Real Estate License Renewal and CE Requirements Extended
Editorial note: This article has been updated to include more recent information.
License renewal and continuing education requirements for real estate brokers and salespersons have been delayed 90 days, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.
The bureau announced the delay today as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Renewals and continuing education requirements will now be required by Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020.
Association-owned real estate schools throughout the state have canceled and postponed continuing education classes over the past few weeks in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s restrictions imposed to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
“PAR is grateful BPOA and State Real Estate Commission recognized the unique challenges the pandemic has created for real estate licensees and has delayed the renewal period,” said PAR President Bill Festa. “We’ve been in discussions with both the bureau and the commission advocating for Realtors® in the past weeks.”
The Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act requires brokers and salespersons to complete 14 hours of commission-approved continuing education during each two-year license period. New salespersons who are renewing their licenses for the first time are required to complete a specific set of continuing education courses.
Though the deadline has been extended, licensees are still urged to complete their renewals as soon as possible. Brokers in particular should renew as soon as they can, since affiliated licensees cannot complete their application until the broker is renewed.
- Agent renewals won’t be fully processed until their broker completes their renewal.
- Update your profile. Log into the Pennsylvania Licensing System – or PALS – and make sure your information is accurate so you receive important reminders from the State Real Estate Commission.
- Missing your renewal registration code? You can request the code on the Department of State’s website.
- Do you have 14 hours of CE? Make sure you’ve earned 14 hours of continuing education, including 3.5 hours in the topics required for this renewal cycle (2 hours in advertising; 1.5 hours in property management). You should be maintaining a record of the CE that you’ve completed to provide to the State Real Estate Commission if requested.
- New agents should create an account in PALS. New licensees are required to take specific classes for their first continuing education cycle.
- Renewals must be completed online by Saturday, Aug 29. The bureau will not allow any extensions.
I have completed the online 14 hours, how can do? would you please advise how can I do? thank you
Eric – If you have obtained your necessary continuing education, you should be good to just complete the license renewal once the application is available.
Very proactive, thank you!
Thank you.
Thanks for being Proactive!
when will the new course dates be available
Hi Terry – As the state association, we don’t run continuing education courses. I encourage you to follow updates from your local association–the Suburban West Realtors® Association–for notices about new course dates.
I have completed my CE and have filled out the application on the PALS sight but there is no option to pay.
Hi Sandy – The best way to troubleshoot issues with your application in PALS is to reach out to their support team at https://www.pals.pa.gov/#/page/AnonymousSupportTicket.
where doI go to renew as we did not receive an email from PALS
Hi Tracy – You can log on to PALS directly to complete your renewal.
I just tried to get my renewal started on PALS but my license says expired on May 31st, 2020 event though there is clear messaging on the PALS home page that renewals were extended to August 31st. I have no renewals available so cannot renew. I have tried to contact them but still no response after a few weeks. Any idea what is going on?
Hi Harry – You are correct that real estate license expiration dates were extended until Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020 from the original May 31st date. However, the Department of State did not modify the expiration dates in PALS.
We cannot be sure if this is applicable to your situation as we do not administer the PALS system, but we recommend checking with your broker to ensure that they renewed their license. You will not see a renewal option in the system until your broker renews their license.
I have a Maryland license. I have a Pa reciprocal one. I am not sure where I take the classes on line that I need to renew my license.
Hi Kathleen,
Here is a link to more information on continuing education in Pennsylvania.
Good Morning Kevin; I am our Broker of Record for our company and renewed my broker license around May 5, 2020. I am still not seeing that it has been renewed. In this time of non-normal I guess I just need to wait. The issue is that my PA Licensees can not renew until my renewal has been processed. Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Charles P Hawley RMR001791
Hi Charles – We are unable to assist with specific questions as we do not administer the PALS platform. There are two avenues I would recommend. You can reach out to the State Real Estate Commission via email at [email protected]. Or you can submit a help ticket via PALS at https://www.pals.pa.gov/#/page/AnonymousSupportTicket. I’m not sure which would be the quickest in getting a response, but you could try both.
Hi, I received my license Jan 2020 (new)
Do I have to renew ? Now before August?
Hi Natalie – Yes. New salesperson licensees who are renewing their license for the first time, you are required to complete a specific set of continuing education courses. Please visit the Education Information – New Students and Licensees page on the Pennsylvania Department of State website for further information.
Hello my lic renewal was 5/31/20 but all was extend until 8/29/20 I complete my required courses I did the renewal application I haven’t received my anything yet can I continue to list property
Hi Carla,
Since you have until Aug. 29 to complete your renewal, you can still list properties. As for not receiving any renewal notice, we are unable to assist with specific questions as we do not administer the PALS platform. You can reach out to the State Real Estate Commission via email at [email protected]. Or you can submit a help ticket via PALS at https://www.pals.pa.gov/#/page/AnonymousSupportTicket.
Hi. Thanks for being so responsive! I have a friend who’s PA RE license expired in May and he just renewed it last week. How long will it be before he’s reinstated? He claims it will be the end of this week. Can it be that quick? I was planning to use him as my agent.
Hi Nancy – We do not administer the platform that renews licenses, so we cannot tell you when it will be official.
I never received the email in March with the code
Hi Shirley – You can request the code on the Department of State’s website.