Tennessee real estate license renewal and CE requirements
Tennessee real estate licensees must renew every two years through the CORE online system at core.tn.gov, paying a $75 fee and completing 16 hours of continuing education (CE) from TREC-approved providers. Real estate renewal requires a mandatory 6-hour TREC Core course plus 10 hours of electives, and the Commission tracks all completions through CE Broker. Licensees who miss their expiration date face escalating late fees, and those who let the license lapse for more than a year must retest or complete a 30-hour reinstatement course.
Renewing your license through the CORE system
TREC license renewal is completed through the CORE online portal at core.tn.gov. There is no statewide renewal date; each licensee's expiration falls on the two-year anniversary of their original license issuance, per the TREC renewal page[1].
Tennessee licensees renew online through the CORE system at core.tn.gov. Each renewal requires 16 hours of continuing education (a 6-hour TREC Core course plus 10 elective hours) and a $75 fee, on a two-year cycle. If a license has expired but is within 60 days of the expiration date, the licensee can still renew through CORE. Late renewals incur $50 per month for the first 120 days and $100 per month for days 121 through 365; licenses expired more than one year require retesting or completion of a 30-hour T.R.A.C.E. course to reinstate.
Licensees must not submit a renewal through CORE until all CE hours are complete. The system will set the license back to renewal status if education is incomplete, according to the TREC CE Broker page[2].
Tennessee continuing education requirements for license renewal
Each two-year renewal cycle requires a mandatory TREC Core course plus elective hours from Commission-approved providers. The Commission designates the Core course content by cycle, with separate versions for 2025-2026 and 2027-2028, per the TREC approved courses page[3]. All continuing education for real estate license renewal must come from providers approved by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC).
Tennessee requires 16 hours of continuing education every two years to renew a real estate license, including a 6-hour TREC Core course designated by the Commission. Failure to complete the TREC Core Course prevents renewal even if the full 16 hours are otherwise met.
Continuing education certification in Tennessee requires 16 hours of TREC-approved education every 2 years, including a mandatory 6-hour TREC Core Course. CE Broker serves as the official tracking system for TREC, and education providers report course completions directly to CE Broker. Licensees renew through CORE at core.tn.gov, where the system indicates whether education status is compliant. A licensee who does not complete the required CE cannot renew, and the license will be set back to renewal status.
Pre-licensing courses may not be used for continuing education, as stated on the TREC approved courses page[3]. Elective topics include agency, contracts, license law and rules, fair housing, ethics, property management, and closing procedures.
Broker post-license education and CE requirements
Brokers face a post-licensure education obligation of 120 Commission-approved classroom hours before standard CE requirements apply, per the TREC broker licensing page[4].
Brokers must complete 16 hours of continuing education every 2 years, including a 6-hour TREC Core Course. Brokers licensed after January 1, 2001 must also complete 120 additional hours of Commission-approved education within the initial years following their broker license issuance. If not completed on time, an extension is allowed while accruing a $50 monthly fee. After completing the 120-hour post-licensing requirement, brokers return to the standard 16-hour CE cycle.
Affiliate brokers licensed after December 31, 2004 must complete a 30-hour "Course for New Affiliates" before their license is issued. Brokers must complete 120 additional hours of Commission-approved education within three years of their broker license issuance date; if not completed in that period, they receive one additional year while accruing a $50 monthly fee. After completing post-licensing requirements, all licensees must complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years, including a 6-hour TREC Core Course and 10 elective hours.
Under TN Code § 62-13-303(h)[5], this requirement must be completed within 3 years of the date the original broker license was issued, effective January 1, 2024. If the hours are not finished within 3 years, the broker receives 1 additional year to complete them while accruing a monthly penalty fee. If the requirement remains unmet at the end of the 4th year, the broker must either downgrade to affiliate broker status or retake the broker exam and reapply for licensure. The 3-year deadline is the statutory requirement; the 4th year is a penalty extension.
Failure to comply with the post-broker education requirement results in non-issuance of license renewal, per the TREC broker licensing page[4].
Licensees renew through the CORE system at core.tn.gov every 2 years by paying the $75 renewal fee and completing 16 hours of continuing education, including a 6-hour TREC Core Course. CE completions are tracked through CE Broker, the official tracking system for TREC, and the CORE system indicates at renewal whether education status is compliant.
Completing Tennessee CE courses online and in person
TREC-approved education providers offer continuing education in several formats, and providers must submit course completion rosters within 10 working days, per the TREC approved courses page[3]. Real estate education online is fully permitted in Tennessee, giving licensees flexibility in how they complete their renewal obligations.
Continuing education courses may be completed live in person, in a classroom or webinar, or online through TREC-approved education providers. Tennessee places no limits on the number of CE hours that may be taken online. Education providers report course completions through CE Broker, the official CE tracking system for TREC, and licensees renew through the CORE system at core.tn.gov.
