REALTOR® Education Requirements

Ethics/Orientation

After completing an application and paying the appropriate fees, New REALTOR® members attend a mandatory new member Ethics/orientation, which is eligible for six hours of continuing education credit. (see membership)

Ethics Update

The National Association of REALTORS® requires every member to complete the minimum ethics training requirement at least once every four years. REALTORS® who do not complete this requirement will be suspended. All members must complete an Ethics update between January 2009 and December 2012. Click here to view the Ethics Requirements page.

Annual Real Estate Commission Update Requirement

Pursuant to the recent legislative changes in House Bill 08-1212 including Colorado Revised Statutes 12-61-110.5, effective April 17, 2008, licensees are now required to complete 12 hours of the mandatory 4-Hour Annual Commission Update Course prior to applying to renew an active license, activate an inactive license or reinstate an expired license to active status. Licensees must complete 12 hours of the 4-Hour Annual Commission Update Course during the three-year renewal cycle under the following circumstances:

1) A real estate broker’s license expires on April 17, 2008. The licensee must complete 12 hours of the update course by their anniversary date April 17, 2011.

2) When a real estate broker’s license expires after April 17, 2008, the licensee must complete 12 hours of the 4 hour mandatory update course during the licensee’s new three-year renewal cycle.

The remaining licensees who, as of April 17, 2008, are in a partial three year renewal cycle must complete only 8 hours of the 4-Hour Annual Commission Update Course prior to applying to renew an active license, activate an inactive license or reinstate an expired license to active status. However, once the license is renewed, the licensee must complete 12 hours of the update course during the new three-year renewal cycle. Licensees are still required to meet the full 24 hour education requirement within each renewal cycle, and must complete the remaining hours in elective credits. In other words, if completing 12 hours of commission update course credits, the licensee must also complete 12 elective hour credits. If completing 8 hours in commission update course credits, the remaining 16 must be completed in elective hour credits. Please note: The 4-Hour Annual Commission Update Course is not the Mandatory Ethics Course that is often offered by the local Board of Realtor Associations. The Mandatory Ethics Course receives elective credits, not credit toward the 4-Hour Annual Commission Update Course.

State of Colorado Continuing Education Requirements

Please note: this information is provided as a courtesy and is not intended to be comprehensive. For more information, please visit the Real Estate Commission online by clicking here or call (303) 894-2166.

FAQ - Education Requirements

Who must take continuing education?

Brokers renewing an active 3-year license.
Brokers applying to activate a license. (Brokers initially licensed as inactive who apply to activate  their    license during the initial year or the 1st 3-year license period are not required to complete continuing    education)
Expired licensees applying within 3 years to reinstate their license on active status.

Who is NOT required to complete continuing education?

Licensees renewing an initial license which expires December 31st of the year in which it was issued.    (C.R.S. 12-61-110.5(4))
Licensees renewing an inactive license or converting to inactive status upon renewal.

How does a licensee meet the continuing education requirements?

Passing the state portion of the broker licensing examination, OR
Completing a “Commission Update Course” each year of their current renewal period, (since 1/1/03)    plus electives for a total of 24 hours of CE during the 3-year license period, OR
Completing the 24-hour “Brokerage Administration” course (if not previously taken for CE credit), OR
Completing the 24-hour “Broker Transition” course (if not previously taken for CE credit).

What if I currently hold a real estate license in another jurisdiction?

Persons licensed in both Colorado and a jurisdiction with whom Colorado has entered a License    Recognition agreement may choose either to meet Colorado’s continuing education requirement or to    meet the continuing education requirement for the other jurisdiction. Courses must be taken during the    Colorado renewal period to apply toward renewal of the Colorado license.
Licensees who hold a current license in a jurisdiction with whom Colorado does NOT have a License    Recognition agreement may use hours from the other jurisdiction towards Colorado elective hours but    they must also take an annual “Commission Update” course during their current renewal cycle.

When must continuing education be completed?

Before renewing any active 3-year license.
Before applying to re-activate a second or subsequent inactive 3-year license.
Before applying to reinstate an expired license on active status.

How does a licensee prove completion of continuing education?

By retaining their own file of course completion certificates for at least 4 years, and providing them to    the Commission upon request.
Licensees, DO NOT send certificates to the Division of Real Estate unless requested.
The acts of renewing, reactivating or reinstating an active licensee attests to the student having    complied with the continuing education requirements.

Continuing education course providers must provide course completion certification to students showing:

Provider Information: name, address and authorized signature.
Course Information: title, total hours, course subject/content.
Student Information: name, address, SSN, real estate license number and date(s) of attendance.

What happens if I fail to complete continuing education (e.g. the Commission Update Course)?

The Commission Update Course is an annual requirement for all active licensees. If you fail to complete this course between January 1 and December 31 each year, and/or you fail to complete the additional 15 hours of elective continuing education during a three-year period, you may be found delinquent on a continuing education random audit and assessed a fine under the license law.

If you miss one of the three Commission Update Courses during a license period, you may correct the delinquency by one of the following alternative methods of completing your full three-year continuing education requirement:

Take and pass the Colorado part of the Broker examination.
Once in your life, complete the 24-hour Brokerage Administration course.
Once in your life, complete the 24-hour Broker Transition course.

Continuing education delinquencies are enforced by random audit, and are generally disciplined by fines ranging from $250 to $600 depending on the severity of the delinquency and when the delinquent hours are made up.