California Department of Real Estate

Branch Office Application Application 

Requirements Checklist

Online

$20 NMLS processing fee

Online

$0

• Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
• Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

Honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and spouses/ partners who meet the conditions under Business and Professions Code 10151.2 are eligible for expedited processing. 

Corporation License Application

1.  Answer licensing question and complete 1B and 1C, if you answered YES.
2. Corporation Name & ID — Enter the complete name of the corporation as shown on the Certificate of Status. If a foreign corporation, enter the name as the corporation will be licensed in California. Enter the California Secretary of State’s identification number (as shown on the Articles of Incorporation) in Item 2B, and enter the Federal Taxpayer identification number in Item 2C.
3. Mailing Address — Enter the mailing address of the corporation. All mail sent by DRE will be delivered to this address. Note: Business and license mailing addresses are public information and as such are posted on the Internet and available from DRE via telephone and written requests. Please consider this when identifying a license mailing address.
4. Main Office Address — Enter the primary place of business of the corporation (must be a physical California address).
5. Fictitious Business Name — Enter the name exactly as it appears on the Fictitious Business Name Statement (FBNS) as filed with the county clerk. The DBA must be filed in the county of the corporation’s main office address.
   1. Submit a copy of the FBNS with the “filed stamp” from the county clerk’s office.
   2. The corporation’s name must appear as a registrant on the FBNS.
6.  Answer licensing question and complete 6B–D, if you answered YES.
7. Name of Broker-Officer — Enter the complete name of the broker-officer to be licensed.
8. Social Security Number — Your SSN is mandatory. Refer to Privacy Notice on page 6.
9. Birth Date — Enter your birth date
10. Corporate Officer Title — Enter the official title (e.g., president, vice president, etc.) held within the corporation. “Broker of record” is not sufficient. The designated officer must be an official corporate officer.
11. Type of Broker-Officer License Requested — Check the appropriate box. Note: If “additional broker-officer” is checked, submit the appropriate fee. If “substitution of currently designated broker-officer” is checked, attach resignation of former designated officer or Resolution of Board indicating that affiliation has been terminated
12. California Residence — Check the appropriate response. Non-California Residents — If residing outside the State of California, a notarized Consent To Service of Process (RE 234) is required, if not already on file.
13. Military Service — Mark the appropriate answers to these  questions. If answer to 14B is yes, provide proof of honorable discharge for expedited processing. See page 6 of this form for more information.
14. 7 Business, Residence, & Cell Phone Telephone Numbers - Enter the area code and phone numbers.
15. Email Address — Enter email address. 
16. Questions 19-25 must be answered and fully explained. Insufficient or no explanations will result in a significant delay in processing your license application.
17. Read Officer Certification; then sign item #26, date item #27, and type the name of the person signing on item #28.
18. Read Regulation 2746; type the name of corporation on item #29, sign item #30, and date item #31.

Mail 

• When officer applicant is currently licensed by the DRE:  $300 license fee
• When officer applicant has never been licensed by the DRE or applicant license expired more than two years ago: $300 license fee + $49 figerprint fee
• When corporation has expired or when the officer applicant’s broker license has expired during the past two years: $450 license fee
• When the corporation is currently licensed and a substitution of a currently licensed
  additional officer is requested: $0

• Required for corporations that act as real estate brokers.
• This application may be used to license: a corporation with a designated broker-officer, an additional broker-officer with a new or currently licensed corporation, or a new officer as a substitute (replacement) for the existing designated broker-officer.
• Read sections III and IV before completing the application. 

• Unless currently licensed either as a real estate broker or as a real estate broker-officer, your application and license fee are to be filed within one year from the date you successfully
  completed your examination. (Section 10201.6 of the Business and Professions Code.)
• A corporation not currently licensed by this Department must include a Certificate of Status from the California Secretary of State.
• Articles of Incorporation will be accepted in lieu of the Certificate of Status provided the Articles were filed with the Secretary of State within six months preceding the date the application is submitted to the office.
• If the firm is not incorporated in California, either a Certificate of Qualification or Certificate of Foreign Corporation from the California Secretary of State is required.
• If a Certificate of Status, Certificate of Qualification, or Certificate of Foreign Corporation is submitted, the certificate must be executed no more than thirty days prior to the date the application is submitted to the office.
• Regulation 2746 requires the designated officer who obtains the original corporation license to file an RE 212 for any director, chief executive officer, president, first-level vice president, secretary, chief financial officer, and subordinate officers with responsibility for forming policy of the corporation and all-natural persons owning or controlling more than ten percent of its shares if such a person has been subjected of any of the items enumerated in the regulation.
  • If none of the officers have been a subject of any of the items enumerated in the regulation, then an RE 212 is not needed. In all instances, the broker-officer must complete and sign the certification in Part III of this application. 
• Evidence of continuing education (completed within the previous four years) will be required for the issuance of an officer license if the officer-applicant does not have current individual broker status. For more details/information, refer to the Instructions to License Applicants pamphlet or Section 10171.5 of the Business and Professions Code.
• All DRE licensees must report to the Department of Real Estate if they make, arrange, or service loans secured by residential property, 1 to 4 units, under the authority of the Real Estate Law. The report must be made within 30 days of commencing such activity and must be completed online using Form RE 866 – Mortgage Loan Activity Notification. Penalty fees can apply for failure to submit this required notification. 

• This application must be completed and signed on lines 26 and 30 by the broker-officer applicant.
• A Certificate of Status or Articles of Incorporation and the appropriate fee must accompany this form. Refer to Section IV.
• Any changes (addresses, DBA, etc.) to a currently licensed corporation must be submitted on a Corporation Change Application (RE 204A).
• If the corporation currently holds or has previously held a real estate license in California, comeplete items 1B-4D.
• If the corporation has not held a real estate license in California, complete items 2A-4D. 

• One set of classifiable electronic fingerprints is required from every real estate license applicant. Fingerprints must be submitted through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) Live Scan Program. A Live Scan Service Request (RE 237) may be obtained online at www.dre.ca.gov.
  • After you have your fingerprints taken by the live scan service provider, submit a completed copy of the RE 237 with this application. Your license will not be issued until a report from the Department of Justice is received stating that there is no criminal history, or disclosing the existence of criminal history information. If prior criminal information is disclosed in the report, further background inquiry may be required before your license is issued.
  • Out-of-state residents either need to make arrangements to get their fingerprints taken at a live scan service provider in California or get fingerprinted out of state using the FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card (FD-258 Rev. 5/99). A fingerprint card can be obtained by contacting the Licensing Section at 877-373-4542. It should be taken to a local law enforcement agency for completion and submitted directly to DRE with the completed exam/license application, exam/license application fee, and $49 fingerprint processing fee. 

Online

$300

Biennially