The Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) symbol is the mark of a real estate professional who has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation.

Buying property is a complex and stressful task. In fact, it's often the biggest single investment a person will make in their lifetime. At the same time, real estate transactions have become increasingly complicated.

New technology, laws, procedures and the increasing sophistication of buyers and sellers requires real estate practitioners to perform at an ever-increasing level of professionalism

The GRI Designation from the National Association of Realtors focuses on building a solid foundation on technical subjects as well as the fundamentals of real estate.

Earning a GRI can make a difference in your business and potentially boost your income. REALTORS® with at least one designation:

• Earned a median of $61,000 while those without the designation earned a median income of $33,500, a difference of $27,600. (Source: 2013 NAR Member Profile)
• Reported that they were better able to serve and protect their increasingly sophisticated clients because of their understanding of new technology, laws, and procedures.

How do I complete the GRI?

The state of Hawaii curriculum consists of 54 credit hours of required courses, 6 credit hours of elective courses, field work and a $55 GRI processing fee.

Required Courses

The following required courses provide a basic foundation in law, professional standards, finance, sales, property management, business planning and technology:

1. Run Your Business Like a Business (6 credits)
2. Legal Issues (6 credits)
3. Representation, Practical Ethics & Fair Housing (6 credits)
4. Strategies of Listing: Getting the Listing (3 credits)
5. Strategies of Listing: Establishing Market Value (CMA) (3 credits)
6. Strategies of Finance, Know the Borrower (Basics) (3 credits)
7. Strategies of Finance, Loan Choices (Advanced) (3 credits)
8. From Contracts to Closing (6 credits)
9. Condominiums & Planned Communities (6 credits)
10. Property Management & Landlord/Tenant (6 credits)
11. Residential Tax Rules, 1031 Exchange & Foreign Investors (6 credits) 

Elective Courses

Students are required to take 6 credit hours of approved electives from any NAR designation or certification courses; OR Strategies of the Purchase Contract. For the Strategies of the Purchase Contract, GRI credit will only be given to students who have taken the course after December 31, 2019.

Below are courses that are readily available as electives to GRI students:

Analysis of Investment Real Estate (6 credits)
Accredited Buyer’s Representative Designation / ABR® (12 credits)
At Home With Diversity Certification / AHWD® (6 credits)
NAR’s e-PRO® Day 1 OR Day 2 (live or online version) (6 credits each)
NAR’s Green Designation / GREEN (12 credits)
Military Relocation Professional Certification / MRP (6 credits)
Pricing Strategy Advisor: Mastering the CMA Certification / PSA (6 credits)
Seller’s Representative Specialist Designation / SRS (12 credits)
Seniors Real Estate Specialist Designation / SRES® (12 credits)

Field Work

Documentation of the following is required:

1. Completed and signed Listing Agreement of copy of your active MLS Listing OR Completed and signed Purchase Contract
2. CMA, a market analysis
3. Signed acknowledgement of field work on GRI Application by your Principal Broker

Processing Fee

A one-time $55 processing fee is required at completion of the required courses and field work. There are no annual GRI designation fees.

GRI classes are offered through HBR and reported to HAR. HAR tracks completion of requirements for the GRI designation. Contact HAR's Education Administrator at 733-7060, ext. 103 for a report of GRI credits completed and to confirm if you have completed the requirements for the GRI designation.

View GRI Course Descriptions

There are many benefits to earning REALTOR® designations, including enhanced professionalism for both the agent and the agent's brokerage, an opportunity for distinctive marketing that emphasizes an agent’s specialized training, and, of course, increased income potential.

Earning a professional designation allows agents to increase their knowledge and sharpen their skills, as well as to expand their network of real estate professionals through course contacts to generate more leads and referrals.

