Arkansas Real Estate License Renewal and CE Requirements

Arkansas real estate licensees must complete annual continuing education and pay a renewal fee to maintain an active license. The Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC) requires all license types to renew each year by December 31, with September 30 as the deadline to renew without a penalty. CE for real estate in Arkansas follows a track system that varies by license type, and new licensees face a separate post-license education requirement within their first six months.

Arkansas real estate license renewal deadlines and fees

All Arkansas real estate licenses, both salesperson and broker, expire on December 31 of each calendar year. The deadline to renew without paying a penalty is September 30, according to the AREC existing agent licensing page^[1]. Renewals submitted between October 1 and December 31 are accepted but include an additional penalty. If an active license is not renewed by December 31, it becomes expired on January 1, per the AREC licensing FAQ^[2].

AREC charges different renewal fees based on license type and timing:

The late penalty adds $30 for brokers and $20 for salespersons to the standard fee. Both tiers cover the same license year; the difference is the penalty for missing the September 30 deadline. These fee amounts are codified in the Arkansas rules and have remained consistent across renewal cycles.

The Arkansas real estate license renewal process

You can renew online through the AREC online services portal^[3] or by mailing a renewal form to AREC. Online renewal requires your birth date in MM/DD/YYYY format and your complete license number, including leading zeros (for example, PB00001234 or SA00057890). Accepted payment methods include Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and eCheck. If your license was inactive at the end of the prior calendar year, you may renew online; otherwise, you must submit a renewal form to AREC.

Renewal notices are mailed to each licensee's home address in mid-July, according to the AREC existing agent licensing page^[1], giving you the summer to complete the process before the September 30 deadline.

Annual continuing education requirements for Arkansas licensees

AREC requires all active licensees to complete approved coursework each year before renewing, with the specific required courses changing annually. The commission assigns licensees to one of two tracks based on license type. Associate brokers may choose either track. New licensees are exempt from the CE requirement until their second active renewal; the first renewal after initial licensure does not require CE, as noted on the AREC education page^[4].

How Arkansas continuing education works

Continuing education is the annual coursework that AREC mandates for active licensees, distinct from the one-time post-license education required of new licensees. The curriculum covers safety practices, agency relationships, and elective subjects that the commission selects each year.

CE track requirements by license type

AREC divides the annual CE requirement into two tracks that share the same total hours but differ in the required course topics. For 2025, Track 1 applies to Principal Brokers and Executive Brokers, and Track 2 applies to salespersons, as published on the AREC 2025 CE requirements page^[5]:

Salespersons may not take the supervising broker course. Principal brokers and executive brokers may take the salesperson best practices course but will not receive CE credit for it. Associate brokers who plan to become supervising brokers should select Track 1.

CE course formats and approved providers

Arkansas gives licensees three delivery methods for continuing education, all with equal credit value. All distance education must meet ARELLO certification^[4] standards, and the commission does not cap the number of CE hours a licensee may take through distance education.

Can you complete Arkansas CE courses online?

Yes, Arkansas permits all CE hours to be completed through online distance education, as long as the course is ARELLO certified and offered by an AREC-approved provider.

Finding an AREC-approved CE provider

Only courses from commission-approved schools count toward the annual requirement.

Choosing the right CE format

Arkansas offers three delivery methods for continuing education, all carrying equal credit toward the annual requirement.

Post-license education for new Arkansas licensees

Post-license education is a one-time requirement that new licensees must complete to remain active, separate from and independent of the annual CE requirement. New salespersons and new brokers each face a distinct post-license course with a deadline at the end of the sixth month after their initial license date. Under Commission Regulation 11.4^[4], a single course cannot be applied to both CE and pre-licensing education. New brokers must complete the post-license requirement before advancing to Executive or Principal Broker status.

Inactive license status and reactivation

An inactive Arkansas real estate license does not require CE completion, but the licensee must still pay the annual renewal fee to keep the license current. Inactive licenses can be retained indefinitely as long as renewal fees are paid each year, per the AREC licensing FAQ^[2].

To reactivate an inactive license, you must complete 6 classroom hours of approved CE for each year the license was inactive, up to a maximum of 30 hours. You must also submit an activation form and pay a $30 reactivation fee, provided all renewal fees are current. CE hours completed for reactivation purposes cannot be credited toward the next renewal cycle's requirement. When transferring from inactive to active status, you must have completed CE hours during the year of activation or the preceding calendar year, as stated on the AREC education page^[4].

Expired licenses and reinstatement in Arkansas

A license that is not renewed by December 31 becomes expired on January 1, and the licensee may not conduct real estate business while expired. Commissions for transactions that close during the expiration period are not collectible.

Under Commission Regulation 6.3(c)^[2], a former licensee may reinstate an expired license within one year of the last calendar year in which the license was renewed. For example, if a license expired on December 31, 2024, reinstatement is available until December 31, 2025. During the reinstatement window, the licensee pays the late renewal fee: $110 for brokers and $80 for salespersons. After the one-year window closes, the former licensee must complete the full licensing process as a new applicant, including pre-licensing education and examination.

CE reporting, recordkeeping, and the October 1 rule

You bear sole responsibility for confirming that CE hours reach AREC by the renewal deadline. If your education provider does not submit completions on your behalf, you must mail CE certificates directly to the commission. Licenses are placed on inactive status if no record of CE is submitted, according to the AREC existing agent licensing page^[1].

AREC allows CE courses completed on or after October 1 to count toward the upcoming two calendar years, per the AREC licensing FAQ^[2]. A course taken in October 2025, for example, can satisfy the CE requirement for both the 2026 and 2027 renewal cycles. CE hours taken before October 1 apply to a single renewal cycle only, and excess hours beyond the annual requirement do not carry forward.

What to do next

Check your CE completion status through AREC's online services before the September 30 deadline. If you have not yet completed your annual hours, select an AREC-approved provider and enroll in the required courses for your track. New licensees should confirm whether they need post-license education or CE for their upcoming renewal. Licensees on inactive status who want to return to active practice should calculate their CE deficit and submit the activation form with the reactivation fee.