Illinois Real Estate: License Transition

This Illinois law governs the licensing and permissible activities of all Illinois real estate licensees.

Yes. Although the law is still known as the "License Act of 2000," it has been updated several times since then. A major update to this law was signed by the governor in late 2009.

The changes have broad implications for Illinois real estate licensees. Most notable are changes that impact the type of license held by each individual, and the corresponding pre-license and continuing education requirements.

Both new and existing licensees are affected by the changes. Select a license type on the left for specific transition information.

Yes. The updated license law required all salesperson licensees to transition to a new license type - real estate broker. It's important to note that this is a new license type. The new broker license is an entry-level license.

Former real estate brokers held a "managerial" license that offered the opportunity to sponsor other licensees or sponsor their own license. The new real estate broker license does not offer these options. Instead, the new license is nearly identical to the former salesperson license type.

Those licensees must "upgrade" to another new license type - managing broker. Now that the license transition period is over (as of 4/30/2012), you must complete a 45 credit-hour Managing Broker pre-license course.

All salespersons were required to complete the transition by April 30, 2012. To accommodate this schedule, the expiration date for all existing licenses was extended to this same date (from the original expiration of April 30, 2011).

The salesperson was required to do one of the following by April 30, 2012:

• Successfully pass the state proficiency examination (no longer available).
• Complete a 30-hour license transition course (no longer available).

After satisfying one of the above requirements, licensees were required to submit a license transition application to the IDFPR. The IDFPR review, and processes the application, and then issues the new real estate broker license.

Since the April 30, 2012 application deadline has passed, it's no longer possible for Salespersons to transition to the new Broker license. Instead, you must complete a 90 hour Broker pre-license course program.

Based on the language of Sections 5-46 and 5-47 of the Real Estate License Act of 2000 (225 ILCS 454/5-46 and 5-47) attorneys who were also licensed Salespersons were required to do one of the following by April 30, 2012:

1. Take and pass the proficiency examination by March 15, 2012, and then submit a valid application for the appropriate license and the fee specified by Rule by April 30, 2012.
2. If the proficiency examination is not passed then, pursuant to the language of the statute, the Department will allow the attorney to take only the exam portion of the 30 or 45 hour transition course, whichever is applicable, and on passing that exam the attorney will need to submit the appropriate application and filing fee specified by Rule by April 30, 2012.

Since the April 30, 2012 application deadline has passed, it's no longer possible for attorneys to transition to the new broker license. You will be required to prepare for and pass the state licensing exam for real estate brokers - the new "entry level" license.

As of May 1st, the IDFPR is still processing license transition and renewal applications. Although they have authorized overtime and hired additional staff, the process is still slow moving. As a result, some licensees report waiting up to 8 weeks for their application to be processed (and their new license to be issued).

You can lookup the current status of your license at the IDFPR website.

Following a successful transition, the old salesperson license will have a status of "CANCELLED." The new broker license will have a status of "ACTIVE."

As of May 1st, the IDFPR is still processing license transition and renewal applications. They are aware of your concern and have indicated (at their website) that from their standpoint, licenses are still "in renewal." This means that although they are no longer accepting applications (postmarked after April 30, 2012), they are still processing applications.

You can lookup the current status of your license at the IDFPR website.

Following a successful transition, the old salesperson license will have a status of "CANCELLED." The new broker license will have a status of "ACTIVE."

Note that a salesperson license that shows an expiration date of 4/30/2012 will still have an "ACTIVE" status until the IDFPR completes processing of all applications they have received.

Hopefully you sent your application via certified mail, FedEx, or some other method that offers confirmation of delivery. Regardless, you may either wait until all license applications have been processed by the IDFPR or contact them (217-782-3414) and see if they can confirm receipt of your application.

The IDFPR indicates that they will not accept any license transition applications that are postmarked after April 30, 2012. Unfortunately, this means that although you may have satisfied the education and testing requirements for the transition, you will not be permitted to complete the transition to the new broker license.

Your salesperson license expired permanently, as of April 30, 2012. To earn a new license, you are required to "start over" and successfully complete a broker pre-license program (and state examination). If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

Only licensees who passed the state proficiency exam were permitted to apply online for the license transition. All other licensees (who completed the 30 credit-hour transition education course and exam) were required to apply to the IDFPR by mail. Real Estate Institute students were provided a copy of the IDFPR application form, a certificate of completion, and a pre-addressed envelope that should have been used to submit the application.

