What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents?

Form some states a new licensee must take a post-licensing course within a set period from obtainng their license. In addition they will have to take a continuing education course which has a set number of hours.

There is a deadlsine to satisfy the education requirements.

To make sure you are familiar with the CE education requirements and deadlines please choose your state from the list below.

Alabama

What are the Alabama real estate CE requirements?

Salesperson licenses are required to take a 30-hour post-licensing course from an AREC-approved course provider. In your first license period, this counts for your continuing education hours. For each period after, you’ll need 15 hours of continuing education. Three of these hours must be a risk management course.

Alaska

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in Alaska?

All new licensees must take a 30-hour post-licensing education within one year of licensure to maintain an Alaska salesperson license. These 30 hours are in addition to the 20 hours of continuing education required for your first renewal. Your deadline for meeting the CE requirement is on your license.

Arizona

What are the real estate ce requirements for real estate agents in Arizona?

Salesperson licenses are required to take 24 hours of ADRE-approved continuing education courses before their two-year renewal date. You must have 3 hours each in agency law, contract law, commissioner’s standards, disclosure, fair housing, and real estate legal issues. You also need six hours in elective categories.

Arkansas

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in Arkansas?

All first-time Arkansas salesperson license holders must take 18 hours of post-license education within six months of their license date. You must submit proof of this education to the AREC.

California

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in California?

If you are renewing your California real estate salespersons license for the first-time, you must complete 45-hours of DRE-approved continuing education consisting of the following:

• Five separate three-hour courses in the following subjects: Ethics, Agency, Trust Fund Handling, Fair Housing, and Risk Management; and,
• A minimum of 18-hours of consumer protection courses; and,
• The remaining clock hours required to complete the 45-hours of CE may be related to either consumer service or consumer protection courses.

For the second or subsequent renewal of your California real estate salespersons license, you must complete the following continuing education requirements within each four-year renewal period:

• Complete 45-hours of DRE-approved continuing education consisting of the following:
○ One eight-hour survey course covering the six mandatory subjects (Ethics, Agency, Fair Housing, Trust Fund Handling, Risk Management, and Management and Supervision); and,
○ A minimum of 18-hours of consumer protection courses; and,
○ The remaining clock hours required to complete the 45-hours of CE may be related to either consumer service or consumer protection courses.

Colorado

What are the Colorado real estate ce requirements?

In your first year, you are exempt from continuing education requirements. An initial broker's license expires at midnight on December 31 of the year it was issued. Once you renew your initial broker license, it will be good for (3) years. You’ll need to take 24 hours of continuing education to keep your license.

Connecticut

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Connecticut?

You are exempt from the 12-hour continuing education requirement in the cycle you passed a Connecticut licensing exam. So if you passed your licensing exam in 2021, you are exempt until after the May 31, 2022 renewal.

Delaware

What are the real estate ce requirements for real estate agents in Delaware?

The Delaware Real Estate Commission publishes a chart showing how many hours of education you must complete for your first renewal, depending on when you received your license. For example, if you were licensed between May and November of an even-numbered year, you'll need to complete 18 hours. However, if you were licensed between November and January of an odd year, you won't need to take continuing education.

In addition, if you are a newly-licensed salesperson who is not previously licensed in another jurisdiction, you must complete four Newly Licensed Salesperson modules within the first year of being licensed. The 12 hours will be applied to your required amount of CE hours. If you must take 18 or more continuing education hours, you will also need to take some of the core module courses.

Florida

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in Florida?

You are required to complete the 45-hour post-license education course by the initial expiration date displayed on your initial license.

The post-license course is 45 classroom hours. During the first licensing period, the post-licensure course covers the 14 hours of continuing education requirements typically required for real estate licensees.

The purpose of the post-license course is to: build on the academic knowledge gained in the pre-license course, develop necessary skills for licensees to be successful, and teach the licensee how to operate effectively and protect the public.

The post-license course includes a final exam with a minimum passing grade of 75%. Students must have attended a minimum of 90% of classroom hours to complete the course.

Georgia

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in Georgia?

Real estate brokers and salespersons with an active license in Georgia are required to complete 36 hours of continuing education courses during each 4-year renewal period.
The 36 hours of continuing education credits must include at least 3 hours of License Law.
The continuing education courses must be approved by the Georgia Real Estate Commission.

