California vs Illinois for Agent Licensing

Total Fees

$499

$268

Pre-Licensing

135 hrs

75 hrs

Timeline

8-16 wks

12-18 wks

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category	California	Illinois
Total Fees	$499	$268 ✓
Pre-Licensing Hours	135 hrs	75 hrs ✓
Processing Time	8-16 weeks ✓	12-18 weeks
Renewal Cycle	4 years	2 years
Renewal Fee	$350	$200 ✓
CE Hours	45 hrs	12 hrs ✓
Reciprocity	None	Partial

Key Differences

→

Cost

Illinois is $231 cheaper for total licensing fees.

Winner: Illinois

→

Education Hours

Illinois requires only 75 pre-licensing hours.

Winner: Illinois

→

Processing Speed

California processes applications in 8-16 weeks.

Winner: California

Category Winners

Lower Cost

Illinois $268

vs California ($499)

Fewer Hours

Illinois 75 hrs

vs California (135 hrs)

Faster Processing

California 8-16 wks

vs Illinois (12-18 wks)

California

California Department of Real Estate

Official Website →

Full California Agent requirements →

Illinois

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

Official Website →

Full Illinois Agent requirements →

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