Real Estate Licensing and Continuing Education State Requirements in Texas

Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)

P.O. Box 12188
Austin, TX 78711-2188
Phone: 512-936-3000
Email: information@trec.texas.gov
Website: www.trec.texas.gov

Texas Real Estate Salesperson Prelicensing Education Requirements

• Be a citizen of the United States, or a lawfully admitted alien
• Be 18 years or older
• Pass background check and submit fingerprints
• Meet TREC's qualifications for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity. Consider requesting a Fitness Determination before applying for the license.
• Complete 180 hours of education as follows:

a. 60 hours—Principles of Real Estate
b. 30 hours—Law of Agency
c. 30 hours—Law of Contracts
d. 30 hours—Promulgated Contracts Forms
e. 30 hours—Real Estate Finance
f. All courses include a final exam which must be proctored by a faculty or staff member or a third-party disinterested party. Reference Section 535.65(h) of TREC rules for more information.

• Apply for licensure and have the ability to take the State and National exam
• Upon receiving notification of approval to sit for the exam, pass the State and National Exam. If exam is failed three times, additional education will be necessary
• Find a sponsoring Broker to work under
• For more information, please visit the state’s website here: www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/sales-agent

Broker Prelicensing Education Requirements in TX

• Be a citizen of the United States, or a lawfully admitted alien
• Be 18 years or older
• Pass background checks and submit fingerprints 
• Be licensed as a sales agent for the last four years during the 60 months preceding the date of the application and have that experience total 360 points and be reported via the Qualifying Experience Report for a Broker License form.
• Complete 270 hours of Qualifying Education as follows:

a. 30 hours—Principles I of Real Estate
b. 30 hours—Principles II of Real Estate
c. 30 hours—Law of Agency
d. 30 hours—Law of Contracts
e. 30 hours—Promulgated Contract Forms
f. 30 hours—Real Estate Finance
g. 30 hours—Real Estate Brokerage
*Must be completed not more than two years before the application date

• An additional 630 hours in related qualifying courses are required, as well. TREC-approved courses are as follows:

a. Real Estate Appraisal
b. Real Estate Law
c. Real Estate Marketing
d. Real Estate Math
e. Property Management
f. Real Estate Investments
g. Residential Inspections for Real Estate Agents

• A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university satisfies all of the related education requirements for a broker license
• The following is a list of course topics acceptable for related qualifying course credit if completed for academic credit through a college or university:

a. Accounting
b. Advertising
c. Architecture
d. Business or Management
e. Construction
f. Finance
g. Investments
h. Law
i. Marketing
j. Real Estate

• File application and pay applicable fee
• Once received notice of eligibility to sit for Broker’s exam schedule at testing provider’s site.

Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) Education Requirements for First Renewal

• If you are renewing for the first time, active or inactive, you must have
  - A total of 270 qualifying real estate course hours
      - Starting October 1, 2023, these hours must include the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course to renew.
      - 4 hours of TREC’s Legal Update 1, and 4 hours of TREC’s Legal Update II posted to your license record prior        to submitting your renewal
• Sales Agents with 180 hours of post-licensing must complete an additional 90 hours of post licensing education by the expiration of the initial licensing period (end of first two years)
• Sales agents must complete 4 hours of TREC’s Legal Update I
• Sales agents must complete 4 hours of TREC’s Legal Update II
• Agents who have been made a supervisor by their broker must also complete the 6 hour Broker Responsibility Course.
• Please submit hours at least 10 days before the expiration of licensure to ensure no late fees or renewals.
• Agents renewing for the first time are not required to take the new 3 hour contract-related course requirement until next license renewal term. 
  

Active Sales Agent License Renewal Requirements (CE) for Texas Real Estate

• Will receive notice 90 days before the expiration of license (renewal periods are every two years)
• Complete 18 hours of education:

a. 8 hours of TREC Legal Update I & II
b. 3 hours of contract-related coursework 
c. 7 hours of elective CE

• If a Sales Agent has been made a supervisor by a broker, Agents are required to take the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course as part of the 18 hours of continuing education.
• If Agents have not submitted fingerprints to TREC with a previous renewal or application, agents must be fingerprinted for a criminal background check.

Texas Broker License Renewal Requirements (CE)

• Will receive notice 90 days before expiration of license (renewal periods are every two years)
• Complete 18 hours of education as follows:

a. 8 hours of TREC Legal Update I and II
b. 3 hours of contract-related coursework
c. 7 hours of elective CE

• If a Broker has sponsored one or more agents, served as the designated broker for a business entity broker that sponsors sales agents, or has been made a supervisor of other license holders, then Brokers must take the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course as part of the 18 hours of CE.
• If Broker’s have not submitted fingerprints for TREC with a previous renewal or application, Broker’s must be fingerprinted for a criminal background check.

Exam Provider Information in TX

• Once the application has been received and process and education are satisfied, the applicant will be notified of eligibility to sit for the examination
• Visit Pearson Vue’s website to schedule exam here: https://home.pearsonvue.com/tx/realestate
• . Please review the Candidate Handbook, Content Outlines, and Study Guides to ensure the applicant is prepared on exam day
• Phone: 800-997-1248
• Visit website here for chat features: https://home.pearsonvue.com/tx/realestate/contact