Required Real Estate Module FAQ for Education Providers and Real Estate Licensees
Q: Can an education provider continue to offer a real estate module after the June 30th due date for licensees who missed the deadline?
A: Yes, and the course can be renewed before its expiration date.
Q: Can an education provider renew a required module course?
A: Yes, providers can renew module courses for as long as the content is current, legal, and has not changed since its original approval.
Q: Can a licensee take a required module course more than once and receive credit?
A: A licensee may complete a required module for a second time; however, they will not receive credit twice for the same course in one renewal period. A licensee can receive credit again, but only if the second time they complete the course they do so in a future two-year renewal period and receive general credit.
Q: If a salesperson or broker does not complete a required module by their June 30th deadline, is their license terminated?
A: Yes.
Q: What must a licensee do to become active to perform licensee duties?
A: In order to become active, a licensee must meet all requirements due at the time they want to become active. This includes completing any missing modules. If for any reason the particular module/modules needed is not being offered through any education provider, contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce Licensing Education Unit at education.commerce@state.mn.us
Q: If a salesperson or broker fails to complete a required module by their June 30th deadline, in a year that is not their year to pay for a renewal of their license, is their license still terminated?
A: Yes. Furthermore, it is particularly important for primary brokers to ensure they have completed all required modules. Should a primary broker fail to be CE compliant, the primary broker’s individual license, the company license, and all salespersons licenses will terminate.
Q: Are brokers required to complete the General module?
A: Yes, both salespersons and brokers are required to complete a General Module each June 30th. In the future, brokers may need to complete a 2nd broker-only module. This “broker-only” module is not required for 2016/2017 or 2017/2018.
Q: Is every salesperson and broker required to complete a module?
A: All active salespersons and brokers, who are not in their initial license period, will have at least one specific General Module due each June 30th. To clarify: a brand new salesperson or a brand new broker (in their initial renewal period) would have until their first renewal to complete all of their 30 hours of CE and are only required to complete the module that is due at their renewal. Their first June 30th module is waived. This is the only exception to the module requirement.
Q: Do licensees have to pass an exam in order to receive credit for a module course?
A: Yes, to get credit for the module a licensee must pass and end-of-course, closed-book examination. The exam questions are written by subject matter experts in consultation with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Q: Before July 30, 2017: If a real estate salesperson or broker who did not initially renew their license in 2015, reinstates their license in the 2015 period by completing the required 2015 module, as well as the 2016 module to fulfill their past due general CE hours, are they required to retake the same 2016 module course again to meet the 2016 module requirement?
A: Yes. In this scenario, the 2016 module counted initially for past due general CE to reactivate the 2015 license. Since credit cannot be received twice for the same module it must be taken again in 2016.
Q: After July 30, 2017: If a real estate salesperson or broker who did not initially renew their license in 2016, reinstates their license in the 2016 period by completing the required 2016 module, as well as the 2017 module to fulfill their past due general CE hours, are they required to retake the same 2017 module course again to meet the 2017 module requirement?
A: Yes. In this scenario, the 2017 module counted initially for past due general CE to reactivate the 2016 license. Since credit cannot be received twice for the same module it must be taken again in 2017.
Q: Do commercial-only salespersons and brokers have to send in a notice to the Commerce Department every year to qualify for an exemption to the module training, just as they do for the two-year fair housing and agency law renewals?
A: No because paper exemption forms are no longer accepted.
Q: Are nonresident licensees required to complete the module training?
A: Yes, most nonresident licensees must complete the module training. Please read the important annual nonresident renewal information.
Q: Does the 2016/2017 module satisfy Fair Housing &/or Agency Law requirements?
A: No, the 2016/2017 Module does not contain the required 1-hour each of both Fair Housing and Agency Law training. Both Requirements will need to be met separately with other coursework for the 6.30.17 renewal.
Q: Does the 2017/2018 module satisfy Fair Housing &/or Agency Law requirements?
A: Yes, the 2017/2018 Module does contain the required 1-hour each of both Fair Housing and Agency Law training.
82.61 Licensing: Continuing Education and Instruction
(h) As part of the continuing education requirements of this section and section 82.64, the commissioner shall require that all real estate brokers and salespersons receive either 3.75 or 7.5 hours of module training every license year within the 30 hours of continuing education required during each two-year license period. For each license year, the commissioner shall determine what modules are required. The modules must cover topics in real estate that are significant and are of current interest in the real estate market and profession. The commissioner shall determine the specific topics to be covered by modules for each license year and the number of credit hours allocated to each module. In determining the topics and number of credit hours, the commissioner shall consult with a statewide real estate trade association and a statewide private continuing education provider. When the commissioner has created a module, the commissioner must publicize to licensees and to real estate continuing education providers an outline of the topics covered by the module, and the credits associated with it, no later than April 1 of each year. The commissioner may delegate the module and test development, subject to the commissioner's approval, to a statewide real estate trade association. Credit for each module must be contingent upon the licensee's successful completion of it, established by testing of the licensee's knowledge of the content covered by the module, based upon written test questions approved by the commissioner as described in paragraph (k). Modules determined under this paragraph may be offered by any person permitted to offer real estate continuing education in this state. Notwithstanding paragraph (c), the commissioner has discretion to determine that the requirements of the module satisfy, in whole or in part, the requirements of paragraph (c) for a licensing period in which the module will be offered.
(i) The 30 hours of continuing education per license period for real estate brokers must include a module, designed under the procedure provided in paragraph (i), of at least one hour each license year specifically designed to address issues relevant to brokers.
(j) The written test for successful completion of a module offered by a continuing education provider must be comprised of questions selected by that provider from a pool of test questions designed and approved by the commissioner. The test must be a written test, in paper or electronic form, taken by the licensee at the conclusion of the module as a part of the credit hours devoted to the module, but the test must not be allocated credit of more than one-sixth of the time allocated to the module. The provider must prepare, administer, score, and pay any costs related to the tests. The commissioner shall determine the number of questions that must be included in a test and the percentage of questions that must be answered correctly. The provider may contract with a third party for scoring of the test. A licensee must be allowed to remain as long as reasonably necessary to complete the test.
(k) Paragraphs (h), (i), and (j) do not apply to commercial salespersons and commercial brokers engaged solely in the commercial real estate business and who file with the commissioner a verification of this status.
