Designations & Certifications

The National Association of REALTORS® and its affiliated Institutes, Societies, and Councils provide a wide-range of programs and services that help members increase their skills, proficiency, and knowledge. Designations and certifications acknowledging experience and expertise in various real estate sectors are awarded by NAR and each affiliated group upon completion of required courses.

Real Estate Designations and Certifications

Designations

Designations are specialized credentials for REALTORS® that provide extensive, ongoing benefits. To ensure these benefits remain current and continue to expand, maintaining a designation requires annual dues and continued membership in NAR.

Certifications

Certifications, like designations, are specialized credentials for REALTORS®. To maintain a certification, you only need to pay an application fee and keep up your NAR membership—there are no annual dues.

NAR and its affiliates offer designations and certifications for a wide range of real estate specialties.  Earning these designations and certifications helps members to increase their expertise and marketability, giving them a professional advantage.

Continuing education credit is also available for many of the online designation and certification courses. See a list of designations on the NAR website: https://www.nar.realtor/education/designations-and-certifications