Yes, Tennessee permits the full 16 hours of continuing education, including the mandatory 6-hour TREC Core course, to be completed online through TREC-approved providers. There are no limits on the number of CE hours allowed to be taken online.
Tennessee allows all 16 continuing education hours to be completed online through TREC-approved providers, with no limits on the number of hours taken online. A final exam is not required to receive CE credit in Tennessee, and the mandatory 6-hour TREC Core Course does not require an exam. Elective topics include agency, contracts, license law and rules, fair housing, ethics, property management, and closing procedures.
How CE Broker tracks your continuing education
TREC began tracking all continuing education through CE Broker starting June 13, 2022, with electronic reporting from education providers, per the TREC CE Broker page[2]. Licensees can search for approved courses at courses.cebroker.com/search/tn.
CE Broker is the official continuing education tracking system for the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. Licensees can check their course history and CE compliance status through a free Basic Account at CE Broker, and all education completed after June 13, 2022 is tracked there. Education providers report course completions directly to CE Broker, and licensees renew through the CORE system at core.tn.gov, which indicates whether education status is compliant at renewal time.
Creating a CE Broker account is optional, as all renewal information is completed through CORE. At renewal, CORE shows whether the education requirement has been met. CE Broker support is available at 877-434-6323, open 8 AM to 8 PM ET Monday through Friday.
Late renewal fees and penalties
Tennessee charges $50 per month for the first 120 days of late renewal and $100 per month for days 121 through 365, with no grace period to practice while unlicensed, per the TREC license fees page[6].
| Fee type | Amount |
|---|---|
| On-time renewal (every 2 years) | $75 |
| Late renewal (days 1-120) | $50/month |
| Late renewal (days 121-365) | $100/month |
| CE penalty | $50/month |
| Post-broker education penalty | $50/month |
| E&O insurance lapse | $200 minimum |
| Retired to active status | $25 |
| Active to retired status | $25 |
| Transfer to new firm | $25 |
Active licensees must maintain E&O insurance coverage for renewal; a lapse carries a minimum $200 penalty. Brokers who miss the 3-year post-licensure education deadline accrue a $50 monthly penalty during the extension year. Late fees begin accruing the day after the license expiration date.
License expiration and reinstatement
Licensees who let their Tennessee real estate license expire have escalating reinstatement options depending on how long the license has been expired. The reinstatement path shifts from a simple fee-based renewal to retesting or coursework as the gap grows, per the TREC renewal page[1].
| Time since expiration | Reinstatement path |
|---|---|
| Within 60 days of expiration | Renew through CORE with late fees |
| After 60 days, within 12 months | Request reinstatement through CORE with fees |
| More than 12 months | Retest and reapply, or complete 30-hour TRACE course in lieu of retesting |
Licensees expired for more than one year must retest and reapply for licensure. In lieu of retesting, they may take an approved 30-hour T.R.A.C.E. (Tennessee Real Estate Commission Continuing Education) course to reinstate. The TRACE course is an alternative to retaking the licensing exam, not a substitute for the standard CE requirement.
Retired status and reactivation
Licensees can place their license in retired status for a $25 fee, which exempts them from CE requirements, E&O insurance, and firm affiliation. Retired licensees must still renew every two years by paying the standard renewal fee, per the TREC renewal page[1].
To reactivate from retired to active status, the licensee pays a $25 fee and must complete the standard CE requirement before reactivation, within the current renewal period.
NAR ethics training vs TREC continuing education
NAR membership obligations are separate from state licensing requirements. The ethics training mandate comes from the National Association of REALTORS® through its local boards, not from the state regulator, per the TREC approved courses page[3].
NAR requires members to complete ethics training every three years as a condition of membership. The Code of Ethics is administered by the local board of REALTORS®, not by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. This requirement is separate from Tennessee's state-mandated 16 hours of continuing education per two-year renewal cycle.
Licensees who are not REALTORS® (members of NAR) are not subject to the ethics training requirement but must still complete the standard TREC CE obligation for license renewal.
Next steps for your Tennessee real estate license renewal
Check your license expiration date in the CORE system[1] to confirm your renewal deadline, since there is no statewide date. Verify your CE compliance status through CE Broker, and confirm that the TREC Core course for your current cycle (2025-2026 or 2027-2028) appears in your course history. Complete any remaining elective hours through a TREC-approved provider, then submit your renewal through CORE before your expiration date to avoid late penalties.
Sources
- TN TREC — Renewal & ReciprocityGovernmentAugust 2026
- TN TREC — CE Broker EducationGovernmentMay 2026
- TN TREC — Approved CoursesGovernmentAugust 2026
- TN TREC — Broker LicensingGovernmentAugust 2026
- TN Code § 62-13-303(h) (2024) via Justia; corroborated by TN Commerce Customer Service Center (support.commerce.tn.gov)EducationAugust 2026
- TREC — License FeesGovernmentMay 2026