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].

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).

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].

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].

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.

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.

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].

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].

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].

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.