Money
License cost calculator
Separates what the state requires from what a school charges. DRE fees increased on July 1, 2024, the first increase since 1997, and pre-increase figures are still republished widely enough that budgeting from them is a real risk.
Your figures
Each attempt is a further $100. The re-examination fee is the same as the original.
Separate from California's $49 fingerprint processing charge. A Live Scan provider or out-of-state fingerprinting agency may charge its own service fee, so enter the quote you receive.
The three statutory courses from an approved provider. This is the figure that varies most between candidates.
Optional. Everything on this site is free, so this can legitimately be zero.
There are only five centers and no remote option, so for many candidates this includes a night's accommodation.
Total cost
$959
Of that, $499 is fixed state cost: $450 in DRE examination and license fees plus $49 in state fingerprint processing. Courses, capture fees and travel vary.
California residents normally pay through the Live Scan provider; out-of-state card applicants submit it to DRE
The two application routes cost exactly the same in DRE fees. They differ in sequence and in processing time, not in price, which is worth knowing because plenty of material implies one is cheaper.
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How this is calculated
Mandatory costs are the examination fee at $100 per attempt, the license fee at $350, and Live Scan fingerprinting at $49. The combined RE 435 application totals $450 to DRE, which is the same $100 plus $350 the two-step route costs, just paid at once.
The $49 state fingerprint processing charge is required for an original license. California residents normally pay it through the Live Scan provider. An out-of-state applicant using a fingerprint card submits the $49 to DRE. A provider or law-enforcement agency may charge a separate capture or rolling fee, so the calculator keeps that variable visible.
All DRE fees are nonrefundable under Business and Professions Code section 10207. Budgeting for a second attempt is therefore a real decision rather than a pessimistic one, and the calculator lets you model it.
Common questions
How much does a California real estate license cost?
The fixed state minimum is $450 in examination and license fees plus the $49 state fingerprint processing charge, totaling $499. Add the three statutory courses, any fingerprint capture or rolling fee, and travel to one of five examination centers.
Is the combined RE 435 application cheaper?
No. The two routes cost identically in DRE fees: $100 for the examination and $350 for the license either way. They differ in sequence and in processing time, not in price.
How much is a California real estate exam retake?
$100, the same as the original examination fee. Rescheduling an already-booked examination is different and costs $40, the first time and every subsequent time.
Are California real estate license fees refundable?
No. All fees are nonrefundable under Business and Professions Code section 10207, and the Live Scan fee is nonrefundable under any circumstances including failure to qualify.