Texas Real Estate License Reciprocity: Here's the Good News
Texas doesn't technically call it "reciprocity" — TREC is direct about that. But if you're already licensed in one of 48 ARELLO-accredited states, here's the real win: you can skip the National portion of the Texas exam entirely — 85 of the 135 total questions on the test. Fewer questions standing between you and your Texas license. Here's exactly how it works.
Texas has zero license reciprocity with any other state. TREC's exact wording: "Does Texas have reciprocity with any other state? No. Texas does not have reciprocity with any state. To become licensed, you must satisfy all current Texas licensing requirements." The real accommodation is narrower and still genuinely useful: if you hold an active license in a state that participates in ARELLO's National exam accreditation, TREC exempts you from the National portion of the Texas exam. You still take the Texas State portion, and you still complete the full 180 hours of Texas qualifying education — that part is the same for everyone.
The National portion — 85 of the 135 questions on the exam.
The Texas real estate exam has two portions, graded independently. TREC's own FAQ spells out the exemption: "I have a license in another state. Can I be exempt from taking the National portion of the exam? You can be exempt from taking the National portion of the exam if you hold an active license in a state that participates in the National exam accreditation with ARELLO. Submit a license history from the state in which you are licensed when you file your application so we can determine if you are exempt."
80 scored questions + 5 unscored pretest questions, 85 total. If you're licensed in an ARELLO-accredited state, this whole portion is waived — you never sit for it.
40 scored questions + 10 unscored pretest questions, 50 total, 28 correct needed to pass. This covers Texas-specific law and is required of every applicant, exemption or not.
To claim the exemption, submit a license history from your current state when you file your TREC application — TREC determines your exemption from that history, not from a separate request or form.
One thing the exemption doesn't touch: your 180 hours.
The ARELLO exemption is an exam-day accommodation, not an education shortcut. Every applicant — relocating from an ARELLO state or not — completes the same 180 hours of TREC-approved qualifying education across the same 6 core courses. TREC's FAQ is direct on this point too: you must satisfy all current Texas licensing requirements, with no education carve-out for out-of-state licensees. That's not a downside — it's just how Texas keeps every licensee on the same footing, and it's the same coursework that's already built into School Estate's Success Pack and Broker Pack below, with a mentor instructor walking you through it.
Is your current state on the list?
These jurisdictions participate in ARELLO's National exam accreditation program. An active license from any of these qualifies you for the National-portion exemption described above.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas (salesperson exam only)
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin currently set their own state exams outside ARELLO's accreditation. A license from one of these doesn't carry a National-exam exemption into Texas — you'd take the full exam, same as a first-time applicant.
Relocating to Texas? You're in the right place.
Whether you're a licensed sales agent moving to Texas or a licensed broker relocating your practice, the path runs through the same School Estate coursework every Texas licensee completes — with a mentor instructor who's already helped other relocating agents through it. If you're moving in as a sales agent, start with the Success Pack. If you already hold Texas-eligible broker experience, see the Broker Pack instead — or compare the two on our Agent vs. Broker page.
Success Pack: 180 hours, exam prep, and a mentor instructor.
Broker Pack: the core hours, exam prep, and a broker-level mentor.
License reciprocity: common questions.
Moving to Texas? Let's map your exact path.
Call and talk to a real person. We'll confirm your ARELLO exemption and tell you exactly what's left between you and your Texas license.