How to Renew a Real Estate License in Texas

Renewing your real estate license in Texas comes down to three moves: finish your continuing education, file the renewal with TREC, and pay the fee. You do it every two years, and missing the deadline costs you money and can knock your license inactive.

This guide walks through the whole renewal, plain and simple: how often you renew, the exact continuing education you need, what it costs in 2026, the extra step first-time renewers hit, and what happens if your license lapses. By the end, you'll know precisely what to do and when.

Continuing education (CE) is the set of state-approved courses you must complete each license period to keep your real estate license active.

Quick FAQs

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

A Texas real estate license is valid for two years, and both sales agents and brokers must renew before it expires. TREC sends a renewal notice about 90 days before your expiration date, but the reminder is a courtesy, not a guarantee. The deadline is yours to track. Renew late and you face extra fees. Let it lapse long enough and you have to start over.

How do you renew a real estate license in Texas?

You renew a Texas real estate license in three steps: complete your continuing education, submit the renewal application through TREC, and pay the fee. According to the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), you can do the whole thing online through the REALM Portal, which is the fastest route.

1. Complete your continuing education. Finish all required CE hours and make sure your course provider reports them to TREC. Submit them at least 10 days before your expiration date so processing delays don't push you past the deadline.
2. Submit your renewal application. Renew online through TREC's Online Services, or mail the paper form. Online is faster and confirms your CE is on file.
3. Pay your renewal fee. The amount depends on your license type and whether you renew on time (see costs below).

If you have never submitted fingerprints to TREC, you'll also need a fingerprint-based background check before your renewal clears. This applies to both sales agents and brokers.

How many CE hours do you need to renew in Texas?

Texas requires 18 hours of continuing education every two years to renew a real estate license. Per TREC, those 18 hours break down the same way for sales agents and brokers.

Sales agents and brokers

• 4 hours of TREC Legal Update I
• 4 hours of TREC Legal Update II
• 3 hours of contract-related coursework
• 7 hours of electives relevant to real estate

Brokers and supervisors

Brokers who sponsor sales agents, serve as the designated broker for a business entity, or supervise other license holders must complete the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course as part of their 18 hours. It counts toward the total, it isn't added on top.

Report your CE to TREC at least 10 days before your license expires so your renewal processes without a holdup.

Do first-time renewals have extra requirements?

Yes. Your first renewal in Texas is bigger than every renewal after it, because first-timers fall under Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) instead of standard CE. According to TREC, before your first renewal you must complete 90 hours of SAE qualifying coursework, which must include the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course, plus the 4-hour Legal Update I and 4-hour Legal Update II.

Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) is the additional qualifying coursework first-time license holders must finish before their first renewal.

Two things make SAE strict. First, it brings your total qualifying education to 270 hours, counting your original 180 pre-license hours. Second, you cannot defer it. TREC will not renew your license until the SAE hours are posted, so there is no $200 deferral safety net on your first time around. Plan to finish early.

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

On-time renewal costs $110 for sales agents and $218 for individual brokers, according to TREC's fee schedule effective December 15, 2025. Renew late and the price climbs.

On-time renewal fees

• Sales agent: $110
• Individual broker: $218

Late renewal fees

• Sales agent, up to 90 days late: $143
• Sales agent, more than 90 days late: $176
• Individual broker, up to 90 days late: $254
• Individual broker, more than 90 days late: $290

CE deferral fee

If you renew active but haven't finished your CE, you can pay a $200 CE deferral fee for an extra 60 days to complete it. Miss that 60-day window and TREC moves your license to inactive status. (As noted above, SAE for a first renewal can't be deferred.)

For a fuller picture of what licensing and staying licensed runs, see our breakdown of how much a Texas real estate license costs.

Can you renew a real estate license after it expires in Texas?

Yes, you can renew up to six months after your license expires, but it renews on inactive status and you'll owe late fees. Per TREC, here's how the timeline works after expiration.

• Up to six months late: Renew with late fees. Your license comes back on inactive status, and you cannot defer CE on a late renewal.
• Six months to two years late: You can no longer renew. You must apply for reinstatement.
• More than two years late: Reinstatement is off the table. You start over, reapply, and pass the licensing exam again.

The lesson is the same one every experienced agent learns once: renewing on time is cheaper and simpler than every alternative. If you got your license recently, our Texas real estate exam guide is a reminder of what you'd rather not repeat.

The takeaway

Renewing your Texas real estate license is straightforward when you start early: finish your CE, file with TREC, and pay before your two-year deadline. The only people who turn it into a headache are the ones who wait. First renewal coming up? Build in extra time for those 90 SAE hours, because that's the one you can't defer.

Knock out your continuing education the easy way. Start US Realty Training's Texas continuing education courses and complete all 18 hours online, on your schedule, fully TREC-approved.

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