Each state has its own renewal deadline for real estate licenses; if you fail to submit your renewal application before this, your license will expire. In the vast majority of states you will still be able to renew your license for a certain amount of time after it expires, however in a small minority this is not the case.
This Can I Renew My Real Estate License After It Expires article contains all the information you need, including when your real estate license expires, whether you can renew it after expiry, and how long you will have to do so.
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When Does My Real Estate License Expire
Your real estate license’s expiry date will depend on your state:
| State | Date of Expiry | How Long After Expiry You Can Renew |
| Alabama | Even Year: August 31 Odd Year: September 30 | Up to one year |
| Alaska | January 31 | Up to one year |
| Arizona | Renewal details sent by email | Up to one year |
| Arkansas | September 30 | Up to one year |
| California | Listed on license | Up to two years |
| Colorado | December 31 | Up to three years |
| Connecticut | Salespersons: May 31 Brokers: November 30 | Up to two years |
| Delaware | April 30 | Up to two years |
| Florida | March 31 or September 30 | Up to two years |
| Georgia | March 31 | Up to five years |
| Hawaii | December 31 | Up to five years |
| Idaho | Last day on licensee’s birth month | Up to one year |
| Illinois | April 30 | Up to five years |
| Indiana | June 30 | Up to three years |
| Iowa | December 31 | Up to three years |
| Kansas | Licensed before Jan 1, 2019: date based on first letter of last name Licensed after Jan 1, 2019: First of the month your license was initially issued in | Up to five years |
| Kentucky | March 31 | Up to two years |
| Louisiana | First-time renewals with license issued on or after Sept. 1: December 31, 2022 All other licenses: September 30 | Up to three months |
| Maine | Anniversary of original license issuance date | Up to six years after becoming inactive |
| Maryland | Listed on license | Up to three years |
| Massachusetts | License holder’s birthday | Up to two years |
| Michigan | July 31 | Up to three years |
| Minnesota | June 30 | If you the miss deadline, you cannot renew |
| Mississippi | December 31 | Up to two months |
| Missouri | Agents: September 30 Brokers: June 30 | Up until subsequent renewal period |
| Montana | October 31 | Up to two years |
| Nebraska | November 30 | Up to three years |
| Nevada | Anniversary of original license issuance date | Up to one year |
| New Hampshire | Anniversary of original license issuance date | Up to one year |
| New Jersey | June 30 | Up to two years |
| New Mexico | Last day of the month, following license holder’s birth month | Up to one year |
| New York | Anniversary of original license issuance date | Up to one year |
| North Carolina | June 30 | Up to two years |
| North Dakota | December 31 | If you miss deadline, you cannot renew |
| Ohio | License holder’s birthday | Up to one year |
| Oklahoma | 10th day of the month the original license was granted | Up to three years |
| Oregon | Last day of license holder’s birth month | Up to one year |
| Pennsylvania | May 31 | Up to five years |
| Rhode Island | Licenses issued before January 1, 2020: May 1 2022 Licenses issued after: anniversary of the initial license issuance date | Up to one year |
| South Carolina | June 30 | Up to one year |
| South Dakota | November 30 | Month of June following expiry |
| Tennessee | Listed on license | Up to one year |
| Texas | Listed on license | Up to two years |
| Utah | End of the month the original license was granted | Up to one year |
| Vermont | Salespersons: May of even-numbered years Brokers: March of even-numbered years | Up to two years |
| Virginia | Last day of the month the original license was granted | Up to one year |
| Washington | Anniversary of original license issuance date | Up to three years |
| Washington D.C. | Agents: August 31 Brokers: February 28 | Up to five years |
| West Virginia | December 31 | Up to one year |
| Wisconsin | December 14, even years | Up to five years |
| Wyoming | December 31 | March 1 of the year following expiry |
Note: If you are a real estate agent or broker in Minnesota or North Dakota, you will not be able to renew your license after it expires, and will instead need to file a new application.
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What Happens if Your Real Estate License Expires
If your real estate license expires, what happens next will depend entirely on which state you are trying to renew in.
In some states, you will have to complete additional hours of real estate education and pay a late renewal/reinstatement fee, while in others this is not the case.
Depending on your state, the number of required hours can actually increase with the amount of time that has passed since expiry. For instance, in Utah, licenses that have expired less than 30 days only need to complete 18 hours of CE and pay a $50 late fee. However, licenses that have expired between 31 days and six months need to complete 24 hours and pay a $100 late fee.
Other jurisdictions permit a certain amount of time after expiry in which there are no additional renewal requirements, such as Washington D.C. (all licenses expired less than 60 days are not considered to be lapsed, and thus only need to pay a late fee in order to renew.).
The exact renewal requirements for your expired real estate license are completely dependent on which state you are renewing in. For more information, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Renew My Real Estate License article.
Can I Renew My Real Estate License After It Expires FAQ
How long after expiry can I renew my license?
This is entirely dependent upon your state, and can range from anywhere between a couple of months to several years after expiry. That being said, it is most common for states to allow you to renew for up to a year after your license expires. A small number of states do not allow you to renew your license after it expires.
How do I renew my expired real estate license?
The first thing to do is check your state’s regulations on the topic. If your state permits the renewal of expired real estate licenses, it will have requirements to accompany this. These may be as easy to satisfy as paying a late penalty fee, but might be as difficult as completing hours of additional education. For more information on your state’s specific rules, please check out our How to Renew My Real Estate License article.
How much does it cost to renew my expired real estate license?
In almost all states, you will be required to pay a late renewal and/or reinstatement fee for the benefit of renewing your license after it expires. The exact cost varies greatly from as little as a total fee of $40, to a late fee that increases by $200 for each month that passes after your license’s expiry. For a more in depth look at the true cost of renewing an expired license in your state, feel free to check out our Real Estate License Renewal Fee article.
