What You Need to Fulfill Your Texas Real Estate SAE Requirement

As a Texas real estate agent, you are required to renew your license every two years. In order to renew your license, you must first complete continuing education courses. This ensures that you are capable of delivering competent, quality, and ethical real estate services.

If you are preparing to renew your real estate license for the first time in Texas, you will need to take your SAE courses. In this post, we will define what SAE are, what information it covers, and when and how you can take it.

In case you’re not familiar with what SAE are in real estate, let’s start with a simple definition.

What are SAE courses?

Sales Apprentice Education (SAE) courses are part of the first renewal cycle for agents. Sales agents who are renewing for the first time must have a total of 270 qualifying real estate course hours, 4 hours of TREC’s Legal Update I, and 4 hours of TREC’s Legal Update II. Agents who have been made a supervisor by their broker must also complete the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course to renew. 180 of the 270 total hours will come from pre-license coursework. SAE are made up of three 30-hour courses which comprise the remaining 90.

What does it cover?

When it comes to TREC SAE requirements, there are multiple course topics which TREC may approve for SAE. Most SAE course packages will cover Texas sales and marketing, property management (including maintenance, accounting, administrative, legal activities, and federal regulations), and essentials of real estate investment in Texas. Individual providers may or may not have more than the required three approved courses to choose from. Each course fulfills 30 hours of credit, so expect to take three, along with the Legal Update I and II classes. Some companies will offer the Legal Update courses as an add-on -- meaning you’ll be charged extra -- so make sure your course set includes everything you need before handing over the funds. Starting October 1, 2023, these hours must include the 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course to renew.

When can I take it?

The Texas Real Estate Commission will send you a license renewal notice about 90 days before your expiration date. You cannot renew your license until you receive this notice of renewal. Once you have taken the courses, submit qualifying course completion documents to TREC at least 10 days before renewing your license. For additional information regarding the SAE requirement and CE deferral fees, please visit the TREC website.

Where do I take a course that counts towards SAE?

Many SAE packages and individual courses are available either live online, as study-at-home packages, or even a hybrid of both. Check with your closest real estate school to see if they offer SAE-qualifying courses that fit your learning style. You will also want to check the school's approval. Not all courses are created equal, so you may want to read reviews from previous students.

The Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) currently offers the full course package. You just need to fulfill part of the requirement. Check out their calendar to get the dates and times for SAE class sessions. Just ‘check’ the Salesperson Apprenticeship Courses box.

Head to Texas REALTORS® for another option. Its Graduate, REALTOR Institute (GRI) designation helps Realtors keep up with changing laws, technology, and best practices.