When I entered the world of real estate back in 2003, agents who had previously obtained their real estate broker’s license prior to 2008 for at least 15 consecutive years and had maintained continuous licensure (no breaks in licensure for reasons such as late renewal submission) or an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar who held a real estate broker’s license were exempt from continuing education.
Many of us were amazed that continuing education was not required for the older, more seasoned agents as some had bad ‘habits’ and were truly not cognizant of what was expected of them in today’s real estate world.
Well, that is about to change in 2021 with a new law as follows:
“A new law regarding continuing education for real estate salespersons and brokers was recently adopted. Below is a summary of the major changes.
The amendment changes the course requirements for renewal. Specifically, new mandatory hours of education now include: “at least 2.5 hours of instruction pertaining to ethical business practices, at least 1 hour of instruction pertaining to recent legal matters governing the practice of real estate brokers and salespersons in New York which may include statutes, laws, regulations, rules, codes, department of state opinions and decisions, and court decisions”. With this change, effective July 1, 2021, all licensees will be required to successfully complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education. The education must include at least 2.5 hours on the subject of ethical business practices, at least I hour of recent legal matters, at least 3 hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property and at least 1 hour of instruction pertaining to the law of agency except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for real estate salespersons, 2 hours of agency related instruction must be completed within the two-year period immediately preceding a renewal.
The amendment also REMOVES the 15 year real estate broker continuing education exemption and now requires all brokers who are currently exempted to complete continuing education starting July 1, 2021.
For the purposes of implementing the changes, the new requirements are effective on the actual date the license expires rather than the date the renewal application is submitted for processing. If the expiration date printed on your license is on or after July 1, 2021 you must meet the new requirement before you can renew. To review the actual bill text, please click here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to submit your inquiry to eAccessNY@dos.ny.gov.
Sincerely,
Division of Licensing Services NYS Department of State”
Attorneys will still be exempt from continuing education.
In wanting to be the best agent I could be, I proceeded over the years to obtain many designations to better educate myself in real estate, and obtained many designations.
My designations are as follows:
Accredited Buyer’s Representative
Certified Buyer’s Representative
Certified Residential Specialist (I was named the New York CRS of the year in 2013)
Graduate Realtor Institute ( this was obtained by taking a series of educational courses of over the course of 2 years)
Certified Distressed Properties Expert
Senior Residential Specialist
GREEN Designation
Associate Broker – in depth education
Designations might not seem important to many, but when you are considering the sale of your home, or purchasing a home, you deserve a real estate agent who cares enough to study their craft, and who wishes to best represent their clients in the best possible way with continuing education, and who continually strives to do their best.
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
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