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First Renewal in Washington

The 90 clock hours Washington brokers complete before their first two-year renewal — Advanced Practices, Real Estate Law, the Core course and electives.

A Washington broker's first license renewal requires 90 clock hours of Department of Licensing-approved education, and every one of those hours must be started after the date you were first licensed. The 90 hours are a 30-hour Advanced Real Estate Practices course, a 30-hour Real Estate Law course, and 30 hours of continuing education that must include the 3-hour Core course and the Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course. Every renewal after the first is 30 clock hours.

  • A Washington broker's first active license renewal requires 90 clock hours of approved education, all started after the date the broker was first licensed. WAC 308-124A-785
  • Those 90 hours must include real estate law, advanced practices, and 30 hours of approved continuing education that includes the Core curriculum and Washington real estate fair housing. WAC 308-124A-785
  • The Real Estate Law course taken for a first renewal must include three hours of instruction on fair housing and consumer protection. RCW 18.85.101(2)
  • Every Washington license renewal after the first requires 30 clock hours of approved instruction every two years. RCW 18.85.211(1)
  • Up to 15 clock hours in excess of the required hours may be carried forward to the next renewal. RCW 18.85.211(1)
  • A 30-clock-hour course in advanced real estate practices or real estate law can count toward both a first renewal and the reactivation of a license that has been inactive for three or more years. WAC 308-124A-788(2)
  • A Washington clock hour is 50 minutes of actual instruction, so the 90-hour first renewal is 75 hours of instruction time. WAC 308-124H-820(4)

Last verified against the Revised Code of Washington and the Washington Administrative Code. Requirements are set by the Washington State Department of Licensing and can change — confirm anything time-sensitive with the DOL.

What courses are required for first renewal?

Brokers renewing for the first time complete 90 clock hours, broken into:

  • 30 Advanced Real Estate Practices
  • 30 Real Estate Law
  • 3 Core — Current Trends and Issues
  • 3 Washington Real Estate Fair Housing
  • 24 approved electives
Total: 90 clock hours

Most popular first-renewal package

Complete First Renewal includes your choice of electives (3 Hr Fair Housing requirement)

$279.00
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About first renewal

Washington licenses renew every two years, and a new broker's first renewal carries the heaviest education load — 90 hours versus the 30 hours required at every renewal after it. The required 3-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course is part of that load — the Department of Licensing counts it inside the 27 "other approved" hours, leaving 24 truly elective hours (the one-time 6-hour course replaces it only if you were licensed here by reciprocity, having tested into Washington rather than taking Washington pre-license courses). Our most popular first-renewal package bundles the Advanced Practices, Real Estate Law, Core, Fair Housing and elective hours together, all DOL-approved, so you can finish everything in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Who needs to complete the first renewal courses?
"First renewal" refers to brokers renewing their Washington license for the first time — in practice, any broker who has been licensed for less than two years, since Washington licenses renew every two years. This is the education the Department of Licensing requires before that first renewal.
What courses are required for the first renewal?
Your first renewal takes 90 clock hours: a 30-hour Advanced Real Estate Practices course, a 30-hour Real Estate Law course, a 3-hour Core course (Current Trends and Issues), the required 3-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course, and 24 hours of approved electives. The Department of Licensing counts the Fair Housing course inside the 27 "other approved" hours — it's required, which leaves 24 truly elective hours. First-renewal students take the 3-hour course — the one-time 6-hour course replaces it only for a broker who tested into Washington by reciprocity from another state, because that path includes no Washington coursework carrying fair housing.
What are the education requirements at my second renewal and after?
Every renewal after your first is 30 hours every two years: a 3-hour Core course plus 27 hours of other approved continuing education. Because the mandatory 3-hour Washington Real Estate Fair Housing course counts toward that 27, you're left with 24 hours of true electives.
Do I take the same Core course every time I renew?
It carries the same title, but the curriculum is new every two years. The state rewrites it to cover what's current in real estate — one Core might focus on financial fraud, foreclosures and short sales, while another emphasizes mold and disclosure issues.
Can I carry extra hours into my first renewal?
Many new brokers take extra courses in their first two years as they learn the business, so they often finish with more than 90 hours. Washington lets you carry up to 15 unused clock hours forward, as long as they were completed within 48 months of the renewal you apply them to.
What happens if I miss my renewal deadline?
If you renew within one year of expiration, you complete your education, pay your renewal fee plus a late penalty, and you're reinstated. If your license has been canceled longer than that, reinstatement is more involved: within two years of cancellation you can reinstate by completing 60 clock hours of approved education — at least 30 of which must be the Real Estate Law course — completed within the year before applying, plus a late fee, a reinstatement fee and back renewal fees. Only after more than two years canceled do you have to requalify from scratch by retaking pre-license education and the broker exam. Renewing on time is far cheaper in money and time.
What brokerage services can I provide if I let my license lapse?
None. You must not perform any licensed activity — buyer or seller representation, talking to clients, or even showing houses — while your license isn't active, or the state will treat it as operating without a license. If you're late, have a colleague field your client calls until you've submitted your renewal.
Do I need to hear from the DOL to know I'm renewed?
No. You're considered renewed once you submit all required fees and documentation to the Department of Licensing — online through the DOL portal, or by mail (the postmark date counts). Know your exact renewal date in case timing ever matters.
Do I need to send proof of course completion to the state?
No, but print your certificates and keep the records. The Department of Licensing randomly audits brokers to verify compliance.
Does Realestateschool.org keep my certificates if I lose them?
Absolutely. We keep track of all the education you complete with us — log in to print your certificates any time, or call our office if you lose your copies.
Is my real estate education tax-deductible?
Most often, yes. Check with a tax professional about your specific situation to be sure.
What if I took more hours than I needed?
You can carry up to 15 unused continuing education hours into your next renewal, provided they were completed within 48 months (4 years) of that renewal. As a practical matter, credit is issued per completed course, so you generally can't split a single course's hours across two renewals.

Related Washington requirements

Getting a License

The 90-hour pre-license path and the PSI broker exam, step by step.

Continuing Education

30 hours every renewal — Core, Fair Housing and your electives.

Managing Broker

The 90 hours and experience needed to sit for the managing broker exam.

License Information

Fees, timelines and the full Washington licensing overview.

Free Practice Exam

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Free Tools & Calculators

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All Washington Courses

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