To become a Realtor in Georgia, you first earn a state real estate salesperson license through the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC), then join the National Association of Realtors (NAR) through a local board to use the Realtor title. The license side takes roughly two to four months and runs through five gates: meeting basic eligibility, finishing 75 hours of approved pre-license coursework, passing the state exam, applying to GREC with your paperwork and fees, and completing a 25-hour post-license course inside your first year on the license.
Who Can Apply
Georgia law sets five baseline requirements before you can sit for the exam. You must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or GED, be a Georgia resident (unless you qualify under the state’s nonresident reciprocity rules), complete the 75-hour pre-license course, and pass the state licensing exam.1Justia Law. Georgia Code 43-40-8 – Qualifications of Licensees; Course of Study
You will also need a Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) report from a local police department or sheriff’s office. Out-of-state applicants submit an equivalent criminal history report from their state of residence. The report has to be less than 60 days old when you file it, and reports from private background-check companies are not accepted.2Georgia Real Estate Commission. GREC/GREAB Background Clearance
If You Have a Criminal Record
A conviction does not automatically disqualify you, but it triggers mandatory waiting periods. Georgia defines “conviction” to include guilty pleas, nolo contendere pleas, and first-offender sentences for any felony or crime involving moral turpitude. You must have finished every term of your sentence first — probation, fines, and restitution included — and then wait at least two years for a single conviction, or at least five years from the most recent conviction if you have more than one. You cannot have pending charges for forgery, theft, fraud, or sexual offenses, and the Commission will expect you to show that you now have a good reputation for honesty and integrity.3Justia Law. Georgia Code 43-40-15 – Grant of Licenses; Grounds for Suspension or Revocation of License; Other Sanctions Sort this out before you pay for coursework.
The 75-Hour Pre-License Course
Every salesperson applicant has to finish a 75-hour pre-license course covering property ownership, real estate finance, contracts, and Georgia-specific regulations.1Justia Law. Georgia Code 43-40-8 – Qualifications of Licensees; Course of Study The course must come from a GREC-approved provider. GREC lists approved schools on its website at grec.state.ga.us, and both in-person and online formats are available.
Each school ends its course with a proctored final exam. That is an internal checkpoint, not the state test. You have to pass the school’s exam before the school will clear you to register for the state licensing exam.
Passing the State Exam
PSI Services administers the Georgia salesperson exam. It has two sections — a national portion on general real estate principles and a Georgia-specific portion on state law and practice — and you need at least 75 percent on each. The test consists of 152 multiple-choice questions covering real estate math, contracts, agency relationships, and property law.
You register through PSI’s scheduling site, pick a testing center, and pay the exam fee of roughly $120. Results are delivered at the testing center the day you sit for it. If you pass one section and fail the other, you only retake the failed section, but each retake means paying the exam fee again.
Submitting Your License Application
Once you pass, you have 12 months to file your license application. Miss that window and your exam results expire; you have to retake the test. The fastest path is applying on the spot at the testing center, where you can walk out with your wall license and pocket card the same day, provided your paperwork and fees are ready.
The initial salesperson license fee is $170 and covers a four-year licensing period. Along with the fee you need:
- A Sponsoring Broker Statement Form, if you want an active license. Your broker completes it with their license number and the firm’s license number. You cannot practice without being affiliated with a licensed broker.
- A Lawful Presence Affidavit confirming your legal right to work in the United States.
- A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport.
- Your GCIC background report, less than 60 days old.2Georgia Real Estate Commission. GREC/GREAB Background Clearance
- Your passing score report from PSI.
If you don’t apply at the testing center, you can file through GREC’s online portal or by mail within the 12-month window.
Active or Inactive Status
No sponsoring broker lined up on exam day? You can still obtain the license on inactive status by skipping the Sponsoring Broker Statement Form. An inactive license means you legally hold a Georgia real estate license but cannot practice or earn commissions, with one narrow exception: transactions involving property you personally own.4Justia Law. Georgia Code 43-40-12 – Fees; Inactive Status; Licensure of Broker as Salesperson; Penalty Fees
If you start on active status and later leave a brokerage, you have 30 days to either affiliate with a new firm or move your license to inactive status. Missing that window can trigger a penalty fee.4Justia Law. Georgia Code 43-40-12 – Fees; Inactive Status; Licensure of Broker as Salesperson; Penalty Fees Inactive licensees still owe renewal fees on the normal four-year cycle; skip those and the license lapses outright.
The 25-Hour Post-License Course
This is where new agents get caught. Within your first year of holding a Georgia salesperson license, you must complete a 25-hour post-license course. It is a separate requirement from the pre-license course and from continuing education at renewal.5Georgia Association of REALTORS. CE Credit Information
The deadline is your first licensure anniversary, and your hours must be reported to GREC before that date, not merely completed. If you finish on the last day but your school hasn’t reported your hours yet, your license lapses. A lapsed license means you cannot practice, and bringing it back costs additional fees and paperwork. Work backward from your anniversary and leave yourself a buffer.
Renewing Every Four Years
Georgia real estate licenses renew on a four-year cycle. To renew, you need 36 hours of continuing education, with at least 3 of those hours coming from an approved license law course.5Georgia Association of REALTORS. CE Credit Information The other 33 hours can be any GREC-approved elective topics.
Renewal costs $125 by mail or $100 through GREC’s online system.6Georgia Real Estate Commission. Renewing Your Individual Real Estate License Miss the deadline and you face a $100 late fee on top of the standard cost. Let a license lapse long enough and you can be sent back to pre-license education or the state exam.
If You’re Already Licensed in Another State
Georgia offers a reciprocal path that skips the 75-hour pre-license course and most of the exam process. Your existing license must be current, in good standing, and originally obtained by passing an exam. For applicants from any state except Florida, you submit a reciprocal application with a certified license history from your current state, a Lawful Presence Verification form, a criminal background report, and the $170 fee by certified check or money order.7Georgia Real Estate Commission. Reciprocity for Real Estate Licensees Florida licensees must also pass a Georgia-specific supplement exam administered by PSI.
Joining NAR to Call Yourself a Realtor
Holding the Georgia salesperson license makes you a licensed real estate agent. It does not make you a Realtor. “Realtor” is a trademarked title belonging to the National Association of Realtors, and using it without membership is a trademark violation. To earn the title, you join a local board of Realtors, which automatically enrolls you in the Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) and NAR. New members complete an orientation program and a course on NAR’s Code of Ethics.
Dues run at every level. For 2026, NAR national dues are $156 per member plus a $45 special assessment for the consumer advertising campaign. GAR secondary membership runs $125 per year. Local board dues vary but generally fall between $150 and $275. All told, plan on $475 to $600 annually across the three levels.8National Association of REALTORS. REALTORS Membership Dues Information
Membership brings access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), standardized transaction forms, professional development resources, and the Realtor designation itself. Most brokerages expect or require their agents to join, so while membership is legally optional, it is functionally standard in the industry.
A Note on E&O Insurance
Georgia does not require individual real estate licensees to carry errors and omissions insurance. Many brokerages, franchise networks, and lending partners do require it as a condition of affiliation. E&O covers claims from professional mistakes in transactions, such as missed deadlines, inaccurate disclosures, or contract errors, and policies typically cover both the brokerage and its agents. When you interview brokerages, ask whether coverage is provided through the firm or whether you need your own policy. Annual premiums for individual agents generally run a few hundred dollars.