Understand the Instructor Categories

The Alabama Real Estate Commission approves instructors for three principal types of real estate education:

• Prelicense education, including salesperson and broker courses
• Post-license education
• Continuing education, commonly called CE

An instructor may qualify for one category but not another. In particular, Alabama’s rules impose a current broker-license requirement on instructors seeking approval to teach real estate prelicense or post-license courses.

Typical Path for Prelicense and Post-License Instructors

1. Obtain and maintain an Alabama broker’s license

To become approved to teach Alabama real estate prelicense or post-license coursework, an applicant must hold a current Alabama broker’s license and maintain that license while continuing to teach those courses.

This makes the usual path:

1. Obtain an Alabama salesperson license.
2. Accumulate the experience required for broker licensure.
3. Complete Alabama’s broker education and licensing requirements.
4. Obtain and maintain an active or otherwise current broker license.
5. Apply to AREC for instructor approval.

The instructor rules do not replace the separate requirements for obtaining a broker license. Applicants should confirm the current broker-licensing qualifications directly with AREC before enrolling in a qualifying program.

2. Submit the instructor application

Prelicense and post-license instructor applicants must apply on the form prescribed by AREC. AREC’s application materials identify the required documentation, fees, and submission procedures. The Commission’s FAQ states that the applications are available through the agency’s website under the Professionals menu.

Applicants should generally be prepared to provide:

• Proof of the current Alabama broker license
• Personal identification and any Commission registration information
• A résumé or other evidence of relevant professional and instructional experience, if requested
• Any required fees
• Information about the school or course with which the applicant will teach

3. Attend new-instructor orientation

Prelicense and post-license instructor applicants must attend a New Instructor Orientation before approval. Alabama rules and Commission materials may also require instructors to attend Commission-sponsored orientations or seminars when directed.

Do not begin teaching an approved prelicense or post-license course until written Commission approval has been issued. Alabama’s rules require written approval before these instructors teach approved courses.

4. Complete instructor training for renewal

Prelicense and post-license instructors must complete 12 hours of Commission-approved instructor training during the applicable approval period, generally no later than September 30 of the second year of that period.

These instructor-training hours are separate from the continuing education required to renew a real estate license. Instructor training cannot ordinarily be double-counted as license-renewal CE, and license-renewal courses cannot be substituted for instructor-training requirements.

Typical Path for Continuing-Education Instructors

A person seeking approval to teach Alabama-approved CE may qualify through one of several experience-and-education routes. The listed alternatives include:

• A bachelor’s degree in the field of instruction plus at least two years of experience in that field
• At least 75 hours of teaching in the applicable field during the preceding three years plus three years of full-time experience in the field
• Six years of full-time experience in the relevant profession, trade, or occupation
• A combination of at least six years of relevant full-time experience and college-level coursework in the subject area

The CE instructor application requires documentation supporting the claimed qualification, such as a résumé, transcript, teaching verification, employment history, or applicable professional license.

A current Alabama broker license is specifically identified in the rules for prelicense and post-license instructors. CE-only applicants should review the current CE instructor application to determine whether a real estate license, subject-matter license, or another credential is required for the particular CE field.

Apply Through the Alabama Real Estate Commission

A practical application process is:

1. Choose the teaching category. Decide whether the application is for prelicense, post-license, general CE, or CE limited to a particular subject.
2. Review the current application. Use the instructor application supplied by AREC rather than an old form or third-party checklist.
3. Pre-register if necessary. Applicants who are not already licensed in Alabama may need to obtain a Commission identification number before submitting the application.
4. Assemble supporting documents. Include the required résumé, transcript, license evidence, teaching verification, or other proof of qualifications.
5. Pay the applicable fee. The administrative rule lists an initial instructor-approval fee of $50 per year or portion of a year; instructors who teach only elective CE pay an initial fee of $25 per year or portion of a year.
6. Attend orientation if required. Prelicense and post-license applicants must complete the required new-instructor orientation before approval.
7. Wait for written approval. Approval must be obtained before teaching an approved course.
8. Apply for course approval separately. Instructor approval does not automatically approve a course.

Obtain Approval for the Course

Alabama requires approval of both the instructor and the course. Course applications generally must include an outline, learning objectives, and learning strategies.

The initial course-review fee is generally $100, although exceptions may apply to certain courses for which the Commission supplies the outline. A school or primary provider may also have its own approval and administrative requirements.

For prelicense and post-license courses, the curriculum must follow the requirements prescribed by AREC, and courses must be taught by an approved instructor. Alabama’s rules also specify minimum teaching allocations for these courses, including at least 60 hours for a prelicense course and at least 30 hours for a post-license course.

Distance-Education Requirements

Distance education adds another layer of approval. Instructors of distance-education courses must be approved by AREC and generally must obtain and maintain Distance Education Instructor Certification from IDECC, a subsidiary of ARELLO, before receiving Commission approval.

Distance-education courses may also need ARELLO or IDECC certification before submission to AREC. The exact certification requirement depends on whether the course is synchronous or asynchronous and whether it is prelicense, post-license, or continuing education.

Applicants planning to teach online should confirm the current certification sequence with AREC and the course provider before applying.

Renew Instructor Approval

Instructor approval is renewed on a two-year cycle, with renewal generally due by September 30 of the second year of the approval period. The stated renewal fee is generally $100 for the two-year period, or $50 for instructors who teach only elective CE.

Prelicense and post-license instructors must complete the required 12 hours of instructor training for renewal unless an applicable exception applies. The rule identifies exceptions that may include certain applicants approved during the second year, CE-only instructors, and full-time college instructors.

Because Alabama’s requirements may change through legislation, rulemaking, or revised Commission forms, instructors should verify the renewal deadline and current education requirements for their approval period.

College and University Instructors

Full-time college and university instructors may be treated differently under Alabama’s rules. Commission materials indicate that full-time college and university prelicense and CE instructors may qualify when certified by their respective educational institutions.

A college instructor should obtain written confirmation from the institution and ask AREC whether Commission approval, course approval, distance-education certification, or any additional documentation is still required for the specific course.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying for CE instructor approval when intending to teach prelicense or post-license courses
• Assuming a real estate license alone authorizes classroom instruction
• Teaching before receiving written AREC approval
• Treating instructor approval as automatic course approval
• Failing to maintain the broker license required for prelicense or post-license instruction
• Missing the September 30 renewal deadline
• Counting instructor-training hours as ordinary license-renewal CE
• Offering online courses without completing the required distance-education certifications
• Relying on an outdated application, fee schedule, or administrative-rule version

Where to Confirm Current Alabama Rules

The Alabama Real Estate Commission should be the first source for current applications, fees, approval procedures, orientation schedules, and course-submission instructions. The official Alabama Administrative Code should be used to verify the legally operative wording of the rules, particularly Rules 790-X-1-.06, 790-X-1-.09, and 790-X-1-.10.

Requirements can vary according to the course type, the applicant’s status, the school or provider, and whether instruction is delivered online. When the Commission application and a secondary summary differ, follow the current Commission form and confirm the issue directly with AREC.

Authoritative Sources

Alabama Real Estate Commission

AREC Instructor Application

Alabama Administrative Code, Chapter 790-X-1

Rule 790-X-1-.06: Prelicense and Post-License School Approval and Requirements

Rule 790-X-1-.09: Qualifications for Continuing Education Instructors

Rule 790-X-1-.10: Application, Fees, and Renewal Requirements

Alabama Real Estate Commission FAQ