terms and Conditions

Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation(IDFPR)

Real Estate Division Telephone Contact Information:  

• Licensing (800) 560-6420

• Education (800) 560-6420

• General - Springfield (800) 560-6420

• General -  Chicago (312) 814-4500

PSI Test Scheduling

Kaplan's Continuing Education Courses

Kaplan Professional Development Courses

Kaplan Real Estate Career Toolbox

What is the Live Online Learning HUB?

• Your Live Online Learning HUB is your portal to all of your live LEARN classes.  It contains your Live Online calendar, the necessary Zoom links to attend the sessions, your class resources, and access to the Community Forum. 

What can I expect from a live LEARN session?

• Live LEARN sessions complement your online licensing program.  A live instructor offers a concentrated review or preview of the most challenging topics essential for success on test day. 

Why would I go to the same LEARN session more than once?

• Studies have shown that repetitive learning significantly increases the memory performance for detailed and associative information.  With this in mind, our LEARN sessions are designed so you can decide when you want/need the information.  You may choose to preview the information you are about to study or review the information you just learned in your online course.  

What is the difference between an Evergreen course and a Reiteration course?

• An Evergreen course has multiple sessions that repeat. (Ex; session 1, 2, 3, 4, then starts over)

• A Reiteration course is the same course that repeats.  (Ex; session 1 on Monday, session 1 on Wednesday)

How do I access my Live Online Courses?

• Access your course through your Learning Management System (LMS) by selecting the name of the course.  Once in the course, select the course folder, click Start Course, then click Join to enter the Zoom online classroom.

  • Pro-Tip: Arrive 5-10 min prior to class to ensure your camera and microphone are working properly.

  • Test your live online connection here.

  • For tech issues, please contact Tech Support.

Can I earn my completion certificates by only attending LEARN sessions? 

• No.  You must complete your required online course to earn your course completion certificates.  LEARN sessions are supplemental to your online course. 

How long do I have to finish my courses?

• You have 6 months to complete your courses

• The Access End date is listed under each course name on your LMS

Can I re-take courses?

• As long as you are in your enrollment period, you can retake a course.  Please contact Customer Support to enroll in a re-take course.

Are extensions available?

We understand life happens and sometimes, 6 months is not long enough.  Therefore, we offer extension packages.  Please be aware that enrollments may not exceed 12 months from the original date of purchase. 

Where do I find my Course Completion Certificates?

• Log in to your LMS account.  At the top right, click "My Account."  Your course completion certificates will be located in the completion tab.

How do I apply for my State Exam?

• Please refer to Applying for the Illinois Broker Licensing Exam dropdown in your course syllabus for detailed instructions outlining the application process. 

How do I complete my Fingerprints and Background check? 

• In order to gain admission to the testing center, candidates must provide one valid form of identification and a fingerprint scan.  Individuals applying for licensure for professions that require fingerprints must submit to a criminal background check through a fingerprint vendor licensed by the Department.  

I am applying for the first time for a license to be a real estate professional and I have a criminal conviction in my past. Can I still get a license? 

•  Depending on the type and nature of the conviction, most likely yes if you are otherwise qualified but the state will make the final determination. An applicant’s convictions, along with other factors, may be considered by the Department in its decision whether to grant a license. We encourage you to apply and participate in the Department’s review process. For the past several years, more than 95% of applicants in the real estate professions with a conviction who accurately completed the application disclosing their conviction have obtained a license. 

Tell me about the State Exam

• To gain admission to the testing center, students must provide a valid form of ID and a fingerprint scan.

• The first form of ID must be a driver's license, a passport or military ID with a photo, or an official state ID with a photo.

  • The ID must contain the candidate’s signature and photo, and be valid and unexpired. 

• The content of the licensing examination relates directly to the skills and knowledge required of a qualified licensee and may be administered only at times and places approved by the IDFPR.  

• The cost of the exam is $58.  

• The Illinois state exam is a computerized exam administered by PSI at various testing locations throughout the state with remote proctoring options available.  No special knowledge of computers is required.

• The exam consists of 100 questions pertaining to national content and 40 questions on state-specific content plus 5-10 experimental questions.  These experimental questions do not count against a student's score if missed but will count toward the exam's final score if answered correctly.  You must receive a score of 70% or higher on the National Exam and 75% or higher on the state portion to pass each section of the exam.  

• Students are allotted 150 minutes to complete the national part of the exam and 90 minutes to complete the state part of the exam.

• After completing the exam, students are immediately informed of their results.  Passing candidates are given a score report informing them that they have passed.    

• Students who do not pass are given 4 attempts to pass the National and State licensing exams.  Students may pass one part and not pass the other part.  Students only need to retake the portion of the exam they did not pass.

• Students who do not pass the exam will be told their score and given diagnostic information about the topics and number of questions that were missed to assist them in preparing for a retake exam. 

• After passing the state exam, applicants for licensure can apply for their real estate license without a sponsoring broker, however, a license will not be issued without sponsoring broker approval.

• Upon completion of the license application process, licenses can be downloaded and printed from the IDFPR online portal.

• Agents must carry a physical or electronic copy of their real estate licenses on their person at all times.

Note* - Examinees are given one year to take the exam after completing the educational requirements.

What holidays does Kaplan observe?

• New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Day After Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.