FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact our administrators or instructors anytime you need help. However, please read this section first to quickly answer the most frequently asked questions.

Q. My exams are not being graded and/or I am not receiving notifications. All exam questions are marked as incorrect. What is wrong?

A. This may happen if you are using the Safari or Opera browsers for the MAC or Windows operating systems.   It is not compatible and cannot record your answers.
A+ Courses are compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla, and Netscape browsers for Windows and MAC.  Please download and use any one of these browsers to correct the problem.

Q. I seem to not be getting time for visiting a page. What is causing this?

A.  You must wait a few seconds for the page to load before timing starts. This is usually 1-4 seconds at most. Also course content is counted separately from exams although you DO get time for taking exams. You will receive all of your hours. Time is shown as Eastern Standard time and each education minute is only 50 seconds.

Q. What courses does one need for their FIRST salesperson’s license renewal?

A. 30 hour Practices, 27 hour Finance and 3 hour Core, total 60 hours. Practices and Core are State required.

Q. What courses does one need for their FIRST broker’s license?

A. To be eligible to sit for the state broker’s exam, one must complete our broker’s package which is 30 hours Brokerage Management, 30 hours Business management, 30 hours Law and 30 hours Practices, a total of 120 hours.

Q. What courses does one need for all other salesperson’s license renewal and all broker license renewal?

A. 30 clock hours is required for renewal but is must include Core. We offer 2  27 clock hour courses that include a  FREE 3 hour core course so you need not take more hours than required by law.

Q. Must I take a final exam? Pass the exam?

A. Yes. State law requires that ALL distance courses include a final exam.

Q. May I see the final exam answer key to see what I missed?

A. Chapter exams that promote mastery do show correct answers to those that were missed to help you study. However to protect the integrity of our courses, answer keys to final exams are confidential and are not given out to the public for any purpose.

Q. I finished my course in less time. Must take all hours?

A. Yes. State law requires Clock Hours, not “mastery”, so you must complete all hours.

Q. What if other schools don’t require this?

A. It is State law. ALL courses require that ALL hours are completed.

Q. I can’t get back into my course.

A. Tell student” Please login go to http://aplus.coursewebs.com/cw/login_general.asp  Please BOOKMARK this page so you can easily login to your course.
Put in your Student ID and password.

There is a link for “Forgot Password” at this student login page. It will send the student his password to the email address he used to enroll.

 

Q. How can I tell how many hours I have accumulated?

A. To see your hours/progress go to TABLE OF CONTENTS, which is in the left column.
This will show many minutes and seconds you have spent on each page and the total hours spent. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the time spent in each exam. These are combined so that when you have spent 30 clock hours (each clock hour is only 50 minutes) you will be able to take the final exam. To take the final exam you are required to have visited every page in the course and have passed each chapter exam with a score of 70% or higher. You have unlimited tries to pass each chapter exam. You can take a chapter exam ONLY after you have visited every page in the chapter so please always make sure you have at least a few seconds/minutes on each page.

Q. My course is running slow, or not responding as fast as it should. What should I do?

A. Try closing all other programs. Next, check your system and see if it meets minimum operating requirements. If these suggestions do not work, please give our tech support dept. a call.

Q. I need my Candidate Examination Document as soon as possible. What can I do to speed it up?

A. Candidate Examination Document will be emailed to you in a few minutes Please check your "junk folder if you do not see it. You MUST take it with you to sit for the State License Exam. If you want the entire Candidate Handbook mailed to you please request one by email at admin@aplusnow.com giving your full name and complete mailing address. Allow up to 7 business days. You need ONLY Candidate Examination Document and Certificate of Completion BOTH of which you are required to bring with you to the State exam site.

If you need further assistance email A+ at admin@aplusnow.com

You may download a Candidate Handbook here http://www.asisvcs.com/publications/pdf/094800.pdf

Q. I logged in to the program and had to leave for more than ten minutes. When I returned I was logged off the course.

A. Our courses are designed to log out, if you do not interact with the program for more than 10 minutes. You may log in again and hours will continue to be timed.  You may not leave the computer for ANY reason while taking the final exam.

Q. I believe the answer to the questions asked in the quiz or final exam are incorrect. What should I do?

A. Although every attempt has been made to send you a bug free program, we are human and may have overlooked something.  If by chance you should find any errors, please let us know by telling in which course you are in, which chapter or exam the error was found, some of the content of the error, and the correct version. Giving us the number of any exam question will not be helpful as the questions are shuffled in every exam. We need to have the content to find the errors.