Any newly licensed agent must also complete 25 hours of post-license education. The post-license course must also be approved by the Georgia Real Estate Commission.

Anyone who holds an inactive Georgia real estate license is not required to complete the continuing education credits.

Hawaii

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Hawaii?

It depends on when in the licensing cycle you received your initial license. If you receive your license in the odd-numbered year, you must meet the continuing education requirements of 20 hours. if you earned your license in an even-numbered year, you are deemed to have met your continuing education requirement.

Idaho

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Idaho?

For your first-time license renewal, you will need to take 12 hours of post-licensing education. This includes an eight hour mandatory post-license fundamental course and one four-hour post-license course of your choice. In addition, you’ll need two different Idaho commission core classes as designated July 1.

Illinois

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Illinois?

For your first-time license renewal, you must complete a required 45-hour post-education course prior to the April 30th deadline in your even-numbered year. Depending on when you received your license, such as near the end of the two-year cycle, you may have some additional time. Check with the IREC.

Indiana

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Indiana?

You will need to take a Commission-approved post-licensing course of 30 hours within the first two years of receiving your active license. You will then need to complete an additional 12 hours of continuing education in your third year.

Iowa

What are the real estate ce requirements for real estate agents in Iowa?

First-time salesperson renewals do not have any special requirements from any other license holder. You will need to take your continuing education before December 31 of your renewal year. The education includes eight hours of law update, four hours of ethics, and 24 hours in IREC-approved elective courses.

Kansas

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Kansas?

Any active Kansas salesperson license holder must take 12 hours of continuing education every two years. Three of these 12 hours are in the Kansas mandatory course.

Kentucky

What are the real estate ce requirements for real estate agents in Kentucky?

For your initial licensure, you must complete 48 hours of a commission-approved post-license education course that is offered by an accredited institution or a commission-approved real estate school. You must do this within two years of receiving or activating your license.

Louisiana

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Louisiana?

In your first year, you must take the 45-hour post-licensing course within 180 days of receiving your initial license. This course will give you eight hours of continuing education credit. You’ll still need to take the mandatory four-hour course.

Maine

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Maine?

A sales agent license is only good for two years. You must renew as an associate broker. To qualify, you must complete a post-license course before the two-year renewal is up. If you fail to take this post-license course, you will be unable to renew as a sales agent and will no longer practice real estate.

Maryland

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Maryland?

First-time license renewals do not have any special continuing education requirements. You'll need the same hours as any other salesperson, which is a total of 15 hours. Three of these hours must be in legislative, 3 in brokerage relationships and disclosures, 3 in ethics, 1.5 hours in Fair Housing, and then the remaining 4.5 hours are electives.

Massachusetts

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Massachusetts?

First-time license renewals must meet the same continuing education requirements for all active license holders, which is to complete the 12 hours of continuing education prior to renewing your license. A list of classes is published here.

Michigan

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Michigan?

Here are the continuing education requirements to renew your Michigan real estate salesperson's license:
1) You must complete 18 hours of CE courses that involve any subjects that are relevant to the management, operation, and practice of real estate, or any other subject that contributes to the professional competence of a licensee.
2) Within the required 18 hours of CE, you must complete at least 2 hours of coursework per year that involves law, rules, and court cases regarding real estate.

For example, if you renewed your license in 2018, or were issued a new license between 7/1/2018 - 10/31/2019, or you were re-licensed between 7/1/2018 - 10/31/2019, then you must complete the following CE requirements: 6 hours (2 hours for each year) of CE that involves law, rules and court cases regarding real estate, 12 hours of other CE, for a total of 18 hours of CE prior to the 10/31/2021 renewal date.

If you were issued a new license between 11/1/2020 - 7/3/2021, or you were re-licensed between 11/1/2020 - 7/3/2021, then you must complete the following CE requirements: 2 hours of CE that involves law, rules and court cases regarding real estate, 4 hours of other CE, for a total of 6 hours of CE prior to the 10/31/2021 renewal date.

Finally, you should keep records of all your CE course Certificates for at least 4 years in case your renewal application is audited by LARA.