NAR Family Designations

• Accredited Buyer's Representative® / ABR®
• Accredited Land Consultant / ALC
• Certified Commercial Investment Member / CCIM
• Certified International Property Specialist / CIPS
• Certified Property Manager® / CPM®
• Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager / CRB
• Certified Residential Specialist / CRS
• Counselor of Real Estate™ / CRE™
• General Accredited Appraiser / GAA
• NAR's Green Designation / GREEN
• Graduate REALTOR® Institute / GRI
• Performance Management Network / PMN
• REALTOR® Association Certified Executive / RCE
• Residential Accredited Appraiser / RAA
• Seller Representative Specialist / SRS
• Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS® / SIOR
• Seniors Real Estate Specialist / SRES®

NAR Family Certifications

• At Home With Diversity® /  AHWD®
• Broker Price Opinion Resource / BPOR
• e-PRO®
• Military Relocation Professional / MRP
• Real Estate Negotiation Expert / RENE
• Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist / RSPS
• Short Sales & Foreclosure Resource® / SFR®

View a complete list of all designations and certifications NAR offers.

Click here to check your Code of Ethics Training status 

Code of Ethics Training Requirement

The current NAR REALTOR® Code of Ethics training requirement must be taken and completed during the period of Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024 (a three-year cycle). Failure to do so will result in suspension of membership.

Existing HBR members (R, RA, PB, BIC, and REALTOR appraiser members) will need to complete the NAR Code of Ethics Training by Dec. 31, 2024 except for members that meet one of the following conditions:

• New members: If you attended New Member Orientation between Jan. 1, 2022 - Dec. 31, 2024, then you've completed the requirement for the current training cycle during Orientation.
• Emeritus members: You are not required to take Code of Ethics training, however, you are welcome to take an approved ethics course if you would like to remain current with the latest ethics training.

For all other members: Ways to Fulfill your Code of Ethics Requirement**

Only the following ethics courses will fulfill your mandatory NAR Code of Ethics (COE) training requirement:

1. HBR’s 2024 ethics course: Honesty and Competency in the Code of Ethics (3 CE) – $25, 3 CE*
2. NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Development Code of Ethics Online Training course – Free, no CE
3. The CE Shop: Course title Ethical Excellence: Raising the Bar (NAR Ethics) – $59, 4 CE

Note: NAR’s Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) endorsement (valid for three years, then renewal is required to maintain the endorsement) is a Code of Ethics training equivalency that will satisfy the NAR ethics training requirement for existing members. Click here for more info. 

1. Via live Zoom webinar - beginning in March 2024.
2. As a self-paced course via the HBR REALTOR® Academy - coming soon.
3. Via two in-person ethics classes at off-site locations for larger seating capacity for $35 (3 CE):

   • Sep. 6 – 9:00 a.m. | Ala Moana Hotel

   • Oct. 7 – 1:15 p.m. | Hawaii Okinawa Center

**Ethics courses offered by other providers can still be taken for Hawaii CE credits (if the course has been approved by the state). However, these courses will not qualify for HBR's NAR Code of Ethics requirement.

STATUS CHECK: Have You Completed Your Requirements for 2022-2024 Training?

Three ways to check whether you have completed the REALTOR® Code of Ethics Training for the current three-year cycle:

1. Click here (our page updates on Thursdays)
2. Check your NAR profile
3. Login to your member account, select "Education, then "My Courses" to confirm the date that your last COE training class was completed.

• If you have completed your requirement by taking HBR's ethics class or the NAR Center for REALTOR® Development ethics course for the 2022-2024 training, your record will display either NAR Ethics (Online)-Cycle 7 or NAR Ethics (Live)-Cycle 7.
• If you attended New Member Orientation between Jan. 1, 2022-Dec. 31, 2024, then you've completed the requirement for the current training cycle.
• If you are an Emeritus member, then you are not required to take Code of Ethics training.
• If you earned NAR’s Commitment to Excellence endorsement (valid for three years before renewal is required to maintain the endorsement), then the C2EX program fulfills NAR’S Code of Ethics training requirement for existing members.