How To Renew Your Real Estate License in Washington

It’s that time! You’ve had your Washington broker license for two years and now you’ve got to renew to keep it active. Here’s how to make sure you get your license renewed before it expires.

How Do You Renew Your Real Estate License in Washington?

Complete the Continuing Education

The first step to renewing your license is completing the required continuing education. How much continuing real estate education you have to complete depends on whether or not it’s your first renewal.

What is the required continuing education needed to renew your real estate license?

If it’s your first time renewing:

• Total of 90 hours
• Advanced Practices Course (30 hours)
• Real Estate Law Course (30 hours)
• Core Course (3 hours)
• 27+ hours approved continuing education

If it’s a subsequent renewal (or you’re a managing broker):

• Total of 30 hours
• Core Course (3 hours)
• 27+ hours approved continuing education

All continuing education courses must be taken through an approved provider or it won’t count towards renewal.

Keep Your Record Clean

Remember how you had to provide fingerprints when you submitted your initial license application? The Washington Department of Licensing will keep the prints on record, but you have to submit a new set of fingerprints every six years. In other words, every third time you renew.

To submit fingerprints you must schedule an appointment online at IdentoGo’s website, pay the $8.05 fee and then get down to a MorphoTrust IdentoGO location for the printing. They’ll submit your fingerprints electronically to the Washington State Patrol (WSP).

You may also have to answer the criminal history questions again. If you are charged or convicted of a crime after receiving your real estate license it could affect your ability to renew.

Meet the Deadlines

Washington takes their license renewal deadlines seriously. When it’s time to renew, you’ll get a notice that provides instructions. You can renew your broker license as early as 120 days before the expiration, but everything has to be submitted by that date. If not, your license will go into inactive status, and you won’t be able to take part in transactions.

How Do You Renew Your Washington Broker License?

Brokers can use snail mail to apply for renewal. Of course, you’ll want to do this well in advance since it takes time. Or you can renew online using the License Express service and get it done a lot quicker.

All you need to renew online is a few pieces of information and a credit or debit card to pay the renewal fee. It goes a little something like this:

• Make sure your contact information is correct.
• Provide proof that you completed the continuing education.
• Provide your license number.
• Upload the criminal history questions document.
• Pay the renewal fee of $146.25 for brokers or $210 for managing brokers.

Your renewal application will be reviewed, and if everything checks out your active license will be extended another two years.