What is continuing education certification in real estate?

Continuing education (CE) is the required coursework a licensee must complete to keep a license active. State licenses typically must be renewed every 2 to 4 years, and in most states renewal requires completing commission-approved CE. Hour counts vary by state: New York requires 22.5 hours per two-year term, California 45 hours per renewal, Texas 18 hours every two years, and Florida 14 hours every two years.

Continuing education in Alabama requires 15 hours of Commission-approved courses every 2 years, completed by September 30 of each even-numbered year. Salespersons must complete a mandatory 3-hour Risk Management course plus 12 hours of electives, while brokers must add a 3-hour Mandatory Broker CE course and complete 9 hours of electives. Reciprocal licensees with an active out-of-state license can submit a certification of active licensure from their original state instead of completing Alabama CE. Code of Ethics training is a REALTOR® association requirement, not an AREC license renewal requirement.

Continuing education in Arizona is the required coursework that licensees must complete to renew their real estate licenses every two years. Salespersons and associate brokers must complete 24 hours of CE per renewal cycle, while designated, self-employed, and delegated associate brokers must complete 30 hours, which includes Broker Management Clinic courses taken in the Commissioner's Standards category. The 24-hour requirement includes 21 hours of mandatory topics: 3 hours each in Agency Law, Contract Law, Commissioner's Standards, Disclosure, Fair Housing, and Real Estate Legal Issues, plus 1 hour each of Firewise, Deed Fraud, and Arizona Water (effective January 1, 2025), and 3 hours of elective credit. Only ADRE-approved courses qualify for CE credit, and ADRE accepts no more than 9 hours of education per day. Licensees must self-report course completions through the ADRE Licensee Login.

Continuing education in Arkansas is the annual requirement for active licensees to complete 7 hours of approved coursework to renew their license. The requirement includes a 1-hour safety course and topic-specific required courses that change each year, with remaining hours filled by electives. CE is not required for the first renewal cycle after initial licensure. Courses must be taken from AREC-approved providers, and excess hours do not carry over to future renewal cycles.

Continuing education (CE) certification is the documentation a licensee submits to the DRE to verify completion of required post-licensing coursework at renewal. California requires 45 clock hours of DRE-approved CE per four-year renewal cycle. For first-time salesperson renewal, the 45 hours include four 3-hour courses (ethics, agency, trust fund handling, risk management), a 3-hour fair housing course with an interactive role-play component, a 2-hour implicit bias course, at least 18 hours of consumer protection courses, and remaining hours in consumer service or consumer protection. For second and subsequent renewals, the 45 hours include a 9-hour survey course covering seven mandatory subjects (or individual courses in all subjects), 18 hours of consumer protection, and remaining hours in consumer service or protection. DRE-approved providers are not required to report completions to the DRE, so licensees must retain their own certificates.

Colorado requires all active real estate brokers to complete 24 hours of continuing education per three-year license cycle. Twelve of those hours must come from three different versions of the 4-hour Annual Commission Update Course, which covers recent regulatory changes and practice issues, and the remaining 12 hours may be any combination of elective credit hours approved by the Commission. Brokers must retain proof of completion for a minimum of four years. If a broker misses an Annual Commission Update Course for a given year, that version cannot be made up, and alternatives include completing the 24-hour Broker Reactivation Course, passing the state portion of the Colorado Broker's Exam, or completing 72 hours of specified education.

Continuing education certification in Connecticut real estate is the requirement that all licensed brokers and salespersons complete 12 credit hours per two-year cycle, including one 3-hour mandatory course covering current real estate and fair housing legislation, licensing laws, and regulations, plus 9 hours of elective courses. The CE completion deadline is 3 months before the license renewal deadline, which falls on May 31 of even-numbered years for salespersons and November 30 of even-numbered years for brokers. Licensees must attest to CE completion at renewal and retain certificates for at least 4 years for audit purposes.

