top of page
Search

What Happens If Your Georgia Real Estate License Expires?

  • Writer: Jeremy Weinberg
    Jeremy Weinberg
  • 3 hours ago
  • 4 min read

Real estate licenses are easy to overlook once you step back from full-time selling. Families, job changes, relocation, and other priorities can shift your focus—and before you realize it, your Georgia real estate license expiration date has passed.

Many agents panic when they discover their license is no longer active. Can you still practice? Can you earn referral income? Will you have to start over and retake your pre-licensing coursework?


Georgia real estate license expires options

This guide explains what to expect if your license expires in Georgia, how reinstatement works, and how to prevent losing your income opportunities. It also provides an option for agents who want to stay active without paying REALTOR® or MLS fees.



When a Georgia Real Estate License Expires: What It Really Means


When the expiration date passes without renewal, the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) automatically marks the license as lapsed. This isn’t the same as inactive status, which still allows reinstatement without penalty.


A lapsed license carries legal restrictions, financial consequences, and—if left unaddressed long enough—possible education and exam requirements.



❗ Immediate Consequences


As soon as a Georgia license lapses:


  • You cannot legally perform real estate services

  • You cannot collect commission on transactions

  • Brokerage activity must stop entirely

  • You cannot advertise or represent yourself as a licensee

  • Your license status becomes “Lapsed” in the state database


Georgia takes compliance seriously. Even accidental unlicensed practice can result in disciplinary action or refusal of reinstatement.


The best response is to understand your timeline and reinstate promptly.



⏳ Reinstatement Depends on How Long the License Has Been Expired


The longer the Georgia real estate license remains expired, the more steps and education hours may be required.



1. Expired 1–30 Days


This is the easiest reinstatement period. Typically, you can:


  • Log into the Georgia online licensing portal

  • Pay the late fee

  • Update any CE credits if required

  • Reactivate quickly



2. Expired 31 Days – 12 Months


At this point Georgia considers the lapse more serious. You may need to:


  • Complete all required Continuing Education credits

  • Pay reinstatement fees + renewal fee + late fee

  • Submit required forms online



3. Expired 1–2 Years


You’ll need more documentation and must submit a reinstatement application rather than a simple renewal.


Requirements generally include:


  • All overdue CE credits

  • Reinstatement application through GREC

  • Higher reinstatement fees



4. Expired More Than 2 Years (Up to 5 Years)


The state requires more education to demonstrate competence.

This phase can require:


  • The appropriate Georgia Pre-Licensing course

  • Passing the licensing exam again

  • Submitting reinstatement fees + CE requirements



5. Expired 5+ Years


Once a license has been inactive over five years, Georgia often requires the agent to complete:


  • Full pre-licensing coursework again

  • Pass the licensing exam again

  • Submit a new application


Essentially, prolonged expiration can mean starting from scratch.



How to Reinstate a Georgia Real Estate License


Regardless of the expiration period, the reinstatement process typically follows these steps:


  1. Confirm license status online through the Georgia licensing portal

  2. Determine required CE or coursework based on how long the license has been expired

  3. Complete all continuing education credits as required

  4. Submit reinstatement or renewal application online

  5. Pay renewal + reinstatement fees

  6. Receive confirmation of reinstatement


The faster you act after expiration, the easier and less expensive reinstatement becomes.



What Happens When a Georgia Real Estate License Expires?


Let’s address the biggest concern agents have when their Georgia real estate license expires:


➡️ you cannot earn commission or referral fees when your license is expired or lapsed


Even if the client is family or a close friend—even if the deal already started—Georgia law prohibits earning fees unless your license is current and active.


Many agents mistakenly assume:


  • “I’m not selling, so it doesn’t matter if it lapses.”

  • “I can still refer someone; I just won’t handle the deal.”

  • “My brokerage can still pay me.”


Unfortunately, none of those are legal in Georgia. Only an active license allows participation in compensated brokerage activity—including referral income.



Why Many Agents Let Their License Expire


A lapse is common and usually unintentional. Agents often step out of production because:


  • No time for showings

  • A second career

  • Military relocation

  • Moving out of Georgia

  • Raising children

  • Burnout from traditional real estate


The good news? You don’t have to return to listings, showings, MLS fees, or REALTOR® dues to stay licensed and earn income. A good option is to place your license with a real estate referral company.



A Cost-Saving Option to Stay Active After Reinstatement


A Program Designed for Referral-Only Agents


Once reinstated, you don’t have to go back to the MLS or a traditional Georgia brokerage.

Park Place Realty Network offers a program that allows Georgia agents to:


  • Activate their license with Park Place

  • Avoid paying REALTOR® or MLS fees

  • Earn referral income worldwide

  • Stay legally active without production



Here’s how it works:


  1. Activate your license with Park Place Realty Network

  2. When someone you know wants to buy or sell residential or commercial property—including outside Georgia—send us the lead

  3. We place the referral with a trusted local agent anywhere in the U.S. or internationally

  4. That agent handles the transaction start to finish

  5. You receive a referral commission when the deal closes


No MLS fees. No REALTOR® dues. No showings or contracts to manage. No risk of earning illegally.


If your Georgia real estate license expires but you want to remain eligible for referral income, this program is a safe, low-cost alternative.



Final Thoughts


A Georgia real estate license expiration does not mean your career is over—but it does require action. The faster the reinstatement process begins, the fewer steps and fees you will face.


Here’s what to remember:


  • A lapsed license cannot earn commissions or referrals

  • Reinstatement requirements increase over time

  • Leaving a license expired too long can require retaking coursework and the licensing exam

  • Staying active does not have to mean returning to full production


If you prefer a low-overhead path that lets you continue earning referral income without MLS or REALTOR® fees, activating your license under a referral-only brokerage like Park Place Realty Network may be the ideal solution.


To learn more or begin activation, visit ParkPlaceNetwork.com.

 
 
bottom of page