Arkansas Real Estate

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Education

The Arkansas Real Estate Commission strives to ensure that real estate education in Arkansas is of good quality and accessible to all licensees. As part of this effort, Instructor Workshops are held periodically to give real estate instructors opportunities for professional development as well as provide them with the latest news and most up-to-date information from the Commission.

Pre-License Guidelines 

A.C.A. §17-42-303, Commission Regulations 4.1(d), 4.1(a)(2), 4.1(b)(2)

  • For a course to qualify as fulfilling an applicant’s prelicensing educational requirement, the course must be conducted by an accredited post-secondary school or a school or organization licensed by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission, a school or organization approved by a real estate licensing jurisdiction deemed equivalent by the Commission.
  • For salesperson applicants, the 60-hour certificate has no expiration.
  • Broker applicants must complete sixty (60) hours of real estate education, of which forty-five (45) hours must be the Commission developed Broker Pre-License Education course, from an accredited post secondary school or a school or organization licensed by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission within 36 months immediately preceding the date they apply to take the broker’s exam.
  • Courses identified as “Exam Prep” courses generally do not fulfill the pre-license requirement.

Post-License Guidelines

A.C.A. §17-42-307(d)(2), §17-42-303(c)(1), (2), Commission Regulation 11.5

  • The AREC post-license requirement for a new salesperson is 18 classroom hours and must be taken by the end of the month six (6) months* after the date the individual was initially licensed. For example, a salesperson who is initially licensed on January 15, 2018, should complete post-license education by the end of July 2018.
  • A new broker must complete the 30 classroom hour AREC post-licensure course within six (6) months after the date the individual was initially licensed.
  • Newly licensed brokers requesting status as an Executive or Principal Broker must satisfy the postlicensure requirement before such status is granted.
  • Licensees whose initial license is issued as inactive and whose license remains on inactive status beyond the 6 month post-license education deadline must satisfy the post-license education requirement and all other education that may apply before the license can be issued as active.
  • Post-license education is to be completed after the initial license is issued, not before.

    *PLE due date change effective January 1, 2018.

Continuing Education

A.C.A. §17-42-307, Commission Regulation 6.2(d), (e)

  • Licensees must obtain seven hours of continuing education annually to renew an active real estate license for the upcoming calendar year.
  • For licensees obtaining a license in the current year, satisfaction of your continuing education requirement will be required upon your second active license renewal after you are licensed.
  • If you are unsure of whether or not a real estate course you are considering will fulfill annual continuing education requirements, contact the Arkansas Real Estate Commission (501) 683-8010 for verification.
  • When transferring a license from inactive to active status, continuing education hours must have been completed during the year in which the license is activated or the preceding calendar year.
  • Commission Regulation 11.4 does not allow one course to be used for both continuing education and pre-licensing education.

Post-License versus Continuing Education

  • The post-license education requirement is separate from and independent of the continuing education requirement.
  • The AREC post-license education curriculum is a specific set of modules and learning objectives. Only those specific courses will fulfill a new licensee’s post-license education requirement.
  • Post-license education may be satisfied by classroom, online, or an AREC-approved Alternative Method of Instruction.

Distance Education 

  • All distance education courses must be ARELLO® certified.
  • Distance Education providers who plan to apply for ARELLO® certification to offer courses in Arkansas need to contact ARELLO® and arrange to attend an ARELLO® Distance Education workshop or at a minimum obtain a copy of the Distance Education Standards manual.
  • For more information on Distance Education certification visit www.arello.org.

Teaching Real Estate Courses 

For information about offering or teaching real estate courses, contact the Arkansas Real Estate Commission at 501- 683-8010.

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