Understanding License Fees & Association Dues
LOUISIANA REALTORS • October 4, 2018
It’s that time of year again - license renewals and membership dues billing! A majority of real estate practitioners do not know the difference between the two and easily confuse payment of one for the other. This resource will explain the difference between the two and eliminate some of the confusion and address some of the frequently asked questions about the process.
LOUISIANA REAL ESTATE LICENSE FEES
We will first start with your real estate license which is issued by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC). There are two (2) common types of licenses: broker license and salesperson license. In order to keep your real estate license ACTIVE, you must renew by December 31 of each year. Prior to renewal, you must complete 12 hours of continuing education (CE) and 4 hours are required in a mandatory topic. For 2018, the mandatory topic is “Real Estate Best Practices” and the course is delivered both online and in the classroom by various education providers.
It is important to note that the education requirements must be completed PRIOR TO renewing or you could face a penalty. Licensees are also required to carry Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance.
The LREC provides a group policy provided by Rice Insurance Services. There are also other providers in the market should you have an interest in a different policy. The following graphic gives a quick glance on the fees associated with renewing your Louisiana real estate license. Keep up with LREC related communications using your LREC assigned email. Don’t want to remember another account? No worries, you can forward the email to your main account using the instructions about MyLREC Portal outlined here.
REALTOR® ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP DUES
The other statement you receive comes from your local association of REALTORS. The local Association serve as the point of entry for REALTOR® organization membership, therefore, your local association is responsible for the billing and collecting of membership dues.
The term “Three-way Agreement” refers to the structure of the REALTOR® organization. This agreement was established among the National Association, the state associations, and local boards and associations. The purpose of the structure is to strengthen the REALTOR® organization by providing a framework for effective communication, delivery of goods and services, and enforcement of the REALTORS® Code of Ethics.
The current size of the REALTOR® organization (over one million members at this writing) contributes substantially to the political influence of the National Association, thereby enhancing its effectiveness in lobbying for causes that contribute to the protection of private property rights.
Membership dues are collected annually and each level of the organization has its own dues level. As a REALTOR® member, you are required to complete 2.5 hours of Code of Ethics training every two (2) year or face penalities imposed by your local association. COE courses may or may not have CE credit associated with them. The Code of Ethics
can be taken at your local association and online through the National Association of REALTORS®.
The following graphic gives a quick glance on the fees associated with your annual REALTOR® membership dues at the national, state, and local levels.
WHERE DO MY DUES DOLLARS GO?
Many REALTOR® members have questions about dues and will often ask “where do dues dollars go?” The answer to that is different at each level of the organization and the programs and services provided are many, but will be deemed valuable and beneficial to your business if you know how and where to access and utilize them.
Earlier this Spring, NAR Board of Directors passed the 2019 budget that included the S.M.A.R.T. Budget Initiative. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Strategic Measures Advancing REALTORS® to Tomorrow. Broker/Owner of Coldwell Banker One in Baton Rouge, David McKey and Louisiana REALTORS CEO, Norman Morris talk a little more about the components of the SMART initiatives in this 4-minute informational video.
At the state level, dues remains the same. You will notice the $25 building assessment is no longer being collected. Something added this year is a $20 voluntary contribution to the Louisiana REALTORS Disaster Relief Fund.
More than 1,000 families were assisted in the August 2016 floods with funds and the purpose of the contribution is to be prepared for the next disaster. Those funds also get used to send to areas around the country as disasters occur. This summer, LR’s Executive Committee voted to request that local associations include that as a voluntary contribution on 2019 dues billing statements. All donations are eligible for a special drawing of a one-of-a-kind George Rodrigue print.
The LR Board of Directors
at the Fall Governance Meeting approved the 2019 Program of Work
which is executed with dues dollars and provides for different programs and services that include advocacy efforts at the state level, professional development programs, and other member benefits and services such as the Tech Helpline
and Office Depot
member discounts. As LR moves into it’s 100th year of service, we are excited to continue to be the voice of real estate in Louisiana and a resource for services for REALTOR members.
LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS & MLS
As noted in the Association Membership dues graphic, each local association has dues and they vary from assocation to association. In Louisiana, there are 10 local associations represented in each of the markets around the state. Dues are often separate from charges for Multiple Listing Service (MLS) fees. Each Association and MLS can differ in the tools, services, and programs they provide. It is best to contact your local board Association Executive or staff members that handled membership for specifics on what is offered and which tools and education are available to you.
