The Texas Real Estate Commission announced on Mar. 25 that new rules for brokers took effect Jan. 1, 2026, changing how brokers qualify, operate, and maintain compliance in the state.
These updates are designed to improve transparency in the real estate industry, strengthen broker qualifications, and modernize license management processes. Many of the changes stem from Senate Bill 1968 and recommendations by the Broker Responsibility Advisory Committee.
One major change is that all brokers and broker applicants must now complete the Broker Responsibility Course regardless of whether they supervise sales agents. This course covers legal obligations, supervisory duties, risk management practices, and compliance expectations.
Additional updates include requirements for associated brokers to publicly identify their brokerage affiliations through TREC’s website using the Real Estate and Appraiser License (REALM) Management Portal. Brokers will also receive notifications when complaints are filed against their associated brokers. All license holders must provide business addresses and phone numbers for public display on TREC’s online search tool.
To further increase accountability, TREC has raised experience thresholds for obtaining a broker license under Rule 535.56. The minimum required experience points have doubled from 360 to 720 points. Bachelor’s degrees can now only count as up to 300 hours toward education requirements instead of up to 630 hours previously. Applicants may substitute qualifying transaction experience—up to 300 points—for education hours.
While applicants use the REALM Portal to manage licensing records and applications, it does not automatically track experience points; these must be documented manually with Supplement A (PDF), certified by a sponsoring broker and reviewed by TREC staff before being awarded toward licensing or education substitutions.
Applications submitted before Jan. 1, 2026 were reviewed under previous rules; those submitted after follow updated requirements now in effect. Experience used toward qualification or substitution must generally be within five years prior to application submission.
