| SACRAMENTO, CA -- The California State Department of Real Estate (DRE), the state regulator that issues licenses to real estate professionals and protects consumers in real estate transactions, has deployed a state of the art electronic examination system that gives the department the ability to immediately issue a real estate license to a qualified examinee upon the successful completion of the license exam.
The benefits of the electronic exam system are many. The electronic exam system will improve examination security, improve testing practices, and contain future examination costs by reducing administration overhead. Examination security will be improved by eliminating the theft of examination material and allow for the ability to electronically capture candidate identification information. Testing practices will be improved by allowing DRE to scramble examination material and provide for more effective proctor oversight. Examination administration costs will be reduced by eliminating the need for printing and duplicating examination booklets which in turn will allow for reduction and eventual elimination of material storage and shipping costs.
But most importantly, examinees will be able to get to work sooner. Electronic exams allow for examination results to be provided as soon as applicants complete their test. Qualified candidates who pass their examination can be issued a license and are provided an identification number which allows them to conduct licensed activities immediately.
"With this new process, an applicant no longer has to wait weeks in order to obtain a license after passing the exam, licensing can be instantaneous," DRE Commissioner Jeff Davi said. "As the real estate market recovers, it will be vital to get people working as quickly as possible and the electronic exam system will do just that."
Traditionally, real estate license applicants would first have to apply for and pass the real estate license exam and then apply for the license. In 2005, in order to streamline the license process, the DRE introduced the combination application whereby an applicant may apply for the license exam and real estate license at the same time. This process allows the DRE to perform the necessary licensing background checks on the applicant during the period the applicant is scheduled for the real estate exam. With the early completion of the background checks coupled with electronic exams, the DRE is able to issue licenses more quickly than any time in its history.
David Rowe of San Jose was the first to receive a real estate license under the new system. "The whole process from signing up to take the exam to getting a license took less than six weeks. It's fantastic!" said Mr. Rowe of the process. Mr. Rowe's new license information was posted on the DRE's licensing information web page before he left the testing center.
The electronic exam system has been implemented in the DRE's Oakland office and will soon be deployed in the department's Fresno Office. The DRE plans to roll-out the system to all five of its offices statewide.
For more information about DRE and its programs visit www.dre.ca.gov |
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