CONTACT US
We hope this information has been helpful in understanding the difference in the various fees associated with being in the real estate profession. It is also helpful to note the differences between the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC) and REALTOR Associations in this handy infographic!
For additional questions or information please contact us at 1-800-266-8538.
The National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors approved a 2026 budget with no dues increase and passed a Professional Standards Recommendation to clarify language in NAR Code of Ethics Standard of Practice 10-5, which prohibits harassment of any person or persons protected under Article 10 of the Code. A day earlier, the Executive Committee approved another Professional Standards change, revising language for Policy Statement 29 designed to ensure state and local associations can fairly and consistently enforce the Code of Ethics. Learn more about the changes. Read the revised Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Board members also approved a consent agenda to elect the 2026 officers and regional vice presidents . Christine Hansen of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was elected 2026 President-Elect, and Colin Mullane of Ashland, Ore. was elected 2026 First Vice President. The meeting opened with a video message from President Donald Trump, who welcomed REALTORS® to Washington and thanked them for support of the House-passed tax reform. NAR routinely invites the U.S. president to address REALTORS® at the Washington meetings. Over NAR's history, nine sitting presidents have addressed the association. Board Actions Approved a series of Finance Committee recommendations, accepting the association’s financial statement, approving the 2026 operating and advocacy budgets, and keeping dues at $156. The board actions also redirect $35 of the $45 Consumer Advertising Campaign assessment to operating funds. This change positions NAR to make its next settlement payment in February 2026 and maintain a balanced budget without raising total dues. The remaining $10 for the Consumer Advertising Campaign will fund optimized, metrics-driven activities that reach and engage consumers in critical markets. NAR CEO Nykia Wright and President Kevin Sears explained the shift at the opening session of the conference . Amended Standard of Practice 10-5 to give state and local associations greater clarity in how to fairly and consistently enforce Article 10 of the Code of Ethics. The amended Standard of Practice says that REALTORS®, in their capacity as real estate professionals, in association with their real estate businesses, or in their real estate-related activities, shall not harass any person or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Made a series of recommendations to the Standards of Practice to bring the language in line with the terms of NAR’s 2024 settlement. Approved a motion to make one member of the Executive Committee a commercial practitioner who has served as chair, vice chair or liaison of an NAR commercial-related committee or forum to serve a two-year term and be independent of the 10% commercial representation requirement outlined in the NAR Constitution. Approved a recommendation from the Credentials and Campaign Rules Committee to amend qualifications for president-elect, first vice president and treasurer effective Jan. 1, 2026. Qualifications for top-line officers are now aligned with those already in place for regional vice presidents. Approved recommendations from the Member Accountability Committee related to applications for volunteer leadership and the Statement of Appropriate Event Conduct. The goal of the recommendations is to ensure members found in violation of the NAR Member Code of Conduct are properly disclosed. Award Winners NAR President Kevin Sears announced the 2025 Distinguished Service Award winners James P. Cormier , AHWD, C2EX, of Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Brooke S. Hunt , AHWD, E-PRO, SFR, SRS, C2EX , of Flower Mound, Texas. In addition, the group recognized the winner of the 2024 William R. Magel Award, Anne Marie DeCatsye , CEO of the Canopy REALTOR® Association and Canopy MLS in the Charlotte, N.C., metro area. REALTORS® Relief Foundation During the meeting, REALTORS® Relief Foundation President Greg Hrabcak appealed to board members to make a tax-deductible donation. The fund provides housing assistance to victims in the immediate aftermath of a disaster; 100% of funds donated go to disaster relief. “We’ve had devastating wildfires in California, tornadoes in Missouri and Kentucky and flooding in West Virginia, and we’re still in the first half of this year,” Hrabcak said. Before the meeting ended, directors had donated more than $41,000.
Whether you’re working in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, or anywhere in between, here’s how you can use Homeownership Month to elevate your real estate marketing and better serve your community.
Here are key insights and ready-to-use talking points to show your clients how homeownership is more than just a place to live—it's a smart strategy for long-term wealth building, especially right here in our state.