In order to renew your Michigan real estate salesperson's license, you must do the following:
1) Complete the required continuing education credits (6-18 credits in total).
2) Submit your renewal application online through your MiPLUS account.
3) Pay the $78 renewal fee using a debit or credit card.

Minnesota

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Minnesota?

Your continuing education requirements must be met before June 30th each year.

In total, Minnesota requires you to have at least 30 hours of continuing education by the license renewal deadline. At least 15 of those hours have to be completed in the year before your June 30th deadline. In other words, you must take 15 hours of continuing education each year in the two-year cycle. Extra hours or courses do not carry over into the next period. You may not repeat any course in a two-year cycle.

As part of your required 15 hours of continuing education, you must complete a specific general module course. As part of the 30 hours, you’ll also need at least one hour of training in laws or regulations on agency representation and disclosure plus one hour in state and federal fair housing laws, regulations, and rules.

Mississippi

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Mississippi?

All new Mississippi license salespersons must take a 30-hour post-licensing course within their first year of licensure. Taking this course exempts you from the 16-hour continuing education requirement for your first renewal.

Missouri

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Missouri?

Any real estate salesperson licensee in Missouri with an active license must complete 12 hours of continuing education during their two-year licensing period. Missouri Statute 339.40(8). Note: each classroom hour is defined as 50 minutes for continuing education purposes.

Continuing Education (CE) coursework must include at least three hours of MREC-approved education as a core requirement. For the 2020 through 2022 renewal, a three-hour class must be completed in Real Estate Ethics. The balance of CE required hours should be MREC-approved coursework offered by MREC-approved schools. However, the Missouri Real Estate Commission will consider other continuing education coursework completed outside the state for a $10 review fee. Missouri CSR2250-10.100(5). Non-pre-approved coursework must be submitted for approval at least three months before the license's expiration date to ensure there is enough time for the MREC to complete the process.

All real estate licenses in Missouri are issued as active licenses unless those real estate licensees have proactively placed the license in an inactive status.

Note: while online schools report results to the Missouri Real Estate Commission, ultimately, Missouri real estate licensees are tasked with the responsibility to ensure that the continuing education credits are accurately reflected in the MREC’s records.

Note: according to MREC Board Rule 2250-3.010(5), salesperson applications postmarked between August 1 and September 30 of even-numbered years will be awarded a real estate license that is valid for the next licensing period (odd-numbered year) with no continuing education requirements for that first year.

Montana

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Montana?

All active licensees are required to complete a minimum of 12 hours of continuing real estate education each year. An approved provider must teach all courses.

Nebraska

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Nebraska?

First-time renewing salespersons must take 12 hours of post-license education within 180 days of receiving their license, or you will be placed on inactive status. The post-license education course is also called course number 7000. You can select from approved providers at the Nebraska Real Estate Commission website.

Nevada

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Nevada?

First-time renewal licensees are required to take 36 hours of post-licensing education within their first year of licensure. It will consist of 15 modules, including topics like communication and records management, buyer representation, professional conduct, advertising, proceeds of the sale, agency relationships, land, financing, negotiation, and financing.

You must also take an additional 12 hours of continuing education in the first two years immediately after initial licensing. These hours must include at least three hours in: agency relationships, Nevada law, contracts, and ethics.

New Hampshire

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in New Hampshire?

All first-time salespersons need to complete the 12-hour post-licensing continuing education courses in each of the four approved course topics.

New Jersey

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in New Jersey?

If you received your initial license during the first year of the New Jersey real estate license term, you must complete the 12 hours of continuing education to renew your license for the next turn. If you received your license in the second year of the real estate license term, you are not required to meet this 12 hour requirement.

New Mexico

What are the continuing education requirements for real estate agents in New Mexico?

All new associate brokers must take either the New Broker Business Practices or CCIM 101 course within their first year of licensure. The commission-approved New Broker Business Practices can count for ten credit hours towards your continuing education.

New York

What are the New York real estate CE requirements?

You must complete 22.5-hours of continuing education for each two-year renewal period.

Prior to July 1, 2021, all New York real estate licensees must complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education, including 3 hours of fair housing, and at least 1 hour of law of agency.
If you are renewing your New York license for the first time, you must complete 2 hours of law of agency.

