Arizona Real Estate Agent / Broker Continuing Education Requirements
Requirements Overview
Arizona requires real estate salespersons and associate brokers to complete 24 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal period. The bulk of the requirement is structured around six mandatory 3-hour topics: Commissioner's Standards, Agency Law, Contract Law, Disclosure, Fair Housing, and Real Estate Legal Issues. Starting January 2025, three additional 1-hour topics — Firewise, Deed Fraud, and Water — became mandatory, with the remaining 3 hours filled by electives.
Designated, self-employed, and delegated brokers face a higher 30-hour requirement. They must complete all the salesperson mandatory topics plus three Broker Management Clinics at 3 hours each, along with 3 elective hours. Brokers choose BMC #3A or #3B depending on whether their brokerage handles property management.
All courses must be taken through ADRE-certified schools. A maximum of 9 credit hours may be earned in any 24-hour period, so plan accordingly. Licenses expired for more than one year are terminated rather than eligible for late renewal.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner's Standards | 3 | Every renewal | Covers license laws, trust accounts, and disciplinary grounds. For designated brokers, this requirement is fulfilled through the Broker Management Clinic. |
| Agency Law | 3 | Every renewal | Focus on agency relationships and disclosure obligations. |
| Contract Law | 3 | Every renewal | Covers contract formation, implementation, disclosures, and recent case law. |
| Disclosure | 3 | Every renewal | Licensee obligations and material fact identification. |
| Fair Housing | 3 | Every renewal | Arizona and federal fair housing laws, including advertising, marketing, information, and enforcement. |
| Real Estate Legal Issues | 3 | Every renewal | Property law, financing, title insurance, and environmental matters. |
| Firewise | 1 | Every renewal | Wildfire preparedness and community protection awareness. |
| Deed Fraud | 1 | Every renewal | Deed fraud prevention awareness. |
| Water | 1 | Every renewal | Arizona water issues and awareness. |
First Renewal vs. Standard Renewal
Exemptions
- Cemetery Licensees — Cemetery brokers and salespersons are exempt from continuing education requirements.
- Membership Camping Licensees — Membership camping brokers and salespersons are exempt from continuing education requirements.
- Inactive License — Licensees with inactive license status do not need to complete CE during the inactive period.Commissioner may require CE completion before reactivating the licenseReactivating after 15+ years of inactivity requires passing a state law examination
- Commissioner Waiver — The Commissioner may waive all or a portion of CE requirements or grant additional time upon written request showing good cause.Must submit written request to the CommissionerGood cause includes employment in real estate-related roles, extraordinary circumstances, or instructor status
How You Can Complete Your CE
Provider Requirements
Only ADRE-certified schools and ADRE-approved courses are eligible for CE credit. The ADRE maintains a list of approved providers and courses.
Tips for Arizona Real Estate Agents
- You can earn a maximum of 9 CE hours in any single day, so spread your coursework across at least three days to complete the full 24 hours.
- Brokers who no longer want to meet the 30-hour broker requirement can renew as salespersons instead, but returning to broker status later requires meeting all broker qualifications again.
- The three new 1-hour topics (Firewise, Deed Fraud, Water) took effect January 1, 2025 — confirm your renewal cycle includes these before selecting courses.
- ADRE accepts renewal applications up to 90 days before your license expires, so you can submit early once your CE is complete.
- If your license expires, you have one year to renew with CE completed after expiration. Beyond one year, the license is terminated.