Start Your Alabama Real Estate Career
About Online Self-Paced
Choose Your Package
The Basics
- 60-Hour Pre-License Course
- 3 Real Estate Study Guides
- Accessible Narrated Audio with Adjustable Speeds
- Final exam requires a proctor
Ultimate Learning
- 60-Hour Pre-License Course
- 3 Real Estate Study Guides
- CompuCram Exam Prep
- Career Booster Pack (1-year access)
- 20+ real estate "how-to" videos
Your Path to Becoming a Licensed Agent
Follow these 5 simple steps to start your real estate career in Alabama
Complete the 60-Hour AREC Pre-Licensing Course
State-Approved Education Requirement
Finish the 60-hour Alabama Real Estate Salesperson course. 100% online, self-paced, AREC-approved.
Submit Application, Fingerprints, and Background Check
AREC Background Verification
Submit your Alabama salesperson application to AREC with fingerprints and background check. Application fee: \$210.
Pass the Alabama Salesperson Exam
National + State Portions
Schedule and pass the Alabama real estate salesperson exam — 140 multiple-choice questions (100 national + 40 state), 70% passing.
Activate License with a Sponsoring Broker
Start Practicing Real Estate
Find an Alabama broker to sponsor you. Alabama issues licenses in "inactive" status until a broker activates you via the AREC form.
Complete 30-Hour Post-Licensing Within 12 Months
Maintain Your AL License
AREC requires 30 hours of post-licensing education within 12 months of initial licensure. Failure to complete by the deadline results in license expiration.
Meet Our Expert Instructors
Learn from licensed brokers and educators who have trained thousands of real estate professionals since 1982.
Joseph F. Gobbett, Jr.
Licensed Broker, GRI
50+ YearsStarted his real estate career in Maryland in 1971. Training director, branch sales manager, and broker in charge of Rescom Realtors.
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Mark Davis-Cote
Licensed Broker, SFR
13+ YearsBA from URI, MBA from Webster University. Licensed salesperson since 2011, broker since 2016, SFR certified.
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Amanda Farnum
Licensed Real Estate Broker
17+ YearsAward-winning agent with experience across residential, commercial, foreclosures, and investments.
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Dale Clift
Real Estate Instructor
40+ YearsPassionate about real estate from age 20. Made it his goal to teach, train, and coach professionals across South Carolina.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our real estate courses
What are the requirements to get a real estate license in Alabama?
For the standard Alabama salesperson path, you must meet AREC eligibility requirements, including being at least 19, meeting legal-presence and state-residency requirements, and showing proof of high school graduation or the equivalent. You must complete 60 hours of approved pre-licensing education, pre-register with AREC, pass the Pearson VUE salesperson exam, complete fingerprint-based criminal-history processing, and submit the temporary-license application within 90 days of the exam. An active salesperson must work under an Alabama qualifying broker. After the temporary license is issued, complete the 30-hour post-license course and obtain the original license within the required deadline. Applicants concerned about a felony or crime involving moral turpitude can ask AREC for a determination of licensing eligibility before completing the full process. Review the Alabama real estate license requirements and current AREC guidance for details.
Do I need a qualifying broker before I take the Alabama real estate exam?
No. You can complete the required education and take the salesperson exam before choosing a qualifying broker. After you pass, an Alabama-licensed qualifying broker is required for an active license. If you are not ready to activate, the license can be classified inactive.
Does Alabama require fingerprinting or a background check for a salesperson license?
Yes. AREC requires fingerprint-based state and federal criminal-history processing as part of the temporary salesperson application process. Follow the current AREC license application instructions for fingerprint scheduling and submission details because the process and service fee can change.
How much does a real estate license cost in Alabama?
For the standard active temporary salesperson path, current state and testing fees total $283 before pre-licensing education and fingerprinting: $73 for the Pearson VUE salesperson exam plus $210 for an active temporary salesperson license. The $210 includes the $150 license fee, $30 Research and Education fee, and $30 Recovery Fund fee. An inactive temporary license is currently $180, with the $30 Recovery Fund fee due when the license is activated. Course tuition and fingerprinting are additional.
How long does it take to get an Alabama real estate license?
It varies per person on how long it takes to get an Alabama real estate license depending on the pace at which you complete the 60 hours of pre-licensing courses and pass your licensing examination, the time it takes you to complete the application process, and post-license course and application processing times.
This course is offered in affiliation with Colibri Real Estate.