Pennsylvania Real Estate Agent / Broker Continuing Education Requirements
Requirements Overview
The Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission requires 14 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal cycle, which runs on a May 31 expiration date in even-numbered years. For the 2024-2026 cycle, mandatory topics are 2 hours of Fair Housing and 3 hours of Agency Relationship, with the remaining 9 hours as electives. Mandatory topics may change each cycle at the Commission's discretion.
First-time renewing salespersons follow a different track: 14 hours of Commission-developed modules (a General Module plus a Residential or Commercial Module) instead of the standard topic-based CE. Requirements also vary by licensure date within the cycle — those licensed between December 1, 2023 and November 30, 2025 take two 7-hour courses, while those licensed on or after December 1, 2025 owe no CE for the current cycle.
A critical Pennsylvania-specific detail: providers do not report course completions to the state. Licensees must maintain their own certificates of completion for potential audit. Renewal is online-only through PALS with no paper applications accepted.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Housing | 2 | Every renewal | 2 hours in Fair Housing required each renewal cycle. Adopted at July 10, 2024 commission meeting for 2024-2026 cycle. |
| Agency Relationship | 3 | Every renewal | 3 hours in Agency Relationship required each renewal cycle. |
Renewal Pathways
Exemptions
- Inactive — Inactive licensees not reactivating are exempt from CE requirements.
- Reciprocal — Reciprocal license holders are exempt from CE requirements.
- Specialty Licenses — Cemetery brokers/salespersons, builder-owner salespersons, timeshare salespersons, campground membership salespersons, and rental listing referral agents with standard licenses are exempt.
- New Licensee Late Cycle — Licensees licensed on or after December 1, 2025 have no CE requirement for the current cycle but must renew.
How You Can Complete Your CE
Provider Requirements
Providers approved by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. Providers do not report course completions to the state; licensees maintain certificates for audit purposes.
Tips for Pennsylvania Real Estate Agents
- Keep your CE completion certificates — Pennsylvania providers do not report to the state, and you may be audited.
- Check the Commission's announcements each cycle for the current mandatory topics, as they change every two years.
- Renew online through PALS only — paper applications are not accepted.
- If reactivating after less than 5 years, you need 14 hours that cannot double-count toward your next renewal; after 5+ years, you must retake the licensing exam.