Continuing education

Ordinary Illinois broker renewal uses 12 approved CE hours

Continuing education belongs to the license term being renewed. It is different from pre-license education and from the 45-hour curriculum required in a new broker's first term.

Last updated: August 1, 2026

The answer first

Direct answer: For an ordinary Illinois broker renewal term, the broker completes 12 hours of approved continuing education: a six-hour core curriculum that includes at least two hours of fair-housing training and six hours of approved elective education. Required sexual-harassment prevention training can count within elective hours when completed through an approved provider. A broker in the first license term who owes 45-hour post-license education completes that curriculum instead of ordinary CE for the term. Current statutory exemptions include qualifying active Illinois attorneys and certain licensees serving in the armed forces, elected office, or full-time IDFPR employment. Verify the course, provider, completed-hour record, issue date, and renewal fact sheet before certifying compliance.

Ordinary broker CE

12 hours per current term

Core

6 hours, including at least 2 fair housing

Elective

6 hours

First broker term

45-hour post-license path instead

Choose courses from the live approved records

Use IDFPR's current CE provider and course listings. Match the course category, hours, provider, and license term. A useful national webinar, association designation, or employer training does not automatically create Illinois CE credit.

The six-hour core course reflects the current curriculum. Older four-hour core transition rules mattered for the 2026 renewal only under the dates in IDFPR's fact sheet. Do not use that exception for a later cycle unless IDFPR publishes it again.

Block: Core
Hours: 6
Control: Approved current core, at least 2 fair-housing hours

Block: Elective
Hours: 6
Control: Approved electives; include required harassment training

Block: Total
Hours: 12
Control: Complete within the current license term

Block: First-term new broker
Hours: 45 post-license
Control: Use post-license rules, not this 12-hour mix

Ordinary Illinois broker CE plan
Block	Hours	Control
Core	6	Approved current core, at least 2 fair-housing hours
Elective	6	Approved electives; include required harassment training
Total	12	Complete within the current license term
First-term new broker	45 post-license	Use post-license rules, not this 12-hour mix

Complete, verify, and retain

Take courses early enough to resolve a failed exam, missing completion report, name mismatch, or provider error. Check the IDFPR CE lookup after the provider's reporting period and compare it with your certificates. The licensee remains responsible for certifying compliance and producing evidence on request.

Keep course titles, categories, dates, hours, provider information, certificates, exam results when applicable, CE lookup evidence, and renewal receipt together for the term.

Use the legal name on the license.
Do not count the same specific course twice in one term.
Do not exceed the current 12-hour-per-calendar-day CE limit.
Resolve missing CE before certifying renewal.

Apply exemptions narrowly

Section 5-70 names exemptions for licensees who, during the term, serve in the United States armed forces, serve as an elected state or federal official, work full time for IDFPR, or are admitted to practice under Illinois Supreme Court rule. Documentation and renewal certification still matter.

Inactive status is not listed as a general CE exemption. Residence or practice outside Illinois also does not create one. Ask IDFPR about a specific record before skipping education.

Example: the wrong education bucket

Situation: A broker first licensed in 2024 completed six core and six elective hours for the 2026 renewal but never completed the required 45-hour post-license curriculum.

Best response: Ordinary CE does not replace the first-term post-license requirement. The broker should consult IDFPR immediately, complete the correct approved education and exams under the applicable remedy, and avoid certifying compliance inaccurately.

Quick questions

How many CE hours does an Illinois broker need?

Ordinarily 12 approved hours during the current license term: six core and six elective.

How much fair housing is required?

The current six-hour core curriculum must include at least two credit hours of fair-housing training.

Does harassment prevention count?

It may count toward elective hours when completed through an approved Illinois real estate education provider.

Do new brokers take 12 CE hours?

A new broker owing 45-hour post-license education uses that curriculum for the first term instead of ordinary CE.

Can inactive brokers skip CE?

Do not assume so. Inactivity is not a general exemption named in Section 5-70. Confirm the renewal requirements for the record.

Primary sources and review status

Checked against the cited primary sources through August 1, 2026. Current IDFPR, Illinois law, and PSI instructions control if a rule or procedure changes. This guide is educational information, not legal advice.

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