(a) Every license shall expire on a date established by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission.
(b)
(1) A broker or salesperson shall complete annually:
(A) Not less than six (6) or more than seven (7) classroom hours of continuing education required by the commission with at least one (1) classroom hour focusing on personal safety precautions for real estate agents;
(B) The distance education equivalent of subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section required by the commission; or
(C) A course that the commission has determined to demonstrate mastery of an acceptable real estate subject.
(2) A licensee who satisfies subdivision (b)(1) of this section completes the continuing education requirements for the licensing year.
(3) If a licensee files for renewal of a license but fails to provide proof of continuing education, the licensee's license is inactive until proof is provided to the commission.
(4) Effective September 30, 2019, the commission may promulgate rules to add additional hours of continuing education to the annual amount required under subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section with no statutory maximum for hours of continuing education.
(c)
(1) To renew or reactivate a license, a licensee shall complete the number of classroom hours of continuing education or the distance education equivalent of continuing education required by the commission for each inactive year not to exceed a total of thirty (30) classroom hours.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (c)(1) of this section, a person is not subject to the education requirements of this section while the person's license is inactive.
(3) The commission may waive all or part of the requirements of subdivision (c)(1) of this section if a licensee is unable to complete the continuing education due to extenuating circumstances.
(d)
(1) For each active licensee, the commission shall issue a new license for each ensuing renewal period in the absence of a reason or condition that may warrant the refusal of a license, upon receipt of the:
(A) Written request for license renewal at least ninety (90) days before the expiration of the license upon forms provided by the commission; and
(B) Renewal fee.
(2)
(A) A broker or salesperson who does not wish to engage in the real estate business may renew a license on inactive status in the absence of a reason or condition that may warrant the refusal of a license upon receipt of the:
(i) Written request of the applicant at least ninety (90) days before the expiration of the license upon forms provided by the commission; and
(ii) Renewal fee.
(B) The commission may limit the number of renewal periods in which a license may be renewed on inactive status.
(C) The renewal fee for inactive status is the same as for renewal of an active license.
(3) An application for renewal filed after the date established by the commission to renew a license is treated as an application to renew an expired license.
(e) If a person to whom a valid license has been issued permits the license to expire for a period not in excess of that established by the commission, the commission shall issue to the person a current license without requiring the person to submit to an examination if the person furnishes the information required by the commission, including proof of completion of appropriate continuing education requirements, and pays the fee required by the commission.
(f)
(1) New salesperson and broker licensees shall complete post-licensure education under § 17-42-303(c).
(2) If the licensee fails to complete the post-licensure education requirements within twelve (12) months after the date the license was issued, the commission shall place the license on inactive status until the commission receives documentation that the licensee has completed the post-licensure education requirements.