After July 1, 2021, all NY real estate licensees must complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education that includes at least 2.5 hours on the subject of ethical business practices, at least 1 hour of recent legal matters, at least 3 hours of fair housing, and at least 1 hour of law of agency. If you are renewing your New York license for the first time, you must complete 2 hours of law of agency.

Continuing education courses may be completed online or in-person.

Prior to July 1, 2021, you may be exempt from completing the 22.5-hour continuing education requirement if:

• You are a New York licensed real estate broker who is engaged full time in the real estate business and who has been licensed prior to July 1, 2008 for at least 15 consecutive years, and has maintained continuous licensure. Or,
• You are an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar who holds a real estate broker's license.

Real estate salespersons are not exempt from completing the required 22.5 hours of continuing education.

After July 1, 2021, only licensed attorneys admitted to the NYS Bar and who also hold a New York brokers license will be exempt from the CE requirements.

North Dakota

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in North Dakota?

North Dakota salesperson is exempt from continuing education requirements in their year of initial licensure.

Ohio

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Ohio?

You must complete 30 hours of continuing education. You are required to take three courses, of three hours each, in Civil rights, Core Law, and Ohio Canon of Ethics. Find additional elective courses by searching on the eLicense Center Continuing Education Class Search.

Oklahoma

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Oklahoma?

All first-time license renewals must show proof that they have completed the 45-hour post-licensing education course, the “Basic Course Of Real Estate, Part 2.” This course must be taken within the first year of receiving your license. Your licensing portal will also show you any other licensing and continuing education requirements you must meet.

Oregon

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Oregon?

In your initial license period, you must take 30 hours of continuing education from a certified provider. At least 3 hours are a required Law and Rule course. The remaining 27 hours are in Broker Advanced Practices.

Pennsylvania

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Pennsylvania?

If you are renewing your Pennsylvania real estate license for the first time, you must complete 14 hours of Commission approved continuing education, which consists of a specific set of CE modules.
In other words, first-time licensees must take a 'special' 14-hour continuing education course, which is different from the 14-hour CE course taken by licensees who have already renewed their license at least once.
First-time renewal continuing education courses consist of a 7-hour General Module, plus either a 7-hour Commercial Module or a 7-hour Residential Module.
Click here for a detailed breakdown of each 7-hour module.

Rhode Island

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island does not require any special coursework or post-licensing education for new real estate salespersons. You must meet the same requirements as a salesperson.

South Dakota

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in South Dakota?

New broker associates are required to take a combined to 60 hours in post-licensing continuing education hours. These hours are divided between your first two active licensing cycles. The South Dakota Real Estate Commission calls them Post-License Period 1 and Post-License Period 2.

Post-License Period 1 begins after your initial licensure. You must complete your 30 hours between the current license year and the following license year.

Post-License Period 2 begins on January 1 after you complete Post-License Period 1. The 30 hours must be completed within the following two licensed years.

Tennessee

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Tennessee?

You will need to provide certification of satisfactory completion of 16 classroom hours in real estate coursework taken through any school, college or university approved by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.

Texas

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Texas?

There are two different types of continuing education requirements in Texas.

First, there are Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) requirements, which only apply if you are renewing your Texas real estate license for the first time. You must complete 90 hours of SAE credits before your first renewal date. SAE courses are 30 hours each.

Then there are Continuing Education (CE) requirements, which applies to anyone who has renewed their license more than once. TREC requires 18 hours of CE credits for each 2 year renewal period. Also, please note that you will not be granted credit for a CE course you completed if you previously completed a substantially similar course within a two year period.

CE courses may cover topics such as:

• Real estate appraisal
• Real estate law
• Real estate marketing
• Real estate math
• Property management
• Real estate investments
• Residential inspection for real estate agents

In addition to the SAE and CE requirements, all licensees must take a 4-hour Legal Update 1, and a 4-hour Legal Update 2 course (8 hours in total). If you are required to take the SAE courses, the 8 hours of Legal Update credits must be taken in addition to the 90 hours of SAE credits.

If you are required to take CE credits, the 8 hours of Legal Update credits may be counted towards the required 18 hours of CE. This means you will only be required to take 10 hours of elective CE credits in addition to the 8 hours of Legal Updates.

