Mandatory CE courses required for new licensees

Newly licensed agents may have taken lots of continuing education classes but if they haven’t taken the new courses developed just for them, they won’t be able to renew their licenses next year.

PA State Real Estate Commission requires new agents, licensed on or after December 1, 2007, to take one seven-hour general course and one of two electives, either a residential-focused or commercial-focused course.

The PA REALTORS® Institute’s (PRI) general course, Mandatory Core Continuing Education for New Licensees, is being offered through different local associations throughout the state. The general course provides an overview of daily real estate practices including: written agreements, agency relationships, closing costs, zoning issues, disclosure and environmental concerns.

Other real estate schools are offering courses to meet these new requirements. Newly licensed REALTORS® should confirm that the course they are considering meets the real estate commission’s requirements. While the commission has approved the outline for the course work, there is no standard name for the course. When in doubt, contact your local association to determine whether the course has been approved for new licensees.

If a real estate licensee is unsure when he was licensed, he can visit the real estate commission’s web site to verify the date.

All real estate licensees are required to complete 14 hours of continuing education in order to renew their licenses by May 31, 2010.