By Corean E. Hamlin, Director, Education and Licensing Division
The annual period for renewal of your real estate license begins at midnight on May 15 and continues until midnight June 30. If you do not renew by June 30, your license will expire.
Due to new laws and rules, you will have to answer more questions during the license renewal process. All licensees must provide the “Employee Misclassification” disclosure and certification. Additionally, if you are a Broker-in-Charge, you will be required to disclose information regarding your trust account(s) and any criminal convictions or disciplinary actions that have occurred within the previous year, if applicable.
To help you prepare for the new questions, the Commission has created a renewal simulation, which is posted on the Commission’s homepage (www.ncrec.gov). Also, an overview of the renewal process is provided at the end of this article.
The renewal fee is $45.00. Per Commission Rule 58A .0503, you must renew online at www.ncrec.gov. To renew online, login to your record on the Commission’s website, www.ncrec.gov, on or after May 15. Your PIN (password) will be the last four digits of your Social Security number unless you have changed it.
You may pay by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or PayPal. A printable confirmation of renewal will appear on your screen when the process is complete.
If your renewal fee has not been received by the Commission by June 30, your license will expire. To reinstate an expired license, you must pay a $90 fee between July 1 and December 31. Failure to reinstate the former license by December 31 will result in your having to submit a new application, including application fee and criminal background report.
You will also be required to take additional education and/or pass the state license examination. Refer to the “Reinstate your License” page on the Commission’s website (www.ncrec.gov) for detailed information regarding the reinstatement process.
Be sure to renew your license even if you do not complete your continuing education by June 10. By doing so, your license will be changed to inactive status on July 1, rather than expired. Refer to Rule 58A. 1703 for license activation instructions.
NOTE: Brokers-in-charge and BIC-eligible brokers whose license statuses change to expired or inactive automatically lose BIC status and/or eligibility. If that happens, a broker who wishes to regain BIC status must (1) return the license to active status; (2) meet the experience requirements for BIC designation; (3) take the 12-hour Broker-in-Charge Course before re-designation; and (4) send the Commission the BIC Declaration Form. Do NOT take the 12-hour BIC Course before your license is on active status! Refer to Rule 58A. 0110(m) for detailed instructions regarding re-designation as BIC.
RENEWAL PROCESS STEPS
For a detailed explanation and preview of these steps, go to the Commission’s homepage (www.ncrec.gov) and click on Renewal Simulation.
Step 1: UPDATE INFORMATION
This step is required for all brokers.
Your license record will be displayed, and you will verify that all information is correct and make changes as needed.
Commission Rule 58A .0103 requires every licensee to maintain current and accurate residence and email addresses and telephone numbers with the Commission.
Step 2: EMPLOYEE MISCLASSIFICATION
This step is required for all brokers.
As required by the NC state legislature in NCGS § 143-765, effective January 1, 2018, in order to renew an occupational license, you must certify that you have read and understand the public notice statement from the Employee Classification Section of the State Industrial Commission and must disclose any investigations for employee misclassification.
Step 3: CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS
This step is required only for BICs. If your license record does not reflect BIC status, this step will not appear.
You will select Yes or No to indicate whether you have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony or have been disciplined by an occupational licensing agency since your last renewal. If you select Yes for either question, you will be required to indicate whether you have previously reported the violation(s) to the Commission. If you indicate that you have not previously reported the issue, you will be prompted to report the requirement using the Criminal Conviction Disciplinary Action Reporting Form (REC 2.09) upon completion of renewal.
Step 4: TRUST ACCOUNT INFORMATION
This step is required only for BICs. If your license record does not reflect BIC status, this step will not appear.
You will select Yes or No to indicate whether you or any firms where you are designated as BIC maintain trust accounts. If you select Yes you will be required to enter the name(s) of the bank(s) at which the trust account(s) are maintained.
FINAL STEP: PAYMENT
This step is required for all brokers. It will appear as Step #5 for BICs and Step #3 for all other Brokers.
You may pay the $45 renewal fee by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or PayPal account.
Once you submit your payment, a confirmation page will appear. On the confirmation page, you may click on the Pocket Card button to view/download/print your digital pocket card or you may click on the Receipt button to view/print a receipt* of your renewal transaction.
This article came from the May 2018-Vol49-1 edition of the bulletin.