Q. How do I become a real estate salesperson?

A. In order to become a licensed real estate salesperson, you must first complete an approved 60 clock-hour course in Real Estate Fundamentals. Upon completion of this course, your school will provide you with a stamped, signed Candidate Examination Document and handbook from our testing service, Pearson/Vue, Promissor, Inc., which contains information on registering for an examination appointment at one of seven sites throughout the state.

Passing candidates receive an Application for Real Estate License at the examination site, which can be completed and signed by the applicant and employing broker and mailed with the $146.25 first license fee (or delivered in person to our Olympia office).

If you are licensed as a salesperson in another jurisdiction or need information regarding the requirements to obtain a broker's license, please contact Real Estate Licensing at (360) 664-6500or (360) 664-6488

How can I obtain a license in Washington if I am already licensed in another state?

To receive examination approval from our department, you will need to request a license history from the Real Estate Commission of the state where you are currently licensed. If your history indicates that you have held an ACTIVE license within the previous 6 months, we will waive the National portion of the examination and you will only be required to test on the Washington Law section of the exam. In addition, the license history will provide information that will allow a waiver of the education requirements.

After you receive your license history, please mail it to our department, along with a cover letter that includes your mailing address to:

• Real Estate Licensing
  PO Box 9015
  Olympia, WA 98507

What will be the expiration date of my first salesperson's license?

Your first salesperson’s license will expire on your second birthday following the issuance of the license.

How much does it cost to renew my salesperson license?

• $146.25 if paid on time
• $172.75 if paid within one year after your expiration date.

Do I still need to renew my license if I am inactive and, if so, what is the fee?

Yes, the renewal fee is due, whether you are on active or inactive status. The fees are the same. Continuing Education is not required if you are on an inactive status.

Will my license be canceled if the renewal fee is not paid by the expiration date?

You have one year from the expiration date of your license to pay your renewal and penalty fee or your license will be canceled. Each licensee is responsible for renewing their license on time. Please be aware of the expiration date on your license, as you are also considered unlicensed during the expiration period.

How many clock hours do I need to renew my salesperson license?

• If you are an actively licensed salesperson, you must complete 30 hours of approved real estate education, including 3 hours of prescribed core curriculum, to renew your license.
• If you are a salesperson actively renewing for the first time, you must also complete a 30-hour course in real estate practices, for a total of 60 hours.
• If your license is inactive, you are not required to submit continuing education at the time of renewal.

How do I transfer my license?

You must submit a completed Application for Real Estate License, along with your current released license. If all items are submitted correctly, the legal date of the transfer will be either the US postmark date or the date delivered in person to our Olympia office.

I am currently inactive. How do I activate my license?

• If your renewal fees are current, you will need to submit a completed Application for Real Estate License.
• If your license has been on an inactive status for more than 3 years, you will need to provide proof of completion of an approved 30 clock hour real estate course. This course must have been taken within one year prior to applying for an active status. You will also be required to submit 30 clock hours if you activate your license and you have been inactive for less than one year and during that time period renewed your licensee on an inactive status.

How long can I remain on inactive status?

There is no time limit, however, you are still required to renew your inactive license.

How old can my clock hours be before I can no longer use them for continuing education?

You cannot use any unused clock hours that are older than 36 months from your current renewal date. This basically covers the year previous to your last renewal. You are limited to a maximum of 15 hours from that period. A minimum of 15 hours must be completed within 24 months of your expiration date.

I was told that I have to have 60 clock hours of continuing education for my renewal. Isn't it only 30?

Due to a change in legislation, any salesperson obtaining a license after July 1, 1995, is required to complete 30 clock hours in Real Estate Practices, in addition to 30 clock hours of approved education when renewing for the first time on an active status.

After the first renewal, the continuing education requirement for active renewals is 30 clock hours every two years.

 Frequently asked questions: Real estate brokers

Q. How can I obtain a license in Washington if I am already licensed in another state?

A. To receive examination approval, you must request a license history from the Real Estate Commission of the state where you are currently licensed.

If your history indicates that you have held an active license within the previous 6 months, we will waive the National portion of the examination, and you will only be required to test on the Washington Law section of the exam. In addition, the license history will provide information that will allow a waiver of the education requirements.

