Arizona licensing
How to Get an Arizona Real Estate License
Arizona eligibility and application rules - minimum age, pre-licensing education, sponsoring broker, background check, time limit, and more - each cited to the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) and dated.
Published by Freehold · First published 2026-08-11 · Sources last verified 2026-08-17 · Review method
Your licensing route
From eligibility to an active license
Exact order can vary by state process. Each state-specific rule appears below with its source.
- 01Confirm eligibility
Check age and any residency, education, or background conditions.
- 02Complete approved education
Use the regulator's approved-provider list where one is published.
- 03Apply and take the exam
Follow Arizona's application order, then sit the configured salesperson exam.
- 04Activate your license
Complete any sponsorship or initial-license step that Arizona requires.
| Requirement | Arizona |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Pre-licensing education | 90 classroom hours plus a 6-hour Contract Writing Course |
| Sponsoring broker | Required to accept compensation or work as a licensee |
| Background check | Level 1 Non-IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card |
| Time limit | One year from passing the exam |
| Reciprocity | Out-of-State License Recognition |
| Education exemption | Waivable for out-of-state licensees |
| Good moral character | No disqualifying felony conviction |
| Application sequence | Course, then exam, then application |
| License activation | Eligible status until the sponsoring broker accepts |
| Retake policy | 75% passing score, 24-hour wait to retake |
| Course content rule | Hands-on contract drafting |
| Exam provider | Pearson VUE |
Requirements change. Confirm with the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) before enrolling or paying anything.
More on what counts as real estate school, state by state.
Each requirement, and where it comes from
Minimum age
An original salesperson license applicant must show evidence of being at least 18 years of age at the time of applying, along with honesty, truthfulness and good character.
Source: Pearson VUE - Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook, State Licensing Requirements — verified 2026-08-11
Pre-licensing education
Applicants must complete a 90-hour Salesperson Pre-licensing Course within 10 years of applying, pass the school's final exam, and separately complete a 6-hour Contract Writing Course within 2 years of applying.
Source: Arizona Department of Real Estate - Salesperson License, Required Documents — verified 2026-08-11
Sponsoring broker
A licensee may accept employment and compensation only from the legally licensed broker to whom the licensee's license is issued, or from a co-employer sharing that same employing broker with written permission.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes, 32-2155 - Restriction on employment or compensation of person as broker or salesperson — verified 2026-08-11
Background check
Applicants must obtain a Level 1 Non-IVP Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety before applying for a license.
Source: Arizona Department of Real Estate - Salesperson License, Required Documents — verified 2026-08-11
Time limit
After passing both the general and state-specific exam portions, candidates must submit the license application within one year of passing, under A.R.S. section 32-2125.01.
Source: Pearson VUE - Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook, State Licensing Requirements — verified 2026-08-11
Reciprocity
An applicant currently licensed in another state for at least one year, with approved education and a passed exam there, and no revoked or surrendered license anywhere, may qualify through Arizona's Out-of-State License Recognition program under A.R.S. section 32-4302.
Source: Arizona Department of Real Estate - How to Obtain a License, Out-of-State License Recognition — verified 2026-08-17
Education exemption
The commissioner may waive all or part of the 90-hour prelicensure course, other than the 27-hour Arizona-specific portion, for an applicant who currently holds a real estate license in another state.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes, 32-2124(B) - Qualifications of licensees — verified 2026-08-17
Good moral character
The commissioner shall not issue a license to a person convicted of a felony offense who is currently incarcerated, paroled, under community supervision, or on probation as a result of that conviction.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes, 32-2124(M) - Qualifications of licensees — verified 2026-08-17
Application sequence
Complete the 90-hour prelicensing course, pass both the general and state-specific exam portions with Pearson, then submit the license application with a fingerprint clearance card and proof of legal presence within one year of passing.
Source: Pearson VUE - Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook, License Applicant Instructions — verified 2026-08-17
License activation
Once the license application is approved the license sits in eligible status, and the candidate follows the online prompts to initiate activation, which completes only after the sponsoring broker accepts the licensee.
Source: Pearson VUE - Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook, License Applicant Instructions — verified 2026-08-17
Retake policy
Candidates must answer 75 percent of questions correctly to pass, and anyone who fails must wait twenty-four hours before making a reservation to retake either exam portion.
Source: Pearson VUE - Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook, Retaking an Examination — verified 2026-08-17
Course content rule
The separate 6-hour Contract Writing Course required for an original salesperson license must include the applicant's own participation in drafting contracts to purchase real property, listing agreements, and lease agreements, not just lecture.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes, 32-2124(L) - Qualifications of licensees — verified 2026-08-17
Exam provider
Arizona's real estate exam is administered by Pearson VUE.
Source: Pearson VUE — Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook, Available Exams and Time Allotted — verified 2026-07-27
Once you are eligible
The Arizona salesperson exam is 140 questions in 240 minutes, administered by Pearson VUE. Practice it free: Arizona practice test · Arizona exam prep · Arizona broker exam · compare all 50 states
New to the whole process? How to become a real estate agent walks the five steps and what changes between states.
Arizona licensing FAQ
How do you get a real estate license in Arizona?
Meet Arizona's eligibility rules, complete 90 classroom hours plus a 6-hour contract writing course, apply to the regulator, and pass the salesperson exam. On sponsoring broker, Arizona's rule is: Required to accept compensation or work as a licensee. Each requirement is set out below with the provision it comes from.
What are the requirements for an Arizona real estate license?
Arizona requires you to be 18 or older and to complete 90 classroom hours plus a 6-hour contract writing course before sitting the salesperson exam, which is 140 questions in 240 minutes. Every figure on this page names the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) page it came from and the date we checked it.
How much pre-licensing education does Arizona require?
Applicants must complete a 90-hour Salesperson Pre-licensing Course within 10 years of applying, pass the school's final exam, and separately complete a 6-hour Contract Writing Course within 2 years of applying.
Sponsoring broker — what does Arizona require?
A licensee may accept employment and compensation only from the legally licensed broker to whom the licensee's license is issued, or from a co-employer sharing that same employing broker with written permission.
How do you become a real estate agent in Arizona?
Becoming an agent in Arizona is the license plus one more step: complete 90 classroom hours plus a 6-hour contract writing course, pass the 140-question salesperson exam, and then satisfy Arizona's rule on sponsoring broker — Required to accept compensation or work as a licensee. A license you hold and a license you can practice under are not the same thing, and the difference is set out above with its source.
Nearby states
Licensing in more than one state? Each state's license requirements covers its own license law.
California · Nevada · Utah · Colorado · New Mexico
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