Each year, real estate brokers across North Carolina run into avoidable issues with their continuing education requirements. Oftentimes, this includes missed deadlines, taking the wrong type of hours, or incomplete courses. While missing Continuing Education (CE) deadlines will not usually cost you your license outright, it can render your license inactive, causing interruptions for your business. Here are some common continuing education missteps and how to avoid them.
Waiting Till the Last Minute to Take Your CE
In North Carolina, real estate agents must complete their continuing education requirements annually to maintain active status. Many agents often wait until the final weeks leading up to the deadline. The longer you wait:
- The faster classes fill up.
- More schedule conflicts arise.
- Technical issues become more stressful.
- You risk missing the CE reporting window.
Often, waiting until the last minute leads to even more issues, and puts you at a higher risk of your license being rendered inactive.
Takeaway: By registering early, you allow plenty of time for proper reporting and reduce the chances of your license becoming inactive.
Not Understanding Deadline Requirements
There can be confusion about real estate continuing education deadlines in North Carolina. This is because the deadline to take your CE classes is June 10th and the deadline to renew your license is June 30th. This can lead to:
- Taking CE too late.
- Your license becoming inactive.
- Violations with the Commission.
Takeaway: Ensure you understand the difference between the CE deadline and the license renewal deadline. Put both dates on your calendar and set reminders on your phone.
Taking the Wrong CE Courses
Agents sometimes misunderstand the specific kind of CE courses they need to take. In North Carolina, brokers must complete a total of four (8) continuing education hours. These hours include:
- The General Update (GENUP) or the Broker-in-Charge Update (BICUP) if applicable.
- An approved elective course.
Agents sometimes take the wrong update course, repeat a course they have already taken, or think an elective course qualifies when it does not. These are common mistakes, but they can delay reporting and result in deactivation.
Takeaway: Double-check your registration to ensure you are signed up for the correct courses.
Assuming Your License Will “Automatically Renew”
A common misconception is that once courses are completed, everything is done. But sometimes, there can be errors in the reporting process such as:
- Name or license number typos that can result in incorrect reporting.
- Incomplete attendance records.
- Name on registration does not match Commission records or;
- Technical completion errors.
Takeaway: While the education provider is responsible for reporting your completion to the Commission, it is your responsibility to confirm your CE credits are properly recorded.
Not Taking Electives that Strengthen Your Practice
Many agents treat CE electives as just “something to get done.” They are missing out on an opportunity. There is often valuable information in elective courses.
Elective courses can help you:
- Understand environmental issues.
- Improve listing presentations.
- Navigate commercial transactions.
- Expand into investment properties.
- Learn about new real estate financing options.
Takeaway: The right CE elective course can give you a competitive advantage and help you grow your business.
Why Planning CE Early Matters
Continuing education is more than just checking off a box. While it is necessary for compliance, it can also be incredibly valuable to your business. Planning your CE early will set you up for success.
Planning early to fulfill your continuing education requirements benefits you in the following ways:
- Allows plenty of time for accurate reporting to the Commission.
- Helps ensure you enroll in the proper CE credits.
- Reduces the chances of not fulfilling requirements by the deadline.
- Lets you choose which CE elective topic you’re most interested in.
- Helps reduce overall stress.
At Sunland Real Estate Education, we help real estate agents stay compliant in North Carolina. Our online continuing education courses are designed to fit your schedule.
View our catalog here.
