Frequently asked questions
Who needs to complete the first renewal courses?
"First renewal" refers to brokers renewing their Washington license for the first time — in practice, any broker who has been licensed for less than two years, since Washington licenses renew every two years. This is the education the Department of Licensing requires before that first renewal.
What courses are required for the first renewal?
Your first renewal takes 90 clock hours: a 30-hour Advanced Real Estate Practices course, a 30-hour Real Estate Law course, a 3-hour Core course (Current Trends and Issues), the required 3-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course, and 24 hours of approved electives. The Department of Licensing counts the Fair Housing course inside the 27 "other approved" hours — it's required, which leaves 24 truly elective hours. (If you were licensed before June 1, 2022 and didn't take Fair Housing in your pre-license courses, you take the one-time 6-hour Fair Housing course at first renewal instead.)
What are the education requirements at my second renewal and after?
Every renewal after your first is 30 hours every two years: a 3-hour Core course plus 27 hours of other approved continuing education. Because the mandatory 3-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course counts toward that 27, you're left with 24 hours of true electives.
Do I take the same Core course every time I renew?
It carries the same title, but the curriculum is new every two years. The state rewrites it to cover what's current in real estate — one Core might focus on financial fraud, foreclosures and short sales, while another emphasizes mold and disclosure issues.
Can I carry extra hours into my first renewal?
Many new brokers take extra courses in their first two years as they learn the business, so they often finish with more than 90 hours. Washington lets you carry up to 15 unused clock hours forward, as long as they were completed within 48 months of the renewal you apply them to.
What happens if I miss my renewal deadline?
If you renew within one year of expiration, you complete your education, pay your renewal fee plus a late penalty, and you're reinstated. If your license has been canceled longer than that, reinstatement is more involved: within two years of cancellation you can reinstate by completing 60 clock hours of approved education — at least 30 of which must be the Real Estate Law course — completed within the year before applying, plus a late fee, a reinstatement fee and back renewal fees. Only after more than two years canceled do you have to requalify from scratch by retaking pre-license education and the broker exam. Renewing on time is far cheaper in money and time.
What brokerage services can I provide if I let my license lapse?
None. You must not perform any licensed activity — buyer or seller representation, talking to clients, or even showing houses — while your license isn't active, or the state will treat it as operating without a license. If you're late, have a colleague field your client calls until you've submitted your renewal.
Do I need to hear from the DOL to know I'm renewed?
No. You're considered renewed once you submit all required fees and documentation to the Department of Licensing — online through the DOL portal, or by mail (the postmark date counts). Know your exact renewal date in case timing ever matters.
Do I need to send proof of course completion to the state?
No, but print your certificates and keep the records. The Department of Licensing randomly audits brokers to verify compliance.
Does Realestateschool.org keep my certificates if I lose them?
Absolutely. We keep track of all the education you complete with us — log in to print your certificates any time, or call our office if you lose your copies.
Is my real estate education tax-deductible?
Most often, yes. Check with a tax professional about your specific situation to be sure.
What if I took more hours than I needed?
You can carry up to 15 unused continuing education hours into your next renewal, provided they were completed within 48 months (4 years) of that renewal. As a practical matter, credit is issued per completed course, so you generally can't split a single course's hours across two renewals.
