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

An active Colorado real estate broker completes 24 hours of continuing education (CE) in each three-year license cycle. Twelve of those hours are three different versions of the four-hour Annual Commission Update Course. A newly licensed broker owes no CE during the initial licensure period.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
24 hours of continuing education in each three-year license cycleThe Division's page applies this to all active real estate brokers.
Verified. dre.colorado.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
A newly licensed broker owes no CE in the initial licensure periodAfter that period, the active licensee moves onto the three-year cycle.
Same source and date as above
Rule
Twelve of the 24 hours are three versions of the four-hour Annual Commission UpdateThe remaining twelve hours can be any elective credit hours the Commission approves.
Same source and date as above
Rule
Active brokers take the Annual Commission Update each year and pass its examIf you take four versions in one cycle, the fourth may count toward the elective credit requirement.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check whether you owe CE yet. A broker's initial license expires at midnight on December 31st of the year it was issued, and during that period you have no CE obligation. After that, an active broker completes 24 hours within each three-year license cycle.

  2. Step 2. Pick your courses from the Division of Real Estate's Approved Continuing Education Course List. The Annual Commission Update providers are on that list. For the remaining twelve hours, any combination of elective credit hours the Commission approves will do. Ask the provider whether the course counts before you pay.

  3. Step 3. Take the hours inside your cycle. Twelve of the 24 are three different versions of the four-hour Annual Commission Update Course, and each year's version comes with an exam you must pass.

  4. Step 4. Renew on time and keep your proof. You must retain proof of completion for a minimum of four years and provide it if the Commission asks.

Before you pay

This page rests on the Division's CE page, not its approved course list. We haven't confirmed which providers that list holds, a course price, or whether an online course counts.

Before you pay, find the course on that list and ask the provider whether it counts for Colorado hours.

Questions

What if I miss a year's Annual Commission Update?

Once the course year has passed, that version can't be made up. The options include the 24-hour Broker Reactivation Course (allowed once every other license cycle), completing and passing the state portion of the Colorado Broker's Exam, or 48 hours in Colorado Contracts & Regulations plus 24 hours in Real Estate Closings.

What if my license has been inactive?

If it has been inactive for longer than three years, or 36 months, you must complete either the state portion of the Colorado Broker's Exam, or 48 hours in Colorado Contracts & Regulations and 24 hours in Real Estate Closings, for a total of 72 hours.

What does the Annual Commission Update cover?

Each year the Commission develops a four-hour course on recent regulatory changes and practice issues, including current statutes and rules it has promulgated. The Division strongly encourages you to attend early in the calendar year.

What to do next

Start with the Colorado Division of Real Estate's CE page. Then pick your course from its approved course list.

dre.colorado.gov

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