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CA Real Estate License CE Requirements

Renewrelicense Exam Tips

by Kartik Subramaniam

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

real estate ce requirements

Renewing your California real estate license can feel overwhelming. Whether you're a new licensee approaching your first renewal or an experienced broker handling subsequent renewals, understanding California real estate license CE requirements is crucial.

California real estate professionals often wonder, "How many hours of CE do I need to renew my California real estate license?" In this guide, we'll clearly outline the requirements for different types of renewals, removing the confusion once and for all.

Whether you're renewing your license for the first time or completing subsequent renewals, the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) requires a total of 45 hours of continuing education. However, the specific breakdown of these hours differs depending on your type of license (salesperson or broker) and renewal stage (first renewal vs. subsequent renewals).

Let's dive into exactly what's required for each renewal scenario.

First-Time Renewal for Salespersons

California real estate professionals renewing their salesperson license for the very first time face clear and specific CE requirements. To keep your salesperson license active, you must complete exactly 45 hours of DRE-approved CE. Here's the detailed breakdown:

  • Four mandatory three-hour courses (12 hours total):
    • Ethics (3 hours)
    • Agency (3 hours)
    • Trust Fund Handling (3 hours)
    • Risk Management (3 hours)
  • Three-hour Fair Housing course:
    • Must include an interactive, participatory role-play exercise.
    • You’ll engage in scenarios acting as both consumer and real estate professional.
  • Two-hour Implicit Bias training course:
    • Addressing unconscious biases and promoting fair real estate practices.
  • Minimum of 18 hours in Consumer Protection courses:
    • These protect real estate clients by focusing on practices that safeguard their rights and interests.
  • Remaining clock hours:
    • May be chosen from either consumer service or consumer protection topics.

Meeting these CE requirements ensures your first renewal is smooth and hassle-free.

First-Time Renewal for Brokers and Officers

First-time renewal for brokers or officers includes similar—but slightly expanded—CE requirements. Just like salespersons, first-time broker renewals also total exactly 45 hours, but there is an additional mandatory course included:

  • Five mandatory three-hour courses (15 hours total):
    • Ethics (3 hours)
    • Agency (3 hours)
    • Trust Fund Handling (3 hours)
    • Risk Management (3 hours)
    • Management and Supervision (3 hours)
  • Three-hour Fair Housing course:
    • Interactive, role-playing component required.
  • Two-hour Implicit Bias training course:
    • Essential training to ensure unbiased professional practices.
  • Minimum of 18 hours in Consumer Protection courses:
  • Remaining clock hours:
    • Either consumer service or consumer protection courses as desired.

Broker license renewal standards are intentionally more extensive, reflecting the higher responsibilities inherent in broker-level roles.

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Second and Subsequent Renewals

If you're approaching your second renewal—or subsequent renewals—of your California real estate license, the CE hour requirement remains the same at 45 hours. However, you have slightly more flexibility:

You have two clear options to complete the seven mandatory CE topics (ethics, agency, trust fund handling, risk management, management & supervision, fair housing, implicit bias):

  • Option 1: Take a single nine-hour survey course
    • Covers all seven mandatory topics comprehensively within nine hours.
  • Option 2: Individual courses in each of the seven mandatory subjects
    • Ethics (3 hours)
    • Agency (3 hours)
    • Trust Fund Handling (3 hours)
    • Risk Management (3 hours)
    • Management and Supervision (3 hours)
    • Fair Housing (3 hours) – interactive role-play required
    • Implicit Bias (2 hours)

    After covering mandatory subjects, you must still:

  • Three-hour Fair Housing course:
    • Interactive, role-playing component required.
  • Two-hour Implicit Bias training course:
    • Complete at least 18 hours of consumer protection courses.
    • Fill the remainder of your required hours with either consumer protection or consumer service courses.

This structure helps maintain professional standards while giving seasoned professionals greater flexibility.

How Our CE Course Helps You Stay Compliant

At ADHI Schools and RenewRELicense.com, we've created a simple, effective solution designed specifically for busy real estate professionals needing to complete their required 45 hours of CE.

Our renewal courses are:

  • Fully compliant and DRE-approved:
    • Satisfy all California DRE continuing education standards.
  • 100% Online and Self-Paced:
    • Learn on your schedule, anytime, from any device.
    • Pause and resume lessons conveniently.
  • Complete Course Bundles:
    • Cover all required subjects—ethics, agency, trust fund handling, risk management, management & supervision, fair housing (interactive), implicit bias, and more.
  • Easy Certification and Reporting:
    • Instantly download your certificates of completion.

ADHI Schools makes license renewal straightforward, stress-free, and efficient, so you can focus on your business, not administrative tasks.

Start your license renewal now — 100% online and approved by the DRE.

Quick Recap & Next Steps

Let's quickly summarize exactly how many CE hours you need for your California real estate license renewal:

  • Total Required Hours: 45 every four years for every renewal type.
  • First-Time Renewals (Salespersons & Brokers):
    • Prescribed set of mandatory subjects plus consumer protection and elective hours. (Brokers also have to take Management and Supervision).
  • Second or Subsequent Renewals:
    • Option of a 9-hour survey or individual mandatory courses, plus consumer protection hours and electives.

Don't wait until the last minute. Begin your CE today to keep your California real estate license active and compliant.

Click here to explore our California-approved real estate CE courses and begin your renewal now.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can I complete 45 hours of CE?

If completed at a steady pace, most licensees finish comfortably within 2-4 weeks. Our online courses allow flexible timing—complete them faster or slower according to your schedule with a maximum of one year to complete.

Can I complete California CE online?

Absolutely. All CE courses at RenewRELicense.com are 100% online and DRE-approved, letting you conveniently fulfill CE requirements from anywhere.

What happens if I don't renew my real estate license on time?

Your license will expire, preventing you from legally performing real estate activities in California. Late renewals are possible but require extra fees. There is a two year grace period that the DRE has to renew your license without having to requalify for and retake the real estate exam again. Renew promptly to avoid interruptions.

Meeting your CE requirements for California real estate license renewal doesn't need to be complicated. With clear guidelines and a reliable CE provider like ADHI Schools, renewing your license becomes an easy, manageable task.

Ready to start renewing your California real estate license today? Visit RenewRELicense.com to get started!

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