Georgia Real Estate License Renewal and CE Requirements

Georgia real estate licensees must complete 36 hours of continuing education (CE) every four years and renew by the last day of their birthday month. The Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) charges $100 for online renewals or $125 for mail-in renewals. New salespersons face an added 25-hour post-license course in their first year, and brokers renewing on or after July 1, 2025 must complete 18 hours of broker-specific CE within the same CE total.

Georgia real estate license renewal cycle and deadlines

All Georgia real estate licenses renew on a four-year cycle, expiring on the last day of the licensee's birthday month. Under GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.05(3)(a)^[1], an individual license lapses on that date if the renewal is not submitted. GREC opens the renewal window 120 days before the expiration date, giving licensees time to complete any outstanding CE and submit the renewal.

GREC sends email reminders before the expiration date. Online renewals must be processed by midnight on the last day of the birthday month, or a late fee applies, per the GREC RE News July 2020^[2]. If CE is not complete by the deadline, GREC advises renewing to inactive status to avoid the late fee and protect the license.

Renewal fees and late penalties

The renewal fee is $100 through GREC's online system or $125 by mail or any other method, per GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.04(1)(a)2^[1]. If the license is not renewed by the due date, it lapses and GREC assesses a $100 late fee, which is separate from the renewal fee, as stated in the GREC license renewal guide^[3].

The late fee is assessed in addition to the renewal fee, so a licensee who misses the deadline must pay both to return to active status. Paying the renewal fee on time, even without completing CE, places the license on inactive status rather than letting it lapse.

How many CE hours do Georgia salespersons need

Active salespersons must complete 36 instructional hours of approved continuing education during each renewal period, including at least 3 hours on the topic of license law, per GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.05(1)(d)^[1]. The remaining hours are electives. An instructional hour is at least 50 minutes of instruction or other learning activity, per GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.02(2)(o)^[1].

For the first renewal cycle, new salespersons need 27 additional CE hours after completing the post-license course: 3 hours of license law and elective credits. Subsequent renewal cycles require the full 36 hours, with 3 hours of license law and the balance as electives.

Post-license course for new Georgia salespersons

New salespersons must complete a 25-hour post-license course within one year of their original license issuance date, per GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.05(1)^[1]. A six-month extension to 18 months is available under O.C.G.A. 43-40-8(d)^[1]. Failure to complete the course causes the license to lapse, according to the Georgia REALTORS® CE credit information page^[4].

The post-license course includes a proctored final exam. It counts as 9 hours toward the CE requirement for the first renewal period. This credit is available only if the license has not lapsed.

Broker continuing education requirements in Georgia

Brokers and associate brokers renewing on or after July 1, 2025 must complete at least 18 hours of broker-specific CE within the existing CE total, per GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.05(1)(f)^[1], effective July 1, 2025. The hours consist of the license law requirement, broker-specific topics, and electives.

Broker-specific CE topics include training licensees, supervising licensees, reviewing brokerage agreements, and managing a firm. This sub-requirement does not affect salespersons.

CE exemptions for long-time Georgia licensees

Licensees whose license number is below 100,000 are exempt from all CE requirements for license renewal. This threshold corresponds to licenses issued before 1980. The Georgia REALTORS® CE credit information page^[4] confirms that if GREC has grandfathered a licensee from CE, the license law requirement also does not apply.

CE course formats and approved providers

Georgia licensees may fulfill CE requirements through classroom instruction, webinars, or self-paced online real estate education courses from GREC-approved providers. The commission itself provides web-based CE modules priced at $10 per course, addressing license law, general CE, and instructor topics, for several hours of credit, per the GREC RE News July 2020^[2].

GREC maintains a directory of approved education providers on its website. All CE credits must appear in the GREC online system before a licensee submits a renewal.

Inactive status and reactivation

An inactive license is not affiliated with a brokerage firm but has renewal fees current; a lapsed license has not been renewed at all. The GREC RE News July 2020^[2] explains the distinction: inactive licensees keep their license in good standing but cannot practice real estate; lapsed licensees have no valid license.

If CE is incomplete at the renewal deadline, a licensee should renew to inactive status to avoid the late fee. After completing the required CE and having it posted in the GREC system, the licensee returns to active status by submitting a Change Application. There is no fee to re-activate from inactive status, per the GREC license renewal guide^[3].

To reactivate from inactive status, the licensee must have completed the CE that would have been required while on active status, or requalify as an original applicant, per Rule 520-1-.05(2)(e)^[1]. Inactive licensees who can show evidence of meeting CE requirements for each renewal period while inactive are exempt from this reactivation requirement, per Rule 520-1-.05(2)(f)^[1].

Reinstating a lapsed Georgia real estate license

A lapsed license can be reinstated, but costs and requirements increase the longer the lapse continues. Reinstatement fees and requirements are set by GA Admin Code Rule 520-1-.04(1)(a)3^[1].

The GREC RE News July 2020^[2] confirms these tiers: a license lapsed 2 to 5 years requires retaking the original prelicense course, and a license lapsed over 5 years requires starting over as a new applicant.

Professional association training beyond state CE

National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) members face a three-year Code of Ethics training requirement and a separate three-year Fair Housing training requirement. These requirements are separate from Georgia's state-mandated CE and do not count toward the GREC requirement.

Non-NAR members are not subject to these requirements. Georgia state CE and NAR training operate on different cycles and are tracked independently.

Next steps for your Georgia license renewal

Check your renewal date and CE status in the GREC online system well before your birthday month deadline. Before renewing, confirm you have met the CE requirement for your license type and enrollment status.

If you have outstanding CE hours, enroll in approved real estate CE courses covering your required topics, including license law for salespersons or broker-specific CE for brokers. Complete all CE before submitting your renewal to keep your license on active status and avoid the late fee.