Alabama § 34-27-35 - [Effective October 1, 2028] License Certificates Generally.

§ 34-27-35. [Effective October 1, 2028] License Certificates Generally.

(a) The commission shall prescribe the form and content of license certificates issued. Each qualifying broker’s license certificate shall show the name and business address of the broker. The license certificate of each active salesperson or associate broker shall show his or her name and address. The license certificate of each active salesperson or associate broker shall be delivered or mailed to his or her qualifying broker. Each license certificate shall be kept by the qualifying broker and shall be publicly displayed at the address that appears on the license certificate.

(b) The commission may establish a one-year or multi-year license period.

(c)(1) The fee for a temporary salesperson license shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The original fee for a broker license shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

(2) The renewal fee for a broker license shall be ninety-five dollars ($95) per year for each year of the license period. The original fee for each salesperson license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year or portion of a year remaining in the respective license period, and the renewal fee for each salesperson license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year of the license period. The original fee for each company license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year or portion of a year remaining in the respective license period, and the renewal fee for each license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year of the license period.

(d)(1) The renewal research and education fee shall be two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) per year for each year of the license period and shall be paid at the time of license renewal by all brokers and salespersons in addition to the license renewal fees set out in this section. Collection of this fee shall apply to all broker and salesperson renewals, except that brokers who hold more than one broker license shall pay the fee for only one license at each renewal.

(2) Beginning June 1, 2014, this fee shall be seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50), and the proceeds shall be distributed to the Alabama Center for Real Estate.

(e) The original research and education fee shall be thirty dollars ($30) and shall be paid at the time of all applications received for issuance of an original broker license, and shall be paid at the time of all applications received for issuance of a temporary salesperson license. The original research and education fee shall also be paid by reciprocal salespersons. This is in addition to the original license fees set out in this section. This thirty dollar ($30) original research and education fee is a one-time fee that no person shall be required to pay more than once.

(f) The license of a salesperson who is subsequently issued a broker license automatically terminates upon the issuance of his or her broker license. No refund shall be made of any fee or Recovery Fund deposit pertaining to a salesperson, broker, or company license once the license has been in effect.

(g) The commission shall prescribe a license renewal form, which shall accompany renewal fees and be filed on or before September 30 of the final year of each license period in order for the respective license to be renewed on a timely basis for the following license period. Failure to meet this September 30 deadline shall result in the license expiring and being placed on inactive status on October 1, and the license shall be subject to all reactivation requirements. Licensees filing after September 30 of the initial year of a license period shall pay the required license fee, plus a penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

(h) Each licensee shall notify the commission in writing of any change in his or her business or residence address within 30 days of the change.

(i) Every license shall expire at midnight on September 30 of the final year of each license period, except for a temporary salesperson whose license becomes inactive six months after issuance or a temporary broker whose license expires six months after issuance. An expired license may be renewed during the 12-month period following the license period for which the license was current. A licensee who fails to renew before the end of the 12-month period following the license period for which the license was issued has a lapsed license, and shall be subject to all requirements applicable to persons who have never been licensed, however, the commission, upon determination of hardship, may allow later renewal upon payment of all fees and penalties. An inactive license must be renewed in the same manner as an active license.

(j)(1) Each applicant for renewal of an active salesperson or broker license issued by the commission, on or before September 30 of the final year of each license period, shall confirm through the commission’s website proof of completion of not less than 15 clock hours of approved continuing education course work in addition to any other requirements for renewal. A maximum of six 60-minute courses shall be accepted by the commission as part of a licensee’s continuing education requirement. Failure to meet this deadline shall result in the license being placed on inactive status on the following October 1, and the license shall be subject to all reactivation requirements.

(2)a. Proof of completion of course work, whether or not the applicant attained a passing grade in the course, shall be sufficient to satisfy requirements for renewal. The continuing education requirement shall apply to each two-year license renewal, and hours in excess of 15 shall not be applicable to subsequent license renewals. The commission shall develop standards for approval of courses, and shall require certification of the course work of the applicant. No continuing education course shall be approved by the commission unless the course is at least 60 minutes of instruction.

b. Time served as a member of the state Legislature during each license renewal period shall be deemed the equivalent of the 15 hours course work and shall satisfy the requirements of this subsection.

(3) An applicant for first renewal of an original license who has been licensed for not more than one year shall not be required to comply with this section for the first renewal of the applicant’s license. Any licensee reaching 65 years of age on or before September 30, 2000, and having been licensed 10 years prior to that date shall be exempt from this section.

(4) Continuing education shall not result in a passing or failing grade.

(5) Continuing education requirements are not required to be satisfied to renew an inactive license.

(6) All of the following are continuing education requirements to activate an inactive original salesperson or broker license for the first time in a license period:

a. For a salesperson or broker license on inactive status for three years or less, the current 15-hour continuing education requirements, which shall not count toward continuing education requirements at the next license renewal.

b. For a salesperson license on inactive status for more than three years, the 60-hour salesperson professional development course shall be completed.

c. For a broker license on inactive status for more than three years, the 60-hour broker professional development course shall be completed.

(k) A licensee may request that the commission issue his or her license in an inactive status. Inactive licenses shall be held at the commission office until activated. No act for which a license is required shall be performed under an inactive license.