Pre-Licensing Education

The broker pre-licensing educational requirement is 150 hours. The number of hours accepted for credit toward this requirement will be determined by the LREC. The LREC may consider granting partial credit toward the broker pre-licensing educational requirement; however, the number of credit hours will be determined based on the date of course completion and the applicability of the subject matter to current broker educational requirements. No substitution will be allowed for Real Estate 202, the 30-hour course which covers the Louisiana Real Estate License Law, Commission Rules/Regulations, Law of Agency, and Civil Law pertaining to real estate.

1. State certified real estate schools
   Education must be taken from an LREC state-certified real estate school. Find an LREC approved pre-licensing vendor.

2. College and Universities
   Credit for real estate courses completed at a college or university will be granted by the LREC based on the applicability of the subject to the current pre-licensing course requirements. The applicant must submit an original transcript to the LREC with a written request for a review toward the broker pre-licensing educational requirements. The written request must include complete name, mailing address, and telephone number. Approval for credit for coursework must be obtained by the applicant prior to submission of an application for licensing. Please allow at up to 30 days for a response.

3. Coursework completed in other licensing jurisdictions
   Partial credit may be granted for real estate courses completed in other licensing jurisdictions. No substitution will be allowed for the 30-hour portion of the ninety-hour requirement that covers the Louisiana Real Estate License Law, Commission Rules/Regulations, Law of Agency, and Civil Law pertaining to real estate. The applicant must submit a current certificate of licensure to the LREC with a written request for a review toward the broker pre-licensing educational requirements. The written request must include complete name, mailing address, and telephone number. Approval for credit for coursework completed in other jurisdictions must be obtained by the applicant prior to submission of an application for licensing. Please allow at up to 30 days for a response.

4. Course work completed for a specific real estate designation
   Real estate or related course work completed through nationally recognized real estate organizations or institutes may be considered for partial credit toward the broker pre-licensing educational requirement. The applicant may submit any information that will assist in determining the applicability of the course for broker pre-licensing credit; however, proof of course completion (that includes the date of course completion, number of hours completed, and the subject matter covered) is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the ninety hours required to obtain a salesperson license count toward obtaining a real estate broker license?  No. Licensed salespersons must complete an additional 150 hours of approved course work. This coursework must include a mandatory thirty-hour broker responsibility course or its equivalent. The remaining broker hours may include a review of real estate principles and practices, electives in various real estate topics such as courses completed for a real estate designation, commercial brokerage, appraisal and other real estate related fields of study.

Does the LREC accept out of state real estate coursework for pre-licensing credit for broker education? Yes. Up to 120 hours completed in another jurisdiction may be credited toward the 150-hour broker pre-licensing requirement. At least 30 hours must be completed in a mandatory course covering the Louisiana Real Estate License Law, Law of Agency, Commission Rules/Regulations, and Civil Law, pertaining to real estate in Louisiana.

Does the LREC have to approve out of state coursework prior to application for licensing? Yes. Applicants must receive approval of out of state coursework prior to submitting an initial license application.

If an individual completes the 150-hour broker pre-licensing requirement and obtains an initial license in the same year of course completion, does the newly licensed salesperson or broker have to complete an additional 12 hours of continuing education to renew the license for the next licensing period? Yes, in the year issued, an initial licensee is required to complete 12 hours of continuing education, including any LREC Mandatory course topic(s) prior to renewing an active license. This does not relieve the licensee of the post licensing education requirement that is due within 180 days of initial date of licensure.  In the year completed, your post-licensing education hours may be used to satisfy a portion of the 12-hour annual continuing education requirement; however, post-licensing education hours will not satisfy the mandatory course topic(s) hours specified by the Commission.

Can license applicants complete pre-licensing hours through correspondence or distance learning methods? Yes, under certain conditions. Pre-licensing courses completed via distance learning must be Internet-based and completed through a Louisiana state certified real estate school that has been approved by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) for delivery standards and by the Commission for course content. 

Is an examination required for pre-licensing credit? Yes. Students must complete a final examination on course content as a condition for receiving a certificate of completion from an approved real estate school.