New York Real Estate Agent / Broker Continuing Education Requirements
Requirements Overview
New York's Department of State requires 22.5 hours of continuing education per biennial license term. The state mandates specific hours across six topics: 3 hours of Fair Housing and Discrimination, 2.5 hours of Ethical Business Practices, 2 hours each of Cultural Competency, Implicit Bias Training, and Law of Agency, plus 1 hour of Recent Legal Matters. The remaining hours are filled with electives.
The 15-year broker CE exemption was eliminated effective July 1, 2021, meaning all brokers must now complete the full 22.5-hour requirement. The only remaining exemption is for attorneys admitted to the New York State Bar. Initial salesperson renewals follow the same total hours but require only 1 hour of Agency instead of 2.
Completing an approved broker qualifying course during the current term provides CE credit, but you must still separately satisfy the 2.5-hour Ethical Business Practices and 1-hour Recent Legal Matters requirements. Licensees have two years from expiration to renew; after that, they must retake the state exam and submit a new application.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cultural Competency | 2 | Every renewal | At least 2 hours of instruction pertaining to cultural competency. |
| Implicit Bias Training | 2 | Every renewal | At least 2 hours of instruction pertaining to implicit bias training. |
| Ethical Business Practices | 2.5 | Every renewal | At least 2.5 hours of instruction pertaining to ethical business practices. |
| Recent Legal Matters | 1 | Every renewal | At least 1 hour of instruction pertaining to recent legal matters. |
| Fair Housing and Discrimination | 3 | Every renewal | At least 3 hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property. |
| Law of Agency | 2 | Every renewal | At least 1 hour for initial salesperson renewal; 2 hours of agency-related instruction for subsequent renewals within the 2-year period preceding renewal. |
Renewal Pathways
Exemptions
- Attorney — Attorneys admitted to the New York State Bar are exempt from continuing education requirements.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Provider Requirements
New York Department of State approved CE providers.
Tips for New York Real Estate Agents
- Do not assume broker experience exempts you from CE — the 15-year broker exemption was eliminated in 2021.
- If you complete a broker qualifying course for CE credit, you still need to separately take Ethical Business Practices (2.5 hrs) and Recent Legal Matters (1 hr).
- Watch for renewal reminders about 90 days before expiration via postcard and email — but set your own calendar reminder as a backup.
- You have 2 years after expiration to renew; beyond that, you must retake the state exam entirely.