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

To renew an active Maine license, an associate broker, broker or designated broker completes 21 clock hours of approved continuing education (CE) within the 2 years before applying. Three of those hours are the mandatory core course. Agency and company licenses are exempt. Hours earned for one renewal can't be reused for the next.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
21 clock hours of approved CE within 2 years before the renewal applicationAgency and company licenses are not covered by this rule.
Verified. legislature.maine.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Rule
3 of the 21 hours are the mandatory core courseThe state's licensing page names associate brokers, brokers and designated brokers.
Verified. www.maine.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
Only hours earned in the preceding two years count toward renewalHours for the next term can start the day after your license is issued.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Find your license type. An active associate broker, broker or designated broker needs 21 clock hours within the 2 years before applying, 3 of them in the core course. An agency or company license doesn't.

  2. Step 2. Pick a course the Commission approves. A course you took in another state doesn't count on its own: ask the Commission to review it, and wait for its approval before you renew. Ask the provider whether the course counts for Maine hours before you pay.

  3. Step 3. Take the core course that is mandatory when you renew. A license that expires on or after April 1, 2027 needs the Evolving Risk and Responsibility Core Course. A license that expires and renews before April 1, 2027 may use either that course or the Reasonable Care and Diligence Core Course.

  4. Step 4. Finish the hours before you renew. If your license has expired, you have 90 calendar days to finish them and then file a late renewal, with a $50 late fee in addition to the renewal fee. You can't practice while the license is expired.

Before you pay

This page rests on the Maine statute and the state licensing page on CE. They set the 21 hours and the core course. We haven't confirmed a course price.

Before you pay, ask the provider whether the course counts for Maine CE. Check that on the Commission's own pages.

Questions

Does the core course I took last year count?

Not necessarily. The mandatory core course changes every two years. A new one is usually offered for at least six months before it becomes mandatory, and during that time you may complete either the current core course or the new one.

How do I know a distance course is complete?

It is complete once the provider scores the required exam, you earn 85% or better, and a certificate with the completion date is issued. Sending in the exam isn't enough.

What does the Commission ask for in an audit?

Certificates for 21 hours of approved courses, 3 of them in the current core course. If you can't show you finished the hours before you renewed, the penalties can include a fine, more education, or suspension or revocation of the license.

What to do next

Start with the Maine statute on continuing education. Then read the Real Estate Commission's CE page.

legislature.maine.gov

Sources we read