A real estate agent helps people buy, sell, or rent properties, but the role involves so much more. Facilitating communication, managing negotiations, arranging viewings, engaging with local communities, marketing, ensuring no delays; the responsibilities are practically endless.
Considering the intense, demanding nature of the role, a real estate agent must be officially licensed before they can work professionally. Licensing requirements vary depending on the state, but the core rarely changes. They must undergo rigorous training, sit an official licensing exam, and, in many cases, pass a background check.
If you’re considering becoming a real estate agent but have concerns about the background check, keep reading. We’ll explain everything you need to know to help you determine whether this career is a viable path for you.
What Are the Requirements to Become a Real Estate Agent?
In virtually all states, you will need to be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and be a citizen or legal resident of the United States.
As we briefly touched on earlier, you will also be required to undergo the following:
Complete a Pre-Licensing Training Course
The course teaches you all the skills you need to carry out a real estate agent’s duties effectively, from the fundamentals of managing property transactions to the ethics and legalities involved.
The course can be taught online or in person. However, it must be officially recognized and approved by the regulatory agency in your respective state.
Sit the Licensing Exam
After you have completed the course, the next stage is to sit the licensing exam. This serves as a way to prove that you have actively taken in the course’s content.
The exam will test your understanding of a vast range of topics, including leasing, property appraisal, environmental laws, mortgages, and contracts and deeds.
Pass a Background Check
Even if you complete the training course and pass the exam, in most states, you won’t be issued a real estate license until you have also passed a background check.
As a real estate agent, you will be working closely with a vast range of people. You will also be engaging with sensitive data and accessing properties without the owners being present.
A background check ensures that you are of good character and can be trusted to handle these duties in a responsible, ethical, and professional way. It’s a safeguarding measure that protects the well-being of clients.
A background check also confirms that you are who you say you are, meet all the requirements, and have actually undergone the appropriate training.
What Does the Real Estate License Background Check Uncover?
A background check for a real estate license isn’t simply verifying that you have undergone training and passed the exam; it’s a careful, comprehensive look at all areas of your life.
It usually includes a close look at:
- Identity (e.g., verifying full legal name, residency status, and age)
- Education and employment history
- Public records, including criminal records
- Driving records
- Finances
It will also check if you have been listed in any registries, including sex offender registries.
Can You Fail a Background Check for Real Estate License?
Real estate agent work is built on honesty and integrity. Considering this, anything that’s pulled up that introduces doubt over your character may disqualify you from a license.
Some common disqualifications for a real estate license include:
- Listed in a registry
- Fake documentation
- No high school diploma (or equivalent)
- Poor credit history with serious unpaid debts
A criminal history is also a common disqualifying factor, especially if the crimes are recent or serious in nature.
Can I Find Out What Will Show Up in My Background Check?
A real estate license provider likely won’t divulge the exact scope of the background check to you. However, you can still find out what is likely to come up by running a background check on yourself first.
Running your own check won’t alert the provider that you have done so, and it gives you time to resolve any contradictions and prepare explanations for anything that could be read as a red flag without context.
It’s also a lot simpler than you might think. An online background search does the legwork for you and takes just a few minutes. The tool will carefully gather information about you from all available data sources, including online activity, databases, registries, and official public records like criminal records.
While it may not follow the same process, you can expect it to be just as comprehensive as a real estate license background check.
The Importance of a Background Check for Real Estate License
A background check is virtually always required for a real estate license issuance. It’s a safeguarding measure to verify that you can be trusted and aren’t going to pose a risk or cause harm to the clients you work with.
If you have concerns about what your background check may uncover, honesty is the best approach. Divulging details upfront gives you a chance to provide context and advocate for yourself.
