Compare TREC License Types and CE Hours
All license types regulated by TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission)
Sales
Sales Agent
Salesperson License
Broker
Broker
Broker License
Broker
Broker Associate
Broker working under another broker
Inspector
Real Estate Inspector
REI License
Inspector
Professional Inspector
Professional Inspector (PI)
Specialty
Easement & ROW Agent
ERW Agent
Specialty
Timeshare Registration
Developer/Seller Registration
Eligibility requirements
Be at least 18 years old
Be a US citizen or lawfully admitted alien
Meet TREC’s honesty, trustworthiness & integrity standards
Complete 180 hours of qualifying real estate education (6 courses × 30 hrs)
Pre-license education
Principles of Real Estate I (30 hrs)
Principles of Real Estate II (30 hrs)
Law of Agency (30 hrs)
Law of Contracts (30 hrs)
Promulgated Contracts (30 hrs)
Real Estate Finance (30 hrs)
Exam & sponsorship
Pass the Sales Agent state/national exam (via Pearson VUE)
Must be sponsored by a licensed Texas broker to activate license
Continuing education (renewal)
18
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
8
TREC Legal Update I & II (4 hrs each)
3
Contract-related topics (mandatory)
First renewal: must complete 90-hr SAE (Sales Agent Apprentice Education) in addition to regular CE
A Sales Agent must work under a sponsoring broker and cannot work independently.
Eligibility requirements
Be at least 18 years old
Be a US citizen or lawfully admitted alien
Meet TREC’s honesty, trustworthiness & integrity standards
Complete 180 hours of qualifying real estate education (6 courses × 30 hrs)
Pre-license education
Principles of Real Estate I (30 hrs)
Principles of Real Estate II (30 hrs)
Law of Agency (30 hrs)
Law of Contracts (30 hrs)
Promulgated Contracts (30 hrs)
Real Estate Finance (30 hrs)
Exam & sponsorship
Pass the Sales Agent state/national exam (via Pearson VUE)
Must be sponsored by a licensed Texas broker to activate license
Continuing education (renewal)
18
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
8
TREC Legal Update I & II (4 hrs each)
3
Contract-related topics (mandatory)
First renewal: must complete 90-hr SAE (Sales Agent Apprentice Education) in addition to regular CE
A Sales Agent must work under a sponsoring broker and cannot work independently.
Eligibility requirements
Be at least 18 years old
Hold an active Sales Agent license for at least 4 years
Accumulate at least 3,600 points of qualifying experience
Complete 270 hours of qualifying education
Pre-license education
Real Estate Brokerage (30 hrs)
Law of Contracts (30 hrs)
Law of Agency (30 hrs)
Promulgated Contracts (30 hrs)
Real Estate Finance (30 hrs)
Real Estate Marketing (30 hrs)
Real Estate Math (30 hrs)
Real Estate Appraisal (30 hrs)
Additional qualifying courses to reach 270 hrs
Exam & sponsorship
Pass the Broker state/national exam (via Pearson VUE)
May operate independently or form a brokerage
Continuing education (renewal)
18
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
8
TREC Legal Update I & II (4 hrs each)
3
Broker Responsibility (if acting as DR or supervising)
Broker Responsibility (6 hrs) required if supervising agents or acting as designated broker
Brokers can sponsor and supervise sales agents. A Designated Broker must complete the 6-hr Broker Responsibility course.
Eligibility requirements
Hold a full Broker license (all broker requirements met)
Elect to work under another licensed broker’s supervision
Pre-license education
Same 270-hr qualifying education as Broker license
Exam & sponsorship
Same Broker exam as full Broker license
Sponsored by and works under a licensed broker
Continuing education (renewal)
18
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
8
TREC Legal Update I & II
3
Broker Responsibility (if supervising agents)
Same CE requirements as full Broker
A Broker Associate holds a full broker license but chooses to associate with another broker rather than open their own firm.
