CE real estate license renewal in Kansas: Requirements and deadlines

Kansas real estate licensees must complete 12 hours of continuing education (CE) and pay a renewal fee every two years to keep their license active. The Kansas Real Estate Commission (KREC) oversees this CE real estate renewal process, which requires a mandatory 3-hour Kansas Required Core course and 9 hours of electives for both salespersons and brokers.

Kansas real estate license renewal cycle and deadlines

Kansas real estate licenses expire every two years, and licensees must renew on or before the expiration date to avoid penalties. The renewal cycle runs from the date of license issuance. Effective January 1, 2019, the expiration date for new licensees is the first day of the month two years after the date of issuance, according to the KREC license renewal page^[1]. A license issued on March 15, 2024, for example, expires on March 1, 2026.

KREC sends a courtesy renewal reminder email 45 days before the expiration date. The online renewal portal in the MyLicense system also opens 45 days before the deadline, per the KREC FAQ^[2]. Licensees can renew as soon as the portal opens.

If you cannot complete CE by the expiration date, KREC offers two options: renew to inactive status (no CE required) and reactivate later, or renew late once the hours are complete (with a late penalty).

Kansas real estate license renewal fees

The two-year renewal fee is $125 for a salesperson and $175 for a broker, as stated on the KREC license renewal page^[1]. A $100 late fee applies to all renewals submitted after the expiration date.

Pursuant to 2025 HB 2280, all fees related to original licensure and license renewal are waived for military spouses meeting certain criteria, as noted on the KREC salesperson requirements page^[3].

Kansas continuing education requirements for license renewal

Kansas treats continuing education as a recurring obligation that applies at every renewal cycle, not as a one-time post-licensing requirement. Both salespersons and brokers must meet the same standard, and the obligation begins at the first renewal after initial licensure.

KREC designates one mandatory course topic each cycle; licensees choose the remaining hours from approved electives. Real estate continuing education in Kansas follows this simple structure across every renewal period.

New licensees in Kansas enter the regular CE cycle directly rather than completing a transitional post-licensing course.

Do brokers have different CE requirements

No. Brokers face the same education standard as salespersons at every renewal, with no additional hours or different mandatory topics.

What is the Kansas Required Core course

The Kansas Required Core is a 3-hour mandatory CE course covering brokerage relationships and misrepresentation, and it must be completed during every renewal cycle. Commission-approved providers identify core courses with an "M" prefix in the course ID number (for example, Course ID M20050), distinguishing them from elective courses.

A course titled "core" in another state does not satisfy the Kansas Required Core requirement. The KREC FAQ^[2] confirms that Code of Ethics is an elective, not a core class, and that the core class is called "Kansas Required Core." Credit is not granted for property management courses or for any course substituted for the Kansas Required Core.

CE course formats and where to take them

Kansas licensees can complete their renewal education through KREC-approved providers offering courses in multiple delivery formats. Licensees can mix formats within a single cycle to reach their required hours.

Approved providers offer CE packages at varying price points. When browsing any CE store for real estate courses, confirm each course carries a KREC approval number before enrolling.

CE rules, restrictions, and reporting

Kansas CE credits do not carry over to the next renewal cycle, and licensees cannot receive credit for taking the same course more than once in the same renewal period. The KREC CE renewal page^[4] documents several additional restrictions:

Schools have 5 calendar days after a course ends to submit credits to KREC, or must report by the license expiration date if that comes first. CE completed on the same day as a successful license renewal applies only to that renewal cycle and does not carry forward. One additional rule applies to licensees upgrading from salesperson to broker: CE taken as a salesperson prior to the issuance of a Kansas broker's license will not count toward the broker's renewal requirement.

The Kansas Association of REALTORS® recommends completing CE at least 3 business days before the expiration date to allow providers time to report, according to its CE requirements page^[5].

Late renewal, expiration, and license forfeiture

An expired Kansas real estate license must be renewed within 6 months of expiration or it will be forfeited, requiring the licensee to reapply from scratch. Late renewals incur the late fee in addition to the standard renewal fee, according to the KREC license renewal page^[1].

Licensees who do not renew by the expiration date must stop performing activities that require a real estate license. The 6-month grace period allows late renewal, but after that window closes, the license is forfeited and the individual must complete the full application process again, including pre-licensing education and the licensing exam.

Inactive license status and reactivation

Kansas licensees can renew to inactive status without completing CE, but all deferred hours must be completed before the license can return to active status. Inactive licenses must still be renewed on the same renewal cycle to avoid expiration and late fees.

Reactivation requirements increase with the length of time on inactive status:

The Commission does not have a "referral" license status. An active license is required to complete a referral transaction, so licensees who only make occasional referrals must maintain active status and complete CE.

NAR Code of Ethics and Kansas license renewal

The NAR Code of Ethics is a membership requirement of the National Association of REALTORS®, not a KREC requirement, and has no bearing on renewing or retaining a Kansas real estate license. The Kansas Required Core course is the only mandatory CE topic for KREC renewal, as confirmed by the KREC FAQ^[2].

NAR members must complete ethics training on a separate three-year cycle. The current cycle (Cycle 8) ends December 31, 2027, and requires a minimum of 2.5 hours of ethics training, according to the Kansas Association of REALTORS® CE requirements page^[5]. Ethics training from a NAR-approved provider can count toward the 9 elective hours for KREC renewal if the course is also KREC-approved.

Plan ahead for your Kansas license renewal

Start your CE early enough that providers have time to report completions before your expiration date. Check your transcript in the KREC Public Portal, complete the Kansas Required Core and your remaining elective hours, and submit your renewal through the MyLicense portal before the deadline. If you cannot finish in time, renew to inactive status to avoid late fees and forfeiture, then complete your hours and reactivate when ready.