Realty Publications, Inc.
California DRE
Licensee Profile
for third quarter 2024
Educational profiles from the calendar years 2023 through September 30, 2024, with forward application in 2025.
Published 01/2025
Licensee trends in real estate education
To assist in your analyses of the ongoing educational needs of the real estate licensee population in California, Realty Publications, Inc. (RPI) publishes the quarterly California DRE Licensee Profile.
Trends in the number of licenses issued and renewed annually are pointed out based on analysis of data available from the Department of Real Estate (DRE). Our data analyses include:
- the current populations of active and inactive salespersons, independent brokers, broker-associates, and MLO-endorsed licensees;
- the licensee population profile in California’s eight largest counties; and
- educational profiles from 12 calendar months prior to end of the quarter we report with forward application for 12 months.
This report is designed to help you anticipate the evolving real estate licensing patterns, all courtesy of RPI.
California’s DRE licensee population
Individual Licensees
- 405,937 Total Individual Licensees
- 96,672 Licensees are Individual Brokers
- 24% of Individual Licensees
- Trend: Slipping
- 309,265 Licensees are Salespersons
- 76% of Individual Licensees
- Trend: Slipping – 2.5% annual rate
Individual Brokers
- 48,467 Independent Brokers
- 19,137 Broker-Associates
- 29,068 Employing Brokers
- 88,032 Active Brokers
- 8,640 Inactive Brokers
Salespersons
- 221,737 Active Salespersons
- 87,528 Inactive Salespersons
- 95,520 Total Licensed Salespersons within 4 years
MLO-Endorsed Licensees
- 23,641 Licensees are MLO-Endorsed
- 5.8% of licensees
- Trend: Rising slowly
- 10,368 Brokers are MLO-Endorsed
- 8,549 Salespersons are MLO-Endorsed
Licensees in our 8 largest counties
Individual Brokers
- 21,985 in Los Angeles
- 12,720 in Orange County
- 9,137 in San Diego
- 4,726 in Riverside
- 4,097 in Santa Clara
- 2,986 in San Bernardino
- 2,830 in Alameda
- 2,612 in Sacramento
Active Salespersons
- 57,281 in Los Angeles
- 26,410 in Orange County
- 20,729 in San Diego
- 15,664 in Riverside
- 11,042 in San Bernardino
- 10,152 in Santa Clara
- 8,018 in Sacramento
- 7,030 in Alameda
Inactive Salespersons
- 25,318 in Los Angeles
- 11,679 in Orange County
- 8,199 in San Diego
- 5,380 in Riverside
- 3,521 in San Bernardino
- 3,411 in Santa Clara
- 2,811 in Alameda
- 2,758 in Sacramento
Ratio of home sales volume to active salespersons
- 1.68 in Riverside
- 1.53 in Sacramento
- 1.24 in Santa Clara
- 1.19 in San Diego
- 0.91 in Los Angeles
- 0.83 in Orange County
Education Profiles for Salespersons
Newly issued licenses
- 20,256 Newly issued Salesperson licenses
- Trend: Down
- 48% Pass rate on state exam
Renewing Salespersons 2023
- 74,173 Expiring Salesperson licenses
- 54,727 Renewing Salespersons
- 75% renewal rate
- Trend: Down
Renewing Salespersons 2024
- 64,413 Expiring Salesperson licenses
- -9.11% change compared to 2023
- 50,021 Renewals
- 76% renewal rate
- Trend: Flat
Renewing Salespersons 2025
- 84,283 Expiring Salesperson licenses
- 25% change compared to 2024
Education Profiles for Brokers
Newly issued broker licenses
- 3,390 Broker licenses issued to salespersons
- Trend: Down
- 49% Pass rate on state exam
Renewing Brokers 2023
- 25,290 Expiring Broker licenses
- 23,013 Renewing Brokers
- 91% renewal rate
- Trend: Down
Renewing Brokers 2024
- 25,071 Expiring Broker licenses
- -1.2% change compared to 2023
- 22,814 Renewals
- 91% renewal rate
- Trend: Flat
Renewing Brokers 2025
- 24,695 Expiring Broker licenses
- -1.1% change compared to 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of licensed Brokers are attorneys?
3.1% of Brokers are attorneys.
What is the gender ratio of DRE licensees?
The gender ratio for DRE licensees is 50:50.
What percentage of brokers are inactive?
9.8% of brokers are inactive.
What percentage of licensed salespersons are inactive?
28% of salespersons are inactive.
How many new salespersons entered the workforce in 2024 compared to brokers?
Six times as many new salespersons entered the workforce in 2024.
How many real estate schools are approved to provide continuing education for licensees in California?
39 real estate schools are approved to provide continuing education for licensees in California
- Only 26 real estate schools are approved to provide Fair Housing and Implicit Bias training in their continuing education for licensees