How long do real estate certificates last?

The American real estate market is structured in such a way that purchasing or renting a property independently can be challenging. In the U.S., individuals highly value their time, leading them to opt for professional realtors when it comes to selling a house or renting an apartment. This approach is justified in many respects, including a clearer understanding of market terms and conditions.

That’s why the real estate salesperson profession is so popular and in demand these days in this country. You can relax. You don’t require ages of real estate education to become a broker. This information is accurate and up-to-date. All you need to do is get a license to operate responsibly. After you have taken special courses, checked your background, and passed the exam, you would receive these coveted documents.

After that, new questions have already arisen: How do I know when my real estate license expires? Keep in mind that such a real estate license needs to be renewed to provide the same services. When does your real estate license expire? How long does a real estate license last? You can find out all about this in this article. Let’s begin.

When do I have to renew my real estate license?

The real estate education and exam process is behind us. You’re already working, doing what you love to do. However, sooner or later, the issue of license renewal will arise. This question always comes up out of time. It is better to be prepared in advance. When do real estate licenses expire? Each state in the U.S., like California, has its peculiarities in this regard. So, it’s all individual. How long does a real estate license last? To avoid searching for the real estate answer for each particular region yourself, we have compiled the table below for your convenience. Read it carefully and find the place you need.

States Frequency of renewal Deadline Renew an expired license
Alabama Biannual Even Year: August 31
Odd Year: September 30
Up to one year after expiration
Alaska Biannual January 31 Up to one year after expiration
Arizona Biannual Renewal details sent via email Up to one year after expiration
Arkansas Annually September 30 Up to one year after expiration
California Quadrennial 90 days before license expiration date Up to biennial period after expiration
Colorado Triennial December 31 Up to triennial period after expiry
Connecticut Annually Salespersons: May 31
Realtors: November 30
Up to biennial period after expiry
Delaware Biannual April 30 Up to biennial period after expiry
Florida Biannual March 31 or September 30 Up to biennial period after expiry
Georgia Quadrennial March 31 Up to five yearly after expiry
Hawaii Biannual November 30 Up to five yearly after expiry
Idaho Biannual Final day of licensee’s birth month Up to one year after expiry
Illinois Biannual April 30 Up to five yearly after expiry
Indiana Triennial June 30 Up to triennial period after expiry
Iowa Triennial December 31 Up to triennial period after expiry
Kansas Biannual First of the month, your license was initially issued in Up to five yearly after expiry
Kentucky Every even-numbered year March 31 Up to biennial period after expiry
Louisiana Annually First-time renewers with license issued on or after Sept. 1 : December 31
All other licenses: September 30
Up to three months after expiry
Maine Biannual Anniversary of original license issuance date Up to six years after becoming inactive
Maryland Biannual Listed on license Up to triennial period after expiry
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Biannual License holder’s birthday Up to biennial period after expiry
Michigan Triennial The anniversary of the issuance of the original license Up to triennial period after expiry
Minnesota Biannual June 30 If you miss deadline, you cannot renew
Mississippi Biannual The anniversary of the issuance of the original license Up to two months after expiry
Missouri Biannual Agent: September 30
Broker: June 30
Up until subsequent renewal period
Montana Annually October 31 Up to biennial period after expiry
Nebraska Biannual Agent and broker: November 30 Up to triennial period after expiry
Nevada Biannual The anniversary of the issuance of the original real estate license Up to one year after expiry
New Hampshire Biannual The anniversary of the issuance of the original real estate license Up to one year after expiry
New Jersey Biannual Agent and brokers: June 30 Up to biennial period after expiry
New Mexico Triennial The final day of the month after the license holder’s birth month Up to one year after expiry
New York Biannual The anniversary of the issuance of the original real estate license Up to one year after expiration
North Carolina Annually June 30 Up to biennial period after expiration
North Dakota Annually December 31 If you miss deadline, you cannot renew
Ohio Triennial Real estate license holder’s birthday Up to one year after expiration
Oklahoma Triannual 10th day of the month, the original license was granted 10th day of the month, the original license was granted
Up to triennial period after expiry
Oregon Biannual Final day of the birth month of the real estate license holder Up to one year after expiry
Pennsylvania Biannual May 31 Up to five years after expiry
Rhode Island Biannual Anniversary of the initial license issuance date Up to one year after expiry
South Carolina Biannual June 30 Up to one year after expiry
South Dakota Biannual November 30 Month of June following expiry
Tennessee Biannual Listed on license Up to one year after expiry
Texas Biannual Listed on license Up to biennial period after expiry
Utah Once every biennial period End of the month, the original license was granted Up to one year after expiry
Vermont Biannual Salespersons: May
Realtors: March
Up to biennial period after expiry
Virginia Biannual Final day of the month in which the original real estate license was granted Up to one year after expiry
Washington Once every biennial period The anniversary of the issuance of the original real estate license Up to triennial period after expiry
Washington D.C. Biannual Agent: August 31 Broker: February 28 Up to five years after expiry
West Virginia Every fiscal year December 31 Up to one year after expiry
Wisconsin Biannual December 14 Up to five years after expiration
Wyoming Triennial December 31 March 1 of the year following expiry

Hopefully the table has given you a clearer answer: when does a real estate license expire? Any source or RE blog on the internet will also confirm such data to you.

