Build a TREC-approved online real estate course in Tennessee
Tennessee splits online courses in two. A self-paced course needs ARELLO or another certifying body the Commission accepts, while a live online class runs under strict camera, ID and recording rules. Vaylo Studios builds either one for your school, on your domain.
What TREC requires of an online course
Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC). Summarized from the rule text, with the citation for each so you can check it yourself.
- 01
Self-paced courses need ARELLO certification
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.18(2) and (6)
A computer-based or online course may be submitted for approval if it is certified by ARELLO, or another certifying body at the discretion of the Commission, on technology, technology support, interactivity and course design. This covers asynchronous courses, not synchronous ones, and approval is withdrawn automatically if the certification is discontinued.
- 02
Live online classes run on camera, with a proctor
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.18(3)
For a synchronous course the instructor emails the date, start time and link to the Director of Education at least five business days ahead, and each course has at least one proctor. Students log in at least ten minutes early, show a state or federal photo ID before the start, stay visible on camera the entire time and attend 100 percent. The recording is kept for four years.
- 03
Finals over eight hours, and a one year window
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.18(1)(a) and (5)
A distance course over eight hours requires a final exam completed before it is submitted for credit. A distance course must be completed within one year of enrollment to earn CE credit.
- 04
Instructor contact in a distance basic principles course
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.03(3) and 1260-05-.18(7)
The 60 hour basic principles course for affiliate broker applicants may be offered by distance education, but it needs at least one student interaction with a Commission-approved instructor for every five hours of credit.
- 05
Fifty minute hours and a 70 percent pass
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.03(1)(d) and (2)
Each classroom hour is 50 minutes of actual instruction. Courses over eight classroom hours need a comprehensive final exam, or an equivalent measure, with a 70 percent minimum passing score.
- 06
A roster to the Commission within ten working days
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.07
Sponsors keep accurate and permanent student records, and the licensee gives a file identification number at registration or may not receive credit. A roster of successful students with name and license or file number goes to the Commission within ten working days of course completion.
Would your course pass TREC today?
6 questions, one per rule above, about how you deliver the course now. You see the result right away.
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.18(2) and (6)
Self-paced courses need ARELLO certification
A computer-based or online course may be submitted for approval if it is certified by ARELLO, or another certifying body at the discretion of the Commission, on technology, technology support, interactivity and course design. This covers asynchronous courses, not synchronous ones, and approval is withdrawn automatically if the certification is discontinued.
Does your current setup do this?
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.
A self-paced course ready for certification
Interactivity, course design and technical support built to the four areas an ARELLO review covers under Rule 1260-05-.18(2), with the documentation that goes with the submission.
Live class tooling for the camera rules
Early check-in, photo ID review by the proctor before the session opens, attendance tracked to the minute and a session recording stored for four years. Missing time shows up before the certificate does.
Instructor touchpoints every five hours
For a distance basic principles course, the platform schedules and logs a student interaction with an approved instructor at each five hour mark so the record is there when TREC asks.
Enrollment clocks and final exams
Each enrollment carries its one year window for CE credit. Courses over eight hours unlock a final exam scored at 70 percent before the student can be reported as complete.
Rosters that go out on time
The file or license number is required at registration, and the roster of successful students is generated the day a course closes so it reaches the Commission well inside ten working days.
The path to TREC approval
- 1
For a self-paced online course, obtain ARELLO certification or approval from another certifying body the Commission accepts (Rule 1260-05-.18(2)).
- 2
Submit the course on the Commission form with instructor resumes, a detailed content description and a projected schedule (Rule 1260-05-.02).
- 3
Agree to periodic inspection and monitoring of the course (Rule 1260-05-.08).
- 4
Track the two year review cycle, which ends December 31 of the second year, and resubmit at least 120 days before approval expires (Rule 1260-05-.16).
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
Does Tennessee require ARELLO certification for online real estate courses?
For asynchronous, self-paced courses, Rule 1260-05-.18(2) ties approval to certification by ARELLO or another certifying body at the discretion of the Commission. A synchronous course taught live online does not go through that certification and instead follows the camera, proctor and recording rules in paragraph (3).
Can the 60 hour basic principles course be taken online?
Yes, as distance education, provided the student has at least one interaction with a Commission-approved instructor for every five hours of credit. The platform logs each of those interactions.
How fast must completions be reported?
A roster of successful students goes to the Commission within ten working days of course completion, listing each name with a license or file number. A student who did not provide a file number at registration may not receive credit.
Who owns the course platform?
You do. The code, the domain and the student records belong to your school, with no per-student fees. We quote a fixed price per course and the closing payment is due once TREC approves it. Monthly upkeep for hosting and rule changes is available but optional. We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.
Price your TREC 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
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.02, course approval
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.03, course requirements
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.07, records and rosters
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.08, inspection
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.16, review cycle
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1260-05-.18, distance education
Read from the sources above on October 17, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current text with TREC before you apply. This page is not legal advice.