Sarah had been selling homes in Texas for six years. She closed 22 deals last year. Then she got a letter from the Texas Real Estate Commission. Her license was suspended. She missed a CE deadline by 11 days.
It cost her $200 in late fees, two lost clients, and three weeks of stress. All because she did not know Texas requires 18 CE hours every 2 years.
Every state has its own CE rules for real estate agents. The hours, deadlines, topics, and fees are different everywhere. This guide covers all 50 states and DC so you never get caught off guard.
What is real estate continuing education?
Continuing education (CE) is training you complete after getting your real estate license. State real estate commissions require it to keep agents current on laws, ethics, contracts, and industry changes. Without CE, you cannot renew your license.
CE is not optional. In 2026, 48 states plus DC require some form of continuing education for real estate license renewal. Only a handful of states have no CE mandate at all.
States with the highest CE requirements
Some states demand far more hours than others. Here are the states with the heaviest CE loads:
- •Texas: 18 hours every 2 years, including 4 hours of legal update courses (TRELA mandate)
- •Colorado: 24 hours every 3 years, including the Annual Commission Update course
- •Georgia: 36 hours every 4 years, including 3 hours of license law and a 3-hour CE elective
- •California: 45 hours every 4 years, including ethics, agency, trust fund handling, and fair housing
- •New York: 22.5 hours every 2 years, with at least 3 hours on fair housing and discrimination
- •Ohio: 30 hours every 3 years, including core law, civil rights, and ethics
States with lower CE requirements
Not every state asks for dozens of hours. Some keep it simple:
- •Alaska: 20 hours every 2 years
- •Montana: 12 hours per year
- •Wyoming: 12 hours every 2 years
- •Hawaii: 20 hours every 2 years
- •Mississippi: 16 hours per year
Full state-by-state breakdown
Below is a summary for every state. Hours listed are per renewal cycle. Click any state for the full requirements page.
| State | CE Hours |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 |
| Alaska | 20 |
| Arizona | 24 |
| Arkansas | 7 |
| California | 45 |
| Colorado | 24 |
| Connecticut | 12 |
| Delaware | 21 |
| Florida | 14 |
| Georgia | 36 |
| Hawaii | 20 |
| Idaho | 12 |
| Illinois | 12 |
| Indiana | 12 |
| Iowa | 36 |
| Kansas | 12 |
| Kentucky | 6 |
| Louisiana | 12 |
| Maine | 21 |
| Maryland | 15 |
| Massachusetts | 12 |
| Michigan | 18 |
| Minnesota | 30 |
| Mississippi | 16 |
| Missouri | 12 |
| Montana | 12 |
| Nebraska | 18 |
| Nevada | 24 |
| New Hampshire | 15 |
| New Jersey | 12 |
| New Mexico | 36 |
| New York | 22.5 |
| North Carolina | 8 |
| North Dakota | 18 |
| Ohio | 30 |
| Oklahoma | 21 |
| Oregon | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | 14 |
| Rhode Island | 24 |
| South Carolina | 10 |
| South Dakota | 24 |
| Tennessee | 16 |
| Texas | 18 |
| Utah | 18 |
| Vermont | 24 |
| Virginia | 16 |
| Washington | 30 |
| West Virginia | 7 |
| Wisconsin | 18 |
| Wyoming | 12 |
| DC | 15 |
Hours and topics change. Always confirm your requirements with your state real estate commission before your renewal date. Browse detailed state pages on our state requirements directory.
Common CE topics across states
While every state sets its own curriculum, certain topics show up almost everywhere:
- •Ethics and professional conduct
- •Fair housing and anti-discrimination law
- •State license law updates
- •Agency relationships and disclosure
- •Contract law and forms
- •Risk management and liability
- •Property management (in some states)
Many states also now require CE on the NAR settlement changes that took effect in August 2024. If you have not taken that course yet, check whether your state added it to the mandatory list. Read our NAR settlement explainer for the full story.
What happens if you skip CE?
The consequences vary by state, but none of them are good:
- •Your license goes inactive or expires. You cannot list, sell, or show properties.
- •Late renewal fees stack up. Texas charges $200. California charges up to $450 for a lapsed license.
- •Your broker gets flagged. Some states fine brokerages that employ agents with expired licenses.
- •You may need to retake the licensing exam. States like Florida require this if you lapse more than 12 months.
How to stay on top of your CE
The agents who never miss a deadline do three things:
- •They know their exact deadline and work backward from it.
- •They take a few CE hours every quarter instead of cramming at the end.
- •They use a tracking tool so nothing falls through the cracks.
AgentCE loads your state requirements automatically. It tracks your hours by category, shows a countdown to your renewal date, and sends push reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days out. The free plan covers one license in any state.
Where to take your CE courses
Most states allow online CE. The big providers include The CE Shop, Kaplan, Colibri Real Estate, and McKissock Learning. Prices range from $30 to $150 depending on the state and package.
Check our best online CE courses ranking for a detailed comparison. Whatever provider you pick, make sure they are approved in your state before you enroll.
Bottom line
CE is part of the job. The rules are different in every state, but the pattern is the same: know your hours, know your deadline, take approved courses, and renew on time. Bookmark your state page and check back every year for updates.