Texas Real Estate CE 2026-2027: What Agents Need to Know About the New Cycle

Your Texas real estate license renewal is coming up, and the 2026-2027 CE cycle brings a few important changes — especially for brokers. Here's what every agent needs to know to stay compliant and avoid surprises.

Quick Summary

• 18 total CE hours required every two years for sales agents
  
• 8 mandatory hours: Legal Update I (4 hrs) + Legal Update II (4 hrs)
  
• 3 hours of contract-related coursework required
  
• 7 elective hour — your choice from TREC-approved providers
  
• Brokers: Must also complete the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course starting January 1, 2026
  
• First renewal: Requires 90 hours of SAE (Sales Apprentice Education) plus Legal Updates
  
• CE deferral: Pay $200 for an extra 60 days to complete your CE
  
• Deadline: 11:59 PM Central Time on December 31, 2027 for Legal Update I & II

The 18-Hour Breakdown

Every active Texas real estate license holder must complete 18 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. The 18 hours break down like this:

Legal Update I covers recent rule updates, legislative changes from the 89th Texas Legislature, contract form basics, water rights, and fair housing laws.

Legal Update II focuses on professional conduct, ethics, agency relationships, advertising practices, emerging technologies like AI, and enforcement actions.

The 3-hour contract course covers essential elements of a sales contract, financing, contingencies, amendments, addenda, defaults, and common contract mistakes.

The 7 elective hours are yours to pick from any TREC-approved elective offering.

Important: The 2026-2027 Legal Update I and II courses are new and must be completed by December 31, 2027 — you cannot use courses from previous cycles.

What's New for Brokers in 2026

This is the biggest change for the 2026-2027 cycle. Under Senate Bill 1968, effective January 1, 2026, all licensed Texas brokers must complete the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course — regardless of whether they supervise or sponsor agents. Previously, this course was only mandatory for supervising brokers.

"Every broker applicant or broker who applies to renew on or after January 1, 2026, must take the Broker Responsibility Course—regardless of whether you sponsor agents."

For brokers, your 18 hours now look like this:

That leaves you with only 1 hour of true elective choice — plan accordingly.

For sales agents designated as supervisors: If your broker has made you a delegated supervisor of one or more licensees, you must also complete the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course as part of your 18 hours. Sales agents who are not supervisors do not need the Broker Responsibility course.

Key takeaway: The old rule (pre-2026) allowed non-supervising brokers to skip the Broker Responsibility course. The new rule requires it for all active TREC-licensed brokers.

The Broker Responsibility course covers legal and ethical obligations, supervisory responsibilities, and risk management practices. It counts as 6 hours of CE toward your required 18 hours.

First-Time Renewal: The SAE Requirement

If this is your first renewal, the rules are different. You must complete Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) before renewing.

SAE requirements:

• Total of 270 qualifying real estate course hours (your initial 180 pre-license hours count toward this)
  
• Approximately 90 additional hours of SAE coursework
  
• Must include the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course
  
• 4 hours of Legal Update I and 4 hours of Legal Update II

SAE is a one-time requirement, only due at the first renewal. After that, you switch to the standard 18-hour CE cycle. SAE cannot be deferred.

The Deadline: Know Your Date

Your CE must be completed before your license expiration date. TREC sends a renewal notice about 90 days before your expiration date, but it's a courtesy — not a guarantee.