REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME LICENSED AS A REAL ESTATE SALES ASSOCIATE

1. You must be honest, truthful and of good reputation
2. You must be at least 18 years old
3. You must be sponsored by an Ohio broker
4. You must not have been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude, adjudged by a court to have violated any civil rights laws regarding real estate within the past two years, or violated any rules of the Ohio Division of Real Estate. If you have been found to have done so, you must have satisfied the Superintendent that you will not violate such laws or rules again.
5. If you were born after 1950, you must have a high school diploma or its equivalent as recognized by the Ohio Department of Education.
6. You must successfully complete at an institute of higher education:

1. Thirty (30) hours of classroom instruction in real estate principles and practices
2. Thirty (30) hours of classroom instruction in Ohio real estate law including instruction in civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation problems. NOTE: This course in real estate law is not required of an applicant admitted to the practice of law before the Supreme Court of Ohio.
3. Thirty (30) hours of classroom instruction in real estate appraisal
4. Thirty (30) hours of classroom instruction in real estate finance

The above courses must be taken at an institution of higher education which is defined as a school which actually awards a degree in at least a two-year program (i.e. an associate degree).

Any person who has not been licensed as a real estate salesperson or broker within a four-year period immediately proceeding his current application for the salesperson's examination must have completed the above classroom instruction within a ten-year period immediately proceeding his current salesperson application.

After you become licensed, you will have to complete an additional ten-hour post licensure course. Only after completion and submission of the specified post licensure course will you be required to complete continuing education every three years in order to maintain your license. These requirements are explained more fully in the "Post Licensure and Continuing Education" section.

Before you will be scheduled for the real estate sales examination, your application, a $49 fee and photocopies of your transcript or certificates of completion of the educational requirements must be received and processed by the Ohio Division of Real Estate.

The application must have a 2"x2" photograph attached to it. The application must be typed. Only black ribbon will be accepted.

Please do not submit your application until you have completed all of the required courses. Incomplete applications will be returned to you for correction. This will delay the scheduling of your examination. Therefore, read the instructions carefully before you send in the application so that it is not necessary to return it to you.

When your application is received in good order, a NOTICE TO APPEAR will be mailed to you within 10 working days. This NOTICE TO APPEAR must be presented at the examination site. You must also present your driver's license or a picture I.D. issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

In some cases, the Superintendent may determine that your application does not meet the prescribed standards to be admitted to the examination. If this occurs, a letter from the Superintendent will formally notify you. The letter will state the specific reasons why your application was denied.

You may appeal a denial of your application to the Ohio Real Estate Commission. The Superintendent's letter of denial will explain these procedures.

Ohio residency is not a requirement to obtain an Ohio real estate license. However, non-residents are required to file with their application a Consent to Service of Process which permits notice of legal action to be served upon them through the Superintendent of the Ohio Division of Real Estate.

If you are currently licensed as a salesperson in a state with which Ohio has reciprocity, you may qualify for a waiver of the Ohio sales examination. The Division should be contacted to determine the states with which Ohio has reciprocity and the procedure to follow to obtain a reciprocal Ohio license.

Arrangements for applicants with disabilities can be made if their disability makes it impossible for them to take a written examination under the standard conditions.

The test is given once a month in Columbus and once a month in Cleveland (expect December). All applicants will automatically be scheduled to appear at the test center which is closest to their home.

If you fail to appear for the examination after you are admitted due to illness that is evidenced by a doctor's certificate, you will be admitted to the next examination without any additional fee. This doctor's certificate must be received by the Division within 15 days after the date of the scheduled examination. No applicant shall be excused from taking the scheduled examination for any reason other than illness unless, in the Superintendent's judgment, the applicant would suffer undue hardship if not so excused.

If you fail to appear at the examination for which you have been scheduled for any reason other than those stated above, your $49 application fee will be forfeited. A new application and fee will be required in order to be rescheduled.

A map on the reverse side of the NOTICE TO APPEAR letter provides directions to the test center.

In Columbus, the test is given at the Div. of Industrial Compliance Testing Center. Parking is available free of charge.

In Cleveland, the test is given at the Brook Park Armory. Parking is available free of charge. There is additional parking at City Hall, but please do not park in reserved spaces.

At the test center you will be furnished with all supplies necessary for the examination, including pencils.

Dress comfortably and allow yourself plenty of time to arrive punctually at the test center.

Please have your driver's license or a picture I.D. issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and NOTICE TO APPEAR letter ready for presentation upon entering the test center.

You will be given a number which corresponds with a number on the file folder containing your test papers. This folder will be on the table where you are to be seated.

Please note that no smoking is allowed at the tables.

To ensure that all applicants are tested under equal conditions, the following regulations and procedures are observed at both test centers:

1. Applicants are not permitted to take dictionaries or other books or papers of any kind (including scratch paper) into the testing room. Applicants are urged not to bring such materials to the center. Anyone found to have any of these materials will not be permitted to continue with the examination.
2. Under no circumstances will applicants be permitted to work beyond the regularly allotted time for the examination.
3. Anyone discovered engaging in any kind of misconduct such as giving or receiving help, using books, notes, papers, or other assistance, attempting to take the examination for someone else, or removing test materials or notes from the testing room, may be dismissed from the examination. This will be reported to the Superintendent of the Division of Real Estate for appropriate action.
4. If you arrive late, you may take the examination if you choose to do so. However, no extra time will be given to you in which to take the test. You must finish the examination by the end of the regular testing session. If you choose not to take the examination at that time, you must reapply to be seated again (see "Forfeiture of Fees").