Finally, if your broker has made you a supervisor for more than 6 months, you must take the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course, prior to your renewal date.

If you are taking SAE credits, the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course must be taken in addition to the 90 SAE credits and 8 Legal Update credits.
If you are taking CE credits, the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course may count towards your required 18 hours of CE credits. Since CE candidates must take 8 hours of Legal Update courses, you will only be required to take 4 hours of elective CE credits (6-hour Broker Responsibility course, 8-hours of Legal Update courses, and 4-hours of elective CE courses).

Sales Apprentice Education credits, or SAE, applies to first-time renewals only.

Anyone renewing their Texas real estate license for the first time must complete 90 hours of SAE credits.

You must complete your SAE credits prior to your first renewal date, otherwise, you cannot renew your real estate license.

SAE courses may be taken online or in-person.

Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) credits are only required if you are renewing your Texas real estate license for the first time. You must complete 90-hours of SAE courses prior to your first renewal date.

After you renew your Texas real estate license one or more times, you are only required to take 18-hours of continuing education for every two-year renewal period.

If you do not complete the required 90 hours of SAE courses by your first renewal date, your license will be changed to inactive status.

In order to change your license back to an active status, you must complete the required SAE credits, pay your renewal fees in addition to any late fees, and complete a sponsorship request.

You cannot defer SAE credits beyond your renewal date.

If you do not complete the required SAE credits by the time of your renewal date, your license will be changed to inactive status.

Unlike CE credits, SAE credits cannot be deferred by paying a fee.

Utah

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Utah?

All new real estate agents must take a 12-hour new agent course before their first renewal. New agents still take the 3-hour mandatory course and then select three hours of continuing education from any elective courses.

Vermont

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Vermont?

First-time salespersons must show proof that they completed the 8-hour post-license course within the first 90 days of their initial licensure.

Virginia

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Virginia?

All first-time Virginia real estate salespersons must complete 30-hours of post-license education (PLE) within one year from the last day of the month in which their license was issued.
For example, if your license was issued on March 15, 2020, you must complete your 30-hours of PLE by March 31, 2021.

The 30-hour PLE program must consist of the following nine courses:
1) Fair Housing , ADA and Civil Rights (2 hours)
2) Real Estate Law and Regulations (6 hours)
3) Ethics and Standards of Conduct (3 hours)
4) Current Industry Issues and Trends (2 hours)
5) Agency Law (3 hours)
6) Contract Writing (6 hours)
7) Risk Management (3 hours)
8) Escrow Requirements (3 hours)
9) Real Estate Related Finance (2 hours)

First-time licensees are not required to complete the standard 16-hours of continuing education during their first two years of licensure.
However, they may start accumulating continuing education credits to use towards their second two-year renewal period if the CE credits are earned within six months of the second year of their initial two-year license term.
Please note that PLE credits cannot be used towards CE credits.

The 30-hour PLE requirement must be completed by both active and inactive licensees.
If you hold an active real estate license and fail to complete the 30-hour PLE requirement, your license will be placed on inactive status and you must apply to reactivate your license.

Washington

What are the Washington real estate CE requirements?

The first year you renew your real estate broker license, you will need to complete at least 90 hours of coursework, beginning after your date of licensure, including:
• 30-hour Advanced Practices Course
• 30-hour Real Estate Law Course
• 3-hour Core Course
• At least 17 hours of other approved continuing education

For subsequent renewals, you will need to complete at least 30 hours of continuing education. This includes:
• 3-hour Core Class
• At least 27 hours of approved continuing education

At least 15 of the required course hours must have been completed within 24 months of your renewal date. Up to 15 hours may have been completed within 48 hours of your renewal date if it has not already been credited toward your education requirements in the previous renewal period.

West Virginia

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in West Virginia?

First-time renewals have no special continuing education requirements. If you qualified for licensure by exam during the fiscal year of your first renewal, you are exempt from the standard continuing education requirement.

Wyoming

What are the real estate continuing education requirements in Wyoming?

Completed continuing education hours for a newly issued, active license are not required for your first renewal. You’ll renew in the year your license was issued. This renewal starts the licensee on a three (3) year renewal cycle.

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