1.3 License Maintenance and Renewal
Key Takeaways
- Louisiana licenses run on the calendar year and expire December 31 annually; renewal is annual, not biennial
- Active salespersons and brokers must complete 12 hours of CE each year, including LREC-mandated topic hours
- New licensees must complete 45 hours of post-license education within 180 days of initial licensure or the license goes inactive
- Active licensees must maintain E&O insurance, and licensees must promptly report sponsoring-broker, address, and name changes
- A license becomes inactive without a sponsoring broker; long-lapsed licenses can require reapplication and re-examination
Keeping a Louisiana license active means renewing on the calendar-year cycle, completing the right education, and maintaining E&O insurance.
License Term and Renewal Date
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | One year (calendar year) |
| Expiration | December 31 every year |
| Renewal window | LREC opens online renewal in the fall; notices go out October/November |
| Required to renew | 12 hours CE complete + current E&O + fees paid |
Exam point: Louisiana uses annual renewal tied to December 31, not a birth-month or biennial cycle. A license not renewed by December 31 may not be used to practice on January 1, and continuing to work on it is unlicensed activity.
Continuing Education (12 Hours Annually)
Active salespersons and brokers must complete 12 hours of LREC-approved CE each year. Within those 12 hours, LREC designates mandatory topic hours that change annually. For 2026, the required topic for all licensees is the LREC course "Transparency, Technology, and Trust," and brokers/associate brokers must also take "Broker Leadership & Compliance." The remaining hours are electives the licensee chooses from approved providers.
| Course Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| LREC-mandated topic course(s) | Set each year (commonly 4 hours) |
| Elective CE | Balance to reach 12 |
| Total annual CE | 12 hours |
How post-license and CE interact
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does the 45-hour post-license course count toward CE? | Yes - it satisfies up to 8 of the 12 CE hours in the first year |
| Does it satisfy the mandatory LREC topic? | No - the mandated topic must be taken separately |
Tip: CE must be completed and reported before December 31. Carrying CE hours forward from a prior year is generally not allowed; each year stands on its own.
Post-License Education (45 Hours Within 180 Days)
Every newly licensed salesperson must complete 45 hours of post-license education within 180 days of the initial license date. This one-time requirement is in addition to annual CE and is among the most heavily tested maintenance facts.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hours | 45 |
| Deadline | Within 180 days of initial licensure |
| Consequence of missing it | License moves to inactive; cannot practice until completed |
| Inactive exception | A licensee who goes inactive within 180 days of licensure need not complete it until reactivating |
Correction tested often: The deadline is 180 days, not "within the first year." The 45-hour count is correct, but the trigger is the 180-day window from the initial license date.
License Status Types
| Status | Meaning | Can practice? |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Renewed, sponsored, E&O current | Yes |
| Inactive | No sponsoring broker, or post-license/CE not met | No |
| Expired | Not renewed by Dec 31 | No |
| Suspended | LREC discipline or Recovery-Fund payout | No |
| Revoked | License terminated | No |
Renewal Process and Late Renewal
- Complete 12 hours of CE (including the LREC-mandated topic) before December 31.
- Confirm E&O insurance for the coming year (group policy or independent proof).
- Log into the LREC online portal and submit the renewal.
- Pay the renewal fee; the broker confirms each sponsored salesperson.
If you miss December 31
- You cannot practice while expired - any activity on a lapsed license is unlicensed activity and a violation by both the salesperson and the sponsoring broker.
- LREC allows reinstatement for a period after expiration upon paying renewal plus penalty fees and proving CE; the longer the lapse, the more is required.
- A license lapsed long enough may require reapplying as a new applicant and re-examination.
Tip: Treat December 31 as a hard wall. Many discipline cases start with an agent who "forgot to renew" but kept showing houses in January.
Change-of-Status Reporting
Licensees must notify LREC promptly of:
- Change of sponsoring broker (the old broker releases; the new broker activates)
- Change of business or mailing address
- Change of legal name
- Going inactive or reactivating
A salesperson who leaves a broker without a new sponsor goes inactive immediately and must stop all licensed activity until re-affiliated. Because compensation can only flow through a sponsoring broker, an unsponsored agent also cannot lawfully be paid a commission. All changes are processed through the LREC online portal.
Reactivation and Broker Supervision
An inactive salesperson can return to active status by securing a sponsoring broker, confirming E&O insurance, completing any outstanding CE or post-license hours, and paying applicable fees. The license cannot be used for any compensated activity - showings, solicitation, negotiation, or advertising - while inactive.
The sponsoring broker's role in maintenance
The sponsoring broker is responsible for supervising the salesperson's activity, ensuring advertising identifies the brokerage, and confirming the salesperson's renewal status. Because the broker holds the trust account and is ultimately accountable to LREC, the broker has a direct interest in every affiliated agent staying current on CE and E&O.
| Maintenance item | Who is responsible |
|---|---|
| 12-hour annual CE | The licensee |
| 45-hour post-license (new) | The new salesperson |
| E&O insurance on file | The licensee (group or independent) |
| Supervision & advertising compliance | The sponsoring broker |
| Trust-account handling | The broker only |
Exam point: A salesperson can never "hold" their own license independently or carry it from deal to deal without a broker. Losing the broker, lapsing CE, or letting E&O drop all push the license to inactive.
When do Louisiana real estate licenses expire?
How many CE hours must an active Louisiana licensee complete each year?
By when must a new Louisiana salesperson complete the 45-hour post-license course?