New York State real estate licenses must be renewed every two years. Missing the renewal deadline or CE requirements can result in license lapse — which means you can’t legally sell real estate until it’s reinstated. Here’s everything you need to know to stay current.
CE Requirements for Renewal
Salespersons must complete 22.5 hours of continuing education every two-year cycle. The state requires specific topic coverage: 3 hours of fair housing, 1 hour of agency law, 1 hour of ethics, and the remainder in any approved elective categories. Missing even one required topic category means your renewal won’t be processed regardless of total credit hours.
How to Avoid Gaps and Lapses
Don’t wait until the final months of your cycle to start CE. Complete required topics — fair housing, agency, ethics — early in the cycle. Fill in elective hours throughout. By the time your renewal deadline approaches, your credits should already be reported and verified in the DOS system.
Broker License Renewal
Broker licenses also renew every two years and require 22.5 CE hours with the same mandatory topic categories. Brokers who are managing agents also have specific CE requirements related to management functions. Check your license expiration date and CE status at dos.ny.gov.
Main St Success offers all required CE topics — fair housing, agency, ethics, and approved electives — for Long Island real estate agents. mainstsuccess.com.