Continuing Education Requirements for Real Estate Agents: State-by-State Breakdown

When you become a real estate agent, you will have to go through continuing education. Real estate agent continuing education requirements vary from state to state. They are attached to renewing your real estate license, which is different in each state, too.

All 50 states have rules when it comes to real estate agent continuing education. Let’s take a closer look at each state and what’s required for continuing education.

Alabama

You will need to meet the real estate agent continuing education requirement of 15 total hours every renewal period in Alabama. This must include a three-hour Risk Management course. During your first six months, after getting your license, you will also need to meet the post-license education.

• License Renewal: Every two years
• Post-License Education: 30 total hours, must be completed within the first 6 months of having a real estate license

Alaska

You will need to complete 20 hours of continuing education every renewal period in Alaska. Eight of the hours must be core curriculum.

• License Renewal: Every two years
• Post-License Education: 30 total hours of post-licensing education must be done, along with the 20 hours of continuing education for new licensees

Arizona

When you get your real estate license in Arizona, you will need to complete 24 continuing education hours every two years. These hours are a bit more specific than other states and include:

• 3 hours Disclosure (D)
• 3 hours Fair Housing (FH)
• 3 hours Agency (A)
• 3 hours Contract Law (CL)
• 3 hours Commissioner’s Standards (CS)
• 3 hours Real Estate Legal Issues (L)
• 6 hours General

Arizona is a bit specific about the type of hours you will need to complete.

• License Renewal: Every two years
• Post-License Education: None

Arkansas

In the state of Arkansas, you must complete one hour of Safety continuing education, along with six hours of elective hours for your continuing education. This is a total of seven continuing education hours.

• License Renewal: Every year
• Post-License Education: 18 hours of post-licensing education is necessary for your first year, but you won’t need to do the other seven continuing education hours

California

Once you have renewed your license the first time, you will need to complete 45 hours of continuing education for all other renewals. This will include an eight-hour survey course and at least 18 hours of coursework on consumer protection. All other hours must relate to customer protection or consumer service.

Your first renewal will require five, three-hour courses covering the following topics:

• Ethics
• Agency
• Fair Housing
• Trust Fund Handling
• Risk Management

You will also need another 18 hours of consumer protection courses. The rest of your 45 hours will need to relate to consumer service or consumer protection.

• License Renewal: Every Four Years
• Post-License Education: None

Colorado

A total of 24 hours of real estate agent continuing education is necessary in Colorado. Half the hours are mandatory courses you will have to take, while the other half are electives. The required hours will include a four-hour Annual Commission Update Course. You will take this course three times before you renew, which adds up to 12 total continuing education hours.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

Connecticut

A minimum of 12 hours of continuing education is necessary every two years in Connecticut. It’s due on the even-numbered years and may vary from renewal to renewal. All real estate agent licenses will expire on May 31st of the even number of years.

It’s also possible to pass a 40-question Connecticut Continuing Education Examination in place of some of your continuing education courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Delaware

After your first renewal in Delaware, you will need to complete 21 hours of continuing education courses every renewal period. Your first renewal is quite different, however.

The number of hours you will need to complete will depend on when you were licensed. You will also need to complete specific courses to fulfill the requirements. These courses will vary based on when you get your license, too.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: Varies

Florida

After your first renewal, you will need to complete 14 hours of continuing education courses every two years in Florida.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: 45 hours building on the education from the pre-licensing education

Georgia

A total of 36 continuing education hours needs to be completed every renewal period. Three of the hours will have to cover Georgia License Law.

• License Renewal: Every Four Years
• Post-License Education: None

Hawaii

In Hawaii, you will need to complete 20 hours of continuing education courses as a real estate agent. These hours have to be done every renewal period with six hours of core courses and 14 hours of elective courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Idaho

You are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education courses every renewal period in Idaho. Six hours will need to be core courses, while 14 can be elective hours.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Illinois

At least eight continuing education hours will need to be done from the core curriculum in Illinois. These hours have to be completed before you can renew your license every two years. Agents also have to complete a one-hour sexual harassment prevention course.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Indiana

You must complete 12 hours of continuing education courses every renewal period in Indiana.

• License Renewal: Every Year
• Post-License Education:

Iowa

It’s necessary to complete 36 total continuing education hours in Iowa for each renewal period. Eight hours will be a Law Update course, while four hours will be on Ethics. The rest must be approved electives.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

Kansas

Every renewal period, real estate agents in Kansas have to complete 12 hours of continuing education. Three hours is a mandatory course called Kansas Required Core.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Kentucky

Six continuing education courses must be completed in Kentucky to renew your license every year. Three of these hours have to be on an approved law course.

• License Renewal: Every Year by December 31st
• Post-License Education: None

Louisiana

You will need to complete 12 continuing education hours every year to renew your real estate license in Louisiana. Four hours will be a mandatory topic given by the Commission.

• License Renewal: Every Year
• Post-License Education: None

Maine

As a real estate agent in Maine, you must complete 21 hours of approved continuing education every renewal period. Three hours have to be a mandatory core course.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Maryland

As a real estate agent in Maryland, you will need to complete 15 hours of continuing education every two years. These hours will include:

• Legislative – 3 hours
• Brokerage Relationship and Disclosure – 3 hours
• Ethics – 3 hours
• Fair Housing – 1.5 hours
• Electives – 4.5 hours

You will need to complete these categories for your hours every renewal period.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Massachusetts

You will need to complete a total of 12 hours of continuing education every renewal period in Massachusetts.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Michigan

Every renewal period in Michigan, you will need to complete 18 hours of continuing education courses. Two hours will need to cover law, rules, and court cases about real estate.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

Minnesota

A total of 30 continuing education hours have to be completed every renewal period. your hours have to be completed by June 30th every year, except the first year, you have a license. At least 15 of the hours have to be done each year.