Continuing education certification in Delaware real estate is the process of completing required education hours to maintain an active license. Active real estate professionals must complete 21 hours of approved CE during each renewal period from May 1 to April 30 of even-numbered years, organized as 7 modules of 3 hours each. The Delaware Real Estate Commission conducts random audits to verify CE compliance, and licensees must not upload CE documentation unless selected for audit.

DC requires real estate licensees to complete 15 hours of continuing education every two-year renewal cycle from DCREC-approved providers. For salespersons, the 15 hours consist of 12 mandatory hours (3 hours DC Fair Housing, 3 hours DC Ethics, 3 hours DC Legislative Update, and 3 hours Property Management) plus 3 hours of electives. Newly licensed salespersons, brokers, and property managers are exempt from CE requirements for the remainder of the licensing cycle in which their license was first issued, but CE credits taken during that exempt period do not roll over to the next cycle.

Continuing education (CE) is the ongoing training required to maintain an active Florida real estate license after the first renewal period. Florida requires 14 hours of FREC-approved CE every two-year renewal cycle, consisting of 3 hours Core Law, 3 hours Ethics and Business Practices, and 8 hours of specialty education. The requirement applies to all licenses expiring on or after September 30, 2018. Florida Bar members in active good standing are exempt from the 14-hour CE requirement, and the first renewal period requires post-licensing education (45 hours for sales associates, 60 hours for brokers) instead of CE.

Continuing education in Georgia requires 36 instructional hours of approved courses during each four-year renewal period, with at least 3 hours on the topic of license law. For brokers and associate brokers renewing on or after July 1, 2025, 18 of the 36 hours must be in broker-specific CE topics, with the remaining 15 hours as electives. An instructional hour means at least 50 minutes of instruction or other learning activity, and all CE credits must be posted in the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) online system before renewing.

Continuing education certification in Hawaii real estate requires completing 20 hours of Commission-approved CE per two-year biennium, split into 6 core hours (Core A at 3 hours and Core B at 3 hours) and 14 elective hours. Both Core A and Core B must be completed to receive any core course credit. Per Hawaii Administrative Rules Section 16-99-95, a licensee may not take a CE course for which they have already received a certificate within two consecutive biennia. CE providers issue completion certificates through the Online Real Estate Education System, and licensees track their CE history through their MyPVL account.

All courses offered for Idaho real estate continuing education credit must be certified by the Idaho Real Estate Commission and offered through an Idaho certified provider. Online courses must first be Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) certified to qualify for credit. Professional designation courses such as Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR), Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), and Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) are accepted for CE credit if the online versions are ARELLO certified.

Continuing education (CE) in Illinois is the ongoing training that brokers and managing brokers must complete to renew their licenses. Brokers must complete 12 hours of CE per renewal cycle, consisting of 6 hours of core curriculum (including at least 2 hours of fair housing training) and 6 hours of electives. Managing brokers must complete 24 hours per cycle, which adds a 12-hour broker management CE course to the standard 12-hour requirement. All CE must be completed through IDFPR-approved providers, and no more than 12 hours may be taken in a single calendar day. New brokers satisfy their CE requirement for the initial license term by completing the 45-hour post-license curriculum.

Continuing education certification in Indiana real estate means completing 12 hours of state-approved CE each year from July 1 to June 30, for a total of 36 hours over the 3-year renewal cycle. A CE course must be a minimum of 2 hours, and no more than 8 hours may be completed in a single day in a classroom setting, though distance learning may exceed 8 hours per day. One CE hour equals 50 minutes of instruction, and excess hours do not carry forward to the next CE year. The Commission does not collect CE certificates during renewal but conducts random audits afterward, so licensees must keep their certificates on file.

Continuing education in Iowa real estate requires 36 hours per three-year renewal cycle: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives, all completed by December 31 of the renewal year. At least 12 hours must be taken via live instruction, and a maximum of 24 hours may be completed through distance learning. Licensees keep completion certificates on file for audit purposes rather than submitting them with the renewal application, and up to 18 unused elective hours may carry over to the next cycle.

