The Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) regulates real estate professionals, firms, and related licensing activity in Tennessee. It sets licensing standards, administers application requirements, and helps protect the public by addressing unlicensed activity and violations of Tennessee’s real estate laws. If you’re preparing to become licensed in Tennessee, LEAP’s Tennessee real estate pre-licensing course provides a convenient online path to complete your required education.

For consumers, TREC provides tools to verify licenses and review publicly available disciplinary information. For applicants, affiliate brokers, brokers, and firms, it is the primary state authority for licensing, education, renewals, compliance, and professional conduct.

What the Tennessee Real Estate Commission Is

TREC operates within the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. Its authority is based primarily on Tennessee’s real estate statutes, including the Tennessee Real Estate Brokers Act and Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 13.

The Commission’s responsibilities include:

• Establishing and administering real estate licensing requirements
• Reviewing applications for affiliate broker, broker, and firm licenses
• Setting education and examination standards
• Regulating real estate firms and principal brokers
• Overseeing continuing and post-licensure education
• Maintaining license and regulatory information
• Investigating complaints and suspected unlicensed activity
• Taking disciplinary action when authorized by law

TREC’s official website and Tennessee’s online licensing system, CORE, provide the most reliable information about current requirements, forms, fees, and deadlines.

What TREC Regulates

TREC regulates several levels of Tennessee’s real estate profession.

Affiliate Brokers

An affiliate broker is generally the entry-level licensee in Tennessee. Affiliate brokers perform real estate activities through a licensed firm and under the supervision of a principal broker.

Applicants must complete 60 hours of approved real estate education in principles or fundamentals before taking the affiliate broker examination. The education provider must submit proof of completion to PSI before the applicant can register for the examination.

Applicants must also complete the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates and provide the required documentation when applying for the license.

Brokers

Broker licensure carries greater responsibility and requires additional education and experience. TREC’s requirements generally include:

• Active affiliate-broker experience meeting the applicable statutory period
• 120 classroom hours of approved real estate education
• Completion of a 30-hour Office/Broker Management course
• Passing the broker examination
• Submission of the required application and supporting documents

For applicants licensed as affiliate brokers after May 12, 1988, TREC identifies 36 months of active licensure as the standard experience requirement. A qualifying bachelor’s degree with a real estate major may affect the experience requirement.

Broker applicants must receive TREC approval before making an examination reservation. The Commission reviews education and experience documentation as part of that process.

Real Estate Firms

A Tennessee real estate firm must be licensed by TREC and have a principal broker. The firm must also maintain a fixed location and adequate facilities for affiliated licensees.

Firm requirements can include documentation involving:

• The principal broker
• Business-entity registration
• Escrow accounts or an escrow waiver
• Firm ownership and assumed names
• Office facilities
• Applications and applicable fees

TREC’s firm structure is significant because affiliate brokers do not operate independently of the licensed firm and supervising principal broker.

Property Management Activities

People engaged in property management may need an active Tennessee broker or affiliate broker license and affiliation with an actively licensed Tennessee firm, depending on the activities being performed. Anyone considering property-management work should review TREC’s current requirements rather than assuming that a separate or informal arrangement is exempt from licensing.

Why TREC Matters to Consumers

Real estate transactions often involve significant financial commitments, contractual obligations, and decisions about property rights. TREC helps establish minimum standards for people and businesses providing regulated real estate services in Tennessee.

Consumers can use TREC resources to:

• Verify whether an individual or business holds a Tennessee license
• Check license status and expiration information
• Review publicly available disciplinary actions
• Identify whether a professional is properly connected to a licensed firm
• Report suspected unlicensed activity or professional misconduct

Tennessee’s public license-search system is designed to help consumers make informed decisions, with search information updated daily according to the Department of Commerce and Insurance.

License verification does not replace careful evaluation of an agent or firm. Consumers should still review agency relationships, fees, contracts, disclosures, and transaction responsibilities before signing documents or engaging services.

How to File a Complaint

A member of the public may file a formal complaint against a real estate licensee believed to have acted improperly or illegally while performing licensed duties. Complaints may also involve suspected unlicensed activity when the conduct requires a real estate license under Tennessee law.

A complaint should generally include specific, relevant information such as:

• The names of the individuals or firms involved
• The property address or transaction details
• A clear description of the alleged conduct
• Copies of relevant contracts, messages, advertisements, or other records
• Dates and supporting documentation

TREC’s complaint process is intended to address possible violations of Tennessee’s licensing laws and rules. The Commission is a regulatory agency, not a private attorney, and its complaint process should not be treated as a substitute for legal advice or private litigation.

