The Texas Real Estate Commission announced on Mar. 25 that new rules affecting brokers and broker applicants are now in effect, following changes from Senate Bill 1968 that began on Jan. 1, 2026.
These changes are designed to improve transparency in the real estate industry, strengthen qualifications for brokers, and modernize license management processes. The updates affect how brokers qualify for licenses, operate their businesses, and maintain compliance with state regulations.
One major change is the mandatory Broker Responsibility Course for all brokers and broker applicants. This course must be completed regardless of whether a broker supervises sales agents. It covers legal and ethical obligations, supervisory responsibilities, risk management practices, and compliance expectations.
Senate Bill 1968 also introduced measures to increase oversight and public visibility. Associated brokers must now identify their affiliated brokerages so this information can be displayed publicly on TREC’s website. Brokers will need to accept association requests through the Real Estate and Appraiser License (REALM) Management Portal. Additionally, TREC will notify brokers if complaints are filed against their associated brokers. All license holders are required to provide business addresses and phone numbers for public display online.
The experience threshold for obtaining a broker license has increased under TREC Rule 535.56: the minimum required experience points have doubled from 360 to 720 points. A bachelor’s degree is now capped at contributing up to 300 hours toward education requirements instead of the previous maximum of 630 hours; additional qualifying experience may substitute up to another 300 education hours.
Applicants must continue submitting documentation of their qualifying transactions using Supplement A (PDF), which requires certification by a sponsoring broker before review by TREC staff determines how many experience points can be awarded toward both licensing requirements and educational hour substitutions.
