If you are a real estate salesman, ask yourself this question: Is my real estate license status properly recorded with the Commission?
Look at the mailing label on this Bulletin. "Inactive" licensees receive the Bulletin and all other regular mailings from the Commission at their residence addresses, and the word "Inactive" appears on the labels.
Please be aware of the difference in the terms "inactive" and "expired" as they apply to your salesman license. Although a person in either category is ineligible to engage in any real estate activity that requires a license, the reasons for ineligibility are different.
"Inactive" means you are licensed but do not have a broker-in-charge. "Expired" means your license is invalid due to nonpayment of renewal fees; i.e., you are no longer licensed.
To remain licensed, either active or inactive, you must renew your license annually. This is true for brokers as well as salesmen.
All salesman licenses are initially issued on inactive status. They remain inactive any time the salesman is not engaging in real estate under the direct supervision of the broker-in-charge of an office. A Supervision of Salesman Notification Form properly completed and sent to the Commission - will activate your license, and your broker will receive written acknowledgement. (It is strongly recommended that you retain a copy of the submitted form and that you check with your broker-in-charge to make sure your license was activated.)
Although you may begin working as soon as the properly completed form is sent to the Commission, you must stop working if your broker has not received the acknowledgement within 30 days.
Incomplete or improperly completed forms are returned to the broker, or more information is requested. Therefore, if there has been no response within 25 days, you or your broker should contact the Commission's Records Section to be sure the form was received.
If you are an active salesman whose properly completed form was received and recorded at the Commission office, you received this Bulletin at your business address and the word "Inactive" did not appear on the mailing label.
In addition to legal ramifications, failure to notify the Commission of your active status can be cause for denial of your application if you later apply for a broker license.
If your broker application is based upon two years' full-time experience as a licensed salesman, that experience must be verified by comparing letters from your broker(s)-in-charge with the Commission!s records. Naturally, verification is impossible if you failed to notify the Records Section of your changes in employment or broker(s)-in-charge.
"That does happen," said Senior Records Specialist Naomi Cottle, referring to discrepancies in information submitted by broker applicants and records in the salesmen's files.
According to Gloria Williams, Applications Specialist, "More and more salesmen are applying for broker examinations based upon licensed experience." If you plan to be one of them, be aware of the importance of properly and promptly notifying the Commission of changes in your status.