• In Arizona the Arizona Department of Real Estate oversees real estate licensees.arizona desert image by John Keith from Fotolia.com
  
  The Arizona governor appoints the commissioner for the Arizona Department of Real Estate, the state agency that oversees real estate licensing. The function of the department is to protect the general public from real estate licensees by setting and enforcing standards and educational requirements for applicants. The department has the authority to deny or suspend a real estate license, if the licensee or applicant fails to meet licensing requirements.
  
  

Age

• An applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Real estate licensing requirements are similar throughout the United States, yet real estate laws vary by state, as do some licensing requirements. A minimum age of 18 years is a common licensing requirement throughout the United States.
  
  

Character

• According to the Arizona Department of Real Estate, the Commissioner must be satisfied that an applicant possesses honesty, truthfulness, character and competency. When applying for a license, the applicant must submit to fingerprinting and a background check. Prior criminal convictions can make an applicant ineligible for licensing.
  
  

Education

• An applicant is required to take a 90-hour real estate course, approved by the Arizona Department of Real Estate. After successfully passing the course, the applicant must pass the final exam. A list of state-approved real estate schools and courses are available through the Arizona Department of Real Estate.
  
  

Prior Licenses

• When applying for a new real estate license, the applicant will not qualify if he has had a real estate license denied within the previous year, or had a license revoked within the previous two years prior to the application.
  
  

Exams

• Before obtaining a real estate license, the applicant must take and pass a state and federal real estate exam, issued by a testing center approved by the Arizona Department of Real Estate. The federal exam is the same test for all applicants throughout the United States, while the state exam is specific to Arizona and its state laws. Before the applicant is eligible to take the test, she must successfully complete the real estate course. Applicants can retake either or both exams, if they don't pass.
  
  

Broker

• The Arizona Department of Real Estate issues a sales license and broker's license. A sales licensee must work under a designated licensed broker. To obtain a broker's license, the applicant must have three years of real estate experience as a licensee during the five-year period prior to the application. The broker must successfully complete a state-approved 90-hour broker's course and pass the state and federal broker exams.