In Kansas, continuing education certification means completing 12 hours of approved coursework every two-year renewal cycle, including a 3-hour mandatory course titled Kansas Required Core and 9 hours of electives. The Code of Ethics is a National Association of REALTORS® membership requirement, not a Kansas Real Estate Commission requirement, though it may count as elective credit. Renewal fees are $125 for salespersons and $175 for brokers, with a $100 late fee for renewals submitted after the expiration date. A license inactive for two or more years requires 6 additional CE hours per full year of inactivity before reactivation, and after five or more years the licensing exam must also be retaken.

Continuing education in Kentucky requires all actively licensed agents to complete 6 hours of Commission-approved CE courses each calendar year, with at least 3 hours in real estate law, due by December 31. Licensees are exempt from CE during the first two calendar years of initial license issuance. A state-specific Kentucky Core Course, covering federal, state, and common real estate laws, must be completed by all active licensees once every 4 years, and no other CE course substitutes for it. The Core Course satisfies the CE requirement for the year it is taken, and the governing regulation is 201 KAR 11:230.

Continuing education certification in real estate refers to both the annual education requirement that licensees must fulfill and the process by which the LREC approves courses and vendors. All active Louisiana licensees must complete 12 hours of approved continuing education annually, including any LREC-mandatory course topics, by December 31. CE courses are offered through LREC-certified vendors, must be a minimum of 2 hours, and distance learning courses must be certified by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) for the delivery method. The LREC charges a $40 course approval fee per course and reviews applications within 45 calendar days.

Continuing education certification in Maine means completing 21 clock hours of Commission-approved education during each 2-year renewal cycle, including a 3-hour mandatory core course. Effective April 1, 2025, the core course is the "Reasonable Care and Diligence Core Course." CE certificates are not submitted at renewal; the Commission conducts random monthly audits, and licensees must keep certificates for four years. Distance education courses require a passing grade of 85% on the final examination to be considered complete.

Continuing education (CE) is the ongoing training that Maryland real estate licensees must complete to maintain an active license. Maryland requires 15 hours of CE per two-year renewal cycle, with specific mandatory topics that vary depending on the licensee's role and whether it is a first renewal or a subsequent renewal. CE courses must be completed at least 30 days before the license renewal date, and education providers have up to 14 days after course completion to upload credit hours to the MREC system. Licensees can verify earned credits through the Continuing Education Status Query tool on the Maryland Department of Labor website.

Continuing education certification in Massachusetts means completing 12 hours of Board-approved instruction during each 2-year license term to maintain active license status. At least 6 of the 12 hours must cover specific subject-matter categories, including Fair Housing, Agency Law, Environmental Issues, Zoning and Building Codes, Real Estate Appraisal and Financing, Property Tax Assessments, and Real Estate Board Regulations. The Board requires schools to provide a certificate of completion to each licensee who finishes a course. Pre-licensure education cannot be used to satisfy the continuing education requirement, and extra CE credits do not roll over to the next renewal cycle.

In Michigan, continuing education courses must be certified by CE Marketplace, a tracking system operated by Michigan REALTORS®, since November 1, 2018. The state no longer approves or tracks CE courses directly. Licensees must complete 18 clock hours of CE per 3-year cycle, including at least 2 hours per year on laws, rules, and court cases, and at least 1 hour per year on fair housing compliance. The remaining 9 hours are elective. Licensees must retain CE documentation for at least 4 years and produce it at the request of the Department. CE Marketplace is free to use and allows licensees to view their CE profile at any time.

Continuing education in Minnesota real estate requires salespersons and brokers to complete 30 hours of approved CE during each two-year license period, with at least 15 hours completed in the first 12 months. The 30 hours must include at least 1 hour of Agency Laws training and at least 1 hour of Fair Housing training. Each license year also requires completion of an assigned general module course. For 2026-2027, the module is "Cybersecurity in Real Estate" (3.75 hours), which also satisfies the broker module requirement. To receive module credit, licensees must pass an exam of 20 questions with a score of 14 or more correct. CE courses cannot be repeated for credit in the same licensing period, and extra hours do not carry over. Course completions are tracked through the PULSE portal at pulseportal.com.

