1.4 License Maintenance and Renewal
Key Takeaways
- Kansas licenses run two years from issuance, expiring the first day of the month two years after issuance (since the 2019 KREC date-calculation change), not a fixed June 30 date
- Continuing education is 12 hours per cycle, including the 3-hour mandatory Kansas Required Core course plus 9 elective hours
- Salesperson renewal is $125 and broker renewal is $175 for the two-year term, with a $100 late fee after expiration
- A license can be renewed to inactive status without CE, but all 12 CE hours must be completed before reactivation
- A license not renewed within 6 months of expiration is forfeited and the holder must reapply as a new applicant
License Term and Expiration
A major correction over older study aids: Kansas licenses are not all tied to June 30 of even years. Effective January 1, 2019, KREC moved to an issuance-based cycle. A license runs two years and expires on the first day of the month two years after it was issued. Renewal is therefore individualized, and you must track your expiration date.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | 2 years |
| Expiration | First day of the month, two years after issuance |
| Salesperson renewal fee | $125 (per 2-yr term) |
| Broker renewal fee | $175 (per 2-yr term) |
| Late fee (after expiration) | $100 added to renewal |
| Forfeiture window | License forfeited if not renewed within 6 months of expiration |
Exam trap: any answer asserting "all Kansas licenses expire June 30 of even years" reflects the pre-2019 rule and is now incorrect.
Continuing Education (12 hours)
To renew to active status, a licensee completes 12 hours of KREC-approved continuing education each two-year cycle, split as follows:
| Component | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Required Core | 3 | A specific KREC-mandated course covering recent law and rule changes |
| Electives | 9 | KREC-approved topics of the licensee's choosing |
| Total | 12 | Must be done by the expiration date for active renewal |
The Kansas Required Core is updated each cycle to cover amendments to the License Act, new K.A.R. Article 86 rules, agency and disclosure changes, and current enforcement themes. Electives may be classroom or KREC-approved online courses.
Renewal Workflow
- KREC sends a renewal notice before expiration; the duty to renew is yours regardless of whether the notice arrives.
- Complete 12 hours of CE (3 Required Core + 9 elective) before the expiration date for active renewal.
- Submit the renewal and fee online through KREC.
- Receive the renewed license for a new 2-year term.
Inactive Renewal vs. Late Renewal
Kansas gives two off-ramps when CE is not finished on time — distinguish them on the exam:
| Path | What happens | CE timing |
|---|---|---|
| Renew to inactive | Renew on time but to inactive status; cannot practice | CE not required to renew inactive, but all 12 hours must be completed before reactivation |
| Renew late (active) | Let it expire, finish CE, then renew within the window | Complete the 12 hours, pay renewal + $100 late fee |
You cannot practice while a license is expired, even during the late-renewal window. Practicing on an expired license is unlicensed activity.
Forfeiture
If the license is not renewed within 6 months of expiration, it is forfeited. The former licensee must then reapply as a new applicant — subject to current education and exam requirements — rather than simply paying a late fee.
License Status at a Glance
| Status | Meaning | Can practice? |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Current and supervised | Yes |
| Inactive | Renewed inactive, or no supervising broker | No |
| Expired | Not renewed by deadline (within 6-mo window) | No |
| Forfeited | Lapsed > 6 months; must reapply | No |
| Suspended | Disciplinary action by KREC | No |
| Revoked | License canceled | No |
Required Notifications
Licensees must keep KREC current. Report promptly (per KREC rules) any change of mailing address, email, legal name, or supervising broker, and report criminal convictions as required. Notifications are filed online through KREC. Failing to report a broker change can leave a salesperson practicing on an effectively inactive license — a frequently tested compliance pitfall.
Activating an Inactive License
An inactive license is alive but dormant. To return to active practice the licensee must (1) complete all 12 hours of CE for the current cycle if not already done, (2) affiliate with a supervising broker who files the reactivation, and (3) pay any required fee. Crucially, time spent inactive does not pause the two-year clock — the expiration date still arrives, so an inactive licensee must still renew on schedule (to inactive status) or risk forfeiture.
| From | To | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Inactive | Active | Finish 12 CE hours + broker affiliation filed |
| Active | Inactive | Notify KREC / drop affiliation; CE not required to hold inactive |
| Expired (within 6 mo) | Active | CE + renewal fee + $100 late + broker affiliation |
| Forfeited (> 6 mo) | Licensed | Reapply as a new applicant under current rules |
CE Audit and Record-Keeping
KREC may audit a licensee's continuing education at or after renewal. Keep certificates of completion for your records; a renewal certified with CE you did not actually complete is a misrepresentation that can lead to discipline. Course providers report completions to KREC, but the burden of proof is on the licensee. Carry-over rules are limited — banking extra hours from one cycle to the next is generally not permitted, so plan the 3 Required Core + 9 elective hours within each two-year period.
High-Yield Renewal Traps
- "All licenses expire June 30 even years." Obsolete pre-2019 rule — now individualized to issuance.
- "Inactive licensees still owe CE every cycle." They do not need CE to renew inactive, but must finish all 12 before reactivating.
- "You can practice during the late-renewal grace period." False — an expired license permits no licensed activity.
- "A late fee always fixes a lapse." Only within 6 months; after that, the license is forfeited and reapplication is required.
- Mismatched fees. Salesperson renewal is $125; broker renewal is $175 — they are not the same.
When does a Kansas real estate license issued under the current rules expire?
What is the continuing education requirement to renew a Kansas license to active status?
A Kansas licensee lets the license expire and does nothing for seven months. What must they do to be licensed again?