Understand Maryland’s Regulatory Structure

Real estate education in Maryland is overseen by the Maryland Real Estate Commission, which regulates real estate brokers, associate brokers, salespersons, education providers, and continuing-education courses.

Maryland law permits continuing-education courses to be offered by the Maryland Association of Realtors and its member boards, the Real Estate Brokers of Baltimore, similar professional associations, and educational institutions approved by the Commission.

The statute states that continuing-education courses must be taught by a qualified instructor who is experienced in the real estate industry. Under recent legislation, the instructor is selected by the course provider rather than receiving a separate instructor appointment directly from the Commission.

This means the typical path is to become qualified to teach through an approved Maryland education provider, rather than applying for a standalone “Maryland real estate instructor license.”

Choose the Type of Real Estate Instruction

Your requirements and application process may differ depending on what you intend to teach:

• Prelicensing education: Courses required before a student may qualify for a Maryland salesperson or broker license.
• Continuing education: Courses taken by Maryland licensees to renew their licenses.
• Broker or professional-development courses: Specialized instruction offered through an approved provider or professional association.
• Online or remote instruction: Courses delivered virtually under Commission rules governing remote education.

A provider may impose qualifications beyond the minimum statutory standard, such as an active Maryland real estate license, brokerage experience, teaching experience, academic credentials, or subject-matter expertise.

Build the Expected Professional Background

Although the statute emphasizes qualification and real estate-industry experience, it does not establish one simple statewide checklist for every instructor. A practical candidate profile typically includes:

• An active Maryland real estate salesperson, associate broker, or broker license, when required by the provider or course subject.
• Several years of real estate practice, brokerage, property management, lending, appraisal, law, finance, fair housing, or another closely related field.
• Strong knowledge of Maryland real estate law, regulations, contracts, agency, ethics, fair housing, and brokerage practice.
• Teaching, public-speaking, training, or adult-education experience.
• A professional résumé documenting industry experience and instructional qualifications.
• Familiarity with course objectives, attendance controls, testing procedures, and student-record requirements.

An active real estate license may be especially useful, but it should not automatically be treated as a legal requirement for every instructor. Maryland’s statutory language requires a qualified and experienced instructor; the education provider and the Commission’s applicable regulations determine how that standard is applied to a particular course.

Obtain or Maintain the Appropriate Real Estate License

If you plan to teach practical brokerage subjects, obtaining a Maryland real estate license is often the most credible route. The license type should match your career and teaching goals:

• A salesperson license can establish current involvement in real estate practice.
• An associate broker or broker license may be more appropriate for instruction involving supervision, brokerage operations, trust accounts, or office management.
• A related professional license or credential may be relevant for specialized subjects such as appraisal, mortgage lending, construction, tax, or real estate law.

A license alone does not make a person an approved instructor. You will still need to satisfy the education provider’s instructor standards and, where applicable, submit course materials for Commission approval.

Work With an Approved Education Provider

The most practical first step is to contact Maryland-approved real estate schools, professional associations, brokerages, and educational institutions that offer Commission-approved courses.

Ask each provider:

• Whether it is approved to offer Maryland prelicensing or continuing-education courses.
• Whether it is currently recruiting instructors.
• What license, experience, and education it requires.
• Whether it handles course approval and instructor documentation.
• Whether instructors must submit lesson plans, résumés, biographies, examinations, or references.
• Whether the course may be taught in person, online, or in a hybrid format.
• Whether the provider pays instructors as employees, contractors, or per-course presenters.

For continuing education, Maryland law places the course-provider relationship at the center of the process: the provider selects the qualified, experienced instructor and submits or administers the course in accordance with Commission requirements.

Prepare an Instructor Application Package

A provider will commonly request some or all of the following:

1. A résumé showing real estate-industry experience.
2. Copies of active professional licenses or certifications.
3. A short instructor biography.
4. References from brokers, employers, educators, or professional organizations.
5. Evidence of teaching, training, presentation, or subject-matter experience.
6. A proposed syllabus or lesson plan.
7. Course learning objectives and instructional materials.
8. Sample slides, handouts, assignments, or examination questions.
9. A statement identifying the Maryland laws, regulations, cases, or industry practices covered.
10. Authorization for a background or license-status check, if required by the provider.

Use current Maryland statutes and regulations when preparing materials. Real estate instruction should distinguish clearly between legal requirements, Commission regulations, customary industry practice, and the instructor’s personal opinion.

Meet Course-Approval Requirements

The provider—not necessarily the individual instructor—will generally coordinate the course-approval process with the Maryland Real Estate Commission. Maryland requires the Commission to approve the form, substance, and subject matter of continuing-education courses.

A course submission may require:

• Course title and description.
• Number of instructional clock hours.
• Instructor qualifications.
• Learning objectives.
• Detailed outline or syllabus.
• Textbooks and other materials.
• Examination or assessment procedures.
• Attendance and identity-verification procedures.
• Delivery method, including in-person or remote instruction.
• Policies for completing, documenting, and reporting the course.

The provider must also follow current attendance and identity-verification requirements. For example, Maryland law requires photo identification for in-person continuing-education participation and a signed identity affidavit for virtual or other remote participation.

Understand Continuing-Education Changes

Maryland licensees generally must complete 15 clock hours of continuing education during each two-year license term to qualify for renewal. Course topics and required subject areas can change through legislation or regulation, so instructors should review the current requirements before revising a course.

Recent Maryland legislation altered continuing-education provisions involving course topics, instructors, remote instruction, and course-application fees. Do not rely on an old school handbook, presentation, or application form without checking its current status with MREC.

Apply Through the Correct Channel

A practical application sequence is:

1. Identify whether you want to teach prelicensing, continuing education, or both.
2. Confirm your professional license status and any experience requirements.
3. Contact an MREC-approved education provider.
4. Submit your résumé, license information, references, and teaching materials.
5. Complete any provider-required orientation or instructor training.
6. Revise the course outline and materials to meet Maryland standards.
7. Allow the provider to submit the course or instructor information to MREC, if required.
8. Obtain written confirmation that you may teach the approved course.
9. Maintain accurate attendance, completion, and identity-verification records.
10. Monitor MREC and Maryland legislative updates for changes affecting the course.

Do not advertise a class as Maryland-approved until the provider has confirmed the course’s approval and the instructor’s authorization to teach it.

Keep Your Qualifications Current

Approved instructors should periodically review:

• Maryland Real Estate Commission regulations and bulletins.
• Changes to the Maryland Real Estate Brokers Act.
• New Maryland legislation affecting licensees and education.
• Fair-housing and consumer-protection developments.
• Changes in contract forms and brokerage practice.
• Remote-instruction and attendance rules.
• Provider-specific instructor-review requirements.

If you hold a Maryland real estate license, maintain it separately from your instructor role and complete the continuing education required for license renewal. Teaching a course does not necessarily satisfy every continuing-education obligation applicable to your own license.

Where to Confirm Current Requirements

The Maryland Real Estate Commission is the primary source for current licensing, education-provider, course-approval, and instructor information. The Maryland General Assembly’s online statutes and regulations should be used to verify the governing law, particularly because recent legislation has changed continuing-education provisions.

When requirements are unclear, request a written answer from MREC or ask the approved education provider to identify the specific current regulation, Commission instruction, or approval form supporting its requirement.

Authoritative Sources

• Maryland Real Estate Commission — Maryland Department of Labor
• Maryland Real Estate Brokers Act, Maryland General Assembly
• Maryland General Assembly — House Bill 972, 2025 Session
• Maryland General Assembly — Senate Bill 680, 2025 Session