Fingerprint Requirements

An applicant for any real estate license must submit one set of classifiable fingerprints, acceptable to the State Department of Justice (DOJ), unless the applicant is currently licensed by DRE or has held a real estate license which expired less than two years ago. An applicant may be fingerprinted after applying for examination or after passing the examination. Fingerprint processing fees are not refunded if applicants do not pass the examination. Social security numbers are required on examination applications to ensure fingerprint reports are received by the DRE.

Fingerprints must be submitted electronically through the DOJ's Live Scan Program which takes and transmits fingerprints to the DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) using the Live Scan Service Request (RE 237) form. An original license will not be issued until a report from the DOJ and the FBI is received stating that there is no criminal history, or disclosing criminal history information which then must be reviewed and evaluated. See Help Avoid DENIAL of Your License Application for further information.

To be fingerprinted, take the Live Scan Service Request (RE 237) to a participating live scan service provider. There is a $49 fingerprint processing fee and also a live scan service fee which should be paid directly to the live scan provider (not to the DRE). After the live scan service provider takes the fingerprints, submit a copy of the Live Scan Service Request (RE 237) with Part 3 completed to the DRE.

If you do not reside in California, you may be fingerprinted at a live scan service provider in California by following the process explained above or be fingerprinted out-of-state using FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card (FD-258 Rev. 12/07) which will be provided to all out-of-state applicants with the original license application. The FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card should be taken to a local law enforcement agency for completion and be submitted directly to the DRE with the completed license application, the license application fee, and the $49 fingerprint processing fee (combined payment of both fees is acceptable). Applicants who wish to be fingerprinted out-of-state after applying for examination but before passing the examination may request a blank fingerprint card by contacting the Licensing Section at (877) 373-4542.