Ohio requires 100 hours of pre-licensing education, broken down as follows:
- 40 hours — Real Estate Principles & Practices
- 40 hours — Ohio Real Estate Law
- 10 hours — Real Estate Finance
- 10 hours — Real Estate Appraisal
How long it takes to complete those 100 hours depends on your schedule and learning format:
- Accelerated classes: As little as 2 weeks through intensive schedules (such as 10 consecutive 10-hour class days).
- Livestream or classroom courses: Typically 2–8 weeks, depending on the class schedule you choose.
- Self-paced online courses: Many students finish within 1–3 months, though your timeline depends entirely on how consistently you study.
While self-paced learning offers the most flexibility, many students find that staying accountable is the biggest challenge. Students who complete their education most quickly often choose livestream or classroom courses because scheduled class times help them stay on track and maintain momentum toward licensure.
From enrollment to license in hand, most students complete the entire process—including pre-licensing education, exam preparation, the state licensing exam, and application requirements—in about 2–3 months.
One important Ohio-specific requirement to plan for: before you can take the state licensing exam, you must be affiliated with a sponsoring broker. This step can take time if you wait until the end of your coursework. Hondros College helps students connect with potential sponsoring brokers through regular networking and career events where brokerages meet aspiring agents.
After you earn your license, Ohio also requires 20 hours of post-licensing education during your first year as an agent, so be sure to account for that additional educational commitment.
All Ohio pre-licensing courses are available online, at Hondros locations across the state, or through a combination of both. For a detailed timeline, see How Soon Can You Get Your Real Estate License? or explore our Ohio pre-licensing course options.
