NJ Real Estate Continuing Education and License Renewal

The short answer: To renew a New Jersey real estate license, most salespersons, broker-salespersons and brokers must complete 12 continuing education (CE) credit hours each 2-year license term. At least 6 must be core topics, including at least 2 hours of ethics, 1 hour of Fair Housing and NJ Law Against Discrimination, and 1 hour of agency. For the current term, CE is due by April 30, 2027 (after that, a $200 late fee applies), and licenses must be renewed by June 30, 2027 (NJREC CE requirements; NJREC CE FAQs). The salesperson renewal fee is $100 (NJREC fees).

This page covers both continuing education and the renewal itself, so you can see the whole cycle in one place. For how a license is first issued, start with our complete guide to getting a NJ real estate license.

How does the NJ license term work?

All New Jersey real estate licenses run on a 2-year term (NJREC FAQ). Everyone shares the same statewide cycle. The current term began July 1, 2025 and ends June 30, 2027 (NJREC CE requirements).

Sources: NJREC CE requirements; NJREC CE FAQs.

How many CE hours do you need, and in what topics?

You need 12 CE credit hours per term. At least 6 must be core topics, and those must include at least 2 hours of ethics, 1 hour of Fair Housing and NJ Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD), and 1 hour of agency. The remaining 6 can be any mix of core and elective topics (NJREC CE requirements).

NJREC's core topic list includes:

• Agency
• Legal issues (listing agreements, contracts, leases, attorney review)
• Ethics
• Fair Housing and NJLAD
• NJ real estate broker and salesperson statutes and regulations
• State and federal environmental laws and regulations pertaining to brokerage
• Legal requirements for escrow monies and financial recordkeeping
• Real estate licensee safety
• Real estate financial literacy and planning

Approved elective topics include, for example, the Real Estate Sales Full Disclosure Act and Timeshare Act, foreclosure and short-sale transactions, and specific aspects of residential transactions (NJREC CE requirements).

Do new licensees need CE in their first term?

It depends on when in the term you were first licensed (NJREC CE requirements):

• Licensed in the first year of the term (before July 1, 2026, for the current term): you must complete CE to renew by June 30, 2027.
• Licensed in the second year of the term (on or after July 1, 2026): you don't need CE for the June 30, 2027 renewal.

So someone who gets their first salesperson license this fall won't owe CE for the 2027 renewal but will need the full 12 hours for the term that follows.

What are the CE rules people trip over?

• No rollover. Extra hours don't carry into the next term (NJREC CE FAQs).
• No repeat credit. You can't get credit for the same course twice in one term.
• Only approved courses count. Courses from approved providers count. A course with no approval application pending when it started can't be credited, even if a local REALTOR® board sponsored it (NJREC CE FAQs).
• Reporting takes time. Providers report completions. Allow about 10 business days for your credits to move from the provider through the testing vendor to the Commission (NJREC CE requirements). Keep your completion certificates.
• No extensions. NJREC doesn't extend the CE deadline during renewal cycles (NJREC CE FAQs).
• Out-of-state CE is limited. Credits from another state count only if the course has also been approved in New Jersey with a NJ course number, and only as electives (NJREC CE FAQs).

How do you check your CE status?

NJ CE records are tracked in PSI's online CE system at njrece.psiexams.com. You can verify recorded hours there and search approved providers and courses. You register for courses directly with the provider (NJREC CE FAQs).

Who is exempt, and can CE be waived?

• Referral agents renewing as referral agents don't need CE (NJREC CE FAQs).
• Brokers with 40+ years in broker status can apply for an exemption (NJREC CE requirements).
• Broker pre-licensure courses completed during the term satisfy that term's CE requirement (NJREC CE FAQs).
• Waivers may be granted for incapacitating illness, active military duty for at least one year of the two-year term, emergency, or other substantial and unavoidable hardship. Financial hardship, unreasonable delay and personal obligations don't qualify. Waived core credits must be made up in the next term (except for active-duty waivers); waived electives don't (NJREC CE FAQs).

For waiver questions, contact NJREC at (609) 292-7272.

How does license renewal work?

1. Watch for the notice. Renewal notices go to your employing broker's office (NJREC FAQ).
2. Finish CE by April 30, 2027 (unless you're exempt) to avoid the $200 late fee.
3. Renew by June 30, 2027. The renewal fee is $100 for a salesperson or referral salesperson and $200 for a broker-salesperson (NJREC fees).

What happens if you miss the renewal?

If you don't complete CE, you can't renew, and your license expires. To get it back you must complete the CE, go through reinstatement and pay the fees (NJREC CE FAQs). Reinstating an unrenewed salesperson license costs $150 (NJREC fees). A license can stay inactive for up to 2 years after the expiration of the last license issued, and reinstatement must be completed by an Employing Broker (NJREC FAQ).

For a full list of what licensing and staying licensed costs, see our NJ real estate license cost guide. If you're newly licensed, our guide to what happens after you pass the exam covers the first steps, and our explainer on agent vs. REALTOR® vs. broker explains the broker path (broker courses also count as CE).

If you haven't started yet, Business Elementary teaches the 75-hour pre-licensing course live on Zoom: see the 75-hour course.

Sources

• NJREC, Continuing Education requirements (Online Licensing Services): https://www.nj.gov/dobi/division_rec/licensing/online_Instructions/ce.html
• NJREC, Continuing Education FAQs: https://www.nj.gov/dobi/division_rec/licensing/continuingeducation/faqs.htm
• NJREC, Real Estate FAQs: https://www.nj.gov/dobi/division_rec/recfaqs.htm
• NJREC, Real Estate License Fees: https://www.nj.gov/dobi/division_rec/licensing/recfees.htm
• PSI, NJ Real Estate CE tracking system: http://njrece.psiexams.com/

Last reviewed: October 26, 2026

Related guides:

• Already missed a renewal? Reinstating an Expired or Inactive NJ Real Estate License walks through the two-year window, the CE proof and the broker's role.

• Got married, divorced or moved? Changing Your Name or Address on a NJ Real Estate License lists the forms, documents and fees for each update.

• Need official proof of your license for another state or an employer? How to Get a NJ Real Estate License Certification or License History explains the request form, the two document types and the fees.

• Taking CE from home? Can You Take NJ Real Estate CE Online? explains which online formats count and how to check a course before you pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CE hours do NJ real estate agents need?

12 credit hours per 2-year term, with at least 6 in core topics, including 2 ethics, 1 Fair Housing/NJLAD and 1 agency (NJREC CE requirements).

When is the NJ real estate CE deadline?

April 30, 2027, for the current term. Missing it triggers a mandatory $200 late CE processing fee (NJREC CE requirements).

When do NJ real estate licenses expire?

The current 2-year term ends June 30, 2027, which is the renewal deadline (NJREC CE FAQs).

How much does it cost to renew a NJ salesperson license?

$100. Reinstating an unrenewed salesperson license is $150 (NJREC fees).

Do extra CE hours carry over to the next term?

No. CE credits don't roll over (NJREC CE FAQs).

I was just licensed. Do I need CE for the 2027 renewal?

Not if you were first licensed on or after July 1, 2026. Salespersons licensed before that date must complete CE (NJREC CE requirements).