Real estate sales agents must renew their licenses with the Texas Real Estate Commission every two years, and if it’s your first time, there are some special requirements you should know.

Agents renewing for the first time must complete Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) requirements, which include 270 qualifying real estate course hours. In getting your real estate license, you completed 180 hours of qualifying courses, leaving 90 course hours to finish before your first renewal. Continuing Education (CE) course hours do not count toward the SAE requirement. If you’re in the first two years after getting your license, make sure the courses you’re taking meet SAE requirements.

For qualifying SAE course hours to show up on your license record, you must submit completion documents to TREC. Do this at least 10 days before attempting to renew your license to ensure credit has posted to your record.

TREC Legal Update I and TREC Legal Update II are also required for sales agents renewing for the first time. For these courses, the provider will submit completion documents to TREC.

If you still need to complete SAE requirements before renewing your license for the first time, Graduate REALTOR® Institute courses offered by the Texas Association of REALTORS® can fulfill 90 qualifying real estate course hours. Find more information at texasrealestate.com.