How to Renew a Real Estate License in Colorado

Renewing your Colorado real estate license means completing 24 hours of continuing education, submitting a renewal application online, and paying the state fee before your license expires. In Colorado, every real estate professional is licensed as a broker, and that license is valid for three years. The Colorado Division of Real Estate runs the process and sets the continuing education rules that keep brokers current.

How long is a real estate license good for in Colorado?

A Colorado real estate broker license is valid for three years. To keep it active and avoid penalties, you complete the renewal before it expires. The Colorado Division of Real Estate manages renewals and sets the continuing education requirement that comes with them.

What are the steps to renew your Colorado real estate license?

Renewing your license takes four steps. Here's the process from start to finish:

1. Confirm your eligibility. Verify you meet the criteria to renew, and check whether an expired license needs reinstatement instead.
2. Complete your continuing education. Finish all 24 required CE hours for your cycle.
3. Submit your renewal application. File it online through the state's licensing portal.
4. Pay the renewal fee. Submit the state fee to finalize your renewal.

1. Confirm your eligibility for renewal

Before you start, confirm you're eligible, because an expired license can trigger extra requirements. Newly licensed brokers follow a different first cycle:

• A newly issued broker license is valid until midnight on December 31 of the year it's issued.
• During that initial period, continuing education is not required.
• After it, brokers move to the three-year cycle and must complete 24 hours of CE each cycle to stay licensed.

2. Complete your continuing education requirements

Colorado requires 24 hours of continuing education every three years to keep an active broker license. Those hours split into two parts:

• Annual Commission Update courses (12 hours): three different 4-hour updates, one each year of your cycle.
• Elective courses (12 hours): state-approved topics you choose to fill the remaining hours.

If you miss one or more Annual Commission Update courses during your cycle, you must instead pass the state portion of the licensing exam, complete the 24-hour Broker Reactivation course, or complete 72 hours of specific coursework (48 hours of Colorado Contracts and Regulations plus 24 hours of Broker Administration). If your license has been inactive for more than three years, contact the Colorado Division of Real Estate for reinstatement steps.

We partner with Kaplan to deliver state-approved Colorado real estate continuing education courses, and enrolling through our website gets you a discount.

3. Submit your renewal application online

You submit your renewal through your account on the Colorado Division of Real Estate website. Log in, complete the renewal form with accurate and current details, and submit. Renewing after the due date can add fees or push you into the reinstatement process, so file on time.

4. Pay the renewal fee

Colorado charges a $387 fee to renew a broker license, paid during the online application. As listed by the Colorado Division of Real Estate, this fee is non-refundable, so double-check your details before you pay.

Can you renew a Colorado license after it expires?

Yes, you can renew an expired Colorado real estate license, but the path depends on how long it's been expired:

• Less than 31 days: renew without penalty.
• 31 days to 3 years: extra education requirements or reinstatement fees may apply.
• More than 3 years: you'll need to apply for a new license.

Check with the Colorado Division of Real Estate for the exact steps in your situation.

How much does a Colorado real estate license renewal cost?

A Colorado broker license renewal costs $387 in state fees, plus the cost of your continuing education courses. Late fees may apply if you renew after your license expires. Course pricing is separate from the state fee and is discounted when you enroll through our site.

What can you expect from an online CE course?

An online continuing education course is self-paced and built to fit around active client work. Expect engaging content, interactive lessons, and practical case studies aligned with Colorado real estate practice. Through our Kaplan partnership, you get flexible programs that meet the state requirement, and most courses run 3 to 4 hours, while the CREC Annual Update totals 12 hours across the three-year cycle.

Frequently asked questions about renewing your Colorado license

Final thoughts on renewing your Colorado license

Renewing your Colorado real estate license comes down to three things: finish your 24 hours of CE, file the application on time, and pay the $387 fee. Handle those and you stay compliant and keep working without a gap.

Ready to knock out the requirement? Explore our Colorado real estate continuing education courses and renew with room to spare.