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

An active DC broker, salesperson or property manager license needs at least 15 hours of CE from the two years before it expires, unless this is the first renewal of a license granted by exam. Nine of the hours are mandated courses. A credit counts only if the Commission approved the program.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
At least 15 hours in the two years before the license expiresThe same total applies to all three license types.
Verified. dcregs.dc.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Salesperson hours
Salesperson: 9 mandated, 3 property management and 3 elective hoursThe Commission sets the curriculums of the mandated courses.
Same source and date as above
Broker hours
Broker: 9 mandated, 3 property management and 3 broker supervision hoursThe Commission must have approved that coursework.
Same source and date as above
Property manager hours
Property manager: 9 mandated and 6 property management hoursThe Commission must have approved that coursework too.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check whether the rule reaches you. It covers renewal and reinstatement of all three license types, except a first renewal of a license granted by exam.

  2. Step 2. Choose a program the Commission has approved. A credit is valid only for an approved program, and the licensee is responsible for making sure the course is Commission certified or approved.

  3. Step 3. Take 15 hours that fit your license type. Brokers, salespersons and property managers each include 9 hours of mandated courses.

  4. Step 4. Submit a certification of completion with the renewal. It gives the sponsor's name and address, the program's name, place and subject, the instructors' names, the dates and the hours, with the sponsor's signature or stamp.

Before you pay

We haven’t confirmed course prices. Before you pay, ask the provider for proof that the Commission approved the course.

Questions

When does a DC real estate license expire?

Broker, company and property manager licenses expire on February 28. Salesperson licenses expire on August 31. The Commission lists the renewal year as odd for both.

I hold more than one license. Do I take the hours twice?

Not for a property manager license. A property manager who also has an active broker or salesperson license meets the property manager rule by meeting the renewal rules of that license.

What if my license is inactive or has expired?

Renewing an inactive license, or reinstating an expired, suspended or revoked one, takes proof of CE too. You take the same mandated and property management hours as a regular renewal, the 3 broker supervision hours if you are a broker, and 3 general elective hours for each licensing cycle the license was inactive, expired, revoked or suspended.

Can I renew late if I am short on CE?

If you have not filed proof by the day the license expires, you can renew within 60 days after it by submitting proof and paying the late fee. After 60 days the license is deemed lapsed and you apply for reinstatement. The Commission may extend the 60 days for good cause, such as serious and protracted illness with a doctor’s statement.

Can CE from another state count?

The Commission may allow a licensee who also holds an equivalent license in another jurisdiction to substitute CE completed there for the elective hours. The licensee must have earned it in the two years before the DC license expires.

What to do next

Start with the DC rule on real estate CE. Then read the DC Real Estate Commission page.

dlcp.dc.gov

Sources we read