The Texas Real Estate Commission announced on Apr. 10 that license and registration holders will receive an email notification when they are eligible to begin the renewal process through the Real Estate and Appraiser License Management (REALM) Portal.
This information is important for current licensees, as it provides clear instructions on how to maintain their credentials using the new portal system.
According to the commission, individuals can start renewing their licenses at least 90 days before their expiration date or once they receive an official email stating it is time to renew. The renewal option will only appear in a user’s REALM Portal account once their specific window opens.
The commission said every license holder must create a new REALM Portal account, as previous login details from older systems will not work. Users are advised to ensure their licenses are properly linked to their accounts by using the State ID and PIN Lookup tool provided by TREC. They should not start a new application but instead follow the outlined steps for renewal: logging into the portal, confirming all licenses are pinned, submitting a renewal application, and paying applicable fees—even if some continuing education records have yet to be filed by providers.
For first-time sales agent renewals, requirements include completing 270 qualifying real estate course hours (including a mandatory brokerage course), eight hours of TREC Legal Update courses, and—for delegated supervisors—a six-hour Broker Responsibility Course. All education requirements must be completed before renewal; these cannot be deferred regardless of whether applicants seek active or inactive status.
Sales agents seeking active status must complete 18 hours of approved continuing education (CE), which includes legal updates, contract coursework, electives, and—if applicable—the broker responsibility course. If CE is incomplete by expiration date, agents may pay a $200 deferral fee for an additional 60 days to fulfill requirements while remaining active. Agents renewing with inactive status do not need CE but cannot engage in brokerage activity until reactivated.
