Guide · Which Course
Pre-licensing vs post-licensing vs CE: which one do you need?
Three Kentucky requirements with similar names and different jobs. Here is how to tell them apart and which one applies to you today.
The short answer
It depends on where you are in your career.
Pre-licensing is the 96-hour course you take before the exam to earn a license. Post-licensing is the 48-hour course new sales associates complete within their first two years. Continuing education (CE) is the 6 hours every active licensee completes each year after that, with the Kentucky Core Course replacing it once every four years.
Each one is required by the Kentucky Real Estate Commission, each has its own hours and deadline, and none of them substitute for the others.
Side by side
The three requirements compared.
| Pre-licensing | Post-licensing | Continuing education | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Anyone seeking a license | Sales associates in their first 2 years | Active licensees past the first 2 years |
| Hours | 96 | 48 (32 mandatory + 16 elective) | 6 per year (3 law + 3 elective) |
| Deadline | Before the PSI exam | Within 2 years of affiliating with a broker | December 31 each year |
| How often | Once | Once | Every year; Core Course every 4 years |
| Century price | From $499 | $345 | Core Course $75; catalog varies |
| Format | Online, or hybrid with live sessions | Online, self-paced | Online, self-paced |
Which applies to you
Find yourself on the timeline.
Not licensed yet
You need pre-licensing: 96 KREC-approved hours, a proctored course final, the FBI background check, and the PSI exam. Century's Premium package is $499.
Licensed in the last two years
You need post-licensing: 48 hours within two years of affiliating with your broker. Century's package is $345 and covers all of it. You are not yet subject to annual CE.
Licensed more than two years
You need continuing education: 6 hours every calendar year by December 31, with the Kentucky Core Course ($75) once every four years. Your license also renews every two years by March 31 of even-numbered years.
Ready to become a broker
You need broker education: 48-hour classes approved for Kentucky broker credit. Century offers four at $450 each, live on Zoom on Monday evenings.
Quick answers
Course questions, answered.
Is post-licensing the same as continuing education?
No. Post-licensing is a one-time 48-hour requirement for new sales associates in their first two years. Continuing education is the ongoing 6 hours every active licensee completes each year after that.
Can I skip post-licensing if I take extra CE?
No. Post-licensing is a separate requirement with its own clock. CE hours do not count toward it.
Which course do I need right now?
Not licensed yet: pre-licensing (96 hours). Licensed within the last two years: post-licensing (48 hours). Licensed more than two years: continuing education (6 hours a year), plus the Kentucky Core Course every four years.
Do broker courses count as continuing education?
Broker courses are education toward a broker license, not CE. Century offers four 48-hour broker classes at $450 each, taught live on Zoom on Monday evenings.
Still not sure?
Tell us where you are and we will point you to the right course.