NY Continuing Education for Real Estate Agents (2026)

February 16, 2026 by Georges Benoliel

All New York real estate licensees must complete 22.5 hours of continuing education (CE) before renewing their license. These requirements of NY Continuing Education apply to salespersons, associate brokers, and NY Continuing Education for Real Estate Agents brokers. The 22.5 hours include 11 elective hours and 11.5 mandatory hours in various topics:

3 hours of fair housing and/or discrimination
1 hour of agency (including two hours during the initial two-year licensing period for salespersons)
2.5 hours of ethical business practices
1 hour on recent legal matters (covering statutes, laws, regulations, rules, codes, DOS opinions and decisions, and court rulings)
2 hours of implicit bias awareness (effective from 9/21/22)
2 hours of cultural competency (also effective from 9/21/22)

Elective hours can be earned through any Department of State-approved CE course, regardless of the subject. Not all courses qualify for CE credit; confirm with the course provider. Attorneys admitted to the New York bar are exempt from CE requirements. No other exemptions exist in New York.

Where can I find free continuing education courses?

Many third parties, including title insurance companies, real estate attorneys, and continuing education providers, offer free continuing education courses.

Langdon Title runs a regular free educational program. It’s advisable to subscribe to their mailing list to receive automatic updates on upcoming classes. Common course topics include the following:

Condo Due Diligence, Tax Planning Strategies with Real Estate
Estate Sales
Fair Housing
Townhouse Due Diligence
Contract of Sale – Condo
Mortgage Process
Multifamily Transactions
Building Questionnaires.

How do I track my NY Continuing Education?

Keeping detailed records of your continuing education courses is crucial. This includes noting the date, title, and credits for each class. The easiest way to do this is to save email confirmations or maintain a spreadsheet with all relevant details.

After each course, you’ll typically receive a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion from the provider, usually emailed a few weeks later. Store these certificates in a dedicated folder for quick access.

Although the Department of State (DOS) doesn’t require you to submit proof of CE completion when renewing your license, it’s essential to keep these records ready in case of an audit. CE course providers are legally obligated to retain completion records for three years.

If you need duplicate certificates during an audit, you can request them from the provider, but staying proactive in record-keeping is wiser. Don’t wait until an audit to organize your documentation.

Can CE credits carry over to the next renewal period in NY?

Licensees must complete 22.5 hours of continuing education (CE) within the two years before renewal. Any additional credits earned cannot be carried over to the next licensing period.

For instance, if you complete 35 hours of CE from 6/30/20 to 6/30/22, the additional 12.5 hours will not carry over to the next two-year period (6/30/22 to 6/30/24). You are required to complete only 22.5 CE hours between 6/30/22 and 6/30/24.

What happens if I forget to complete CE requirements?

You cannot renew your New York real estate license if you haven’t completed the mandatory CE requirements. After your license expires, you cannot engage in any real estate activities that require a license under Article 12-A of the Real Property Law.

Additionally, there is no grace period during which you can continue practicing real estate brokerage after expiration.

Are attorneys exempt from continuing education requirements?

Yes, attorneys licensed in New York are not required to complete continuing education.

Does a broker qualifying course qualify for CE credit?

Yes. A salesperson who successfully completes an approved broker qualifying course, including passing the final exam, can claim CE credit for that course during the current two-year licensing period. However, taking the broker course alone does not fully meet the continuing education requirements for license renewal.

Salespersons using this course for CE credit must also complete 2.5 hours of ethical business practices and 1 hour of recent legal topics to fully satisfy New York’s continuing education standards for license renewal.

Have NY continuing education requirements changed recently?

On 12/21/21, Governor Hochul signed two bills, effective 9/21/22, updating NY real estate licensees. While the 22.5-hour requirement stays, licensees must now complete 2 hours each on ‘implicit bias’ and ‘cultural competency’ as part of those hours, per laws S.538-B and S.979-A.

The education requirements updated July 1, 2021: 22.5 hours of coursework must include at least 2.5 hours on ethical practices and 1 hour on legal issues affecting NY brokers and salespersons. These supplement existing fair housing (3 hours) and agency (2 hours initial, 1 hour renewal) requirements.

Tags: Real Estate Taxes in NYC

Written By: Georges Benoliel

Georges has been working in Wall Street for the last 16 years trading derivatives with hedge funds. He has been an active real estate investor for over a decade. Georges graduated from HEC Business School in Paris and holds a master in Finance from ESADE Barcelona.

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