1.4 License Maintenance and Renewal
Key Takeaways
- Georgia licenses run on a 4-year cycle, expiring the last day of the licensee's birth month in the fourth year.
- Renewal requires 36 hours of continuing education every 4 years, including 3 mandatory hours of Georgia License Law.
- Effective July 1, 2025, associate brokers, brokers, and qualifying brokers must include 18 hours of broker-specific CE; salespersons and CAMs are exempt.
- A license lapsed under 2 years is reinstated with back fees and CE; lapsed over 2 years requires retaking the exam.
- Licensees must report address, name, and email changes to GREC within 30 days; Georgia grants reciprocity to out-of-state licensees who pass only the state portion.
License Term and Continuing Education
Georgia real estate licenses operate on a four-year renewal cycle.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| License term | 4 years |
| Expiration | Last day of the birth month, fourth year |
| Early renewal | Permitted up to 6 months before expiration |
Salesperson Continuing Education (36 hours / 4 years)
| Category | Hours |
|---|---|
| Georgia License Law | 3 (mandatory) |
| Electives | 33 |
| Total | 36 |
Broker Continuing Education — New Rule Effective July 1, 2025
Under the 2025 GREC rule change, associate brokers, brokers, and qualifying brokers must allocate part of their 36 hours to broker-specific content.
| Category | Hours |
|---|---|
| Georgia License Law | 3 (mandatory) |
| Broker-specific education | 18 (mandatory) |
| Electives | 15 |
| Total | 36 |
Broker CE courses must run at least three credit hours each and cover core broker tasks: training licensees, supervising licensees, reviewing brokerage agreements, or managing a firm. A single course can satisfy both broker CE and the License Law requirement if it qualifies for both.
Exam trap: The 18-hour broker CE rule does not apply to salespersons or CAM licensees, and non-resident brokers licensed by reciprocity are exempt from the broker CE component. Renewals dated before July 1, 2025 followed the old rule; renewals on or after that date must meet the new one.
Post-License vs. Continuing Education
Do not confuse the 25-hour post-license course (first year only, one time) with the recurring 36-hour CE obligation. A first-year salesperson who completes 25 post-license hours still must complete the full 36 CE hours over the four-year cycle to renew.
Renewal Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| On-time renewal | $125 |
| Late renewal (within 2 years) | Back fees plus penalty |
| Reinstatement after lapse | Varies by circumstance |
Lapsed Licenses
What you must do depends on how long the license has been expired.
Lapsed Less Than 2 Years
- Pay all back fees and penalties.
- Complete the required continuing education.
- Cannot practice until reinstated.
- No re-examination required.
Lapsed More Than 2 Years
- Must retake the licensing exam.
- May need additional education.
- Apply essentially as a new applicant.
License Status Types
| Status | Meaning | Can Practice? |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Valid and affiliated with a broker | Yes |
| Inactive | Valid but not under a broker | No |
| Lapsed | Not renewed or CE incomplete | No |
| Suspended | GREC disciplinary action | No |
| Revoked | Permanently cancelled | No |
Inactive Status
A licensee may go inactive when not affiliated with a broker. The license remains valid and must still be renewed with CE, but the holder cannot perform any licensed activity. To reactivate, affiliate with a broker and notify GREC — there is no re-exam if the license never lapsed.
Address, Name, and Contact Changes
Licensees must notify GREC within 30 days of any change to:
- Home address
- Business address
- Email address
- Legal name
Failing to keep contact information current is itself a License Law violation — GREC relies on the email of record for official notices.
Reciprocity with Other States
Georgia grants broad reciprocity to licensees holding an active, good-standing license in another U.S. state. A reciprocal applicant may:
- Skip the 75-hour Georgia pre-license education.
- Skip the national portion of the exam.
- Must pass the 52-question Georgia state portion at 75%.
- Must clear the fingerprint background check.
Worked scenario: A Florida salesperson in good standing moves to Atlanta. She does not repeat the 75 hours or the 100 national questions; she sits only the state portion, passes the background check, and affiliates with a Georgia broker. Compare this to a never-licensed applicant, who must complete the full 75 hours plus the entire 152-question exam.
Exam trap: Reciprocity waives education and the national portion, not the state exam or background check. Answer choices claiming reciprocity "skips the whole exam" are wrong.
Putting the Renewal Cycle Together
A realistic timeline ties the numbers together:
| Career Point | Action |
|---|---|
| Year 0 | Pass exam, affiliate with broker, license issued |
| Within first year | Complete 25-hour post-license course |
| Across the 4-year cycle | Accumulate 36 CE hours (3 must be License Law) |
| Up to 6 months before expiration | Renew online, pay $125 |
| Expiration | Last day of birth month, year 4 |
| Lapsed < 2 years | Reinstate with back fees + CE, no exam |
| Lapsed > 2 years | Retake exam, apply as new |
Worked scenario: A salesperson whose birthday is in March is licensed in 2026; the license expires the last day of March 2030. She may renew as early as October 2029. If she ignores the deadline and reinstates in 2031 (under two years late), she pays back fees and proves her 36 CE hours but takes no exam. If she waits until 2033 (over two years), she must retake the exam entirely.
Exam tip: The dividing line for whether you re-test is exactly two years past expiration. Under two years equals fees and CE; over two years equals a fresh exam. The exam tests this threshold directly and with date math.
How much continuing education must a Georgia salesperson complete for renewal, and what is mandatory within it?
Under the rule effective July 1, 2025, who must complete the 18 hours of broker-specific continuing education?
A Florida salesperson in good standing applies for a Georgia license through reciprocity. What must she still do?
A Georgia license has been expired (lapsed) for three years. What must the former licensee do to be licensed again?