District of Columbia Real Estate CE Requirements, Explained
Last reviewed June 2026 against the official sources linked below. Requirements change — always confirm with your board before relying on them.
Total hours
15 hrs / 2 years
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years (odd years)
Mandated
9 of the 15 hours
Issued by
DC Real Estate Commission (DLCP)
The District keeps the total at 15 hours every two years but reserves a majority of it - 9 hours - for mandated topics like fair housing, ethics, and a legislative update. So the elective room is small, and the exact mix differs depending on whether you are a salesperson or a broker.
Here is the full picture for both, with the separate salesperson and broker renewal dates spelled out.
The base requirement: 15 hours every 2 years
Every applicant for renewal of a DC real estate broker, salesperson, or property manager license must complete no fewer than 15 hours of acceptable continuing education during the two-year period preceding expiration. Of those 15 hours, 9 are mandated courses with curriculums established by the Commission, and 6 are approved general electives - though for some license types the elective room is partly spoken for.
The 9 mandated hours
- 3 hours of DC Fair Housing.
- 3 hours of DC Ethics.
- 3 hours of DC Legislative Update.
- Salespersons: the remaining hours include 3 hours of Property Management plus 3 elective hours.
- Brokers: the remaining hours include 3 hours of Property Management plus 3 hours of Broker Supervision, which leaves little to no open elective room.
- Because the legislative update and other mandated content track current DC law, older versions will not satisfy the requirement.
Stop tracking this in a spreadsheet
Progress rings per requirement, private certificate storage, deadline reminders, and a one-click audit packet. Set up in two minutes — free for your first license.
Start tracking — freeTwo tracks: salesperson vs broker dates
- Salespersons renew - and must complete CE - by August 31 of odd-numbered years.
- Brokers (and property managers) renew by February 28 of odd-numbered years.
- Both still owe the same 15-hour total; only the deadline and part of the mandated mix differ.
- Newly licensed brokers, salespersons, and property managers are exempt from CE for the remainder of the cycle in which their license is first issued, but must still renew when that cycle ends.
When is your deadline?
DC renewals fall in odd-numbered years - August 31 for salespersons, February 28 for brokers and property managers - and the 15 hours must be done in the two years before that date. The requirement is administered by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). Keep your certificates so you can prove the topic-by-topic breakdown, not just the total.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the 15-hour total with a separate ring for each mandated topic - fair housing, ethics, legislative update, property management, and broker supervision where it applies.
- Store each certificate as you finish, filed with the credit and topic it proves.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your odd-year deadline - August 31 for salespersons, February 28 for brokers.
- One-click export of a dated audit packet - summary plus every certificate - if DLCP or a broker asks.
- Licensed in DC plus a neighboring state, or also an appraiser or MLO? Every license sits on its own card with its own deadline in one dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do DC real estate licensees need?
No fewer than 15 hours every two years, of which 9 are Commission-mandated courses (including fair housing, ethics, and a legislative update) and 6 are approved electives.
What are the mandated DC real estate CE topics?
Three hours each of DC Fair Housing, DC Ethics, and DC Legislative Update, plus Property Management - and, for brokers, Broker Supervision - within the 15-hour total.
When do DC real estate licenses renew?
In odd-numbered years: salespersons by August 31 and brokers and property managers by February 28. The 15 hours must be completed in the two years before that date.
Are newly licensed DC agents exempt from CE?
Yes. New brokers, salespersons, and property managers are exempt from CE for the remainder of the cycle in which they are first licensed, but must still renew when that first cycle ends.
Official sources
CredTally is a record-keeping tool and is not affiliated with any licensing board. This guide is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
CredTally tracks all of this for you
Progress rings per requirement, private certificate storage, deadline reminders, and a one-click audit packet. Set up in two minutes — free for your first license.
Start tracking — free