The proficiency exam was a standardized test that was available to all existing salesperson licensees until March 15, 2012. Licensees who successfully passed this exam satisfied the education and testing portion of the transition requirements.

Licensees who passed the proficiency exam satisfied their education and testing requirements for the transition to the new real estate broker license. However, you were required to complete 18 hours of continuing education by April 30, 2012. Licensees were also required to pay a fee to the IDFPR by April 30, 2012.

Licensees who sent their license transition/renewal application to the IDFPR, postmarked by April 30, 2012, but did not complete the required CE courses may complete our "Late CE" program.

Licensees who did not send the license transition application to the IDFPR, postmarked by April 30, 2012, are not permitted to transition to the new broker license. Instead, you must complete a 90 credit-hour broker pre-license program. If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

Licensees who failed the proficiency exam were required to complete an IDFPR-approved 30-hour transition course by April 30, 2012. These courses are no longer available, as the license transition deadline has passed.

Instead, you must complete a 90 credit-hour broker pre-license program. If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

The 30-hour transition course was a special course approved by the IDFPR. Salesperson licensees were permitted to complete this course to satisfy the testing and education requirement of the license transition process.

The IDFPR required licensees to complete an approved 30 credit-hour program and pass the corresponding exam (created by the school). Real Estate Institute offered this program in a pure self-study format. This course is no longer available, as the April 30, 2012, license transition deadline has passed.

No. In the past, a salesperson licensee would have required an additional 75 credit hours of education to "upgrade" to the broker license. The traditional pre-license curriculum would have also required the licensee to pass several final exams with the school and also pass the broker licensing examination at a state-approved testing center. The 30-hour transition course provided a streamlined license transition process. As a result, it was a more cost-effective option for licensees who wish to complete the transition (before the April 30, 2012, deadline).

No, continuing education courses did not satisfy the requirements for transition education.

Licensees who passed the 30-hour transition course satisfied their education and testing requirements for the transition to the new real estate broker license. Licensees were also required to submit a license transition application (pay a fee) to the IDFPR by April 30, 2012.

Licensees who failed the 30-hour transition course were permitted to retake the final examination by April 30, 2012. The final exams for this course are no longer available, as the license transition deadline (April 30, 2012) has passed.

Instead, you must complete a 90 credit-hour broker pre-license program. If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

No. Brokers had the option to maintain their current license OR transition to a new type of license - managing broker. This transition option was only available through April 30, 2012.

The old real estate brokers held a "managerial" license that offered the opportunity to sponsor other licensees or sponsor their own license. The new real estate broker license does not offer these options. Instead, the new broker license is nearly identical to the old salesperson license type (which is no longer available).

Those licensees were permitted to transition to the new managing broker license type. During the transition period, which ended on April 30, 2012, streamlined education and testing procedures were available to these licensees.

Beginning May 1, 2012, licensees must hold a managing broker license if they currently:

• Are self-sponsored (and wish to maintain that status).
• Sponsor other licensees: leasing agents, brokers or managing brokers.
• Are sponsored by a broker organization and currently oversee the actions of other licensees on its behalf.

Brokers who were transitioning to managing broker were required to complete the transition by April 30, 2012.

The broker was required to do one of the following by April 30, 2012:

• Successfully pass a proficiency examination (no longer available).
• Complete a 45-hour license transition course (no longer available).

After satisfying one of the above requirements, licensees were required to submit a license transition application (and fee) to the IDFPR. When the process is complete, licensees were issued their new real estate managing broker license.

Since the transition period is over (as of 4/30/2012), brokers must now complete a 45-hour managing broker pre-license program (and pass the state licensing examination).

No. Brokers who successfully complete the transition by April 30, 2012, will be issued a new license that is valid through April 30, 2013.

Since the transition period is over (as of 4/30/2012), attorneys who wish to continue holding a "managerial level" license must now prepare for and pass the state licensing examination for the managing broker license.

Brokers may also choose to complete a late renewal and designate some other managing broker licensee as their sponsor. All Broker licensees require a sponsoring managing broker.

Based on the language of Sections 5-46 and 5-47 of the Real Estate License Act of 2000 (225 ILCS 454/5-46 and 5-47), attorneys who were brokers had the option to do one of the following by April 30, 2012:

• Successfully pass a proficiency examination (no longer available).
• Complete a 45-hour license transition course (no longer available).

