18 hours. That's the number every Texas real estate agent needs to know. But which courses count, which are mandatory, and when your deadline actually hits -- that's where agents get tripped up. This page covers all of it. Specifically, you'll find the exact TREC CE requirements, what each required course covers, how brokers differ, and how to check your progress in REALM. Plus, how to get everything done in one sitting.

When in doubt, confirm requirements directly on the TREC continuing education page. Requirements can change, and your license is your livelihood.

TREC CE Requirements: The Complete Breakdown

Texas real estate agents must complete 18 hours of continuing education every two-year renewal cycle. However, those 18 hours are not all created equal -- 11 are mandatory, 7 are your choice. Here's the exact breakdown:

The 11 mandatory hours cover Legal Update I, Legal Update II, and the 3-hour contract requirement. Take all 11 at a TREC-approved CE provider -- no substitutes allowed. Your remaining 7 elective hours are yours to choose from any TREC-approved elective offering.

What Each Required Course Covers

These mandatory courses aren't bureaucratic box-checking -- they cover real liability exposure. Here's what you're actually learning:

Legal Update I (4 Hours)

Legal Update I covers changes to Texas real estate statutes, TREC rules, agency relationships, fiduciary duties, water rights, and fair housing law. Specifically, TREC rewrites this curriculum every two years to reflect what's changed in law and practice. When Texas updates how agents must handle transactions, Legal Update I carries those changes. In short, this course directly affects how you operate with clients every day.

Legal Update II (4 Hours)

Legal Update II covers TREC-promulgated contract forms, listing and buyer agreements, promulgated addenda, and the current enforcement environment. That includes competency standards, AI use in real estate practice, military veteran protections, and recent TREC disciplinary actions. Like Legal Update I, TREC writes the curriculum -- every approved provider teaches the same content. As a result, it's the most current picture of how TREC expects you to conduct business.

Contract CE (3 Hours)

The 3-hour contract requirement goes deeper than the Legal Update courses on Texas contract mechanics. For example, you'll learn what the promulgated forms actually say, why the addenda exist, and what happens when something goes sideways in a transaction. Furthermore, good contract CE builds fluency in which clause controls when a deal gets complicated. Agents who know their forms avoid trouble -- and keep their clients' deals from falling apart at the wrong moment.

That covers the full mandatory picture for agents. If you hold a broker license, there's one additional requirement you need to know about.

Broker CE Requirements: What's Different

Texas brokers have the same 18-hour CE requirement as agents -- plus one more mandatory course: Broker Responsibility.

As of January 1, 2026, all active Texas brokers must complete the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course each renewal cycle. This includes brokers who aren't actively supervising agents. Here's how the broker math works:

How Broker Responsibility Counts

Broker Responsibility counts within your 18 hours -- it replaces elective hours rather than stacking on top of them. For instance, a broker who finishes LU I (4) + LU II (4) + Broker Responsibility (6) has 14 mandatory hours done. Add 4 elective hours and you're at 18. See the full breakdown on the Texas real estate broker CE requirements page.

Whether you're an agent or a broker, the next question is the same. When exactly does all of this need to be done?

When Is Your CE Due?

How to Find Your Deadline

No universal CE deadline exists. Instead, TREC staggers license expirations across the calendar, so every agent's renewal date is different. Your deadline is yours alone. Here's how to find it:

1. Go to agents.trec.texas.gov (the REALM portal)
2. Log in with your email and password
3. Click the Licenses tab
4. Select Real Estate Education History

Your license details show the expiration date. Finish your CE before that date. You can also check your license status and confirm your renewal date without logging into REALM. Either way, know your date before you start.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

Since October 2023, the rules are stricter. When a Texas real estate license expires, it goes inactive immediately. Additionally, the brokerage affiliation also terminates at the same time. An agent cannot work on an inactive license. Note that late renewal fees kick in too: $143-$176 depending on timing, versus $110 for on-time renewal. See the full TREC fee schedule for current amounts.

That October 2023 rule change eliminated the grace period buffer most agents relied on. So don't cut it close. If you're within 60 days of your expiration, start your CE today.

Finish your courses and there's still one step that catches agents off guard. How long does it take those credits to appear in TREC's system?

How CE Credits Get Posted to TREC

How the Reporting Process Works

Finishing a CE course doesn't automatically update your TREC record. Your provider has to report your completion first. Under TREC Rule 535.75, providers have up to 7-10 days to do that. Most use a batch upload process -- collecting completions over a day or several days, then submitting them in bulk. For agents finishing CE close to a renewal deadline, this lag is a real problem. As a result, when credits haven't posted and the renewal window opens, you're stuck waiting.