Every license year, you will need to complete a specific continuing education course and one hour of training in laws or regulations on agency representation and disclosure. Another hour has to be a course in state and federal fair housing laws, rules, regulations, and other antidiscrimination laws.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Mississippi

You will need to complete 16 hours of continuing education courses in Mississippi. These hours are split in half between mandatory and electives. The mandatory hours include two hours on MS license law, two hours on Contract Law, and four hours on Agency Law.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Missouri

A total of 12 continuing education hours are necessary every renewal period in Missouri. Three of the hours have to be a course from the Missouri Real Estate Commission.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Montana

At least 12 continuing education hours must be completed every course year in Montana. If you’re a real estate agent, you will need to complete these hours every year by October 31st.

• License Renewal: Every Year
• Post-License Education: None

Nebraska

As a real estate agent in Nebraska, you will need to complete 18 hours of continuing education every renewal period. Six of the hours will be a designated subject from the Nebraska Real Estate Commission.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Nevada

After your first renewal in Nevada, you will need to complete 24 hours of continuing education hours every renewal period. These hours must be split as follows:

• Agency – 3 hours
• Contracts – 3 hours
• Ethics – 3 hours
• Law and Legislation – 3 hours
• General courses – 12 hours

Every renewal period, you will need to complete these hours.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: 30 hours

New Hampshire

Every two years, you will need to complete 15 hours of continuing education courses in New Hampshire. This will include a three-hour core course.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

New Jersey

A total of 12 hours of continuing education hours will need to be completed every renewal period in New Jersey. Six of the hours will need to be on core topics with two hours in ethics.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

New Mexico

In New Mexico, real estate agents are known as associate brokers. After your first renewal, you will need to complete 36 hours of continuing education every renewal period including:

• Ethics – 4 hours
• Core Electives – 4 hours
• Electives – 16 hours
• Core Courses – 12 hours

These courses will need to be completed within the right time frame.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

New York

A total of 22.5 hours of continuing education courses will need to be completed every two years. Three hours will need to be on topics including fair housing and discrimination. Another hour must also be on law of agency and two more hours must be on agency.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

North Carolina

When you want to renew your North Carolina real estate license, you will need to complete high hours of continuing education courses each year. These hours will vary a bit depending on whether you have BIC Eligible Status or not.

• License Renewal: Every Year
• Post-License Education: None

North Dakota

You need to complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years in North Dakota. At least half the hours have to be on state-required subjects.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Ohio

Complete 30 hours of continuing education and you can renew your license in Ohio. Three hours have to be done on Core Law, with three more hours on Ethics, and another three hours on Civil Rights.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

Oklahoma

You will need to complete 21 required hours of continuing education every renewal period in Oklahoma. One hour will need to be done in each of the following:

• Fair Housing (FHR)
• License Code & Rules (CAR)
• Broker Relationships (BRA)
• Hot Topic (HOT)
• Contracts (CON)
• Professional Conduct (PSC)

The final 15 hours can be electives approved by the commission.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

Oregon

You will need to complete 30 continuing education courses when it comes to renewing your real estate license in Oregon. Three hours have to be done in Law and Rule, with the other 27 hours in other topics.

If it’s your first renewal period, the 27 hours of continuing education will be done in Broker Advanced Practices.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Pennsylvania

You will need to complete 14 hours of approved continuing education every two years in Pennsylvania.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: Specific Continuing Education Courses

Rhode Island

A total of 24 hours of continuing education courses are necessary to renew your Rhode Island real estate license. Six of the hours will need to cover specific topics. You will also need to take a lead poisoning/lead hazard mitigation course of at least three hours once.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

South Carolina

Every renewal period, you will need to complete 10 hours of continuing education courses in South Carolina. This must include four hours of mandatory courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

South Dakota

Real estate agents need to complete 24 hours of continuing education courses with 12 of those hours on required subjects.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Tennessee

A total of 16 continuing education course hours have to be completed every renewal period. Six hours will need to be CORE courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Texas

After your first renewal, you will need to complete 18 hours of continuing education courses every renewal period. You will also need to complete 98 total hours of post-licensing courses for your first renewal. These hours include 90 hours of SAE real estate course and 8 hours of TREC Legal Update courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: 98 total hours

Utah

You will need to complete 18 hours of real estate agent continuing education hours every renewal period. Nine of the hours will need to cover Core topics.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Vermont

If you want to renew your real estate license in Vermont, you will need to complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years. Four hours will need to be a mandatory course.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Virginia

After your first renewal, you will need to complete 16 hours of continuing education every renewal period. Eight hours will need to be on mandatory topics. You will need to complete 30 hours for your first renewal over nine different courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: 30 hours

Washington

After your first renewal, you will need to complete 30 hours of continuing education with three hours of core courses. For your first renewal, you will need to complete 90 hours of specific courses.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: 90 Hours

West Virginia

You will need to complete seven hours of continuing education every year to maintain your license in West Virginia.

• License Renewal: Every Year
• Post-License Education:

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, real estate agents will need to complete three, six-hour continuing education courses. This is a total of 18 hours every two years.

• License Renewal: Every Two Years
• Post-License Education: None

Wyoming

You will need to complete 45 hours of continuing education every renewal period. This includes 24 hours of required courses and 21 hours of elective courses.

• License Renewal: Every Three Years
• Post-License Education: None

If you want to know what’s necessary to renew your real estate license, the requirements are listed above. You will need to meet the real estate agent continuing education course requirements for your state.

Jordan Fabel

Covering different 'paths' that people's lives can take. Creative, foster parent, ticket dismissal, you get the idea. Exploring the requirements, certifications, exams, and obviously, approved courses along each path.