After satisfying one of the above requirements, licensees were required to submit a license transition application (and fee) to the IDFPR. When the process was completed, licensees were issued their new real estate managing broker license.

As of May 1st, the IDFPR is still processing license transition and renewal applications. Although they have authorized overtime and hired additional staff, the process is still slow moving. As a result, some licensees report waiting up to 8 weeks for their application to be processed (and their new license to be issued).

You can look up the current status of your license at the IDFPR website.

Following a successful transition, the old broker license will have a status of "CANCELLED." The new managing broker license will have a status of "ACTIVE."

As of May 1st, the IDFPR is still processing license transition and renewal applications. They are aware of your concern and have indicated (at their website) that from their standpoint, licenses are still "in renewal." This means that although they are no longer accepting applications (postmarked after April 30, 2012), they are still processing applications.

You can look up the current status of your license at the IDFPR website.

Following a successful transition, the old broker license will have a status of "CANCELLED." The new managing broker license will have a status of "ACTIVE."

Note that a broker license that shows an expiration date of 4/30/2012 will still have an "ACTIVE" status until the IDFPR completes processing of all applications they have received.

Hopefully you sent your application via certified mail, FedEx, or some other method that offers confirmation of delivery. Regardless, you may either wait until all license applications have been processed by the IDFPR or contact them and see if they can confirm receipt of your application.

The IDFPR indicates that they will not accept any license transition applications that are postmarked after April 30, 2012. Unfortunately, this means that although you may have satisfied the education and testing requirements for the transition, you will not be permitted to complete the transition to the new managing broker license.

Your broker license expired on April 30, 2012. You have two options going forward:

• You can complete a late renewal of your broker license, which will require you to choose a sponsoring broker (since only managing brokers are permitted to sponsor their own license or those of other licensees).
• You can complete a managing broker pre-license program (and state examination), then apply for a managing broker license. Your license would remain in a "not renewed" status until this process is complete.

If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our managing broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

Only licensees who passed the state proficiency exam were permitted to apply online for the license transition. All other licensees (who completed the 45 credit-hour transition education course and exam) were required to apply to the IDFPR by mail. Real Estate Institute students were provided a copy of the IDFPR application form, a certificate of completion, and a pre-addressed envelope that should have been used to submit the application.

The proficiency exam was a standardized test that was available to all broker licensees who were licensed prior to May 1, 2011. Licensees who successfully passed this exam satisfied the education and testing portion of the transition requirements.

Licensees who passed the proficiency exam satisfied their education and testing requirements for the transition to the new real estate managing broker license. Licensees were also required to pay a fee to the IDFPR by April 30, 2012.

Licensees who did not send the license transition application to the IDFPR, postmarked by April 30, 2012, are not permitted to transition to the managing broker license.

Instead, brokers who require a managing broker license must now complete a 45 credit-hour managing broker pre-license program (and pass the state licensing examination). If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

Licensees who failed the proficiency exam were required to complete an IDFPR-approved 45-hour transition course by April 30, 2012. These courses are no longer available, as the license transition deadline has passed.

Instead, brokers who require a managing broker license must now complete a 45 credit-hour managing broker pre-license program (and pass the state licensing examination). If you completed the transition coursework with our school, we will apply the original cost of your transition program toward our broker pre-license program. Please call for details.

The 45-hour transition course was a special course approved by the IDFPR. Broker licensees were permitted this course by April 30, 2012 to satisfy the testing and education requirement of the license transition process.

The IDFPR required licensees to complete an approved 45 credit-hour program and pass the corresponding exam (created by the school). Real Estate Institute offered this program in a pure self-study format. This course is no longer available, as the April 30, 2012 license transition deadline has passed.

Now, Brokers must complete a 45-hour Managing Broker pre-license program (and pass the state licensing examination).

No, continuing education courses did not satisfy the requirements for transition education.

Licensees who passed the 45-hour transition course satisfied their education and testing requirements for the transition to the new real estate managing broker license. Licensees were also required to submit a license transition application (pay a fee) to the IDFPR by April 30, 2012.

Licensees who failed the 45-hour transition course were permitted to retake the final examination by April 30, 2012. The final exams for this course are no longer available, as the license transition deadline (April 30, 2012) has passed.

Now, brokers must complete a 45 credit-hour managing broker pre-license program (and pass the state licensing examination).