What happens if you don't complete continuing education for your real estate license?

If you do not complete required continuing education, you generally cannot renew your license as active, and there are no grace periods that let you keep working. Consequences vary by state: Texas charges a $200 deferral fee for an extra 60 days, otherwise the license renews as inactive; Michigan converts the license to inactive status; and New York allows two years from expiration to renew, after which you must pass the state exam again.

Failure to complete the required 12 hours of continuing education by December 31 is a violation of Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) law and rules and subjects the licensee to a fine citation. Licensees may renew their license before completing the CE requirement, but all coursework must be finished by December 31 to avoid penalties. If a licensee fails to renew by December 31, the license expires and the licensee must reapply as an initial applicant.

Mississippi requires 16 hours of approved continuing education per two-year renewal cycle, and licensees must submit proof of completion to renew an active license. If a licensee fails to pay the renewal fee after it becomes due and after two months' written notice of delinquency, the license is automatically cancelled. A licensee renewing during the grace period pays a penalty equal to 100% of the renewal fee. Inactive licensees are not required to meet CE requirements but must cumulatively complete all missed hours before returning to active status.

In New Hampshire, a real estate license expires two years from the date of issuance, and licensees must complete 15 hours of continuing education (a 3-hour core course plus 12 elective hours) to renew in active status; inactive renewals require only the 3-hour core course. If a licensee fails to renew before the expiration date, the license lapses and is no longer eligible for standard renewal. Reinstatement is available within one year of expiration through the OPLC online portal; after one year, the applicant must reapply online and complete all initial licensing requirements. Additional continuing education coursework may be required for reinstatement, with the extent depending on the length of the lapse.

A New Mexico real estate license expires every three years on the last day of the month following the licensee's birth month. If a licensee misses any year's required 4-hour core course within the 3-year cycle, the penalty is to complete the 30-classroom-hour Broker Basics course for 0 CEUs, effective January 1, 2020. A licensee may renew with a late fee of $810 (which includes the $270 renewal fee and a $540 penalty) up to one year after the expiration date, provided all continuing education is current. After one year past expiration, late renewal is no longer available, and reinstating the license requires retaking all prelicensing education and both portions of the broker examination.

If continuing education is not completed by the June 10 deadline, the license must still be renewed by June 30 to avoid expiration. If renewed without CE, the license is placed on inactive status on July 1. A broker on inactive status may not perform any brokerage activities or collect brokerage fees, including referral fees. To reactivate, the broker must complete the required CE and submit a License Activation/Affiliation form (REC 2.08). If the license is not renewed by June 30, it expires and the licensee must apply for reinstatement.

Pennsylvania has no grace period for license renewals. A licensee who fails to complete the required 14 hours of Commission-approved continuing education and does not renew by the May 31 deadline of an even-numbered year must immediately stop all real estate activities. To reactivate an expired license, the licensee must submit a reactivation application, pay a reactivation fee, and document 14 hours of CE. That CE cannot also count toward the next renewal, so an additional 14 hours must be completed before the next renewal. If a license has been inactive or expired for 5 or more years, the licensee must retake and pass the licensing examination before reactivation.

If a Rhode Island real estate license expires, the licensee must pay a $100 late reinstatement fee in addition to the standard renewal fee to regain active status, and must complete any missed continuing education hours. The renewal fee is $130 for salespersons and $170 for brokers. After an extended lapse, a licensee may need to reapply as a new applicant rather than simply reinstating.

If renewal requirements, including continuing education, are not complete by the expiration date, a 30-day grace period allows renewal without a reinstatement fee. After 30 days, a reinstatement fee is required ($100 for salespersons, $120 for brokers). If the reinstatement fee is not paid by its due date, the licensee must reapply for licensure and meet all current requirements. A licensee who fails to renew within two years of expiration must complete the entire licensing process again. New salespersons who do not complete the 30-hour post-license education within one year of licensure are automatically placed on inactive status and cannot practice real estate.

If a licensee does not complete the required continuing education, an active license cannot be renewed. The licensee may renew as inactive, which does not require continuing education but still requires a renewal application every 2 years. An expired license has a 1-year grace period during which it can be renewed with a late fee; after that, the license is canceled for up to 2 years, during which reinstatement requires 60 clock hours of approved coursework (including a 30-hour Real Estate Law course), all back renewal fees with penalties, and a $100 reinstatement fee. If the license has been expired more than 3 years, the licensee must apply for a new license from scratch.

If a Wisconsin real estate licensee does not complete the required 18 hours of continuing education and renew by December 14 of the even-numbered year, the license expires and becomes inactive. A licensee with an inactive license cannot legally practice real estate per Wis. Stat. section 452.12(5)(b). To reactivate a license that has been inactive for less than five years, the licensee must complete the CE from the previous biennium, pay the renewal fee, and pay a late fee. If the license has been inactive for more than five years, the licensee must reapply and may need to retake the pre-license education and licensing examination.