Montana Real Estate CE Requirements (2026): 12 Hours Every Year
Requirements Overview
The Montana Board of Realty Regulation requires 12 hours of continuing education per annual licensing year, which runs from November 1 through October 31. For salespersons and non-supervising brokers, all 12 hours can be elective courses — there are no mandatory topic requirements. Supervising brokers, however, must complete 4 hours of supervising broker CE covering leadership, oversight, and regulatory compliance, with the remaining 8 hours as electives.
All courses through ARELLO are automatically approved for Montana CE credit, giving licensees access to a broad catalog of nationally available courses. New salespersons licensed for less than 12 months at their first renewal are exempt from CE for that cycle.
Before receiving a supervising broker endorsement, brokers must complete an 8-hour pre-endorsement course. This is a one-time requirement separate from the annual 4-hour supervising broker CE obligation.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervising Broker Continuing Education | 4 | Every renewal | Required only for supervising brokers. Covers leadership, broker oversight, and regulatory compliance. |
Renewal Pathways
Exemptions
- Exemption — No continuing education is required for salesperson licensees who are licensed less than 12 months on their first renewal.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Montana CE Rules & Limits
Details specific to Montana that generic CE guides tend to miss:
- Annual minimum — at least 12 hours must be completed each year of the cycle, not just by the renewal deadline.
- Carry-over — No carry-over provisions identified. All 12 hours must be completed within each licensing year (November 1 through October 31).
- CE is annual (12 hours per year), not biennial. Licensing year runs November 1 through October 31.
- Salespersons and brokers: all 12 hours can be elective.
- Supervising brokers: 4 of 12 hours must be in supervising broker CE.
- Supervising broker pre-endorsement: 8-hour approved course required.
- New salespersons licensed less than 12 months exempt from CE on first renewal.
- ARELLO-certified courses automatically approved.
- Administrative Rule: ARM 24.210.667.
- Contact: (406) 444-5696 or [email protected].
Provider Requirements
Courses must be approved by the Montana Board of Realty Regulation. All courses through ARELLO are approved for Montana CE credit.
Tips for Montana Real Estate Agents
- Montana's CE cycle is annual, not biennial — set a recurring October reminder to avoid scrambling before the October 31 deadline.
- Since ARELLO-certified courses are automatically approved, you have a wide selection of online options from national providers.
- New salespersons licensed less than 12 months get a first-renewal exemption — but do not let this delay building a CE routine for subsequent years.
- If you plan to become a supervising broker, complete the 8-hour pre-endorsement course first, then budget 4 hours annually for the ongoing supervising broker CE.
Sources
Each figure on this page is taken directly from the Montana Board of Realty Regulation's official rules and continuing-education sources and recorded with the exact source excerpt. Last verified Mar 2026. Read how we compile and verify this data.