Illinois Real Estate

Educational Foundation

Broker Management Continuing Education

Recent changes in the Illinois Real Estate License Act of 2000 impacting real estate broker continuing education:

Amendments are underlined or crossed out

Section 5-70. Continuing education requirement; broker or salesperson.

(a) The requirements of this Section apply to all licensees who have had a license for less than 15 years as of January 1, 1992.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, each person who applies for renewal of his or her license as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson must successfully complete real estate continuing education courses approved by the Advisory Council at the rate of 6 hours per year or its equivalent. No license may be renewed except upon the successful completion of the required courses or their equivalent or upon a waiver of those requirements for good cause shown as determined by the Commissioner with the recommendation of the Advisory Council. The requirements of this Article are applicable to all brokers and salespersons except those brokers and salespersons who, during the pre-renewal period:

(1) serve in the armed services of the United States;

(2) serve as an elected State or federal official;

(3) serve as a full-time employee of DFPR; or

(4) are admitted to practice law pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court rule.

In addition, beginning with the pre-renewal period for broker licenses that begins after the effective date of this mandatory Act of the 93^rd General Assembly, to renew a real estate broker’s license, the licensee must successfully complete a 6-hour broker management continuing education course approved by DFPR.  Successful completion of the course shall include achieving a passing score as provided by rule on a test developed and administered in accordance with the rules developed by the DFPR.  Beginning on the first day of the renewal period for broker licensees that begins after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93^rd General Assembly, the six-hour broker management continuing education course must be completed by all persons receiving their initial broker’s license within 180 days after the date of initial licensure as a broker.

(c) A person who is issued an initial license as a real estate salesperson less than one year prior to the expiration date of that license shall not be required to complete continuing education as a condition of license renewal. A person who is issued an initial license as a real estate broker less than one year prior to the expiration date of that license and who has not been licensed as a real estate salesperson during the pre-renewal period shall not be required to complete continuing education as a condition of license renewal. A person receiving an initial license as a real estate broker during the 90 days before the broker renewal date shall not be required to complete the broker management continuing education course provided for in subsection (b) of this section as a condition of initial license renewal.

(d) The continuing education requirement for salespersons and brokers shall consist of a core curriculum and an elective curriculum, to be established by the Advisory Council. In meeting the continuing education requirements of this Act, at least 3 hours per year or their equivalent shall be required to be completed in the core curriculum. In establishing the core curriculum, the Advisory Council shall consider subjects that will educate licensees on recent changes in applicable laws and new laws and refresh the licensee on areas of the license law and DFPR policy that the Advisory Council deems appropriate, and any other areas that the Advisory Council deems timely and applicable in order to prevent violations of this Act and to protect the public. In establishing the elective curriculum, the Advisory Council shall consider subjects that cover the various aspects of the practice of real estate that are covered under the scope of this Act. However, the elective curriculum shall not include any offerings referred to in Section 5-85 of this Act.

 (e) The subject areas of continuing education courses approved by the Advisory Council may include without limitation the following:

(1) license law and escrow;

(2) antitrust;

(3) fair housing;

(4) agency;

(5) appraisal;

(6) property management;

(7) residential brokerage;

(8) farm property management;

(9) rights and duties of sellers, buyers, and brokers;

(10) commercial brokerage and leasing; and

(11) real estate financing.

(f)  In lieu of credit for those courses listed in subsection (e) of this Section, credit may be earned for serving as a licensed instructor in an approved course of continuing education. The amount of credit earned for teaching a course shall be the amount of continuing education credit for which the course is approved for licensees taking the course.

(g)  Credit hours may be earned for self-study programs approved by the Advisory Council.

(h)  A broker or salesperson may earn credit for a specific continuing education course only once during the prerenewal period.

(i)   No more than 6 hours of continuing education credit may be earned in one calendar day.

(j)   To promote the offering of a uniform and consistent course content, the DFPR may provide for the development of a single broker management course to be offered by all continuing education providers who choose to offer the broker management continuing education course. The DFPR may contract for the development of the broker management course with an outside vendor and, if the course is developed in this manner, the DFPR shall license the use of that course to all approved continuing education providers who wish to provide the course.