Houston Insurance CE 2026: New Electronic Tracking Rule

If you hold a Texas insurance license and live in the Houston area, 2026 brings one of the biggest changes to continuing education in years. Starting September 1, 2026, Texas will require electronic verification of CE compliance before your license renewal can be processed.

Here is what every Houston-area insurance agent needs to know.

The Basics: 24 Hours, No Exceptions

The CE requirements themselves haven't changed. Most Texas insurance producers — including those in Houston — must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years.

The breakdown:

The remaining 12 hours can be self-study. But you cannot complete all 24 hours through self-study alone — at least half must be classroom or classroom-equivalent.

Your license expires on the last day of your birth month, every two years from your last renewal. If your birthday is October 15 and you renewed in 2025, your next renewal is October 31, 2027.

What's New: Electronic CE Tracking Starts September 1

Starting September 1, 2026, Texas will require electronic tracking of CE compliance for licensed professionals. Under Senate Bill 912, passed during the 89th Texas Legislative Session, TDI must verify CE compliance through a centralized electronic system before processing a license renewal.

What this means for Houston agents:

• Your CE provider must report your completion to the state system

• Paper certificates alone are no longer sufficient for renewal

• You must verify your CE transcript before submitting your renewal application

The Tools You'll Use: Sircon and CE Broker

Sircon is the platform TDI uses to track CE transcripts, process renewals, and manage fines for all Texas insurance producers and adjusters. You can check your CE transcript, find approved courses, and pay fines through the Sircon portal.

CE Broker is another tracking system that became required for all licensees starting January 1, 2026. Licensees need to create an account and report continuing education before renewing their license.

How to check your Sircon transcript: Go to the Sircon Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry page, select "Texas," enter your Social Security Number and Texas license number, and click search. Your transcript shows all CE completions by category and instruction method.

The Penalty for Missing Your Deadline

There is no grace period. If you don't complete your CE before midnight CT on your expiration date, TDI imposes a $50 fine for each missing CE hour**, capped at **$500 per license. You then have a 90-day window to complete the deficient hours and pay the fine.

If you don't resolve the deficiency within 90 days, your license is inactivated, and you must apply for a new license.

Pro tip: Complete your CE at least 30 days before your expiration date. With the new electronic verification requirement, if there's a reporting issue, you need time to fix it.

Houston-Area CE Resources

Houston has several local resources for insurance professionals.

Independent Insurance Agents of Houston (IIAH) is the largest local insurance agent association in the country. IIAH provides a complete range of insurance classes from license exam prep to advanced technical studies. They offer online CE courses and are a licensee for the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC).

Special discount: Through IIAH, you can access a company discount on CE courses — all Insurance CE/CPE courses for one low price of $44.95 (not including shipping or filing fees). Completions are reported to Sircon immediately.

CIC Courses in Houston: The CIC Agency Management course is offered in person at the Sheraton North Houston Hotel, providing 16 CE hours for $485.

Local seminars: Columbus IUL and Annuity product trainings with CE credit are held at 16750 Hedgecroft Drive, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77060.

How to Stay Compliant

1. Check your Sircon transcript after every course. Don't assume your provider reported your hours. Log in and verify each course appears in your record.

2. Complete CE at least 30 days early. TDI recommends this, and with the new electronic verification requirement, it matters more than ever.

3. Choose TDI-approved providers. The authoritative TDI-approved provider and course list is searchable at sircon.com (Compliance Express).

4. Know your instruction method mix. At least 12 hours must be classroom or classroom-equivalent. Classroom-equivalent courses require hourly identity authentication, pace controls, and passing quizzes at regular intervals to advance.

5. Don't duplicate courses. You cannot take the same course twice in the same renewal period.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SB 912?

SB 912 is a Texas law requiring electronic verification of CE compliance before license renewal. It takes effect September 1, 2026.

What is Sircon?

Sircon is the official platform TDI uses to track CE transcripts, process license renewals, and manage fines for Texas insurance producers.

Do I need to use CE Broker?

Yes. Starting January 1, 2026, all licensees must use CE Broker to track and report CE hours.

What happens if I miss my CE deadline?

You face a $50 fine for each missing CE hour (capped at $500) and have 90 days to resolve the deficiency before your license is inactivated.

Can I take all 24 hours online?

Yes, but at least 12 hours must be classroom or classroom-equivalent (live webinar or interactive online with identity checks). Up to 12 hours can be self-study.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 CE requirements for Houston insurance agents are the same as before — 24 hours, including 3 ethics and at least 12 classroom-equivalent. What's new is the electronic verification that starts September 1. Make sure your provider reports your hours, verify your transcript on Sircon, and complete your CE early.

Time2Renew offers TDI-approved CE courses with electronic reporting to the state. Our 24-hour bundles include ethics, classroom-equivalent courses, and specialty options for annuities and LTC.

👉 Start your Texas insurance CE with Time2Renew

About Time2Renew: Texas insurance agents trust us for practical, up-to-date continuing education. TDI-approved. Ethics, general, and specialty courses available. Start today.