Continuing education (CE) in Mississippi requires 16 hours of approved coursework per 2-year license renewal cycle. The 16 hours include 8 mandatory hours (2 hours of license law, 2 hours of contract law, and 4 hours of agency law) and 8 elective hours. The holder of a permanent license who has completed the post-license course is exempt from the CE requirement for the first renewal of that permanent license. Licensees who have held a license for at least 25 years and are older than 65 are fully exempt from CE. Up to 6 excess hours earned in the final 3 months of a renewal period may carry over to the next cycle.

Missouri requires 12 hours of MREC-approved continuing education during each 2-year license period, with at least 3 hours in a core course identified by the Missouri Real Estate Commission. For the 2026-2028 renewal period, the core course must cover Fair Housing; the 2028-2030 period will require an Agency core course. CE may be completed in person or online through MREC-approved providers, and licensees must maintain their own CE records.

Continuing education in Montana real estate requires each active licensee to complete a minimum of 12 hours of Board-approved continuing education every licensing year, which runs from November 1 through October 31. Supervising brokers must complete 4 of their 12 hours in supervising broker continuing education courses. All courses approved through Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) are accepted for Montana CE credit, and adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) 24.210.667 contains the complete CE rules.

Continuing education in Nebraska requires active licensees to complete 18 clock hours every 2 years as part of each renewal cycle. At least 12 of the 18 hours must be in Commission-approved continuing education, and of those 12 hours, at least 6 must be in designated subject matter courses marked with an "R". New licensees who renew during the same calendar year in which the license was issued are exempt from CE for the first renewal cycle.

Continuing education in Nevada refers to mandatory coursework that licensees must complete to maintain an active real estate license. First-time licensees must complete post-licensing education through live instruction within the first year of licensure. For subsequent renewals, licensees must complete 36 hours of continuing education every 2 years, with at least 18 hours taken through live instruction.

Continuing education certification in real estate refers to the accredited coursework that licensees must complete to renew an active license. In New Hampshire, the requirement is 15 hours per renewal cycle, consisting of a 3-hour mandatory core course plus 12 elective hours, all tracked through the CE Broker system. For first-time salesperson renewals, 12 hours of post-licensing education in specified topics replace the standard electives. NAR separately requires its members to complete Code of Ethics training and Fair Housing training every three years, but these are not part of state CE requirements.

Continuing education in New Jersey real estate is the mandatory 12 credit hours that brokers, broker-salespersons, and salespersons must complete every two-year licensing term to renew their licenses. The New Jersey Real Estate Commission requires at least 6 of the 12 hours in core topics, including 2 hours in ethics, 1 hour in Fair Housing and NJ Law Against Discrimination, and 1 hour in agency. The remaining 6 hours may be any combination of core or elective topics. CE providers report course completions to PSI, which maintains the online CE tracking system for the Commission.

Continuing education certification in New Mexico is the completion of commission-approved CE courses reported with each license renewal. Associate brokers must complete 36 hours per 3-year cycle, and qualifying brokers must complete 42 hours. Both license types require a 4-hour annual core course (12 hours total per cycle), a 4-hour ethics course, and core electives (4 hours for associate brokers, 8 for qualifying brokers). Qualifying brokers also take a 6-hour refresher course. New associate brokers must complete a 30-hour post-licensing course, New Broker Business Practices or CCIM 101, within their first year of licensure.

Continuing education in New York requires 22.5 hours of approved instruction per two-year license term. The mandatory topic breakdown is 3 hours of fair housing, 2 hours of implicit bias, 2 hours of cultural competency, 2.5 hours of ethical business practices, 1 hour of recent legal matters, and 1 hour of law of agency (2 hours for salespersons in their first renewal cycle). The remaining hours are electives in any approved topic. CE credits cannot be carried over to the next renewal term, and attorneys admitted to the New York State Bar are exempt from all CE requirements.

