Law & License

    TRELA (The Real Estate License Act)

    The Texas statute, Occupations Code Chapter 1101, that governs real estate licensing and brokerage. License holders call it The Act.

    TRELA, The Real Estate License Act, is found at Chapter 1101 of the Texas Occupations Code. It defines brokerage activity, sets who must hold a license, lists the grounds for discipline, and creates the Texas Real Estate Commission. License holders often refer to it simply as The Act.

    TREC adopts the TREC Rules to carry out TRELA. When a question turns on what the law itself requires, the source is TRELA, while procedural detail often lives in the TREC Rules. The Texas Legislature writes and amends TRELA.

    On the exam

    TRELA is the statute (The Act); the TREC Rules are the agency regulations under it. The Legislature writes TRELA; TREC writes the rules.

    Exam trap

    Do not confuse TRELA with the TREC Rules. TRELA is the statute passed by the Legislature; the rules are TREC's regulations implementing it.

    Tested in

    Standards of Conduct (8% of the exam)

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    This definition is Texas real estate exam-prep education, not legal, tax, or professional advice. Verify current rules against the official source before relying on them for a real transaction. Back to the full glossary.