N.J. REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

As you all know, Continuing Education (CE) is now in effect in New Jersey. To help you understand some the requirements of the law, I encourage you to read the below overview of the law and visit www.njar.com/government_affairs/issues/state/pdj/CEREQUIREMENTS.pdf for a complete list of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission (REC) requirements for real estate agents and providers in New Jersey.

CE REQUIREMENTS
Real Estate salespersons, broker-salespersons and brokers are required to complete 12 hours of CE per licensing cycle in order to renew their license for the next licensing cycle. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.3(a)

At least six of the 12 hours must be in the following core topics, of which each topic except ethics must have an ethics component relating to the topic. The core topics are as follows. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.4(a)1-8 and 11:5-12.4(c):

1. Agency
2. Disclosure
3. Legal Issues (i.e. listing agreements, contracts, leases, attorney review)
4. Ethics
5. Fair Housing and New Jersey Law Against Discrimination
6. New Jersey Real Estate Broker and Salesperson Statues and Regulations
7. State and Federal Environmental Laws/Regulations Pertaining to Real Estate
8. Legal Requirements on /Escrow Monies and Financial Recordkeeping

The following topics are deemed as approved for elective courses. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.13(a)1-9.

1. Commercial real Estate
2. Property Management
3. Seasonal Rentals
4. Real Estate Sales Full Disclosure Act and Real Estate Timeshare Act Requirements
5. Financing
6. Land Use
7. Real Estate Valuation
8. Foreclosure and short-Sale Transactions
9. Specific Aspects of Residential Real Estate Transactions
   

Completion of the broker pre-licensure course by real estate licensees will be equivalent to completing the 12 hours of CE for the licensing cycle in which the broker pre-licensure course is taken. Licensees completing this course will not be required to take any CE courses to fulfill the requirement. Se N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.3(a)2

Licensees initially licensed in the second year of a real estate licensing cycle will not be required to complete any CE requirements in order to relicense for the next cycle (i.e. a licensee who obtains their license after July 1, 2012 will not be required to complete CE requirements to relicense for the cycle beginning July 1, 2013). See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12(a)3

Licensees initially licensed in the first year of a real estate licensing cycle will be required to complete CE requirements in order to relicense for the next cycle (i.e. a licensee who obtains their license before July 1, 2012 will be required to complete CE requirements to relicense for the cycle beginning July 1, 2013) See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12-3(b)

CE courses will only count for credit on time during a licensing cycle. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.3(d)

GENERAL APPLICATION PROCEDURES
CE waiver, provider, instructor and course applications will be processed by the Education Bureau of the REC. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-2-3(a)6-8 and N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.3(b)4

Applications for waivers, providers, instructors and courses are generally processed by the REC Education Bureau three weeks after a recommendation made by the Volunteer Advisory Committee (VAC) is considered by the REC or three weeks from receiving a waiver application. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-2.5(b)7-10

Recommendations on applications for providers, instructors and courses considered by the VAC will go to the REC Executive. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.18©

If the VAC denies a provider, instructor or course, it can be appealed to the full REC. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.16(a)

If the RECE staff denies a CE waiver application, it can be appealed to the full REC. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.16(b)

Appeals of the initial denial must be filed within 30 days of the initial denial to the full REC. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.16©3

WAIVERS
Waivers from CE requirements can be granted either in whole or in part for: See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12-5(a) and N.J.A.C. 11:5-12-5(b)1-4

1. Incapacitating illness
2. Active military duty
3. Emergency
4. Other substantial/unavoidable hardship (not including financial hardship, business conflicts or personal obligations)
   

A request for a waiver on CE requirements will have to be submitted on a REC prepared form, to be submitted with documentation demonstrating why a waiver should be granted. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.5(c)

With the exception of a waiver request for an emergency, the waiver request must be filed with the REC by March 15th of the second year of a real estate licensing cycle. See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.5(d)

Licensees granted a waiver from CE requirements, with the exception of those for active duty military service, will have to make up the waived core course(s) missed in the next licensing cycle in addition to all of the credits required for that licensing period as a condition of license renewal for the license term following when the waiver was issued. (for example, if six credits were waived, a licensee will have to complete a total of 18 in the next licensing period.) See N.J.A.C. 11:5-12-5If)

Any waived elective courses will not have to be completed by a real estate licensee. Se N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.3(g).