Maine real estate license renewal and CE requirements

Maine real estate licensees must renew every 2 years and complete 21 hours of Commission-approved continuing education (CE) to keep an active license. The Maine Real Estate Commission governs the renewal process, CE requirements, and reinstatement rules for all license types, and missing deadlines can trigger late fees, loss of practice authority, or full relicensing.

Maine real estate license renewal cycle and deadlines

All Maine real estate licenses operate on a 2-year renewal cycle tied to the anniversary of the original license issuance date, according to the Maine Real Estate Commission licensing hub^[1]. This schedule applies to brokers, designated brokers, associate brokers, and sales agents.

A license may be renewed up to 60 days before the expiration date. The Commission emails renewal reminders at least 30 days prior to expiration and no longer sends paper reminders, as noted on the Commission homepage^[2]. Licensees are responsible for tracking their own expiration date and meeting all requirements on time.

The sales agent license is the exception: it is issued for 2 years and is non-renewable. Sales agents must complete the Associate Broker Course and upgrade to an associate broker license before the sales agent license expires.

The Maine real estate license renewal process

License renewal is completed online through the Commission's licensing system. The licensee logs in, confirms CE completion, pays the renewal fee, and receives the renewed license. CE certificates are not submitted with the application; the licensee attests to completion on the renewal form.

Continuing education hours required for renewal

The CE requirement applies to all active license types except the sales agent. As noted above, the sales agent license is non-renewable and serves as a stepping stone to associate broker licensure.

The Commission stopped tracking individual CE records as of January 1, 2002, so licensees must maintain their own documentation. CE must be completed during the 2-year renewal period, and hours from outside the current cycle do not qualify.

The mandatory core course

The mandatory core course is a 3-hour requirement that changes every 2 years. Effective April 1, 2025, the core course is the "Reasonable Care and Diligence Core Course," as stated by the Maine Real Estate Commission continuing education page^[3].

The Commission typically makes a new core course available for at least 6 months before it becomes mandatory. Because the required core course is determined by the renewal date, licensees should verify which course is current for their cycle rather than assuming a previously taken core course still applies.

Taking continuing education online in Maine

Maine accepts internet-based and correspondence CE from providers that hold Commission approval. These formats require a final exam score of at least 85% to count as complete, with unlimited retakes permitted.

Where to find approved continuing education providers

The Commission publishes a list of approved education providers on its continuing education page^[3], and courses are offered in multiple formats throughout the state.

CE rules: carryover, duplicates, and exclusions

Excess CE hours cannot be carried over to the next renewal cycle. Only hours accumulated during the preceding 2 years may be used, and Maine law prohibits taking the same course twice within the same licensing cycle.

NAR "ethics" courses do not count toward Maine CE, even though they may be required for REALTOR® membership. Out-of-state CE courses do not automatically transfer, but licensees may submit an individual request to the Commission for review.

CE certificates should be retained for 4 years, covering the current renewal term and the previous term, in case of audit. The Commission conducts random audits and can request documentation at any time.

Late renewal and license reinstatement

Licensees who miss the expiration date have a 90-calendar-day grace period to complete CE and submit a late renewal. A $50 late fee applies in addition to the regular renewal fee, and the licensee may not practice real estate while the license is expired.

After 90 calendar days, the license cannot be renewed. The licensee must pass the Maine Law exam (administered by Pearson VUE^[4] with a minimum scaled score of 75) and submit a new license application with a $100 application fee and a $21 criminal records check fee. Expired sales agent licenses are not eligible for reinstatement.

Inactive license renewal and returning to active status

A license may be moved to inactive status at renewal by paying the renewal fee plus a $20 change of license application fee. Inactive licenses require no CE to renew. The individual licenses page^[5] details the CE required to return to active status based on how long the license has been inactive:

Next steps for Maine licensees

Check your license expiration date in the Commission's online portal, confirm which core course is mandatory for your renewal cycle, and begin your CE well before the deadline. If you are considering inactive status or are approaching a lapsed license, review the reinstatement requirements early, because the 90-day grace period passes quickly and reinstatement after that point requires retaking the Maine Law exam.