Mark your calendars: Dec. 31, 2021, is the end date for the current National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Code of Ethics training requirement cycle.
REALTORS® must complete at least 2½ hours of ethics training that meet NAR’s specified learning objectives and criteria every three years.
This means approved Code of Ethics training must be completed between Jan. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2021. If the requirement is not met by January 2022, an individual’s membership will be suspended.
Members can check the status of their Code of Ethics training requirement through NAR online. Code of Ethics training courses taken through Illinois REALTORS® may also be found using Illinois REALTORS® online Education Lookup.
How to meet the requirements
Approved Code of Ethics training may be completed online or in classroom courses offered by state, local or national associations. Members can take approved Code of Ethics courses for free or with CE credit for a nominal cost. Since specific learning objectives are established by NAR, ethics courses taken from other providers may not qualify.
Illinois REALTORS® provides standalone Ethics CE and Ethics CE courses that are part of a larger CE package. Individuals can take these courses online or in one of our branch location classrooms. NAR’s free, self-guided Commitment to Excellence endorsement also satisfies the Code of Ethics requirement, and NAR provides online Ethics courses with or without CE credit.
About the Code
The Code of Ethics is a key component of membership in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Adopted in 1913, the Code is regularly updated to meet the challenges and changing needs of the times.
The standards were created to enhance professionalism and competency and to differentiate a REALTOR® from a real estate agent. Adherence to the Code ensures that REALTORS® cooperate with each other to serve their clients’ best interests.
The time period for refreshing a member’s mandatory Code of Ethics training has varied over the years. In February 2020, NAR approved an extension of the Code of Ethics training requirement from every two years to every three years.