After you receive your license history, please mail it with a cover letter that includes your mailing address to us at:

• Real Estate Licensing
  Department of Licensing
  PO Box 9015
  Olympia, WA 98507

Q. How much does it cost to renew my Broker license?

• $210 if paid on time
• $236.50 if paid within one year after your expiration date

Q. Do I still need to renew my license if I am inactive and, if so, what is the fee?

A. Yes, the renewal fee is due, whether you are on active or inactive status. The fees are the same. Continuing education is not required if you are on an inactive status.

Q. Will my license be canceled if the renewal fee is not paid by the expiration date?

A. You have one year from the expiration date of your license to pay your renewal and penalty fee or your license will be canceled. Each licensee is responsible for renewing their license on time. Please be aware of the expiration date on your license, as you are also considered unlicensed during the expiration period.

Q. How many clock hours do I need to renew my broker license?

• An actively licensed broker is required to complete 30 hours of approved real estate education to renew the license.
• Licensees renewing on or after June 1, 2004 must include 3 hours of prescribed core curriculum in the 30 hours required for the renewal of an active license.

Inactive licenses are not required to complete the continuing education at the time of renewal.

Q. How do I transfer my license?

A. You must submit a completed Application for Real Estate License, along with your current released license. If all items are submitted correctly, the legal date of the transfer will be either the US postmark date or the date delivered in person to our Olympia offices.

Q. I am currently inactive. How do I activate my license?

A. If your renewal fees are current, you will need to submit a fully completed Application for Real Estate License.

If your license has been on an inactive status for more than 3 years, you will need to provide proof of completion of an approved 30 clock hour real estate course. This course must have been taken within one year prior to applying for an active status. You will also be required to submit 30 clock hours if you activate your license and you have been inactive for less than one year and during that time period renewed your licensee on an inactive status.

Q. How long can I remain on inactive status?

A. There is no limit. However, you are still required to renew your license, regardless of the inactive status.

Q. How do I find out if a company name is available?

A. To determine the availability of a company name, fax the name(s) you would like to use to (360) 586-0998 along with your name and telephone/fax number.

There is a limit of 3 names per request. After the name search is completed, we will contact you by correspondence or fax. If the name is available, you will be faxed a confirmation that the name is being reserved for 60 days. There is no charge for this service.

Q. How old can my clock hours be before I can no longer use them for continuing education?

A. You can not use any unused clock hours that are older than 36 months from your current renewal date. This basically covers the year previous to your last renewal. You are limited to a maximum of 15 hours from that period. A minimum of 15 hours must be completed within 24 months of your expiration date.

Q. I need more information that the course provides. Where can I find more about a certain topic?

A. Your instructor will provide information within the scope of this course. If you need more in-depth information or information outside the scope of this course, please visit the Student Help Center at http://www.aplusnow.com for a great selection of educational and professional resources. You will find expert advice columns, question and answer banks, news, a real estate glossary, and links to professional organizations.

Q. Who can I call, if I need help?

A. You may:

email admin@aplusnow.com 24 hours per day

or call 509-279-0235  from 9:00AM to 4:00PM weekdays, or leave voicemail anytime after business hours and you will be answered within 2 business days, or contact your authorized provider.

Regulations
A student may not spend more than 7.5 hours a day in any course.  If student’s records show more than 7.5 hours a day in any course, said student will be denied course completion certificate and be required to retake the course spending less than 7.5 hours per day in the program.
 

Final Examination
Once you start the final exam, you must sit until you have completed all the questions. If you do not interact with the program, it will automatically log you out after 10 minutes. You have 3 chances to pass the test.

You need not use the same computer each time you start the course to ensure you get the required hours needed for the course. You DO need to use the same student ID and password.

Helpful Tips And Information

Before taking your state licensing examination, please review State Law at your State’s real estate license website. Although we make every effort to incorporate updates and changes to the law, there may be a delay from the time the law is passed until we update our courses.  It is a good idea for you to review this information as the law portion is a major area covered on the licensing examination.

A+ Courses are compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla, and Netscape browsers.

Our accounts are hosted with CourseWebs, which runs on dedicated Windows 2003 servers. Traffic on the servers is carefully monitored. The datacenter is environmentally controlled, has standby generators and UPS devices, and redundant high speed connections to the Internet backbone. Our databases are backed up daily.

Q. I need more information that the course provides. Where can I find more about a certain topic?

A. Your instructor will provide information within the scope of this course. If you need more in-depth information or information outside the scope of this course, please visit the Student Center for a great selection of educational and professional resources. You will find expert advice columns, question and answer banks, news, real estate glossary and links to organizations such as REEA (Real Estate Education Association).

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