Eligibility requirements
Be at least 18 years old
Meet TREC’s moral character standards
Complete required education hours
Pass the national & state inspector exams
Pre-license education
Real Estate Inspection (194 hrs — structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing)
Standards of Practice & Report Writing
Apprentice Inspector: 25 inspections under supervising inspector
Exam & sponsorship
Pass the Texas Inspector exam (via Pearson VUE)
Apprentice Inspectors must work under a supervising inspector
Continuing education (renewal)
32
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
24
Mandatory inspector CE topics
8
Elective inspector hours
Apprentice Inspector must upgrade to Inspector within 1 year or renew as Apprentice
Three tiers: Apprentice Inspector → Real Estate Inspector → Professional Inspector. Each tier has progressively fewer supervision requirements.
Eligibility requirements
Hold a Real Estate Inspector license for at least 1 year
Complete 750 hours of real estate inspection experience
Submit documentation of 200 real estate inspections performed
Pre-license education
All courses required for REI level
Additional professional inspector education as required by TREC
Exam & sponsorship
No additional exam required beyond REI level
May operate independently; can supervise Apprentice and REI Inspectors
Continuing education (renewal)
32
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
8
Elective inspector hours
Same 32-hr CE requirement every 2 years
Professional Inspectors can operate their own inspection business and supervise lower-tier inspectors.
Eligibility requirements
Complete 40 hours of qualifying ERW education
Pass the ERW competency exam
Meet TREC’s moral character standards
Pre-license education
Easement & Right-of-Way Principles (40 hrs)
Covers negotiation, valuation, legal frameworks for ERW
Exam & sponsorship
Pass the ERW state exam
Must be employed by or represent a company acquiring easements/ROW
Continuing education (renewal)
8
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
8
ERW-specific continuing education
8 hours CE every 2 years
ERW Agents specialize in acquiring easements and rights-of-way for pipelines, utilities, roads, and similar projects.
Eligibility requirements
Developer or seller must register the timeshare plan with TREC
Submit public offering statement, financial statements, and escrow agreements
Pay registration fee
Pre-license education
Sales agents selling timeshares must hold a standard Sales Agent or Broker license
Exam & sponsorship
No separate exam — must hold a standard real estate license to sell
Must work under a licensed broker
Continuing education (renewal)
18
Total CE hours per 2-year cycle
18
Standard CE (same as Sales Agent/Broker)
Timeshare registration renewed annually; license CE follows standard sales agent schedule
Timeshare salespersons must be licensed real estate agents. The registration applies to the development/plan itself, not an individual person.
| License | Category | Key prerequisites | CE required | Works as |
|---|
Sales Agent
Salesperson License |
Sales |
Be at least 18 years old
Be a US citizen or lawfully admitted alien |
18 hrs / 2 yr |
Broker
Broker License |
Broker |
Be at least 18 years old
Hold an active Sales Agent license for at least 4 years |
18 hrs / 2 yr |
Broker Associate
Broker working under another broker |
Broker |
Hold a full Broker license (all broker requirements met)
Elect to work under another licensed broker’s supervision |
18 hrs / 2 yr |
Real Estate Inspector
REI License |
Inspector |
Be at least 18 years old
Meet TREC’s moral character standards |
32 hrs / 2 yr |
Professional Inspector
Professional Inspector (PI) |
Inspector |
Hold a Real Estate Inspector license for at least 1 year
Complete 750 hours of real estate inspection experience |
32 hrs / 2 yr |
Easement & ROW Agent
ERW Agent |
Specialty |
Complete 40 hours of qualifying ERW education
Pass the ERW competency exam |
8 hrs / 2 yr |
Timeshare Registration
Developer/Seller Registration |
Specialty |
Developer or seller must register the timeshare plan with TREC
Submit public offering statement, financial statements, and escrow agreements |
18 hrs / 2 yr |
Source: trec.texas.gov — Always verify current requirements before enrolling.
