Louisiana real estate license renewal and CE requirements

Louisiana real estate license renewal is an annual requirement administered by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC), combining a fee payment with a 12-hour continuing education (CE) obligation for active licensees. The timely renewal window opens August 1 and closes September 30, with delinquent periods extending through December 31. Real estate CE must be completed by December 31 each year, and for 2026 the LREC has designated "Transparency, Technology, and Trust" as the general mandatory course, with an additional broker-specific mandatory for brokers renewing in active status.

Louisiana real estate license renewal schedule

The timely renewal period runs from August 1 to September 30 each year, established by Act 193 of the 2021 Regular Legislative Session^[1] effective April 1, 2022. Licensees who miss the September 30 deadline enter delinquent periods with escalating fees but can still renew through December 31. All licensees, whether active or inactive, must renew by December 31 to maintain their license.

The renewal calendar has three windows:

Delinquent fees apply in addition to the base renewal fee. Current licensees do not need to complete a fingerprint-based criminal history review to renew, per the LREC renewal season page^[1].

The Louisiana real estate license renewal process

Licensees complete the renewal process online via the MyLREC Portal. Before renewing, confirm your contact information is current, because Chapter 31 of LREC Rules^[2] requires licensees to notify the commission in writing within 10 days of any change to mailing address, physical address, or telephone number.

Licensees may renew before completing their annual CE, as confirmed by the LREC CE reminder blog^[3] published August 15, 2025. All CE coursework must be finished by December 31 to avoid violations and fines.

Louisiana real estate license renewal fees

Louisiana statute RS 37:1443^[4] establishes the fee schedule for license renewal and related transactions. Active broker renewal costs $70, and inactive renewal for both salespersons and brokers costs $35. The active salesperson renewal fee is set under RS 37:1443, though the LREC's current operational fee schedule reflects a different amount for this fee category.

Delinquent fees are charged in addition to the base renewal fee, per RS 37:1443^[4].

Errors and omissions insurance

All Louisiana real estate licensees must carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. The LREC broker licensing page^[5] requires proof of E&O insurance prior to license issuance, and the Louisiana REALTORS® association^[6] reported that the LREC offers a group E&O policy through Rice Insurance Services. Licensees who maintain third-party E&O coverage must update their insurance details during the renewal process.

Active vs inactive license renewal

Inactive licensees must renew annually but are exempt from the 12-hour CE requirement. The LREC CE requirements page^[7] states that the CE obligation applies to "licensees renewing in the active status," meaning inactive licensees need only pay the renewal fee by December 31. Licensees may transfer between active and inactive status for a $45 fee per RS 37:1443^[4].

Louisiana continuing education requirements for 2026

Active licensees must complete 12 hours of CE each year, with mandatory and elective components that change annually. CE courses must be at least 2 hours long, and time spent on non-instructional activities such as meals, greetings, or Q&A sessions does not count toward credit hours, per the LREC CE vendor information page^[8].

2026 mandatory CE course topics

For 2026, the LREC has designated three mandatory course options for active licensees. All salespersons and brokers must complete "Transparency, Technology, and Trust" (4 hours). Brokers and associate brokers must also complete "Broker Leadership & Compliance" (4 hours). A commercial alternate, "Money Matters & RPR for Commercial Agents," may be taken as a substitution for the general mandatory course, per the LREC CE requirements page^[7]. In 2025, the mandatory course was "Navigating the New Normal" with no broker-specific mandatory, as noted on the LREC blog^[3].

Broker CE requirements for 2026

Brokers must complete both mandatory courses designated for 2026 — the general "Transparency, Technology, and Trust" and the broker-specific "Broker Leadership & Compliance" — plus elective hours to meet the annual total. The broker-specific mandatory is a new requirement for 2026 that did not exist in 2025, when no broker-specific course was required, per the LREC CE requirements page^[7].

Post-licensing education for new Louisiana licensees

New licensees must complete a one-time post-licensing education requirement in addition to the annual CE cycle. The LREC CE requirements page^[7] specifies that this coursework must be finished within 180 days of the initial or upgraded license date, and completed hours can partially satisfy the annual CE requirement in the same year but cannot substitute for mandatory course topics.

Taking Louisiana real estate CE courses online

Louisiana allows CE coursework to be completed through distance learning, giving licensees flexibility to meet their annual requirement without attending in-person classes. Online classes for real estate license renewal include both self-paced courses and live virtual classroom formats from approved providers, and real estate education online covers the same mandatory and elective topics as classroom instruction.

Finding an approved Louisiana CE provider

Approved CE providers range from national education companies to local REALTOR® associations and title companies. The LREC CE vendors page^[9] lists certified providers including Bob Brooks School, Burk Baker School, Donaldson Educational Services, ProEducate, WebCE, and Webtaught. Local associations such as the Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS® and the New Orleans Metropolitan Association also offer approved CE courses, as do some title companies and home inspection companies.

What happens if you miss the CE or renewal deadline

Failing to renew by December 31 results in license expiration with no grace period and full reapplication as a new applicant, while failing to complete CE by that date carries a separate fine citation from the LREC.

Per the LREC License Law (R.S. 37:1442)^[10], a licensee who fails to delinquently renew by December 31 forfeits all renewal rights and must meet every requirement of an initial applicant, including retaking the state and national exams and completing a new fingerprint-based background check. If the licensee reapplies by December 31 of the year following expiration, pre-licensing education courses need not be retaken.

NAR education requirements separate from Louisiana CE

In addition to Louisiana CE, REALTOR® members must complete separate training mandates set by NAR. These NAR requirements do not count toward Louisiana CE hours unless the specific course is also LREC-approved.

Next steps

Check your CE completion status in the MyLREC Portal, confirm your contact information is current, and plan to complete your annual hours before December 31. If you are a new licensee, prioritize your post-licensing education to meet the 180-day deadline. Brokers should confirm they are registered for both 2026 mandatory courses before the timely renewal window closes on September 30.