Understand Which Type of Instructor You Want to Become

Louisiana has two main instructional paths:

• Pre-license instructor: Teaches courses that satisfy education requirements for people seeking Louisiana salesperson or broker licensure. This instructor must be certified by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC).
• Post-licensing or continuing-education instructor: Teaches approved courses for existing licensees. LREC does not issue a general, stand-alone certification for these instructors; instead, the education vendor submits an instructor-qualification application for the specific course and instructor.

A person may teach through a certified real estate school or approved education vendor, but the school or vendor must follow LREC’s approval procedures.

Requirements for a Louisiana Pre-License Instructor

No one may act as a pre-license instructor, and no real estate school may employ or permit someone to do so, unless the person has been certified by LREC.

Applicants must provide proof of instructional experience and satisfy at least one of these qualification routes:

• A bachelor’s degree with a major in real estate from an accredited college or university.
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university plus at least two years of real estate brokerage experience.
• A Louisiana real estate broker license plus at least five years of experience in the subject area the applicant proposes to teach.
• A Juris Doctor degree, or equivalent law degree, plus at least three years of experience in the proposed instructional area.
• At least two years of experience as a qualified instructor or professor in the business, finance, or economics department of an accredited college or university.
• Other qualifications that LREC determines to be equivalent to one or more of the listed routes.

Meeting one of these alternatives does not automatically authorize teaching. LREC must review the application, documentation, and instructional background before certification is issued.

What Counts as Teaching Experience

LREC’s published guidance generally focuses on formal classroom instruction and teaching in which the applicant served as the principal instructor.

Experience that ordinarily does not qualify includes:

• Online courses
• Panel discussions
• Forums
• Committee reports
• Business meetings
• Planning sessions
• Coaching or task-group activities

Applicants should document the subjects taught, dates, sponsoring institution, instructional hours, course format, and their role as the principal instructor. Letters from schools, colleges, employers, or education providers can help establish the nature and extent of the experience.

Apply for Pre-License Instructor Certification

A practical application sequence is:

1. Choose the subject areas you intend to teach. Your education and professional experience should relate to the proposed instruction.
2. Secure a relationship with a certified real estate school. LREC’s application guidance calls for a signed verification letter from the certified school where the applicant will teach.
3. Collect qualification documents. Prepare degree transcripts or diplomas, license information, employment or brokerage verification, teaching records, and other evidence supporting the selected qualification route.
4. Obtain two teaching references. The LREC guidance requests two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s teaching or lecturing qualifications and experience.
5. Submit the Pre-License Instructor Application and fee. LREC’s published page identifies a $35 application fee, but applicants should confirm the current amount and accepted payment method before filing.
6. Complete the required instructor assessment examination. After LREC determines that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications, the applicant must pass an instructor assessment covering the national and Louisiana portions of the real estate licensing examination.
7. Send examination results to LREC. The application is not complete and an instructor certification number will not be issued until LREC receives the required results.
8. Wait for the Commission’s decision. The rules state that LREC should approve or deny a complete application within 45 calendar days, although incomplete applications or requests for additional information can extend the process.

Do not begin teaching pre-license courses until certification has been issued.

Maintain the Pre-License Instructor Certificate

A pre-license instructor certificate is issued for a maximum of one calendar year and generally expires on December 31 unless renewed.

Renewal requires completion of 12 hours of approved continuing education during the current certification period, including four hours in the mandatory topic designated by LREC. Confirm the current renewal procedure and deadline with LREC because the Commission may update forms, course requirements, or submission instructions.

Teaching Post-Licensing and Continuing-Education Courses

The process is different for post-licensing and continuing education. LREC states that it does not certify these instructors as a separate professional category.

Instead:

• The instructor works through an LREC-certified vendor.
• The vendor submits the Vendor Certification of Instructor Qualification form through its MyLREC portal.
• The submission includes the $35 application fee identified in LREC’s guidance.
• Approval is tied to the particular instructor and course title.
• A new submission and processing fee may be required for each course the instructor teaches.

The instructor generally must satisfy at least one knowledge qualification and one experience qualification. Knowledge may be demonstrated through a recognized real estate designation, a bachelor’s degree in the instructional field plus three years of full-time experience, or six years of full-time experience in the relevant profession or occupation.

Experience may be demonstrated through at least 25 hours of formal teaching, current or prior credentialed instruction of real estate courses, a professional instructor designation, authorization to teach by a college or university, or completion of a qualifying instructor-development workshop within the preceding 12 months.

Because this approval is course-specific, an instructor should coordinate with the vendor before advertising or teaching a new course.

Consider Whether the School or Vendor Also Needs Approval

Instructor certification and education-provider authorization are separate matters. An organization offering pre-license education generally must apply for an LREC Certificate of Authority as a certified real estate school. A provider offering post-licensing or continuing education generally applies for vendor certification.

A Louisiana college or university may be exempt when the real estate course is part of its regular curriculum, but its continuing-education division may still have to comply with LREC rules. Vocational-technical schools and parish school boards offering real estate courses may also need the appropriate school certification.

If you plan to create your own school, confirm the provider requirements before accepting tuition or marketing qualifying courses.

Build a Strong Application

A competitive application should make it easy for LREC to verify both subject-matter expertise and teaching ability. Include:

• A résumé organized around real estate, law, finance, economics, or education experience.
• Copies of degrees, licenses, designations, and relevant credentials.
• Detailed evidence of brokerage or subject-area experience.
• Records identifying formal classroom teaching assignments.
• Two substantive reference letters.
• The proposed school’s signed verification letter.
• A course or subject outline showing the material you expect to teach.
• Complete and consistent answers concerning professional discipline or criminal history.

Louisiana law authorizes LREC to establish standards for real estate schools and instructors and to regulate or discipline them. False statements, certain criminal convictions, revoked professional licenses, failure to meet the qualification standards, or failure to achieve the required assessment score can support denial of a pre-license instructor application.

Where to Confirm Current Rules

Start with LREC’s official pages for pre-license instructors, education providers, and post-licensing or continuing-education instructors. Then review the current Louisiana administrative rules and applicable statutes, especially before relying on a fee, renewal date, examination procedure, or qualification interpretation.

For a definitive answer about an unusual background—such as substantial online teaching, a nontraditional degree, out-of-state experience, or equivalent qualifications—ask LREC for a written determination or instructions before submitting the application.

Authoritative Sources

• Louisiana Real Estate Commission — Pre-License Instructor
• Louisiana Real Estate Commission — Pre-License Instructor Rules, Chapter 53 §5319
• Louisiana Real Estate Commission — Education Provider Requirements
• Louisiana Real Estate Commission — Post-Licensing and Continuing-Education Instructors
• Louisiana Legislature — Revised Statutes §37:1460
• Louisiana Administrative Code — Real Estate Rules, Chapter 53