Colorado real estate license and CE requirements
What the Colorado Division of Real Estate asks of licensees, with a link to the official source for every figure.
Last reviewed October 15, 2026. Next review due October 2027.
Colorado issues a single broker license rather than separate salesperson and broker licenses, so every licensee in the state works under the same continuing-education rule: 24 hours over a three-year cycle. Twelve of those hours are the Annual Commission Update, a 4-hour course with a new version each year that ends in a Commission-written exam you must pass at 70 percent.
The remaining 12 hours are electives. The Colorado Division of Real Estate does not let extra hours roll forward, so taking 30 hours in one cycle gains nothing for the next. A broker whose first license expires at the end of the same year it was issued is exempt for that renewal.
Colorado at a glance
| Licensing body | Colorado Division of Real Estate |
|---|---|
| License levels | Broker only: one broker license, with associate, independent and employing broker levels |
| Broker CE | 24 hours every 3 yearsRequired topics: Annual Commission Update course (4 hrs each year, 12 hrs per cycle, a different version each year) plus 12 hrs of electives |
| Post-license education | None stated in the sources we checked. Check with the Colorado Division of Real Estate if you are newly licensed. |
| Renewal | Three-year licensing cycle, either an Anniversary Year Cycle or a Calendar Year Cycle (January 1 of year one to December 31 of year three). |
| Source | State code or rule text (Colorado), checked October 15, 2026 |
Rules change. The Colorado Division of Real Estate is the only authority on what you need to renew; where this page and the official source disagree, the official source is right. Blank figures say "Check with the Colorado Division of Real Estate" because we could not confirm them from an official source.
Optional professional development
Once your CE is done, these ACI designations go deeper on the same ground as parts of the Colorado requirements. They are voluntary, they are not CE, and you never need them to keep your license.
Advanced Real Estate Negotiator
The negotiation playbook that protects your clients and your commission.
Optional depth beyond licensing topics: the AREN is a practical playbook for negotiating offers and counters.
Certified AI Real Estate Expert
Use AI and modern tools to write, market and serve clients in less time.
Optional depth beyond licensing topics: the CAIRE covers using AI tools responsibly in daily work.
Certified Buyer Consultation Specialist
Run the buyer consultation, sign the agreement and defend your fee.
The CBCS covers the buyer consultation, written buyer agreements and compensation conversations in depth.
Questions about Colorado
How many CE hours does a Colorado broker need?
24 hours every 3 years, according to the Colorado Division of Real Estate (checked October 15, 2026). Required topics: Annual Commission Update course (4 hrs each year, 12 hrs per cycle, a different version each year) plus 12 hrs of electives.
Do ACI designations count toward Colorado CE?
No. Agent Certification Institute designations are voluntary professional credentials, not continuing-education credit. They are not approved by the Colorado Division of Real Estate and do not satisfy any part of Colorado's CE, post-license or renewal requirements.