How to Renew Your Alabama Real Estate License
About the Author: Nicole Schnell
Alabama real estate agents, whether salespersons or brokers, must renew their licenses every two years. All original licenses expire on September 30th of every even year (2024 is a renewal year). If not renewed by then, your license will be placed on “inactive” status as of October 1, 2024. You won’t be able to practice real estate with an inactive license, so it’s crucial to take the right steps before the deadline. Whether it’s your first, second, third, or subsequent renewal, here are the steps you need to take to renew your Alabama real estate license.
#1: Complete the Education Requirements
The Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) requires all agents, except those with temporary licenses, to take approved educational courses every two years to renew their licenses. New salespersons are issued a temporary license and must complete a Post-Licensing course to obtain an original (permanent) salesperson license. Active licensees have six months to complete it, while inactive licensees have up to a year. After that, both salespersons and brokers must complete Continuing Education (CE) courses for renewals every two years.
| Renewal Type | Required Education |
|---|---|
| First-Time Temporary Salesperson | Enroll in a Post-Licensing Course
(within your first year) 30 hours of qualifying real estate courses |
| Salesperson Renewal | Enroll in Salesperson Continuing Education (CE) courses
(after Post-Licensing, every two years) 15 hours of approved CE courses, including 3 hours of Risk Management: Initial Contact to Accepted Offer and 12 hours of elective CE courses |
| Broker Renewal | Enroll in Broker Continuing Education (CE) courses
(after Post-Licensing, every two years) 15 hours of approved CE courses, including 3 hours of Risk Management: Initial Contact to Accepted Offer, 3 hours of Mandatory Broker CE, and 9 hours of elective CE courses |
These courses are meant to keep agents up-to-date with industry regulations to ensure they are competent to deliver quality real estate service to clients. They’re an investment in yourself and your business! License Classroom will automatically submit your course certificates to AREC within 1-2 business days after you complete them. You can keep focusing on your clients and growing your real estate business!
#2: Complete a Renewal Application with AREC
Temporary salespersons must submit an Application for Real Estate Salesperson’s Original License to AREC after completing the Post-Licensing course. This is technically not a renewal but rather an application to change your temporary license to an original (permanent) one.
Salespersons and brokers with original licenses will need to submit a renewal application through AREC’s Online Services portal. Application fees are $185 for salespersons and $205 for brokers. The online license renewal period starts in mid-June of this year, with renewal postcard notices mailed in mid-July. To avoid a $150 late penalty fee, ensure your license is renewed by the deadline on August 31, 2024. All original licenses must be renewed by September 30th to avoid going inactive.
Start Your Renewal with License Classroom Today
With License Classroom’s self-paced and easy-to-use real estate courses, most agents are able to finish their post-license courses within 1-2 weeks and their CE courses within a few days! Choose from comprehensive packages or individual courses based on your needs. We offer seamless support to ensure a smooth renewal, with a friendly customer support team available via email, phone, or live chat. Start your Post-Licensing or CE courses with License Classroom and renew your Alabama real estate license today!
