Section 4735.07 | Broker's examination - license qualifications.

• Effective: December 29, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The superintendent of real estate, with the consent of the Ohio real estate commission, may enter into agreements with recognized national testing services to administer the real estate broker's examination under the superintendent's supervision and control, consistent with the requirements of this chapter as to the contents of such examination.

(B) No applicant for a real estate broker's license shall take the broker's examination who has not established to the satisfaction of the superintendent that the applicant:

(1) Is honest and truthful;

(2)(a) Has not been convicted of a disqualifying offense as determined in accordance with section 9.79 of the Revised Code;

(b) Has not been finally adjudged by a court to have violated any municipal, state, or federal civil rights laws relevant to the protection of purchasers or sellers of real estate or, if the applicant has been so adjudged, at least two years have passed since the court decision and the superintendent has disregarded the adjudication because the applicant has proven, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the applicant's activities and employment record since the adjudication show that the applicant is honest and truthful, and there is no basis in fact for believing that the applicant will again violate the laws involved.

(3) Has not, during any period in which the applicant was licensed under this chapter, violated any provision of, or any rule adopted pursuant to, this chapter, or, if the applicant has violated any such provision or rule, has established to the satisfaction of the superintendent that the applicant will not again violate such provision or rule;

(4) Is at least eighteen years of age;

(5) Has been a licensed real estate broker or salesperson for at least two of the five years preceding the person's application, and has completed one of the following:

(a) At least twenty real estate transactions, in which property was sold for another by the applicant while acting in the capacity of a real estate broker or salesperson;

(b) Such equivalent experience as is defined by rules adopted by the commission.

(6)(a) If licensed as a real estate salesperson prior to August 1, 2001, successfully has completed at an institution of higher education all of the following credit-eligible courses by either classroom instruction or distance education:

(i) Thirty hours of instruction in real estate practice;

(ii) Thirty hours of instruction that includes the subjects of Ohio real estate law, municipal, state, and federal civil rights law, new case law on housing discrimination, desegregation issues, and methods of eliminating the effects of prior discrimination. If feasible, the instruction in Ohio real estate law shall be taught by a member of the faculty of an accredited law school. If feasible, the instruction in municipal, state, and federal civil rights law, new case law on housing discrimination, desegregation issues, and methods of eliminating the effects of prior discrimination shall be taught by a staff member of the Ohio civil rights commission who is knowledgeable with respect to those subjects. The requirements of this division do not apply to an applicant who is admitted to practice before the supreme court.

(iii) Thirty hours of instruction in real estate appraisal;

(iv) Thirty hours of instruction in real estate finance;

(v) Three quarter hours, or its equivalent in semester hours, in financial management;

(vi) Three quarter hours, or its equivalent in semester hours, in human resource or personnel management;

(vii) Three quarter hours, or its equivalent in semester hours, in applied business economics;

(viii) Three quarter hours, or its equivalent in semester hours, in business law.

(b) If licensed as a real estate salesperson on or after August 1, 2001, successfully has completed at an institution of higher education all of the following credit-eligible courses by either classroom instruction or distance education:

(i) Forty hours of instruction in real estate practice;

(ii) Forty hours of instruction that includes the subjects of Ohio real estate law, municipal, state, and federal civil rights law, new case law on housing discrimination, desegregation issues, and methods of eliminating the effects of prior discrimination. If feasible, the instruction in Ohio real estate law shall be taught by a member of the faculty of an accredited law school. If feasible, the instruction in municipal, state, and federal civil rights law, new case law on housing discrimination, desegregation issues, and methods of eliminating the effects of prior discrimination shall be taught by a staff member of the Ohio civil rights commission who is knowledgeable with respect to those subjects. The requirements of this division do not apply to an applicant who is admitted to practice before the supreme court.

(iii) Twenty hours of instruction in real estate appraisal;

(iv) Twenty hours of instruction in real estate finance;

(v) The training in the amount of hours specified under divisions (B)(6)(a)(v), (vi), (vii), and (viii) of this section.

(c) Division (B)(6)(a) or (b) of this section does not apply to any applicant who holds a valid real estate salesperson's license issued prior to January 2, 1972. Divisions (B)(6)(a)(v), (vi), (vii), and (viii) or division (B)(6)(b)(v) of this section do not apply to any applicant who holds a valid real estate salesperson's license issued prior to January 3, 1984.