The sales examination consists of 120 multiple choice questions. Before you begin your test, read the directions carefully. Be sure you understand them before attempting to answer any questions.

Once you begin the examination, use your time economically. Answer the questions in order, but do not waste time on those containing unfamiliar material or that are too difficult for you. Go on to the other questions and return to the difficult ones later, if you have time.

Multiple responses to a single questions will be scored as incorrect. Therefore, if you change an answer, be sure to completely erase any previous answers you may have marked for that question.

Your answers will be recorded on a separate answer sheet. Do not mark in the test booklet. The spaces on the answer sheet are lettered to correspond with the letters of the possible answers printed in the test book. For each question you must decide which one of the suggested answers is the most correct. The example below illustrates how answers are to be marked:

Cincinnati is a:

A. State B. County C. City D. Town

Sample answer spaces

[A] [B] [n ] [D]

You would mark [C] completely with the pencil provided

Your score will be based on the number of questions you answer correctly on the examination. Since very few applicants answer all questions correctly, do not be concerned if there are some questions you cannot answer.

In order to successfully complete the exam, each applicant must correctly answer 90 out of 120 questions. Therefore, it is better to attempt to answer a question rather than not answer it at all.

The following real estate topics are included in the exam:

1. Ohio real estate law
2. General law
3. Civil rights and ethics
4. Real estate principles and practices
5. Real estate finance
6. Real estate appraisal
7. Math
8. Knowledge of basic real estate terms and definitions

The math questions are multiple choice word problems. Ability to perform the following basic mathematical computations is necessary: addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions and percentages.

Each multiple choice question is worth 1 (one) point. In order to pass the examination you must obtain a score of 90 points out of a possible 120 points.

You will receive your test results by mail within 10 working days. In order to maintain confidentiality, we cannot release test results by telephone. THERFORE, DO NOT CALL THE DIVISION OF REAL ESTATE TO FIND OUT THE RESULTS OF YOUR EXAMINATION.

If you pass the examination, your new license will be sent to your broker. A letter indicating that you have passed with your score will be issued to you at the same time.

If you fail the real estate examination, you may reapply to take it again. To do so, it is necessary to submit a new application, a fee of $49 and your photograph. It is also necessary to resubmit proof of your education.

Within 12 months after you become licensed, you must successfully complete a sales post licensure course consisting of ten hours of classroom instruction in real estate. This instruction must be completed at an institution of higher education or any other institution that is approved by the Commission and is not part of the continuing education curriculum or requirements.

If you do not file proof of having successfully completed this course within one year, your license will be automatically suspended. You have a one year grace period following suspension to take this instruction. If you complete this instruction within the grace period, you may request reinstatement of your license by filing a reinstatement application and $49 fee. If you do not do so within that one year period, your license will be automatically revoked and you will have to be re-examined in order to obtain a new license.

After this 10 hours of instruction has been completed and submitted you must then complete 30 classroom hours of continuing education instruction every three years in order to maintain your license. Again, failure to complete these requirements results in suspension and possible revocation of your license.

The date your education is due will be reflected on your broker's Certificate of Continuation. This is filed annually with the Division by your broker. Therefore, he or she should be able to inform you of the date your education or continuing education will be due. However, please note that it is your duty as a licensee to be aware of these dates.

YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE DIVISION IF YOUR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS TO THESE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS OR THE DATES THAT ARE DUE.

All licenses must be renewed each year. This is done through your broker, who will receive a Certificate of Continuation each year. The fee to renew a sales license is $39.00. If you are not renewed by your broker, you license is no longer valid. However, you are permitted to request reinstatement within a two-year period. If you do not, you must be re-examined.

If you wish to become associated with another broker, it is necessary to transfer your license to that broker. To do so, your current broker must submit your license to the Division of Real Estate for cancellation. You must also file a sales transfer application along with a $20.00 fee payable to the Division. Once these are received, a new license will be issued to your new broker.

If you no longer wish to engage in the real estate business, you may have your broker submit your license to the Division for cancellation. The license will be cancelled as of the date it is received by the Division. If your license has been renewed for the current year, you may transfer to another broker until the end of that year.

If may happen that your broker does not intend to renew your license for the following year or wishes to return your license to this Division for some reason. In either case, your broker must notify you in writing that your license has been sent to the Division of Real Estate for cancellation.

If your license was not renewed for the year in which you wish to become active again, you must apply to reinstate you license. You are only permitted to so reinstate within two years from the end of the year for which it was last renewed. For example, your broker renewed your license for 1997. In March, 1997 you asked that your license be returned to the Division. You would have two years from the end of 1997 in which to apply for reinstatement of your license (or until December 31, 1999). After that date, you would have to be re-examined to have a new license issued.

It is your responsibility to know when your license was cancelled. You may contact the Division to determine your status at any time.

A copy of the revised license law manual which includes all of the basic statutes and rules regulating brokers and sales associates licensed in Ohio is available from the Division of Real Estate. This book can be mailed to you upon receipt of payment of $8.00 or may be purchased at either of the Division's offices. The Ohio Statutes and Rules are also available on line at: www.state.oh.us/ohio/ohiolaws.htm (ORC Title 4735 and Administrative Code Section 1301:5)

If you would like further information, please contact us.

OHIO DIVISION OF REAL ESTATE AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING

77 South High St., 20^th Floor
Columbus OH 43215-6133
(614) 466-4100
Fax (614) 644-0584

CLEVELAND OFFICE

615 Superior Avenue, N.W., Room 525
Cleveland OH 44113
(216) 787-3100
Fax (216) 787-4449