The Texas Accredited Commercial Specialist certification teaches you how to represent clients, perform market analyses, negotiate, and understand property development and management. The TACS will also equip you with skills in marketing and business development. This certification shows that you’ve pursued an intensive course of study in commercial real estate and that you’re dedicated to providing the highest level of service to clients.
This certification is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS®.
Certification Requirements
The Texas Accredited Commercial Specialist certification requires the completion of three 30-hour courses:
- TACS 1: Introduction to Commercial Real Estate. Topics include fundamentals of commercial real estate finance and economics.
- TACS 2: Commercial Real Estate Property Development. Topics include commercial leasing, property development, and appraisal valuation methods.
- TACS 3: Commercial Real Estate Marketing & Negotiation. Topics include assessing the merits of investment property, appropriate contract forms and addenda, and how to develop a self-aware business plan.
Click here to examine a more detailed outline of the courses and topics.
After successful completion of the three courses, candidates must provide the following:
- A letter from the agent’s broker, provided on official company letterhead or from an email containing the broker’s official company signature, verifying the agent’s successful completion of at least two commercial real estate transactions. The letter must include the property type and closing date for each transaction. The letter should also confirm the agent’s active participation in a Commercial Information Exchange (CIE). If the applicant is the broker, the applicant certifies that the transaction details provided are true and correct and understand that misstatements and fraudulent representations shall disqualify the applicant from receiving the TACS certification.
- Two written letters of recommendation from licensed real estate agents excluding the candidate’s broker who can speak to the candidate’s professionalism and standard of practice in commercial real estate.
Please note:
- The required transactions must be completed within three years prior to the application submission date, demonstrating the applicant is currently an active commercial practitioner.
- All required transactions must have closed after completion of all TACS coursework.
- There is no set minimum dollar amount required for these transactions to qualify.
- Only original sales and leases will be considered; renewals will not qualify.
- Finally, the certification candidate must submit the Texas Accredited Commercial Specialist certification application and a $50 application fee to Texas REALTORS®.
For more information on the TACS program, please see our FAQs.
TACS Scholarship
The Texas REALTORS® TACS Scholarship is for members with less than five years of experience in commercial real estate who have faced discrimination, exclusion, or hardship in their entry into commercial real estate based on their status in a protected class. Protected classes include race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The scholarship aims to increase diversity in commercial real estate services by funding the scholarship recipient’s completion of the Texas Accredited Commercial Specialist program.