The KREC Continuing Education Department is dedicated to ensuring that all active licensees receive the most up to date real estate courses available. The KREC continuing education section will provide information on approved continuing education and core course providers, as well as the core course and broker core course schedules.
The KY Core Course, KY Commercial Core Course and several continuing education courses are now available online. Some providers also offer live web cam classes. Please review the provider page for more information on which schools offer distance education courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Requirements:
All active licensees who were originally licensed in Kentucky after
June 19, 1976 are subject to the continuing education requirements--six hours each calendar year, with at least three hours in an approved legal topic. Once every four years, each licensee subject to the requirements must take the six-hour Kentucky Core Course.
Course registration:
Register directly with an approved course provider. KREC does not sponsor courses. ALWAYS use your full legal name (the one that appears on your license), your license number (not the NAR member number), and your residence address. Refer to the “Approved Provider Lists” on the KREC Website.
Q: What is the Kentucky Core Course?
A: It is a six-hour course developed by the KREC covering the federal, state and common laws relating to real estate. Each active licensee is required to complete a Core Course once every four years. It is also the required course to reactivate a license from escrow. Three options are now available:
- The regular Kentucky Core Course is a 6-hour course offered online and in a classroom format and is available to all licensees.
- Risk Management for Brokers, also known as the Broker Core Course, is a 6-hour classroom format and is available only to broker associates and principal brokers.
- A 6-hour on-line Commercial Core Course is now available for licensees who are in the commercial and industrial real estate business. Please note that passing a final exam is a requirement to receive credit.
Taking a 48 hour pre-license course, six hours of law, or other continuing education courses WILL NOT SATISFY this requirement.
Q: What courses qualify for law credit?
A: Kentucky license laws, agency, contracts, fair housing, environmental law, 1031 tax laws, ANSI Standards, antitrust, landlord-tenant law, planning and zoning issues and misrepresentation classes. If you need law credit, always check with the provider before signing up for a course to be sure the course provides legal credit. If they are in doubt, contact the Commission’s Education Department for clarification.
Q: Are ethics courses approved for legal credit?
A: NO, KREC approved courses covering ethics do not provide law credit. The only exceptions to this rule are two courses that have incorporated into their course outline, substantial references to license laws as they compare to the Code. Those courses are Code of Ethics vs. License Law and Unethical, Illegal or Just Plain Dumb.
Q: What is the continuing education compliance time frame?
A: All continuing education must be taken within the calendar year—January 1 through December 31. Credit may not be carried forward into the next calendar year.
Q: My license is in escrow. Am I required to complete continuing education?
A: As long as the license remains in escrow, no additional education is required. When a licensee wishes to reactivate, he or she must complete the Kentucky Core Course BEFORE the license can be reactivated.
Q: What is the exemption period for new licensees?
A: An individual obtaining their first, original Kentucky license is exempt for the first calendar year only, regardless of whether the license is issued in February or November.
Q: Am I required to send copies of my completion certificates for all courses I take?
A: If you attend continuing education courses sponsored by an approved Kentucky provider (refer to the provider list on the KREC website), the provider is required to submit an attendance roster to the KREC within 10 days of the class. Please keep your certificates in the event of any discrepancy that may occur between the school’s roster and the Commission’s records.
Q: Can continuing education courses be taken at any institution?
A: NO, courses must be taken through an approved Kentucky provider.
Q: Do you accept continuing education courses offered in other states?
A: Kentucky will accept continuing education taken in some other states. Please refer to the Out of State Compliance Form on the KREC website for specific information. In these situations, the licensee is required to submit a copy of the completion certificate within 14 days after the certificate is received. The Commission reserves the right to request a timed outline or other information to verify the course content. If a particular topic would not be approved by the KREC, then we will not accept it from another state, even if that state does approve the content. If you wait until the end of the year to submit the certificate, then you may run the risk of being delinquent if the course is not acceptable.
Q: Are online courses acceptable?
A: Online courses that have been approved by the KREC and certified by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) or the International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC) are acceptable. All online courses have a required final examination as the final module of the course. Students must pass the final with at least 75% in order to receive credit for the course. One retake exam is permitted. The course completion date is the date the licensee passes the final exam.
Q: Will a 3 credit hour/48 hour real estate course taken through an accredited or approved Kentucky provider fulfill the continuing education requirements for the year?
A: Yes, as long as it is not your year to take the Kentucky Core Course. It is YOUR responsibility to send a copy of the completion certificate to the Commission and ask that credit be awarded.
Q: What is the penalty for non-compliance?
A: If the hours are not completed by December 31, a delinquency notice will be mailed to the licensee in mid January. Licensees must take one of two options by February 15: (1) Place the license into escrow or (2) File the Delinquency Plan and agree to take the required hours on or before June 15. Both options require the payment of a $500 penalty.
Failure to take action by February 15 will result in cancellation of the license and notice to the broker that the licensee is not eligible to renew. Failure to complete the terms of the Delinquency Plan by the June 15 deadline may result in a six-month license suspension.
Q: Is there any way to avoid paying the delinquency penalty if you know you will not be able to fulfill the continuing education requirements by December 31?
A: The only way to avoid the penalty is to submit a written request to escrow your license and a $10 check prior to December 31. If the request for escrow status is received by the KREC or postmarked prior to December 31, no delinquency penalty will be assessed. If the request is received after January 1, then the licensee is considered delinquent and is subject to the penalty.
Any continuing education questions that were not addressed in this FAQ may be directed to the KREC Education Department: 502-429-7250 or 888-373-3300, Extension 18.