Build an NCREC-approved distance real estate course in North Carolina

North Carolina reviews a distance course in full before it approves it, and it measures your hours at 225 words per minute plus the real length of your media. The platform rules are specific: an orientation, a fixed navigation menu, and units of an hour or less that each end in an assessment. Vaylo Studios builds that platform for your school, branded as yours.

Get a quote for your courseRead the NCREC rules

What NCREC requires of an online course

North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC). Summarized from the rule text, with the citation for each so you can check it yourself.

  1. 01

    Units of an hour or less, each with an assessment

    21 NCAC 58H .0415(c); 21 NCAC 58H .0101(17)

    Distance courses are divided into units, each based on a syllabus topic and lasting no longer than one hour. Students complete an assessment for each unit before starting the next.

  2. 02

    Orientation and a navigation menu

    21 NCAC 58H .0415(a) and (b)

    The course opens with an orientation covering the syllabus, required materials, navigation and the maximum time allowed to finish. A menu inside the platform links the instructor contact, syllabus and schedule, materials, the Policies and Procedures Disclosure and tech support.

  3. 03

    The full course goes in with the application

    21 NCAC 58H .0401(c) and (f)

    Distance applicants submit a full copy of the course, the attendance verification method, hardware and software lists, a tech support contact, and an outline showing the minimum hours at 225 words per minute plus actual audio and video time. A course that cannot be reviewed in full or falls short on hours is not approved.

  4. 04

    Proctored finals that verify identity

    21 NCAC 58H .0207(c)

    Distance, blended and synchronous end-of-course exams include proctoring or other security measures that verify the student's identity and keep textbooks and other materials out. Prelicensing passes at 75%.

  5. 05

    Camera-on attendance for live online classes

    21 NCAC 58H .0101(15); 21 NCAC 58H .0207

    In synchronous distance learning the student must be visible on camera to count as attending. Prelicensing students attend at least 80% of scheduled hours and postlicensing at least 90%.

  6. 06

    CE windows and the Update course

    21 NCAC 58H .0404(b) and (c); 21 NCAC 58H .0403(g)

    Distance CE is completed within 30 days of registration or start date, and no CE may be offered or completed June 11 to June 30. The Update Course is offered only in person or by synchronous distance learning.

  7. 07

    Reports, monitors and renewals

    21 NCAC 58H .0207(f) and (g); 21 NCAC 58H .0203(g)

    A Course Completion Report goes to NCREC within seven calendar days and a monthly summary by the fifth. Commission monitors may enter a distance course without prior notice.

How the platform is built to it

Your course, on your site, under your name. Every requirement above is a feature, not a promise in the application.

Unit gating built to .0415

Units are capped at an hour and each closes with an assessment that opens the next. The orientation screen and the five-item menu are part of the course shell, not something you remember to add.

A 225 wpm hour outline from the course itself

The platform counts words and media runtime per unit and exports the outline .0401(c) asks for, so the hours you claim match what the reviewer will count.

ID-verified, locked-down finals

The end-of-course exam checks identity and runs under proctoring that blocks outside materials, with the pass mark set to the course level.

Camera attendance for synchronous sessions

Live online sessions log on-camera presence per student and calculate attendance against the 80% or 90% threshold for the course.

CE calendar rules in the code

Each CE enrollment carries its 30-day clock, and the platform refuses CE completions from June 11 to June 30.

Reporting and a monitor login

Completion reports queue inside the seven-day window, the monthly summary is generated for the fifth, and a monitor account can open any course at any time.

The path to NCREC approval

  1. 1

    Apply for approval of each course in its delivery mode, describing how the end-of-course exam will be proctored for prelicensing and postlicensing.

  2. 2

    For distance education, submit the full course, attendance verification method, hardware and software list, tech support contact, and the 225 words per minute hour outline, and supply what NCREC needs to review it at your expense.

  3. 3

    NCREC reviews the course in its entirety. A course that cannot be fully reviewed or misses minimum hours is not approved.

  4. 4

    Run the course with completion reports inside seven calendar days and a monthly summary by the fifth.

  5. 5

    Renew before each June 30 expiry. After two renewals a fresh original application is required.

The terms

We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.

One flat fee
Quoted per course before any work starts. No hourly billing and no surprise line items.
Final payment on approval
The last payment is due when the regulator approves the course, so the platform has to pass review before it is paid for in full.
No per-student fees
You keep what every enrollment pays. Nothing is skimmed per seat, per certificate or per month of traffic.
You own it
The platform, the code and the student records are yours outright, on your site and under your brand.

Questions schools ask

Can the North Carolina Update course be self-paced online?

No. The Update Course may be offered only in person or as synchronous distance learning, so a live online version with camera attendance is the online option.

How does NCREC count hours in an online course?

Text is measured at a reading speed of 225 words per minute, plus the actual duration of audio and video files. An instructional hour is 50 minutes of instruction and 10 minutes of break.

Does an online NCREC final need a proctor?

Yes. Distance, blended and synchronous finals must use proctoring or other measures that verify identity and keep students from using textbooks or other materials.

How long does an NCREC course approval last?

Approvals expire every June 30 and are renewed. After two renewals, the course goes back in as a new original application.

What are your terms for a North Carolina course?

A flat fee per course, the last payment due on NCREC approval, and no per-student fees. You own the platform and code outright, and it can run in English and Spanish. We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.

Price your NCREC course

Tell us the course and how you teach it now. You get a flat price back by email, and a list of what the application will ask about the platform.

Or email [email protected]

Sources

Read from the sources above on October 15, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current text with NCREC before you apply. This page is not legal advice.

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