Why TREA's Reporting Speed Matters

TREA does this differently. We report completions to TREC via API -- credits post in approximately 3 seconds, around the clock. Finish a course at 11pm the night before your deadline. Your CE appears in TREC's system before you close the browser tab. Then go renew your license.

This is TREA's most operationally significant differentiator. Most agents don't think about posting speed until they're stuck in the waiting window, watching the clock. Still, we've eliminated that window entirely.

So now you know how the requirements work and how credits get reported. Here's the fastest path to getting all 18 hours done in one place.

How to Meet Your TREC CE Requirements at TREA

TREA -- Texas Real Estate Academy, TREC CE Provider #10010-CEP -- offers the complete 18-hour CE curriculum. That includes both Legal Updates, Broker Responsibility, contract CE, and 9 TREC-approved electives. Here's the simplest path to done:

The Hall Pass Bundle: $75, 18 Hours, Everything Included

The Hall Pass bundle includes Legal Update I, Legal Update II, contract CE, and enough elective hours to reach 18. Enroll and work through the courses at your own pace. Credits post to TREC instantly when you finish each one. Then log into REALM at agents.trec.texas.gov, confirm your education history, and renew your license. Done that night.

Here's everything that comes with enrollment at TREA:

• Legal Update I (4 hrs) -- included
• Legal Update II (4 hrs) -- included
• Contract CE (3 hrs) -- included
• Elective hours to complete your 18 -- included
• Instant TREC posting on every course (~3 seconds)
• No-questions-asked refund -- keep earned CE hours
• Free 2-hour personality CE class

Need step-by-step renewal guidance? We have that too. Prefer to build your own stack? Browse all Texas real estate CE courses individually and pick your own electives.

Still have questions? The answers below cover what agents ask most about TREC CE requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CE hours do Texas real estate agents need?

Texas real estate agents must complete 18 hours of continuing education every two-year renewal cycle. Specifically, the breakdown is 4 hours Legal Update I, 4 hours Legal Update II, 3 hours contract CE, and 7 elective hours from TREC-approved providers. Finish all 18 before your license expiration date.

What courses are required for TREC CE renewal?

Three course types are mandatory for every Texas real estate agent: Legal Update I, Legal Update II, and contract CE -- 11 hours total. Agents must take all 11 at a TREC-approved provider. No substitutes are allowed. Furthermore, the remaining 7 hours are electives the agent selects from any TREC-approved offering.

Do Texas brokers have different CE requirements?

Yes. Texas brokers must complete the same 18 CE hours as agents, plus one additional mandatory course: Broker Responsibility (6 hours). As of January 1, 2026, every active Texas broker must take Broker Responsibility each renewal cycle. However, the good news is it counts within your 18 hours, not on top of them. A broker's mandatory stack is LU I (4) + LU II (4) + Broker Responsibility (6) = 14 hours. Add 4 elective hours and you're at 18.

When do I need to complete my TREC CE?

Your CE deadline matches your individual license expiration date -- no universal Texas deadline exists. Every agent's cycle runs differently. To find yours, log into the REALM portal at agents.trec.texas.gov. Click the Licenses tab and select "Real Estate Education History." One important note: since October 2023, expired licenses go inactive immediately and brokerage affiliations terminate. There is no grace period.

How do I check my CE hours in TREC?

Log into the REALM portal at agents.trec.texas.gov with your email and password. Next, click the Licenses tab and select "Real Estate Education History." You'll see every CE course on record for your license, with completion dates and credit hours. If a course isn't showing up, the provider hasn't reported it yet -- most batch-upload on a delay. By contrast, TREA posts in ~3 seconds via API. You can also use TREA's Texas real estate license lookup to verify your status quickly.

How long does it take for CE credits to show up in TREC?

It depends on your provider. Under TREC Rule 535.75, providers have up to 7-10 days to report CE completions. Most large providers batch-upload, so credits may not appear for 1-3 business days after you finish a course. Instead, TREA reports directly to TREC via API -- completions post in approximately 3 seconds, 24/7. Provider posting speed matters a lot when you're finishing CE close to your renewal deadline.

Where can I complete my TREC CE requirements online?

TREA (Texas Real Estate Academy, TREC CE Provider #10010-CEP) offers all 18 required CE hours fully online. That includes Legal Update I, Legal Update II, contract CE, and electives. Additionally, the Hall Pass bundle covers everything at $75. Enroll, work through the courses at your own pace, and credits post to TREC instantly. Prefer to pick your own mix? Browse individual courses at texas-real-estate-ce and build your own 18-hour stack.