Maryland real estate license renewal and CE requirements

Maryland real estate professionals face ongoing education and renewal obligations to keep an active license. The Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC), part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR), sets the real estate CE topic requirements, completion deadlines, and fee schedule under Title 17 of the Business Occupations and Professions article. This guide covers renewal procedures, CE topic requirements by license type, fees, and reinstatement rules.

Maryland real estate license renewal cycle and process

The MREC renewal portal^[1] handles all renewal transactions electronically. Licensees confirm their education credits are posted, then submit payment before the current term ends.

Brokers seeking renewal must provide a credit report no older than 6 months, including the public record section, before the Commission approves the application.

Continuing education hour requirements for Maryland renewals

All Maryland real estate licensees share the same total CE obligation each renewal cycle, but the mandatory topic breakdown varies by practice area and whether the renewal is the licensee's first. The MREC education requirements page^[2] defines three CE categories: standard renewal for salespersons and associate brokers, first renewal for newly licensed agents, and supervisory renewal for brokers and managers.

Broker-tier CE follows the same total but shifts more hours into mandatory topics at the expense of electives.

Mandatory CE topics for standard renewals

Standard renewal CE splits between mandatory topic hours and elective hours, with the allocation depending on whether the licensee practices residential or commercial real estate. Effective October 1, 2025, the MREC education requirements page^[2] sets the following mandatory topics for residential salespersons and associate brokers who are not in their first renewal cycle:

The 2-hour Fair Housing requirement (Topic C) took effect October 1, 2025, increasing from the prior 1.5-hour standard.

For commercial salespersons and associate brokers, the mandatory topics are:

The ethics course (Topic D) must cover the Maryland Code of Ethics, flipping and predatory lending, and professionalism.

First renewal CE requirements

Licensees initially licensed on or after October 1, 2023 must complete a separate set of 15 mandatory hours with zero elective hours for their first renewal. According to the MREC education requirements page^[2], first-renewal topics are identical for residential and commercial licensees:

First-renewal topics are mandatory and may not be substituted with education or CE from another state.

Supervision CE for brokers, branch office managers, and team leaders

Brokers, designated branch office managers, and team leaders must complete an additional 1.5 hours of Supervision (Topic I), which reduces their elective hours from 4 to 2.5. The MREC education requirements page^[2] lists this requirement, which was reduced from a prior 3-hour standard effective October 28, 2025.

Once a licensee assumes a supervisory role, they have 90 days to complete the Supervision course if it was not already completed during the previous renewal cycle. This 90-day clock starts from the date the licensee takes on the supervisory position, not from the renewal deadline.

CE completion deadline and provider upload timeline

CE coursework must be finished at least 30 days before the license renewal date, and education providers have up to 14 days after course completion to upload credit hours into the MREC system. These rules took effect October 1, 2024 under MREC regulations Titles 17-314 and 17-315^[1].

Because providers have 14 days to upload credits, licensees should finish coursework well before the 30-day deadline to ensure credits appear in the system on time. If CE is not completed on time, MREC may place the license on inactive status until the requirements are met.

Renewal fees by license type

The MREC fee schedule, effective April 27, 2026^[3], sets the following renewal fees:

Additional fees that may apply during the renewal cycle include a $75 CE late fee if education is not completed on time, a $28 fee to reactivate an inactive license, and a $28 fee to transfer to another broker.

Late fees, reinstatement, and expired licenses

If a Maryland real estate license expires, the licensee may reinstate it without re-examination for up to 3 years from the last valid expiration date. Reinstatement requires completing all applicable CE for the period of non-licensure, paying all past-due renewal fees, and paying a $168 reinstatement fee^[1].

Electronic reinstatement is available if the license has been expired for less than 2 years. If expired for more than 2 years but fewer than 3, the licensee must contact the Commission for a mail-in reinstatement application, and the request must be received at least 30 days before the 3-year window closes.

A license expired for more than 3 years cannot be reinstated by paying back fees and completing CE. The licensee must contact the Commission for current education and exam requirements, which may include retaking the licensing exam.

Inactive license status and CE obligations

Maryland allows a real estate license to be placed on inactive status, but CE must still be completed to renew even an inactive license. The MREC education requirements page^[2] states that licensees must complete CE and renew to remain inactive.

After placing a license on inactive status, the licensee has 3 years from that date to affiliate with a broker. A real estate license cannot remain inactive or expired for more than 3 years.

Taking Maryland real estate CE courses online

Maryland permits licensees to satisfy their entire CE obligation through online courses from MREC-approved providers, with no restriction on the number of hours completed through distance learning.

Checking your CE credits in Maryland

An online portal lets licensees review their posted education credits and see which courses still need completion.

Licensees should verify their CE status before the renewal deadline to confirm that providers have uploaded all credits. If a provider has not uploaded credits promptly, the licensee should contact the provider directly.

Out-of-state CE credits and course substitutions

Out-of-state CE hours may count toward Maryland electives only, not mandatory topics. Licensees must email out-of-state CE certificates to the Commission at least 30 days before license expiration for review.

Three Maryland required courses — Legislative (Topic A), Ethics (Topic D), and Principles of Brokerage Relationships and Disclosure (Topic H) — may not be substituted with education from another state. NAR ethics does not satisfy the Maryland ethics requirement.

If a licensee holds multiple licenses, the school must submit course completion for each license number separately.

Maryland does not require post-licensing education

Unlike some states that impose a separate post-licensing requirement, Maryland has no post-licensing education step. New licensees enter the standard CE cycle at their first renewal, completing a specialized set of mandatory topics.

Next steps for your Maryland license renewal

Check your CE status through the MREC online query tool to see which credits are on file. Complete any missing mandatory and elective coursework well before your renewal date to account for the completion deadline and provider upload timeline. Submit your renewal application and pay the applicable fee through the MREC online licensing system before your license expires.