Frequently Asked Questions - California
1. What do I need to do to renew my California real estate license?
2. What are the continuing education requirements to renew my California real estate license?
3. What if my license is expired?
4. Are the courses offered by Empire Learning approved by the California Department of Real Estate?
5. In what format are courses from Empire Learning offered?
6. Am I required to take an exam to receive my continuing education credit?
9. Why are some of my exams not available yet?
1. What do I need to do to renew my California real estate license?
You must first complete 45 hours of continuing education in the appropriate categories before applying for license renewal with DRE. Conveniently submit your renewal application online using DRE eLicensing or by mail. All mail-in renewal forms are located here.
2. What are the continuing education requirements to renew my California real estate license?
California salespersons and brokers are required to complete 45 hours of DRE-approved continuing education in the 4-year period immediately preceding license expiration. The 45 hours of real estate continuing education must be taken in specific categories. The number of hours required in each category can vary based on your current license status and expiration date. Continuing education requirements can be viewed here
3. What if my license is expired?
If your license expired within the last two years you need to complete the same 45 hours of continuing education and will renew your license through the same process. You cannot, however, conduct any activities requiring a real estate license until your license has been renewed.
4. Are the courses offered by Empire Learning approved by the California Department of Real Estate?
Yes. All courses offered by Empire Learning are approved by DRE for continuing education credit.
5. In what format are courses from Empire Learning offered?
All courses from Empire Learning are self-study. For California, the course materials are provided as PDF files that can be downloaded to your computer and read at your convenience. After reading through the course materials and completing the review questions at the end of each chapter, you will log in to your account at Empire Learning to take the multiple-choice exam for each course. Please note that courses for states other than California are presented in a different format.
6. Am I required to take an exam to receive my continuing education credit?
Yes. All DRE-approved self-study continuing education courses require you to take an exam and achieve a score of at least 70% correct in order to receive credit for the course.
If you fail a final exam, you are allowed one retake. Questions on the retake exam will be different than those on the original exam. If the retake exam is failed, you will be re-enrolled in the course at no charge. After re-enrollment, you must re-complete the credit hours for the course prior to taking the final exam again. Waiting time requirements are listed below.
- Any 12-hour course - May attempt retake exam immediately. If the retake exam is failed you will need to wait at least 28 hours and have the required Study Hours and Exam credits available to take the exam again.
- Any 6-hour course - May attempt retake exam immediately. If the retake exam is failed you will need to wait at least 6 hours and have the required Study Hours and Exam Credits available before taking the exam again.
- Any 3-hour course - May attempt retake exam immediately. If the retake exam is failed you will need to wait at least 3 hours and have the required Study Hours and Exam Credits available before taking the exam again.
6 days. The California Department of Real Estate grants 8 hours of reading time per 24-hour period for self-study courses, so it will take a minimum of six days to complete the 45-hour package.
9. Why are some of my exams not available yet?
The reading time requirements from the California Department of Real Estate (automatic 8 hours granted per 24 hour period) for each course must be met before the exam for that course is available. DRE also limits students to completing 15 credit hours of final exams in a 24-hour period. The time each exam will become available is listed in My Account.
Your Certificate of Completion for each course will be available in your account immediately after passing the exam for that course.