What is the annual Continuing Education (CE) requirement?
In North Carolina, obtaining your license is only the first step. To maintain your professional competence and keep your license in Active status, the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC) mandates yearly education. What is the annual Continuing Education (CE) requirement for NC brokers?
Every licensed broker in North Carolina must successfully complete eight (8) hours of Continuing Education (CE) each license period, with a strict deadline of June 10th.
The 8-Hour CE Breakdown
The 8 hours of CE is split into two distinct course types:
- The Update Course (4 Hours): This is a mandatory, NCREC-developed course that covers recent changes to License Law, Commission Rules, and real estate practice procedures. You must take the update course in a live format (in-person or synchronous distance learning).
- General Update (GENUP): Required for Provisional Brokers (PBs) and “Full” Brokers who are not BICs.
- Broker-in-Charge Update (BICUP): Required for Brokers-in-Charge (BICs) and those who hold BIC-Eligible status. Note: A BIC who mistakenly takes GENUP will lose their BIC status/eligibility!
- Elective Course (4 Hours): This is a NCREC-approved course on a specialized topic (e.g., contracts, commercial real estate, ethics, short sales). This can often be taken in an online, self-paced format.
When Does the Requirement Start? (The Exemption Period)
Newly licensed brokers are given a break! You are exempt from the annual CE requirement for your first license renewal period (the period in which your license was issued). Your CE obligation begins on July 1st following your first renewal.
Example: If you were licensed in March 2025, you are exempt from CE for the renewal in June 2025. You must begin your CE coursework on July 1, 2025, and complete the 8 hours by June 10, 2026.
The Strict Deadline
The CE deadline is June 10th every year. Failure to complete the 8 hours by this date means your license will automatically be placed on Inactive status on July 1st, prohibiting you from working until the deficit is corrected.
Key Takeaway
All NC real estate brokers must complete 8 hours of Continuing Education (CE) annually—4 hours of a mandatory Update course (GENUP or BICUP) and 4 hours of an elective—with a strict deadline of June 10th. New licensees are exempt for their first license renewal cycle.