How Applicants Interact With TREC

Applicants should use TREC’s current instructions as the controlling source throughout the licensing process. Schools and examination providers may explain procedures, but they do not replace the Commission’s rules or application decisions.

A typical affiliate broker application process includes:

1. Completing 60 hours of approved pre-licensing education.
2. Waiting for the education provider to submit completion information to PSI.
3. Registering for and passing the Tennessee affiliate broker examination.
4. Completing the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates.
5. Providing proof of high school graduation or an accepted equivalent.
6. Completing electronic fingerprinting.
7. Submitting the required eligibility verification documentation.
8. Obtaining errors and omissions insurance.
9. Applying through Tennessee’s CORE licensing system.
10. Paying the applicable application fee.

TREC currently lists a $91 application fee for an initial affiliate broker application, although applicants should confirm the amount before submitting payment because fees and procedures can change.

Applicants with prior convictions, disciplinary history, or licenses in other states may need to provide additional documentation. TREC’s licensing instructions address issues such as license certifications, criminal records, and prior disciplinary actions.

Education and Examination Requirements

Tennessee separates pre-licensing education from additional education required after an applicant qualifies for a license.

For affiliate broker applicants, the required pre-licensing education must be completed before the examination. After passing the examination, applicants must complete the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates before the license is issued.

Broker applicants face a more extensive education and experience pathway. In addition to meeting the active-license experience requirement, they must complete 120 approved classroom hours, including the Office/Broker Management course.

Because TREC-approved education requirements can be revised, prospective licensees should verify that a course is approved for Tennessee before enrolling.

Renewals, Continuing Education, and Post-Licensure Obligations

TREC’s oversight continues after a license is issued. Licensees must track renewal deadlines, education requirements, insurance obligations, and changes that may affect their eligibility to practice.

Broker licensees may have post-licensure education requirements in addition to later continuing education. TREC states that certain brokers must complete 120 additional hours of Commission-approved education within the applicable period after receiving a broker license; failure to meet the requirement can prevent license renewal.

After completing the applicable post-broker education requirement, brokers may also have to complete continuing education during each renewal period. TREC’s current broker guidance identifies a 16-hour continuing education requirement during each two-year renewal period for applicable brokers, including a six-hour CORE course and elective hours.

Licensees should rely on their current TREC and CORE records for their specific deadlines and obligations.

The Role of Principal Brokers

A principal broker has an important supervisory role within Tennessee’s real estate system. Affiliate brokers work through a licensed firm under the supervision of a principal broker, making the broker and firm structure central to lawful practice.

For licensees, selecting a firm means evaluating more than commission arrangements. The firm’s policies, supervision, training, transaction procedures, document handling, and compliance practices can directly affect a licensee’s professional responsibilities.

For consumers, a properly licensed firm and identifiable supervising structure provide a regulatory framework for the services being offered.

Practical Guidance for Tennessee Licensees

Applicants and current licensees can reduce avoidable problems by following a few basic practices:

• Check TREC’s website before relying on third-party summaries.
• Confirm that education is approved for Tennessee licensing purposes.
• Keep certificates, receipts, insurance records, and application documents.
• Monitor renewal and post-licensure education deadlines.
• Use the CORE system to apply, renew, or manage a license.
• Confirm a firm’s and professional’s license status before entering a transaction.
• Report suspected unlicensed activity through the appropriate state process.
• Review TREC instructions whenever requirements, fees, or application systems change.

TREC’s Importance in Tennessee Real Estate

The Tennessee Real Estate Commission serves both a regulatory and consumer-protection function. It determines who may enter the profession, establishes education and licensing standards, regulates firms and brokers, and provides mechanisms for public complaints and license verification.

For consumers, TREC is a resource for checking credentials and reporting concerns. For applicants, it is the official source for entering the profession. For licensees and firms, it provides the rules and systems needed to maintain lawful practice in Tennessee.

Authoritative Sources

• Tennessee Real Estate Commission — Official Agency Page
• Tennessee Real Estate Commission — How to Get a License
• Tennessee Real Estate Commission — Affiliate Broker Requirements
• Tennessee Real Estate Commission — Broker Licensure
• Tennessee Real Estate Commission — File a Complaint

If you want a structured prep option, Leap Real Estate’s Tennessee pre-licensing course is a helpful way to get started.