Skip to content
Pass Georgia

Get licensed

The Georgia Real Estate License Background Check, Explained

Georgia requires a criminal history report from the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), dated within 60 days of your exam. You bring it with you on exam day. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify you: GREC reviews history case by case, weighing what the offence was, how long ago it happened, and what you have done since.

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2026. Editorial standards.

What the GCIC report is

A criminal history record check issued through the Georgia Crime Information Center. It is a required document for licensure, and you bring a copy with you to the test center on exam day alongside your two forms of identification.

Timing: the 60-day window

The report must be dated within 60 days of your exam. This trips people up in both directions. Order it too early. Say, when you start your course. And it expires before you sit. Leave it too late and you are chasing paperwork in the week you should be revising.

The Rule

Book your exam date first, then order the GCIC report to land comfortably inside the 60-day window. Not the other way round.

How scheduling works with PSI covers the sequencing in full.

What GREC actually reviews

GREC looks at criminal history in the context of whether you can be trusted to handle other people's money and act honestly in transactions. That framing matters, because it explains why the review is contextual rather than mechanical. Factors that carry weight:

  • The nature and seriousness of the offence, particularly anything involving fraud, theft, or dishonesty.
  • How long ago it occurred.
  • The circumstances around it, including your age at the time.
  • Evidence of rehabilitation: completed sentences, employment history, references.
  • Whether you disclosed it fully and accurately.

Disclosure: the part that matters most

The most common way a criminal record ends a licensing application is not the record. It is the failure to disclose it.

Disclose everything the process asks for, completely and accurately, including matters you believe are old, minor, or resolved. An applicant who discloses a serious offence with documentation and context is in a materially stronger position than one who omits a minor one and is found out. Omission looks like concealment, and concealment goes directly to the honesty question the review is actually about.

If you are unsure about your situation

Ask GREC before you spend money on a course. This is a genuine, practical suggestion rather than a disclaimer: candidates sometimes complete the 75-hour course and pay the $175 exam fee before discovering a complication that a phone call would have surfaced. GREC's official guidance is the authority here, and this page is not a substitute for it or for legal advice about your own record.

Related

What to bring on exam day · The full path to licensure · What licensure costs

Background check questions

Facts checked against the current PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and GREC sources. Last reviewed August 2026. Editorial standards.

Can I get a Georgia real estate license with a felony?

A conviction is not an automatic disqualification. GREC reviews criminal history case by case, weighing the nature of the offence, how long ago it occurred, the circumstances, and evidence of rehabilitation. Disclose it fully. Non-disclosure is treated far more seriously than most underlying offences.

How long is a GCIC report valid?

It must be dated within 60 days of your exam. Order it once you have a date in mind, not before, or it will expire before you sit.

How much does a GCIC report cost?

Roughly $30, though the exact fee should be confirmed with the Georgia Crime Information Center or your local issuing agency before you budget for it.

What if my record has been expunged or restricted?

Record restriction and expungement affect what appears on a report, but the safest approach is still full disclosure with documentation. Ask GREC directly how your specific situation should be handled rather than deciding for yourself what is no longer relevant.