Continuing education certification in North Dakota is the process of completing required CE hours to maintain an active real estate license. For the 2025-2026 CE cycle (November 16, 2025 through November 15, 2026), brokers, broker associates, and salespersons must complete 12 hours of elective topics with no mandatory topic hours this cycle. Licensees must receive and retain a certificate of completion from the course sponsor after each course and must have been present for at least 90% of classroom hours to earn credit. There is no grace period for completing CE, and non-resident licensees must meet CE requirements in their state of residence only.

Continuing education (CE) is the ongoing training that Ohio real estate licensees must complete to maintain an active license. Ohio requires 30 hours of CE every 3 years, including 3 hours each of Canons of Ethics, Core Law, and Civil Rights. Brokers must also complete a 3-hour Broker Responsibilities course within the 30 hours. Licensees must maintain proof of CE compliance for 6 years and make records available for audit.

Continuing education in Oklahoma is required every three years for active licensees. Resident Sales Associates and Broker Associates must complete 30 hours total, consisting of 13 hours of required coursework (6 hours Contracts and Forms, 3 hours Professional Conduct, 1 hour Broker Relationship Act, 1 hour Code and Rules, 1 hour Fair Housing, and 1 hour Hot Topic) plus 17 hours of electives. Resident Brokers must complete 30 hours total, including a 15-hour Broker in Charge course, 6 hours Contracts and Forms, and 9 hours of electives. Non-resident licensees must complete 8 hours of Oklahoma-specific CE. Inactive licensees have no CE requirement, but any CE not completed on the most recent inactive renewal must be finished before returning to active status.

In Oregon, continuing education certification means completing 30 hours of CE from providers certified by the Oregon Real Estate Agency during each two-year renewal cycle. The Agency randomly audits CE records, and licensees must keep certificates of attendance for 3 years after the renewal or reactivation date. Licensees enter their CE course information into eLicense rather than submitting certificates directly to the Agency, and excess hours cannot be rolled over to the next renewal period.

Continuing education in Pennsylvania real estate is the 14 hours of Commission-approved coursework required during each two-year license period to renew or reactivate a license. Standard licensees renewing for the first time must complete a 7-hour General Module plus a 7-hour Residential or Commercial Module. For subsequent renewals, 14 hours of approved continuing education are required, with specific mandatory topics designated by the Commission for each cycle.

Continuing education certification in Rhode Island requires 24 hours of DBR-approved real estate education during each 2-year licensing period. At least 9 of the 24 hours must be in CORE instruction, including a minimum of 3 hours in Fair Housing. The course, school, and instructor must all be approved by the Department of Business Regulation (DBR), and licensees must submit certificates of completion with their renewal application.

Continuing education in South Carolina requires active associate and broker licensees to complete 10 hours every two-year renewal cycle: 4 hours of mandatory core coursework and 6 hours of electives. Broker-in-charge licensees must complete 10 hours consisting of a 4-hour BIC course, 4 hours of mandatory core, and 2 hours of electives. CE is tracked through the CE Broker system, and all licensees are eligible for a free basic account. CE must be completed before submitting a license renewal, and all courses must be approved by the South Carolina Real Estate Commission.

Continuing education is the ongoing education required to maintain an active real estate license in South Dakota. Broker associates and brokers must complete 24 hours of CE during each two-year renewal cycle, with at least 12 hours in required subject areas including real estate contracts, license law, fair housing, and ethics. CE is due by December 31, and licensees who fail to complete it are placed on inactive status January 1.

Continuing education certification in Tennessee requires 16 hours of TREC-approved education every 2 years, including a mandatory 6-hour Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) Core Course. CE Broker serves as the official tracking system for TREC, and education providers report course completions directly to CE Broker. Licensees renew through CORE at core.tn.gov, where the system indicates whether education status is compliant. A licensee who does not complete the required CE cannot renew, and the license will be set back to renewal status.

Continuing education in Texas real estate refers to the 18 hours of approved coursework that license holders must complete during each two-year license period to renew an active license. The required breakdown is 4 hours of Legal Update I, 4 hours of Legal Update II, 3 hours of Contract-Related coursework, and 7 hours of elective CE. Brokers who sponsor one or more sales agents, or delegated supervisors, must also complete a 6-hour Broker Responsibility Course as part of the 18-hour requirement. If a license holder renews active without completing CE, a $200 deferral fee provides a 60-day extension to finish the coursework while remaining active.

