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How many continuing education hours do I need to renew my California real estate license?

After a first renewal, a California real estate licensee takes 45 hours of DRE-approved continuing education (CE) to renew. At least 18 hours must be in consumer protection. A first renewal has its own course list. A licensee who is 70 or older, with 30 continuous years in good standing, can ask to be excused from CE.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
For second and later renewals, 45 hours of DRE-approved continuing educationThat covers licenses that expire on or after January 1, 2023, and late renewals after that date.
Verified. California Department of Real Estate · Continuing Education Requirements (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Consumer protection hours
A minimum of 18 hours in the category of consumer protectionThe rest of the 45 hours can come from consumer service courses too.
Same source and date as above
Mandatory subjects
After the first renewal, one nine-hour survey course covers the seven mandatory subjectsYou can take it, or take individual courses in all seven subjects.
Same source and date as above
Who can ask to skip CE
A licensee 70 or older with 30 continuous years in good standing can request an exemptionThe exemption comes from Section 10170.8 of the Business and Professions Code.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check which renewal this is. A salesperson renewing an original license for the first time completes 45 clock hours with a set list of courses. A broker or officer renewing an original license for the first time also completes 45 clock hours, among them five three-hour courses (ethics, agency, trust fund handling, risk management, and management and supervision), a three-hour fair housing course, a two-hour implicit bias course and at least 18 hours of consumer protection. After that, the second-and-later rule applies. A licensee who is 70 or older, and has held a license in good standing for 30 continuous years, can ask to be excused from CE.

  2. Step 2. Pick a course from DRE's list of approved courses. You search it by provider name or number, and you choose a course type, Correspondence or Live.

  3. Step 3. At a second or later renewal, take 45 hours. Cover the seven mandatory subjects with one nine-hour survey course, or take individual courses in all of them. At least 18 of the 45 hours must be in consumer protection.

  4. Step 4. Renew on time. If DRE grants your request for more time, you have 90 more days from the day your license expires to show you finished.

Before you pay

DRE's course list sorts courses as Correspondence or Live. We haven't confirmed which one an online course falls under, or whether it counts at all.

Before you pay, find the course on DRE's list and ask the provider which type it is.

Questions

Can I ask DRE for more time online?

No. DRE says the request cannot be completed online at this time. Mail your renewal application, form RE 213, your supporting documents and the fee before the license expires.

What are the seven mandatory subjects?

At second and later renewals, they are ethics, agency, trust fund handling, risk management, management and supervision, fair housing and implicit bias training.

How do I ask to be excused from CE?

Send the request by US mail before the online renewal period, so you can renew through eLicensing. If your license is no longer in good standing, the approval ends and you complete CE again at later renewals.

If DRE excuses me from CE, do I ask again at later renewals?

No. Once DRE approves your request to be excused from CE, you don't have to ask again at later renewals.

What courses make up my first renewal?

A salesperson takes four three-hour courses in ethics, agency, trust fund handling and risk management, a three-hour fair housing course with role-play, a two-hour implicit bias course and at least 18 hours of consumer protection. The remaining hours may be in either consumer service or consumer protection courses.

What to do next

Start with DRE's CE rules. Then pick your course from the list of approved courses.

www.dre.ca.gov

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