Maryland 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
Finish by
30 days before renewal
Issued by
Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC)
Maryland sets a modest 15-hour total over a two-year license term but fills much of it with named, non-substitutable topics - legislative update, ethics, and brokerage relationships among them. To complicate things, the exact required mix depends on when you were first licensed, with a distinct set of topics for those whose initial license dates from October 1, 2023 onward.
Here is the full picture for Maryland salespersons and associate brokers, with the required-topic split called out.
The base requirement: 15 hours every 2 years
The Maryland Real Estate Commission requires salespersons and associate brokers to complete 15 hours of continuing education each two-year license term. The hours are largely allocated to specific required topics rather than free electives, and several of those topics may not be substituted with other education.
Required topics depend on your license date
- Subsequent renewals (initially licensed before October 1, 2023): a 3-hour Legal and Legislative Update, 3 hours of Ethics, 2 hours of Fair Housing, 3 hours of Brokerage Relationships and Disclosure, and 4 elective hours.
- First renewal (initially licensed on or after October 1, 2023): a different fixed set covering contracts, brokerage relationships, real estate practice, property management, professionalism, and financing, totaling 15 hours.
- The Maryland ethics course is state-specific - NAR ethics does not substitute for it.
- Required topics may not be swapped for general electives.
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 — freeWhen is your deadline?
Maryland real estate licenses expire every two years from the date of issuance. Plan to complete your CE during the license term and at least 30 days before submitting your renewal application - providers have up to 14 days to upload your hours to the MREC system, and finishing early avoids a reinstatement fee. Keep your certificates in case the Commission asks for proof of the required topics.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the 15-hour total with a ring for each required topic - legislative update, ethics, fair housing, brokerage relationships - plus your elective hours, matched to your license-date track.
- Store each certificate as you finish, filed with the credit and topic it proves in a private vault.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your two-year expiration - early enough to clear the 30-day-before-renewal and provider-upload windows.
- One-click export of a dated packet - summary plus every certificate - if MREC asks.
- Licensed in Maryland plus another state, or also an appraiser or MLO? Each license has its own card, deadline, and reminders in one dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Maryland real estate agents need?
Fifteen hours of continuing education every two-year license term, allocated mostly to required topics such as legislative update, ethics, fair housing, and brokerage relationships.
Are Maryland required CE topics substitutable?
No. Required topics like the legal and legislative update, the Maryland-specific ethics course, and brokerage relationships and disclosure may not be replaced with general electives.
Does the required mix differ for newer Maryland licensees?
Yes. Agents initially licensed on or after October 1, 2023 follow a different fixed set of topics for their first renewal than those licensed before that date.
When should I finish Maryland CE before renewing?
At least 30 days before submitting your renewal application. Providers have up to 14 days to upload hours to MREC, so finishing early avoids a reinstatement fee.
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