Texas 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
18 hrs / 2 years
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Mandatory
Legal Update I and II (8 hrs) + contracts (3 hrs)
Issued by
Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)
Texas runs on a two-year cycle with a clear, fixed core: Legal Update I, Legal Update II, and a contract-related course eat up most of your 18 hours before you choose a single elective. Simple - except for your very first renewal, which is a different animal entirely.
Here is what sales agents owe TREC, and why the first renewal catches new agents off guard.
The base requirement: 18 hours, with a fixed core
For every renewal after the first, TREC requires sales agents to complete 18 hours of approved continuing education each two-year period: 4 hours of Legal Update I, 4 hours of Legal Update II, a 3-hour contract-related course, and 7 hours of electives. The Legal Update courses are tied to the period in which you take them - they cover current law changes and do not carry over.
The first renewal is the heavy one (SAE)
- Your first sales agent license renewal does not use the 18-hour CE formula. Instead you must complete Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) - 90 hours of additional qualifying real estate coursework.
- Those 90 hours sit on top of the 180 qualifying hours you took to get licensed, for 270 total qualifying hours before your first renewal.
- Legal Update I (4 hrs) and Legal Update II (4 hrs) still must be completed as part of that first renewal.
- Plan the SAE early - 90 hours is a lot to absorb in the final weeks before your first expiration date.
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?
Texas real estate licenses are issued for two years and expire on the date printed on your license. Submit your course completions to TREC at least about 10 days before you file your renewal - if the hours are not in TREC's system, your renewal application will not be accepted. Finish early so the reporting lag does not cost you.
How CredTally keeps this on autopilot
- Track the 18-hour total with separate buckets for Legal Update I, Legal Update II, the contract course, and electives - or switch to the SAE 90-hour view for a first renewal.
- Store each certificate as you finish, ready to export.
- Reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your two-year expiration - early enough to beat TREC's reporting lag.
- Hold a Texas license plus another state, or add an appraiser or MLO credential? Each gets its own card, deadline, and reminders in one dashboard.
- One-click dated packet for a broker review or any audit.
Frequently asked questions
How many CE hours do Texas real estate agents need?
Eighteen hours every two years for renewals after the first: 4 hours Legal Update I, 4 hours Legal Update II, a 3-hour contract-related course, and 7 hours of electives.
What is the SAE requirement in Texas?
Sales Apprentice Education - 90 hours of additional qualifying coursework required for your first license renewal, on top of the 180 hours you took to get licensed, plus both Legal Update courses.
Do Texas Legal Update courses carry over?
No. Legal Update I and II cover current law changes and count only for the renewal period in which you take them.
When does my Texas real estate license expire?
Two years from issuance, on the date printed on your license. Get completions to TREC at least about 10 days before you renew.
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.
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