Interest fact:
Almost 90% of newly licensed realtors in the US opt to renew their licenses after they expire. The high statistics are attributed to the profession’s significant demand in the country. Skilled specialists who excel in their field can earn a substantial commission from a business. Furthermore, a specialized diploma is not a career requirement in this field. Even immigrants who have recently arrived in the country even without education can seize the opportunity and demonstrate their value as real estate brokers.
 

How to renew your real estate license?

Renewal of real estate expired license documents is a routine action. You should be prepared for it the moment you decide to become a broker. Why is that? All because they are not issued for an extended period of time. How often do you have to renew your real estate license? As stated earlier, each state has its own specifics on this issue. You can find the precise answer for each real estate case in the table above. Generally, this procedure should be repeated either annually or every 2 to 3 years, depending on the case. Any questions? You can always review the real estate FAQs section below or search for the answer on the Internet.

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In short, to obtain new documents, follow the steps below:

  1. Make thorough prep for the real estate license process. Make sure you meet the criteria for license renewal and are ready to begin the procedure.
  2. In many states, such as California, a salesperson needs additional hours of education at school. This time, there is no need to pass the written exam.
  3. Please visit the official website online of the state in which you are applying for license renewal and fill out the appropriate application.
  4. Undergo the necessary background verification again in your state.
  5. Pay fees to renew your real estate documents after submitting the application.
  6. You will soon have your new license in hand in your state.

Nothing groundbreaking. Every real estate broker has undergone similar steps at the outset of their journey.

First-Time Renewal CE Requirements

At this point, you can already answer the question: how long does your real estate license last? It all depends on where you obtained and used the documents. In order to subsequently renew your real estate expired license, especially for the first time, you need to understand the career requirements for such a procedure. Let us familiarize ourselves with them below.

Extra hours of education.

In almost all states, including California, in accordance with the requirements, a salesperson with an experience needs to get additional theoretical hours of courses to update his document to have the career. How much time is needed? How long do real estate classes last? It all depends on the state as well.

Required courses.

It also has its own courses peculiarities. It is better to study it specifically in the place where you are renewing your real estate license. Be sure, no need for the exam. Just submit the application after the courses.

Approved providers.

By the requirements, remember that you can start taking this kind of courses only at licensed and verified providers. They will be able to give you the correct paperwork at the end of the training.

Submission.

After fulfilling the necessary CE hours, a real estate broker usually must submit documentation of their completion to the relevant state licensing authority. This ensures that their license maintains its active status. It could be done online as a good practice.

How long does a realtor license last? As is already clear, from one to several years. It all depends on the region. Most importantly, ensure the existing real estate career licensing requirements are met.

Subsequent Real Estate CE Requirements

The fact that this is your first time applying for a real estate license renewal has already been dealt with. A similar process should be repeated every year or two or more. Are there any courses specifics for a salesperson license in any state? In general, nothing is different. Keep in mind that additional real estate education will constantly be required.

Real estate license, how long does it last? You can find out exactly by revisiting the table above. Select your State and confirm the information for yourself. Still have questions on real estate matters? Check out the real estate requirements and also a FAQ below, you will definitely find something useful for you there.

Related FAQs on renewing a real estate license

What is the difference between post-licensing and continuing education?

Post-licensing education equips new real estate licensees with the foundational knowledge and skills they need as they embark on their careers. Continuing education enables seasoned real estate professionals to stay current and uphold their licenses throughout their professional journey. How long do real estate certificates last? In this case, you need to understand that both of these concepts appear after you have obtained your first real estate license.

Can you renew your real estate license after it expires?

Yes, renewal is possible. But everything has a time frame. Make sure you know your local state’s requirements not only on the real estate education side, but of course on the timeline side as well. Therefore, you should not be intimidated by the question: when does a managing broker license expire?

How much does it cost to renew a real estate license?

Relevant question: when does my real estate license expire? But even more interesting, how much does the renewal cost? It’s hard to give an exact amount. It all depends on the state you are in. Many people take real estate education into account, and many specify the cost solely for the fee you pay when you apply for real estate renewal. But, in general, the amounts vary from $50 to $500 to become a salesperson in California or elsewhere.

How long does it take to renew a real estate license?

Again, the renewal differs from place to place. It also depends on your good history, education status and whether you have all the real estate licensing documents you need. Remember that such a procedure may take from several days to weeks.

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About the author
Michael Baker is a journalist with over 5 years of experience in the real estate industry. His knowledge of licensing processes, procedures and requirements makes her an expert in the field.