Tennessee Senate Bill SB0886

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Engrossed: 3/13/25
• Enrolled: 3/25/25
• Passed: 4/3/25
• Chaptered: 4/8/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 13, relative to real estate broker licenses.

Summary

SB0886 amends Tennessee’s real estate broker licensing law to update continuing education requirements for broker license renewal. Under the bill, a newly issued broker license must be followed within three years by proof of completion of 120 classroom hours in real estate coursework at an approved school, college, or university. After that initial requirement is met, brokers generally must complete 16 classroom hours every two years to keep their licenses current. The bill also preserves an existing exemption for a narrow group of brokers: those originally licensed before January 1, 2005, who do not supervise any affiliate brokers are not subject to the ongoing 16-hour biennial education requirement. The act takes effect January 1, 2026, and applies prospectively to the licensing and renewal process administered by the Tennessee Real Estate Commission under Title 62, Chapter 13 of the Tennessee Code.

Impact

The bill changes Tennessee Code Annotated § 62-13-303 by replacing subsection (h), thereby revising the continuing education standards that brokers must satisfy to have their licenses reissued. It affects real estate brokers statewide, the schools and education providers approved by the commission, and the Tennessee Real Estate Commission’s licensing and enforcement administration. The practical effect is to maintain a structured post-licensure education requirement while continuing a grandfathered exemption for certain long-licensed brokers who do not supervise affiliate brokers.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad support and little opposition. The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee recommended passage unanimously, the Senate floor passed the bill 30-0 on third consideration, and the House passed it 88-1. With no committee transcript available, there is no recorded substantive debate in the provided materials, but the overwhelming votes indicate the bill was generally viewed favorably and as a routine professional licensing update.

Contention

No major points of contention are evident in the provided record. The only potentially sensitive issue is the continued exemption for brokers originally licensed before January 1, 2005, who do not supervise affiliate brokers, since that creates different renewal obligations for a small class of licensees. Otherwise, the bill appears to have been treated as a technical or administrative change to broker education requirements rather than a controversial policy shift.