Education FAQ’s

• At least 18 years old.
• High school graduate or hold a GED.
• Complete 60-Hour Basic Principles of Real Estate Course before sitting for exam.
• Pass state exam by scoring at least a 70%.
• Complete 30-Hour New Affiliates Course before applying for licensure.
• Within 6 months of passing the state exam, pay $100, have sponsoring broker sign license application, send proof of E&O Insurance.
• For most current information visit theTennessee Real Estate Commission’s web site.

In order to get your real estate broker license, you must have an active license that meets one of the following criteria:

• Actively licensed for 24 months, if licensed as an affiliate broker on or before May 12, 1988
• Actively licensed for 36 months, if licensed as an affiliate broker after May 12, 1988
• Actively licensed for 24 months, if you have a bachelor’s degree with a major in real estate
• Continuing education credits totaling 120 hours; of these, 30 hours must be from a real estate broker license class taken at a school approved by the Commission

Be sure to visit the Tennessee Real Estate Commission’s website for the most up-to-date information.

You must take 16 hours of continuing education every two years from the date you were licensed. The TREC Core Course must make up 6 of those hours and the remaining 10 can be any state approved course of your choice.

Simple Breakdown

Affiliate Brokers

You may still be exempt from Continuing Education (CE) if:

• You were licensed before 1980
• AND your license has never lapsed

Brokers / Managing Brokers

You may still be exempt from CE if:

• You became licensed as a Broker before January 1, 2005
• AND your license has never lapsed
• AND you do NOT supervise other licensees

Supervising / Principal Brokers

As of January 1, 2026:

• If you supervise even one agent, you are NO LONGER exempt from CE
• You must complete:
  • 16 hours of CE every 2 years
  • Including 6 hours of TREC Core

Important Note

If a grandfathered license ever expires or lapses:

• The exemption is permanently lost
• Full CE requirements then apply going forward

Current Standard Tennessee CE Requirement

For most Tennessee licensees:

• 16 total CE hours every 2 years
  • 6 hours TREC Core
  • 10 hours electives

For official guidance, see the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) CE FAQs

Yes, visit https://cebroker.com/

When you reach the search criteria, click "sign in"

If you do not already have an account you will have the register and create a login by inputting your license number. 

Once you are logged in, your CE hours will display on the website.

Each sponsoring school in which you took your class is responsible for submitting class attendance rosters to CE Broker - the TN Real Estate Commission's official CE tracking system.

Please check with the school first to see if that has been submitted. Sometimes there is a delay in the classes being updated on line.

No, it does not. These are two separate classes. The Code of Ethics class is a REALTOR® membership requirement in which you must take every three years in order to maintain your Realtor® membership status. 

The TREC Core Class is a license requirement that meets 6 hours of the 16 hours required by the state of Tennessee every two years from your original license date to maintain your license.

The Code of Ethics is a Realtor membership requirement that must be taken once every three years.

Realtors® (including members who are Appraisers) are required to take the NAR Code of Ethics class.

NOTE: It is not a required class to maintain your license but you can receive continuing education credits that go toward your 16 hour license requirement when you take this class.

TREEF is the Tennessee Real Estate Educational Foundation which was established by the Tennessee Realtors® in 1968 and then in 1973 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt educational foundation. 

Many of the Realtor® courses are created by TREEF and its Trustees for the use of Realtor® Associations in Tennessee. It is still maintained by the Tennessee Realtors®.