law
Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)
The Texas Real Estate Commission administers The Real Estate License Act (TRELA), Chapter 1101 of the Texas Occupations Code, and adopts rules in Title 22 of the Texas Administrative Code. It licenses brokers and sales agents as well as inspectors and easement or right-of-way agents. Its nine members are appointed by the governor with Senate consent: six brokers with five years in brokerage and three public members. In Texas, leasing and property management for others are brokerage, and a sales agent may act only while sponsored by a broker.
- Exam tip
- '9-6-3, five years free.' Unlicensed brokerage is a Class A misdemeanor, with administrative penalties up to $5,000 per violation and each day a separate violation.
- Example
- An unlicensed nephew who finds tenants for his aunt's friends for 10% of first month's rent is brokering and cannot sue for unpaid fees.
Related terms & state variants
Sources
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Last verified: 2026-10-23