Continuing education in Utah real estate requires completing 18 hours of certified CE every 2-year renewal cycle. At least 9 of the 18 hours must be core topic courses, and 3 of those 9 core hours must come from a Division-approved 3-hour mandatory course available in three versions: Residential, Commercial, and Property Management. First-time renewals require a 12-hour New Agent Course, a 3-hour mandatory course, and 3 additional hours of core or elective courses, also totaling 18 hours. CE providers must be certified by the Utah Division of Real Estate, with course applications costing $75 and instructor applications costing $50, and certifications are valid for a 2-year period.

Continuing education in Vermont real estate is the required coursework that licensees must complete during each two-year renewal cycle to maintain an active license. Salespersons must complete 16 hours of approved continuing education, and brokers must complete 24 hours. Four of those hours must be in a subject designated by the Vermont Real Estate Commission for that licensing period. For the 2024-2026 cycle, the mandatory course covers disciplinary actions, legislative changes, hot topics such as short-term rental regulations and disclosure rules, and practice items including agency models and contract terminations.

Continuing education (CE) is required for all Virginia real estate brokers and salespersons who have renewed their license at least once. Salespersons must complete 16 hours of CE every two years. For licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2026, the mandatory portion increased from 8 to 11 hours, covering Ethics (3 hours), Fair Housing (2 hours), Legal Updates and Emerging Trends (2 hours), Real Estate Agency (2 hours), and Real Estate Contracts (2 hours), with 5 elective hours. Brokers must complete 24 hours of CE every two years, including 6 hours of Broker Management and 2 hours of Broker Supervision. CE and post-license education are distinct types of Board-approved education and cannot be substituted for one another.

Continuing education (CE) is the ongoing training required to maintain an active Washington real estate license. For standard renewals, licensees must complete 30 hours of approved CE every 2 years, including a 3-hour Current Issues Core course and at least 27 hours of other approved CE. The first active license renewal requires 90 hours instead of 30, including 30-hour Advanced Practices and 30-hour Real Estate Law courses. Licensees who have not taken the initial 6-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course must take it first, then take a 3-hour Fair Housing course each subsequent renewal. CE providers do not report completions to DOL, so licensees must retain certificates for audit. Inactive licensees do not need CE but must still submit a renewal application every 2 years.

Continuing education certification in West Virginia means completing 7 hours of Commission-approved continuing professional education per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30), with each hour equaling 50 minutes of instruction. Brokers and associate brokers must include 3 hours of broker-level curriculum within the 7 hours. The West Virginia Real Estate Commission uses CE Broker as its official tracking system, and licensees must maintain a free Basic Account to verify compliance during audits.

Continuing education certification in Wisconsin real estate requires completing 18 hours of Board-approved courses per two-year biennium, consisting of 12 hours of mandatory topics and 6 hours of electives. The biennium runs from December 15 of an even-numbered year through December 14 of the next even-numbered year. Courses must be preapproved by the Wisconsin Real Estate Examining Board, and the current format uses individual 1-hour courses. Salespersons licensed after October 1 of an even-numbered year are exempt from CE for that biennium only, while brokers have no exemptions at any renewal.

Continuing education in Wyoming real estate is the ongoing coursework licensees must complete to renew an active license every three years. Salespersons and associate brokers must complete 45 hours per cycle (24 mandatory hours plus 21 elective hours), while responsible brokers must complete 53 hours (24 mandatory, 21 elective, and 8 Wyoming Broker Management hours). The mandatory hours cover Fair Housing and Anti-Trust, Real Estate Management and Technology, Marketing and Advertising Compliance, Valuation and Finance, and Agency and Contracts. A newly issued active license must be renewed by December 31 of the year it was issued, but no CE is required for that first renewal. Online CE courses are accepted with no limit on the number of hours taken online.