(d) Divisions (B)(6)(a)(iii) and (B)(6)(b)(iii) of this section do not apply to any new applicant who holds a valid Ohio real estate appraiser license or certificate issued prior to the date of application for a real estate broker's license.

(e) Successful completion of the instruction required by division (B)(6)(a) or (b) of this section shall be determined by the law in effect on the date the instruction was completed.

(7) If licensed as a real estate salesperson on or after January 3, 1984, satisfactorily has completed a minimum of two years of post-secondary education, or its equivalent in semester or quarter hours, at an institution of higher education, and has fulfilled the requirements of division (B)(6)(a) or (b) of this section. The requirements of division (B)(6)(a) or (b) of this section may be included in the two years of post-secondary education, or its equivalent in semester or quarter hours, that is required by this division. The post-secondary education requirement may be satisfied by completing the credit-eligible courses using either classroom instruction or distance education. Successful completion of any course required by this section shall be determined by the law in effect on the date the course was completed.

(C) Each applicant for a broker's license shall be examined in the principles of real estate practice, Ohio real estate law, and financing and appraisal, and as to the duties of real estate brokers and real estate salespersons, the applicant's knowledge of real estate transactions and instruments relating to them, and the canons of business ethics pertaining to them. The commission from time to time shall promulgate such canons and cause them to be published in printed form.

(D) Examinations shall be administered with reasonable accommodations in accordance with the requirements of the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," 104 Stat. 327, 42 U.S.C. 12101. The contents of an examination shall be consistent with the requirements of division (B)(6) of this section and with the other specific requirements of this section. An applicant who has completed the requirements of division (B)(6) of this section at the time of application shall be examined no later than twelve months after the applicant is notified of admission to the examination.

(E) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code to the contrary, the superintendent shall issue a real estate broker's license in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code to an applicant if either of the following applies:

(1) The applicant satisfies the requirements specified in section 4796.03 or 4796.04 of the Revised Code, as applicable, and all of the following apply:

(a) The applicant has worked as a real estate broker for at least two of the five years immediately preceding the date of the application.

(b) The applicant has completed not less than twenty real estate transactions in which the applicant acted in the capacity of a real estate broker.

(c) The applicant passes an examination on Ohio real estate law.

(2) The applicant satisfies the requirements specified in section 4796.05 of the Revised Code and divisions (E)(1)(b) and (c) of this section.

(F) There shall be no limit placed on the number of times an applicant may retake the examination.

(G)(1) Not earlier than the date of issue of a real estate broker's license to a licensee, but not later than twelve months after the date of issue of a real estate broker's license to a licensee, the licensee shall submit proof satisfactory to the superintendent, on forms made available by the superintendent, of the completion of ten hours of instruction that shall be completed in schools, seminars, and educational institutions that are approved by the commission. Approval of the curriculum and providers shall be granted according to rules adopted pursuant to section 4735.10 of the Revised Code and may be taken through classroom instruction or distance education.

If the required proof of completion is not submitted to the superintendent within twelve months of the date a license is issued under this section, the license of the real estate broker is suspended automatically without the taking of any action by the superintendent. The broker's license shall not be reactivated by the superintendent until it is established, to the satisfaction of the superintendent, that the requirements of this division have been met and that the licensee is in compliance with this chapter. A licensee's license is revoked automatically without the taking of any action by the superintendent if the licensee fails to submit proof of completion of the education requirements specified under division (G)(1) of this section within twelve months of the date the license is suspended.

(2) If the license of a real estate broker is suspended pursuant to division (G)(1) of this section, the license of a real estate salesperson associated with that broker correspondingly is suspended pursuant to division (H) of section 4735.20 of the Revised Code. However, the suspended license of the associated real estate salesperson shall be reactivated and no fee shall be charged or collected for that reactivation if all of the following occur:

(a) That broker subsequently submits satisfactory proof to the superintendent that the broker has complied with the requirements of division (G)(1) of this section and requests that the broker's license as a real estate broker be reactivated;

(b) The superintendent then reactivates the broker's license as a real estate broker;

(c) The associated real estate salesperson intends to continue to be associated with that broker and otherwise is in compliance with this chapter.

Last updated December 29, 2023 at 5:04 AM

Available Versions of this Section

• September 29, 2013 – House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly
• April 6, 2017 – House Bill 532 - 131st General Assembly
• October 9, 2021 – Amended by House Bill 263 - 133rd General Assembly
• October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly
• December 29, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly