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California Business and
Professions Code. Division 4. Real Estate
Part 1.
Real Estate Regulations.
Licenses
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10150.
(a) Application for the real
estate Broker License examination shall be made in writing to the
Commissioner. The Commissioner may prescribe the format and content of
the Broker examination application. The application for the Broker
examination shall be accompanied by the real estate Broker License
examination fee.
(b) Persons who have been notified by the Commissioner
that they passed the real estate Broker License examination may apply
for a real estate Broker License. A person applying for the Broker
examination may also apply for a real estate Broker License. However, a
License shall not be issued until the applicant passes the real estate
Broker License examination. If there is any change to the information
contained in a real estate Broker License application after the
application has been submitted and before the License has been issued,
the Commissioner may require the applicant to submit a supplement to the
application listing the changed information.
(c) Application for the
real estate Broker License shall be made in writing to the Commissioner.
The Commissioner may prescribe the format and content of the Broker
License application. The application for the real estate Broker License
shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee.
(d) Application
for an endorsement to act as a Mortgage Loan originator, as defined in Section
10166.01, shall be made either electronically or in writing as directed
by the Commissioner. The Commissioner
may prescribe the format and content of the Mortgage Loan
originator endorsement application, which shall meet the minimum
requirements for licensing of a Mortgage Loan
originator, pursuant to the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage
Licensing Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-289).
10150.6.
The Real Estate
Commissioner shall not grant an original real estate Broker's License to
any person who has not held a real estate Salesman's License for at
least two years and qualified for renewal real estate Salesman status,
within the five-year period immediately prior to the date of his
application for the Broker's License, and during such time was not
actively engaged in the business of real estate Salesman, except that an
applicant for a real estate Broker's License having at least the
equivalent of two years' general real estate experience or graduation
from a four-year college or university course, which course included
specialization in real estate, files a written petition with the DRE
setting forth his qualifications and experience, and the Commissioner
approves, he may be issued a real estate Broker's License immediately
upon passing the examination and satisfying the other requirements of
this article.
10151.
(a) Application for the real estate Salesperson
License examination shall be made in writing to the Commissioner. The
Commissioner may prescribe the format and content of the Salesperson
examination application. The application for the Salesperson examination
shall be accompanied by the real estate Salesperson License examination
fee.
(b) Persons who have been notified by the Commissioner that they
passed the real estate Salesperson License examination may apply for a
real estate Salesperson License. A person applying for the Salesperson
examination may also apply for a real estate Salesperson License.
However, a License shall not be issued until the applicant passes the
real estate Salesperson License examination. If there is any change to
the information contained in a real estate Salesperson License
application after the application has been submitted and before the
License has been issued, the Commissioner may require the applicant to
submit a supplement to the application listing the changed information.
(c) An application for the real estate Salesperson License examination
or for both the examination and License that is received by the
Commissioner on or after October 1, 2007, shall include evidence or
certification, satisfactory to the Commissioner, of successful
completion at an accredited institution of a three-semester unit course,
or the quarter equivalent thereof, or successful completion of an
equivalent course of study as defined in Section 10153.5, in real estate
principles as well as the successful completion at an accredited
institution of a course in real estate practice and one additional
course set forth in Section 10153.2, other than real estate principles,
real estate practice, advanced legal aspects of real estate, advanced
real estate finance, or advanced real estate appraisal. The applicant
shall provide this evidence or certification to the Commissioner prior
to taking the real estate Salesperson License examination.
(d) The
Commissioner shall waive the requirements of this section for the
following applicants: (1) An applicant who is a member of the State Bar
of California. (2) An applicant who has qualified to take the
examination for an original real estate Broker License by satisfying the
requirements of Section 10153.2.
(e) Application
for endorsement to act as a Mortgage Loan originator, as defined in Section 10166.01, shall be
made either electronically or in writing as directed by the
Commissioner. The Commissioner
may prescribe the format and the content of the Mortgage Loan
originator endorsement application, which shall meet the minimum
requirements for licensing of a Mortgage Loan
originator, pursuant to the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage
Licensing Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-289).
10151.5.
(a) An applicant
who is not a resident of this state shall be eligible for a real estate
License provided (1) the applicant qualifies for licensure under this
chapter, including Section 10162, and (2) the state or other
jurisdiction that is the place of residence of the applicant permits a
resident of California to qualify for and obtain a real estate License
in that jurisdiction.
(b) A foreign corporation shall be exempt from the
eligibility requirement set forth in clause (2) of subdivision (a) if,
and for so long as, at least one of the officers of the corporation who
is designated and Licensed as a real estate Broker pursuant to Section
10158 or 10211 is a resident of this state.
(c) Every nonresident
applicant for a real estate License shall, along with his or her
application, file with the Real Estate Commissioner an irrevocable
consent that if in any action commenced against him or her in this
state, personal service of process upon him or her cannot be made in
this state after the exercise of due diligence, a valid service may
thereupon be made upon the applicant by delivering the process to the
DRE.
10152.
(a) The Commissioner may require any other proof he or she
may deem advisable concerning the honesty and truthfulness of any
applicant for a real estate License or License examination, or of the
officers, directors, or persons owning more than 10 percent of the
stock, of any corporation making application therefor, before
authorizing the issuance of a real estate License. For this purpose the
Commissioner may call a hearing in accordance with this part relating to
hearings. To assist in his or her determination the Commissioner shall
require every original applicant to be fingerprinted prior to issuing a
License. The Commissioner may require the fingerprints to be submitted
either with the application to take the License examination or with the
application for a real estate License.
(b) This section shall become
operative on July 1, 2004. 10153. In addition to the proof of honesty
and truthfulness required of any applicant for a real estate License,
the Commissioner shall ascertain by written examination that the
applicant, and in case of a corporation applicant for a real estate
Broker's License that each officer, or Agent thereof through whom it
proposes to act as a real estate Licensee,
has all of the following:
(a)
An appropriate knowledge of the English language, including reading,
writing, and spelling and of arithmetical computations common to real
estate and business opportunity practices.
(b) An understanding of the
principles of real estate and business opportunity conveyancing, the
general purposes and general legal effect of Agency contracts, deposit
receipts, deeds, mortgages, deeds of Trust, chattel mortgages, bills of
sale, land contracts of sale and leases, and of the principles of
business and land economics and appraisals.
(c) A general and fair
understanding of the obligations between
Principal and Agent, of the
principles of real estate and business opportunity practice and the
canons of business ethics pertaining thereto, of the provisions of this
part, of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2, and of the
regulations of the Real Estate Commissioner as contained in Title 10 of
the California Administrative Code.
10153.1.
It is unlawful for any
person with respect to any examination under this part to practice any
deception or fraud with regard to his or her identity in connection with
any examination, application, or request to be examined. Any person who
willfully violates or knowingly participates in the violation of this
section is guilty of a Misdemeanor.
10153.2.
(a) An applicant to take
the examination for an original real estate Broker License shall also
submit evidence, satisfactory to the Commissioner, of successful
completion, at an accredited institution, of:
(1) A three-semester unit
course, or the quarter equivalent thereof, in each of the following:
(a)
Real estate practice.
(b) Legal aspects of real estate.
(c) Real estate
appraisal.
(d) Real estate financing.
(e) Real estate economics or
accounting.
(2) A three-semester unit course, or the quarter equivalent
thereof, in three of the following:
(a) Advanced legal aspects of real
estate.
(b) Advanced real estate finance.
(c) Advanced real estate
appraisal.
(d) Business law.
(e) Escrows.
(F) Real estate principles.
(G) Property management.
(H) Real estate office administration.
(I)
Mortgage Loan brokering and lending.
(J) Computer applications in real
estate.
(K) On and after July 1, 2004, California law that relates to
common interest developments, including, but not limited to topics
addressed in the
Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Title 6
(commencing with Section 1350) of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code).
(b) The Commissioner shall waive the requirements of this section
for an applicant who is a member of the State Bar of California and
shall waive the requirements for which an applicant has successfully
completed an equivalent course of study as determined under Section
10153.5.
(c) The Commissioner shall extend credit under this section for
any course completed to satisfy requirements of Section 10153.3 or
10153.4.
10153.3.
(a) This section shall apply to an application for the
real estate Salesperson License examination, the real estate Salesperson
License, and for both the examination and License received by the
Commissioner prior to October 1, 2007.
(b) Application for the real
estate Salesperson License examination pursuant to this section shall be
made in writing to the Commissioner. The Commissioner may prescribe the
format and content of the Salesperson examination application. The
application for the Salesperson examination shall be accompanied by the
real estate Salesperson License examination fee.
(c) In order to take
the examination for a real estate Salesperson License, an applicant
under this section shall submit evidence or certification satisfactory
to the Commissioner of enrollment in, or successful completion at, an
accredited institution of a three-semester unit course, or the quarter
equivalent thereof, or successful completion of an equivalent course of
study as defined in Section 10153.5, in real estate principles. Evidence
of enrollment satisfactory to the Commissioner may include a statement
from the applicant made under penalty of perjury.
(d) An applicant under
this section may take the real estate Salesperson License examination
within two years of the date his or her application was received by the
Commissioner. Notwithstanding subdivision (c), if the applicant fails to
schedule an examination or to obtain a passing score on it within that
time period, he or she shall be required to submit evidence or
certification satisfactory to the Commissioner of satisfactory
completion at an accredited institution of the courses described in
subdivision (c) of Section 10151 or satisfactory completion of an
equivalent course of study as defined in Section 10153.5, before taking
the examination.
(e) An applicant under this section shall, prior to
issuance of the real estate Salesperson License, submit evidence or
certification satisfactory to the Commissioner of successful completion
of the real estate principles course as described in subdivision (c) and
of successful completion at an accredited institution or successful
completion of an equivalent course of study as defined in Section
10153.5, of a course in real estate practice and one additional course
set forth in Section 10153.2 other than real estate principles, real
estate practice, advanced legal aspects of real estate, advanced real
estate finance, or advanced real estate appraisal.
(f) The Commissioner
shall waive the requirements of this section for an applicant who is a
member of the State Bar of California, or who has completed an
equivalent course of study, as determined under Section 10153.5, or who
has qualified to take the examination for an original real estate Broker
License by satisfying the requirements of Section 10153.2.
10153.4.
(a)
This section shall apply to an application for the real estate
Salesperson License examination, the real estate Salesperson License,
and for both the examination and License received by the Commissioner
prior to October 1, 2007, if the applicant obtains a passing score on
the real estate Salesperson License examination and submits a License
application prior to October 1, 2007.
(b) Application for the real
estate Salesperson License examination pursuant to this section shall be
made in writing to the Commissioner. The Commissioner may prescribe the
format and content of the Salesperson examination application. The
application for the Salesperson examination shall be accompanied by the
real estate Salesperson License examination fee.
(c) An applicant under
this section shall comply with the requirements of subdivision (c) of
Section 10153.3 in order to take the real estate Salesperson License
examination.
(d) An applicant under this section who obtains a passing
score on the real estate Salesperson License examination prior to
October 1, 2007, shall, prior to the issuance of the real estate
Salesperson License, submit evidence or certification satisfactory to
the Commissioner of successful completion at an accredited institution
of a three-semester unit course, or the quarter unit equivalent thereof,
or successful completion of an equivalent course of study as defined in
Section 10153.5, in real estate principles as described in subdivision
(c) of Section 10153.3. An applicant for an original real estate
Salesperson License under this section shall also, prior to the issuance
of the License, or within 18 months after issuance, submit evidence or
certification satisfactory to the Commissioner of successful completion
at an accredited institution or a private vocational school, as
specified in Section 10153.5, of a course in real estate practice and
one additional course set forth in Section 10153.2, other than real
estate principles, real estate practice, advanced legal aspects of real
estate, advanced real estate finance, or advanced real estate appraisal.
(e) A Salesperson who qualifies for a License pursuant to this section
shall not be required for the first License renewal thereafter to
complete the continuing education pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing
with Section 10170), except for the courses specified in paragraphs (1)
to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 10170.5 or, on and
after July 1, 2007, except for the courses specified in paragraphs (1)
to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 10170.5.
(f) The
Salesperson License issued to an applicant who has satisfied only the
requirements of subdivision (c) at the time of issuance shall be
automatically suspended effective 18 months after issuance if the
Licensee has failed to satisfy the requirements of subdivision (d). The
suspension shall not be lifted until the suspended Licensee has
submitted the required evidence of course completion and the
Commissioner has given written notice to the Licensee of the lifting of
the suspension.
(g) The original License issued to a Salesperson shall
clearly set forth the conditions of the License and shall be accompanied
by a notice of the provisions of this section and of any regulations
adopted by the Commissioner to implement this section.
(h) The
Commissioner shall waive the requirements of this section for any person
who presents evidence of admission to the State Bar of California, and
the Commissioner shall waive the requirement for any course for which an
applicant has completed an equivalent course of study as determined
under Section 10153.5.
10153.5.
As used in Sections 10151, 10153.2,
10153.3, and 10153.4, "an equivalent course of study" consists of
courses at a private vocational school that have been found by the
Commissioner, upon consideration of an application for approval, to be
equivalent in quality to the real estate courses offered by the colleges
and universities accredited by the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges. As used in Sections 10151, 10153.2, 10153.3, and 10153.4,
"accredited institution" shall mean a college or university that either:
(a) Is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or
by any other regional accrediting Agency recognized by the United States
Department of Education.
(b) In the judgment of the Commissioner, has a
real estate curriculum equivalent in quality to that of the institutions
accredited pursuant to subdivision (a).
10153.6.
All real estate Broker
licenses issued by the Commissioner shall be for a period of four years.
Applicants shall qualify in the appropriate examination and satisfy all
other requirements prior to issuance of the License. The four-year
License may be renewed upon filing the required application and fee, and
complying with the provisions of Article 2.5 (commencing with Section
10170).
All real estate Salesperson licenses issued by the
Commissioner shall be for a period of four years. Applicants must
qualify in the appropriate examination and satisfy all other
requirements prior to issuance of the License. The four-year License may
be renewed upon filing the required application and fee, and complying
with the provisions of Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 10170).
10153.8.
When an applicant for real estate License fails the qualifying
examination, he may apply for reexamination by filing the appropriate
application and fee. The application and fee for reexamination shall be
filed and the reexamination taken within the two-year period following
the date the application for examination was filed.
10154.
A person who
has obtained a conditional License pursuant to Section 10153.4, but has
not satisfied the requirements for an unqualified License under Section
10153.4, shall not be entitled to a late renewal of the License under
Section 10201, and shall not be entitled to the issuance of another
conditional License until four years after the date of the issuance of
the preceding conditional License.
10156.2.
An application on the form
prescribed by the Commissioner for the renewal of a License, filed
before midnight of the last day of the period for which a previous
License was issued, accompanied by the applicable renewal fee and good
faith evidence of compliance with the provisions of Article 2.5
(commencing with Section 10170), entitles the applicant to continue
operating under his or her existing License after its specified
expiration date, if not previously suspended or revoked. If the
Commissioner determines that the applicant has not complied with the
continuing education requirements, he or she shall either
(1) advise the
applicant of the applicability of Section 10171.2 on an extended period
for compliance; or
(2) advise the applicant that his or her rights to
operate under the prior License will expire five days from the date the
notice is mailed, or on the date the License would normally expire,
whichever is later; and the Commissioner's reason for that
determination, and the right of the applicant to request a hearing on
the decision.
This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2012,
and, as of January 1, 2013, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2013, deletes or extends
the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
10156.3.
An
application on the form prescribed by the Commissioner for the renewal
of a License, filed before midnight of the last day of the period for
which a previous License was issued, accompanied by the applicable
renewal fee and good faith evidence of compliance with the provisions of
Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 10170), entitles the applicant to
continue operating under his or her existing License after its specified
expiration date, if not previously suspended or revoked. If the
Commissioner determines that the applicant has not complied with the
continuing education requirements, he or she shall either
(1) advise the
applicant of the applicability of Section 10171.2 on an extended period
for compliance; or
(2) advise the applicant that his or her rights to
operate under the prior License will expire five days from the date the
notice is mailed, or on the date the License would normally expire,
whichever is later; and the Commissioner's reason for that
determination, and the right of the applicant to request a hearing on
the decision. Nothing in this section shall prevent the Commissioner
from delaying the renewal of the License of a Licensee pursuant to
Section 10177.
This section shall become operative on July 1, 2012.
10156.5.
The Commissioner may issue a restricted License to a person:
(a) Who is or has been Licensed under this chapter and who has been
found by the Commissioner after a hearing to have violated provisions of
Division 4 of this Code where such violation would justify the
suspension or revocation of the License.
(b) Who is applying for a
License under this chapter, who has met the examination and experience
requirements, but who has been found by the Commissioner after a hearing
to have failed to have made a satisfactory showing that he meets all of
the other requirements for the License applied for, where such failure
would justify the denial of the License applied for.
10156.6.
A
restricted License issued pursuant to Section 10156.5 as the
Commissioner in his or her discretion finds advisable in the public
interest may be restricted:
(a) By term.
(b) To employment by a
particular real estate Broker, if a Salesperson.
(c) By conditions to be
observed in the exercise of the privileges granted.
(d) If a Salesperson
Licensee or applicant has not complied with Section 10153.4 within 18
months after issuance of the License.
10156.7.
(a) A restricted License
issued pursuant to Section 10156.5 does not confer any property right in
the privileges to be exercised
thereunder, and the holder of a
restricted License does not have the right to the renewal of the
License.
(b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), the Commissioner may
without hearing issue an order suspending the Licensee's right to
further exercise any privileges granted under a restricted License
pending final determination made after formal hearing.
(c) A restricted
Salesperson License containing a condition requiring compliance with
Section 10153.4 shall be automatically suspended upon the Licensee's
failure to comply with the condition. The suspension shall not be lifted
until the suspended Licensee has submitted the required evidence of
course completion and the Commissioner has given written notice to the
Licensee of the lifting of the suspension.
10156.8.
As one of the
conditions to the issuance of a restricted License authorized by Section
10156.5 the Commissioner may require the filing of surety bonds in such
form and condition as he may require in respect to the restricted
Licensee for the protection of persons or classes of persons with whom
said Licensee may deal.
10157.
No real estate License gives authority to
do any act specified in this chapter to any person, other than the
person to whom the License is issued.
10158.
When a real estate License
is issued to a corporation, if it desires any of its officers other than
the officer designated by it pursuant to Section 10211, to act under its
License as a real estate Broker, it shall procure an additional License
to so employ each of such additional officers.
10159.
Each officer of a
corporation through whom it is Licensed to act as a real estate Broker
is, while so employed under such License, a Licensed real estate Broker,
but Licensed only to act as such for and on behalf of the corporation as
an officer.
10159.2.
(a) The officer designated by a corporate Broker
Licensee pursuant to Section 10211 shall be responsible for the
supervision and control of the activities conducted on behalf of the
corporation by its officers and employees as necessary to secure full
compliance with the provisions of this division, including the
supervision of salespersons Licensed to the corporation in the
performance of acts for which a real estate License is required.
(b) A
corporate Broker Licensee that has procured additional licenses in
accordance with Section 10158 through officers other than the officer
designated pursuant to Section 10211 may, by appropriate resolution of
its board of directors, assign supervisory responsibility over
salespersons Licensed to the corporation to its Broker-officers.
(c) A
certified copy of any resolution of the board of directors assigning
supervisory responsibility over real estate salespersons Licensed to the
corporation shall be filed with the Real Estate Commissioner within five
days after the adoption or modification thereof.
10159.5.
Every person
applying for a License under this chapter who desires to have such
License issued under a fictitious business name shall file with his
application a certified copy of his fictitious business name statement
filed with the county clerk pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with
Section 17900) of Part 3 of Division 7.
10160.
The real estate
Salesman's License shall remain in the possession of the Licensed real
estate Broker employer until canceled or until the Salesman leaves the
employ of the Broker, and the Broker shall make his License and the
licenses of his Salesman available for inspection by the Commissioner or
his designated representative.
10161.5.
When the holder of a real estate
Broker's or Salesman's License is required to relinquish his License to
assume an office in local, state, or federal government, he may have it
reinstated at any time within six months of termination of his service
in office upon payment of the appropriate renewal fee, and compliance
with the provisions of Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 10170) of
this chapter, if the relinquished License was issued four or more years
prior to his application for reinstatement.
10161.8.
(a) Whenever a real
estate Salesman enters the employ of a real estate Broker, the Broker
shall immediately notify the Commissioner thereof in writing.
(b)
Whenever employment of a real estate Salesman is terminated, the Broker
shall immediately notify the Commissioner thereof in writing.
(c)
Whenever a Licensee acquires a business address different from the
address shown on his License he shall mark out the former address on the
face of the License and type or write the new main office address in ink
on the reverse side, and date and initial same.
(d) Whenever a real
estate Salesman enters the employ of a new real estate Broker he shall
mark out the name of his former Broker on the face of the License and
type or write the name of the new employing Broker in ink on the reverse
side, and date and initial same.
10162.
Every Licensed real estate
Broker shall have and maintain a definite place of business in the State
of California which shall serve as his office for the transaction of
business. This office shall be the place where his License is displayed
and where personal consultations with clients are held. No real estate
License authorizes the Licensee to do business except from the location
stipulated in the real estate License as issued or as altered pursuant
to Section 10161.8.
10163.
If the applicant for a real estate Broker's
License maintains more than one place of business within the State he
shall apply for and procure an additional License for each branch office
so maintained by him. Every such application shall state the name of the
person and the location of the place or places of business for which
such License is desired. The Commissioner may determine whether or not a
real estate Broker is doing a real estate brokerage business at or from
any particular location which requires him to have a branch office
License.
10164.
(a) An employing Broker or corporate designated Broker
officer may appoint a Licensee as a manager of a branch office or
division of the employing Broker's or employing corporate designated
Broker officer's real estate business and delegate to the appointed
manager the responsibility to oversee day-to-day operations, supervise
the Licensed activities of Licensees, and supervise clerical staff
employed in the branch office or division.
(b) Notwithstanding
subdivision (a), nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the
responsibilities of an employing Broker or a corporate designated Broker
officer pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 10177. A Licensee
accepting appointment as a manager shall be subject to disciplinary
action pursuant to Section 10165 for failure to properly supervise
Licensed activity pursuant to subdivision (a).
(c) Appointment of a
manager shall only be made by means of a written contract in which the
manager accepts the delegated responsibility. The appointing employing
Broker or corporate designated Broker officer shall retain a copy of the
contract and send a notice to the department, in a form approved by the
Commissioner, identifying the appointed manager and the branch office or
division the manager is appointed to supervise.
(d) A Licensee shall not
be appointed as a manager if any of the following apply:
(1) The
Licensee holds a restricted License.
(2) The Licensee is or has been
subject to an order of debarment.
(3) The Licensee is a Salesperson with
less than two years of full-time real estate experience within five
years preceding the appointment.
(e) Whenever an appointment of a branch
manager is terminated or changed, the employing Broker or corporate
designated Broker officer shall immediately notify the Commissioner
thereof in writing.
(f) This section shall become operative on July 1,
2012.
10165.
For a violation of any
of the provisions of Section 10160, 10161.8, 10162, 10163, or
subdivision (b)
of Section 10164, the
Commissioner may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke the License
of the real estate Licensee in accordance with the provisions of this
part relating to hearings.
10166.01.
For purposes of this article, the
following definitions shall apply:
(a) "SAFE Act" means the federal
Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (Public
Law 110-289).
(b)
(1) "Mortgage Loan
originator" means an individual who takes a residential Mortgage Loan
application or offers or negotiates terms of a residential Mortgage Loan for compensation or gain.
(2)
Mortgage Loan originator does not include any of the following: (a)
An individual who performs purely administrative or clerical tasks on
behalf of a person meeting the definition of a Mortgage Loan originator,
except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c) of Section 10166.03.
The
term "administrative or clerical tasks" means the receipt, collection,
and distribution of information common for the processing or
underwriting of a Loan
in the mortgage industry and communication with a consumer to obtain
information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a
residential Mortgage Loan.
(b) An individual
that only performs real estate brokerage services, as defined in
subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 10131, unless that person is
compensated by a lender, other Mortgage Loan originator, or by any Agent
of any lender or other Mortgage Loan originator.
(c) An individual
who solely renegotiates terms for existing Mortgage Loans
held or serviced by his or her employer and who does not otherwise act
as a Mortgage Loan originator,
unless the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or
a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the SAFE Act requires
such an employee to be Licensed
as a Mortgage Loan originator under
state laws implementing the SAFE Act.
(d) An individual that is solely
involved in extensions of credit relating to timeshare plans, as that
term is defined in Section 101 (53D) of Title 11 of the United States
Code.
(e) An individual Licensed
or registered as a Mortgage Loan
originator pursuant to the provisions of the Financial Code and the SAFE
Act.
(c) "Nationwide
Mortgage Licensing System and Registry" means a mortgage licensing
system developed and maintained by the Conference of State Bank
Supervisors and the American Association of Residential Mortgage
Regulators for the licensing and registration of Mortgage Loan
originators.
(d) "Residential Mortgage Loan" means any Loan primarily
for personal, family, or household use that is secured by a mortgage,
deed of Trust, or other equivalent consensual security interest on a
dwelling, or residential real estate upon which is constructed or
intended to be constructed a dwelling. "Dwelling" means a residential
structure that contains one to four units, whether or not that structure
is attached to real property. The term includes an individual
condominium unit, cooperative unit, Mobile home, or trailer, if it is
used as a residence.
(e) "Unique identifier" means a number or other
identifier assigned by protocols established by the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry.
(f) "Loan
processor or underwriter" means an individual who performs clerical or
support duties as an employee at the direction of, and subject to the
supervision and instruction of, a Mortgage Loan originator.
10166.02.
(a) A real estate Broker who acts
pursuant to Section 10131.1 or subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 10131,
and who makes, arranges, or services Loans secured by real property
containing one to four residential units, and any Salesperson who acts
in a similar capacity under the supervision of that Broker, shall notify
the department by January 31, 2010, or within 30 days of commencing that
activity, whichever is later. The notification shall be made in writing,
as directed, on a form that is acceptable to the Commissioner.
(b) No individual
may engage in business as a Mortgage Loan originator under
this article without first doing both of the following:
(1) Obtaining
and maintaining a real estate License pursuant to Article 2 (commencing
with Section 10150).
(2) Obtaining and maintaining a real estate License
endorsement pursuant to this article identifying that individual as a
Licensed Mortgage Loan originator.
(c) License endorsements shall be
valid for a period of one year and shall expire on the 31st of December
each year.
(d) Applicants
for a Mortgage Loan originator License
endorsement shall apply in a form prescribed by the Commissioner. Each
form shall contain content as set forth by rule, regulation,
instruction, or procedure of the Commissioner.
(e) In order to fulfill
the purposes of this article, the Commissioner may establish
relationships or contracts with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System
and Registry or other entities designated by the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry to collect and maintain records and
process transaction fees or other fees related to Licensees or other
persons subject to this article.
(f) A real estate Broker or Salesperson
who fails to notify the department pursuant to subdivision (a), or who
fails to obtain a License endorsement required pursuant to paragraph (2)
of subdivision (b), shall be assessed a penalty of fifty dollars ($50)
per day for each day written notification has not been received or a
License endorsement has not been obtained, up to and including the 30th
day after the first day of the assessment penalty. On and after the 31st
day, the penalty is one hundred dollars ($100) per day, not to exceed a
total penalty of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), regardless of the
number of days, until the department receives the written notification
or the Licensee obtains the License endorsement. Penalties for
violations of subdivisions (a) and
(b) shall be additive.
(g) The
Commissioner may suspend or revoke the License of a real estate Broker
or Salesperson who fails to pay a penalty imposed pursuant to this
section. In addition, the Commissioner may bring an action in an
appropriate court of this state to collect payment of that penalty.(h)
All penalties paid or collected under this section shall be deposited
into the Consumer Recovery Account of the Real Estate Fund and shall,
upon appropriation by the Legislature, be available for expenditure for
the purposes specified in Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 10470).
10166.03.
(a) A Loan
processor or underwriter who does not represent to the public, through
advertising or other means of communicating or providing information,
including the use of business cards, stationery, brochures, signs, rate
lists, or other promotional items, that the individual can or will
perform any of the activities of a Mortgage Loan
originator shall not be required to obtain a License
endorsement as a Mortgage Loan originator.
(b) An individual engaging solely in Loan
processor or underwriter activities shall not represent to the public,
through advertising or other means of communicating or providing
information including the use of business cards, stationery, brochures,
signs, rate lists, or other promotional items, that the individual can
or will perform any of the activities of a Mortgage Loan originator.
(c)
An independent contractor who is employed by a Mortgage Loan originator
may not engage in the activities of a Loan
processor or underwriter for a residential Mortgage Loan unless the independent contractor Loan
processor or underwriter obtains and maintains an endorsement as a Mortgage Loan originator under this article. Each independent contractor
Loan processor or
underwriter who obtains and maintains an endorsement as a Mortgage Loan originator under this article shall have and maintain
a valid unique identifier issued by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing
System and Registry.
10166.04.
(a) In connection with an application to
the Commissioner for a License
endorsement as a Mortgage Loan
originator, every applicant shall furnish to the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry information concerning the applicant's
identity, including the following:
(1) Fingerprint images and related
information, for purposes of performing a federal, or both a state and
federal, criminal history background check.
(2) Personal history and
experience in a form prescribed by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing
System and Registry, including the submission of authorization for the
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry and the Commissioner
to obtain both of the following:
(a) An independent credit report from a
consumer reporting Agency.
(b) Information related to any
administrative, civil, or criminal findings by any governmental
jurisdiction.
(b) The Commissioner may ask the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry to obtain state criminal history
background check information on applicants described in subdivision (a)
using the procedures set forth in subdivisions (c) and (d).
(c) If the
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry electronically submits
fingerprint images and related information, as required by the
Department of Justice, for an applicant for a Mortgage Loan originator
License endorsement, to the Department of Justice for the purposes of
obtaining information as to the existence and content of a record of
state convictions and state arrests, and as to the existence and content
of a record of state arrests for which the Department of Justice
establishes that the person is free on bail or on his or her
recognizance pending trial or appeal, the Department of Justice shall
provide an electronic response to the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing
System and Registry pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of
Section 11105 of the Penal Code, and shall provide the same electronic
response to the department.
(d) The Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System
and Registry may request from the Department of Justice subsequent
arrest notification service, as provided pursuant to Section 11105.2 of
the Penal Code, for persons described in subdivision (a). The Department
of Justice shall provide the same electronic response to the department.
(e) The Department of Justice shall charge a fee sufficient to cover the
cost of processing the requests described in this section.
10166.05.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commissioner shall not
issue a License
endorsement to act as a Mortgage Loan originator to an
applicant unless the Commissioner makes
all of the following findings:
(a) The applicant
has never had a Mortgage Loan originator License
revoked in any governmental jurisdiction, except that a subsequent
formal vacation of a revocation shall not be deemed a revocation.
(b)
(1) The applicant has not been convicted of, or pled guilty or
nolo
contendere to, a felony in a domestic, foreign, or military court during
the seven-year period preceding the date of the application for
licensing, or at any time preceding the date of application, if the
felony involved an act of fraud, dishonesty, a breach of Trust, or money
laundering. Whether a particular crime is classified as a felony shall
be determined by the law of the jurisdiction in which an individual is
convicted.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, an expunged or pardoned
felony conviction shall not require denial of an application. However,
the Commissioner may consider the underlying crime, facts, or
circumstances of an expunged or pardoned felony conviction when
determining the eligibility of an applicant for licensure under this
subdivision or subdivision (c).
(c) The applicant
has demonstrated such financial responsibility, character, and general
fitness as to command the confidence of the community and warrant a
determination that the Mortgage Loan originator will operate honestly, fairly, and efficiently
within the purposes of the article.
(d) The applicant has complied with
the education and written testing requirements in Section 10166.06.
10166.051.
In addition to any penalties authorized by regulations
adopted pursuant to Section 10166.15, the Commissioner may do one or
more of the following, after appropriate notice and opportunity for
hearing:
(a) Deny,
suspend, revoke, restrict, or decline to renew a Mortgage Loan originator License endorsement for a violation of this
article, or any rules or regulations adopted hereunder.
(b) Deny,
suspend, revoke, condition, or decline to renew a Mortgage Loan
originator License endorsement, if an applicant or endorsement holder
fails at any time to meet the requirements of Section 10166.05 or
10166.09, or withholds information or makes a material misstatement in
an application for a License endorsement or License endorsement renewal.
(c) Issue orders or directives to Licensees
who hold Mortgage Loan
originator License endorsements,
as follows:
(1) Order or direct persons
subject to this article to desist and refrain from conducting business,
including immediate temporary orders to desist and refrain.
(2) Order or
direct persons subject to this article to cease any harmful activities
or violations of this article, including immediate temporary orders to
desist and refrain.
(3) Enter immediate temporary orders to cease
business under a License endorsement if the Commissioner determines that
the License endorsement was erroneously granted or the endorsement
holder is currently in violation of this article.
(4) Order or direct
any other affirmative action the Commissioner deems necessary.
10166.06.
(a) In addition to the requirements of Section 10153, an applicant for a
License endorsement
as a Mortgage Loan originator shall complete at
least 20 hours of education courses, which shall include at least the
following:
(1) Three hours of federal law and regulations.
(2) Three
hours of ethics, which shall include instruction on fraud, consumer
protection, and fair lending issues.
(3) Two hours of training related
to lending standards for the nontraditional mortgage product
marketplace.
(b) For purposes of this section, education courses are
only acceptable if they have been reviewed and approved, or otherwise
deemed acceptable, by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and
Registry, in accordance with the SAFE Act. Education may be offered in a
classroom, online, or by any other means approved by the Nationwide
Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, in accordance with the SAFE Act.
(c) A person who successfully completes the education requirements
approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry in any
state other than California shall be granted credit by the Commissioner
toward completion of the education requirements of this section.
(d)
Before being issued a License
endorsement to act as a Mortgage Loan
originator, an individual shall pass a qualified written test developed
or otherwise deemed acceptable by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing
System and Registry and administered by a test provider approved or
otherwise deemed acceptable by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System
and Registry.
(e) A written test shall not be treated as a qualified
written test for purposes of this section, unless the test adequately
measures the applicant's knowledge and comprehension in the following
subject areas: ethics, federal law and regulation pertaining to mortgage
origination, state law and regulation pertaining to mortgage
origination, and federal and state law and regulation relating to fraud,
consumer protection, the nontraditional mortgage marketplace, and fair
lending issues.
(f) Nothing in
this section shall prohibit a test provider approved by the Nationwide
Mortgage Licensing System and Registry from providing a test at the
location of the employer of the applicant or any subsidiary or affiliate
of the employer of the applicant, or any entity with which the applicant
holds an exclusive arrangement to conduct the business of a Mortgage Loan originator.
(g)
An individual shall not be considered to have passed a qualified written
test administered pursuant to this section unless the individual
achieves a test score of not less than 75 percent correct answers to
questions.
(h) An individual who fails the qualified written test may
retake the test up to three consecutive times, although at least 30 days
must pass between each retesting.
(i) An applicant who fails three
consecutive retests must wait at least six months before retesting.
(j)
A Mortgage Loan originator who fails to maintain a valid License
endorsement for a period of five years or longer or who fails to
register as a Mortgage Loan originator in accordance with applicable
California law shall retake the qualified written test.
10166.07.
(a) A
real estate Broker who acts pursuant to Section 10131.1 or subdivision
(d) or (e) of Section 10131, and who makes, arranges, or services one or
more Loans in a calendar year that are secured by real property
containing one to four residential units, shall annually file a business
activities report, within 90 days after the end of the Broker's fiscal
year or within any additional time as the Commissioner may allow for
filing for good cause. The report shall contain within its scope all of the following
information for the fiscal year, relative to the business
activities of the Broker and those of any other brokers and real estate
salespersons acting under that Broker's supervision:
(1) Name and
License number of the supervising Broker and names and License numbers
of the real estate brokers and salespersons under that Broker's
supervision. The report shall include brokers and salespersons who were
under the supervising Broker's supervision for all or part of the year.
(2) A list of the real estate-related activities in which the
supervising Broker and the brokers and salespersons under his or her
supervision engaged during the prior year. This listing shall identify
all of the following:
(a) Activities relating to mortgages, including
arranging, making, or servicing.
(b) Other activities performed under
the real estate Broker's or Salesperson's License.
(c) Activities
performed under related licenses, including, but not limited to a
License to engage as a finance lender or a finance Broker under the
California Finance Lenders Law (Division 9 (commencing with Section
22000) of the Financial Code), or a License
to engage as a residential mortgage lender or residential
Mortgage Loan
servicer under the
California Residential Mortgage Lending Act (Division 20 (commencing
with Section 50000) of the Financial Code).
(3) A list of the forms of
media used by the Broker and those under his or her supervision to
advertise to the public, including print, radio, television, the
Internet, or other means.
(4) For fixed rate Loans made, brokered, or
serviced, all of the following:
(a) The total number, aggregate
Principal amount, lowest interest rate, highest interest rate, and a
list of the institutional lenders of record. If the Loan was funded by
any lender other than an institutional lender, the Broker shall
categorize the Loan as privately funded.
(b) The total number and
aggregate Principal amount of covered Loans, as defined in Section 4970
of the Financial Code.
(c) The total number and aggregate Principal
amount of Loans for which DRE form RE Form 885 or an equivalent is
required.
(5) For adjustable rate Loans made, brokered, or serviced,
all
of the following:
(a) The total number, aggregate Principal amount,
lowest beginning interest rate, highest beginning interest rate, highest
margin, and a list of the institutional lenders of record. If the Loan
was funded by any lender other than an institutional lender, the Broker
shall categorize the Loan as privately funded.
(b) The total number and
aggregate Principal amount of covered Loans, as defined in Section 4970
of the Financial Code.
(c) The total number and aggregate Principal
amount of Loans for which DRE form RE Form 885 or an equivalent is
required.
(6) For all Loans made, brokered, or serviced, the total
number and aggregate Principal amount of Loans funded by institutional
lenders, and the total number and aggregate Principal amount of Loans
funded by private lenders.
(7) For all Loans made, brokered, or
serviced, the total number and aggregate Principal amount of Loans that
included a prepayment penalty, the minimum prepayment penalty length,
the maximum prepayment penalty length, and the number of Loans with
prepayment penalties whose length exceeded the length of time before the
borrower's Loan payment amount could increase.
(8) For all Loans
brokered, the total compensation received by the Broker, including yield
spread premiums, commissions, and rebates, but excluding compensation
used to pay fees for third-party services on behalf of the borrower.
(9)
For all Mortgage Loans made or brokered, the total number of Loans
for which a Mortgage Loan disclosure statement was provided in a language
other than English, and the number of forms provided per language other
than English.
(10) For all Mortgage Loans serviced, the total amount of
funds advanced to be applied toward a payment to protect the security of
the note being serviced.
(11) For purposes of this section, an
institutional lender has the meaning specified in paragraph (1) of
subdivision (c) of Section
10232.
(b) A Broker subject to this section
and Section 10232.2 may file consolidated reports that include all of
the information required under this section and Section 10232.2. Those
consolidated reports shall clearly indicate that they are intended to
satisfy the requirements of both sections.
(c) If a Broker subject to
this section fails to timely file the report required under this
section, the Commissioner may cause an examination and report to be made
and may charge the Broker one and one-half times the cost of making the
examination and report. In determining the hourly cost incurred by the
Commissioner for conducting an examination and preparing the report, the
Commissioner may use the estimated average hourly cost for all
department audit staff performing audits of real estate brokers. If a
Broker fails to pay the Commissioner's cost within 60 days of the
mailing of a notice of billing, the Commissioner may suspend the
Broker's License or deny renewal of that License. The suspension or
denial shall remain in effect until the billed amount is paid or the
Broker's right to renew a License has expired. The Commissioner may
maintain an action for the recovery of the billed amount in any court of
competent jurisdiction.
(d) The report described in this section is
exempted from any requirement of public disclosure by paragraph (2) of
subdivision (d) of Section 6254 of the Government Code.
(e) The
Commissioner may waive the requirement to submit certain information
described in paragraphs (1) to (10), inclusive, of subdivision (a) if
the Commissioner determines that this information is duplicative of
information required by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and
Registry, pursuant to Section 10166.08.
10166.08.
Each Mortgage Loan
originator shall submit reports of condition to the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry reports of condition, and those reports
shall be in the form and shall contain information as the Nationwide
Mortgage Licensing System and Registry may require.
10166.09.
The minimum standards
for renewal of an endorsement as a Mortgage Loan
originator shall include the following:
(a) Mortgage Loan
originator continues to meet the minimum standards for obtaining an
endorsement as a Mortgage Loan originator.
(b) The Mortgage Loan originator satisfies
the annual continuing education requirements described in Section
10166.10.
10166.10.
(a) A Mortgage Loan originator shall complete at
least eight hours of continuing education annually, which shall include
at least three hours relating to federal law and regulations, two hours
of ethics, which shall include instruction on fraud, consumer
protection, and fair lending issues, and two hours related to lending
standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.
(b) For
purposes of subdivision (a), continuing education courses and course
providers shall be reviewed and approved by the Commissioner and the
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.
(c) The Commissioner
shall have the authority to substitute any of the courses described in
subdivision (a) for the course requirements of Section 10170.5, subject
to a finding that the course requirements in subdivision (a) and the
course completion standards in subdivision (g) of Section 10166.06 are
substantially equivalent to, and meet the intent of, Section 10170.5.
(d) Nothing in this section shall preclude any education course, as
approved by the Commissioner
and the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, that is
provided by the employer of the Mortgage Loan
originator or an entity that is affiliated with the Mortgage Loan
originator by an Agency contract, or any subsidiary or affiliate of the
employer or entity.
(e) Continuing education may be offered either in a
classroom, online, or by any other means approved by the Commissioner
and the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.
(f) A Mortgage Loan originator may only receive credit for a continuing
education course in the year in which the course is taken.
(g) A Mortgage Loan originator may not take the same approved course in the
same or successive years to meet the requirements of this section for
continuing education.
(h) A Mortgage Loan originator who is an
instructor of an approved continuing education course may receive credit
for his or her own annual continuing education requirement at the rate
of two hours credit for every one hour taught.
(i) A person who
successfully completes the education requirements approved by the
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry in any state other
than California shall be granted credit by the Commissioner towards
completion of continuing education requirements in this state.
(j) A Mortgage Loan originator whose License endorsement lapses, expires, or
is suspended or revoked, and who wishes to regain his or her License
endorsement, shall complete continuing education requirements for the
last year in which the endorsement was held, prior to issuance of a new
or renewed endorsement.
10166.11.
(a) A real estate Broker who acts
pursuant to Section 10131.1 or subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 10131
and who makes, arranges, or services Loans secured by real property
containing one to four residential units, shall keep documents and
records that will properly enable the Commissioner to determine whether
the residential mortgage brokerage, servicing, and lending functions
performed by the Broker comply with this division and with all
applicable rules and orders made by the Commissioner. These documents
shall include, at a minimum, the documents described in Section 10148.
Upon request of the Commissioner, a real estate Broker shall file an
authorization for disclosure to the Commissioner of financial records of
his or her Licensed business pursuant to Section 7473 of the
Government Code.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision
(a) of Section 10148, the business
documents and records of real estate brokers described in subdivision
(a) and real estate salespersons acting under those brokers are subject
to inspection and examination or audit by the Commissioner, at his or
her discretion, after reasonable notice. That real estate Broker or
Salesperson shall, upon request by the Commissioner and within the time
period specified in that request, allow the Commissioner, or his or her
authorized representative, to inspect and copy any business documents
and records. The Commissioner may suspend or revoke the License of the
Broker or Salesperson if he or she fails to produce documents or records
within the time period specified in the request.
(c) Inspection and
examination or audit reports prepared by the Commissioner's duly
designated representatives pursuant to this section are not public
records. Those reports may be disclosed to the officers or directors of
a Licensee that is the subject of the report for the purpose of
corrective action. That disclosure shall not operate as a waiver of the
exemption specified in subdivision (d) of Section 6254 of the
Government Code.
10166.12.
(a) As often as the Commissioner deems necessary and
appropriate, the Commissioner shall examine the affairs of each real
estate Broker who is required to notify the Commissioner or obtain a
License endorsement pursuant to Section 10166.02 for compliance with
this part. These examinations shall also include a review of the affairs
of all real estate brokers and real estate salespersons acting under the
supervision of each real estate Broker who is required to file reports
with the department pursuant to Section 10166.07. The Commissioner shall
appoint suitable persons to perform these examinations. The Commissioner
and his or her appointees may examine the books, records, and documents
of the Licensee, and may examine the Licensee's officers, directors,
employees, or Agents under oath regarding the Licensee's operations. The
Commissioner may cooperate with any Agency of the state or federal
government, other states, agencies, the Federal National Mortgage
Association, or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. The
Commissioner may accept an examination conducted by one of these
entities in place of an examination by the Commissioner under this
section, unless the Commissioner determines that the examination does
not provide information necessary to enable the Commissioner to fulfill
his or her responsibilities under this division.
(b) The Commissioner
may impose a penalty against a real estate Broker or real estate
Salesperson whose affairs are examined or reviewed pursuant to
subdivision (a) based on the findings of the examination or review. The
Commissioner may suspend or revoke the License or License endorsement of
a real estate Broker or real estate Salesperson who fails to pay that
penalty. In addition, the Commissioner may bring an action in an
appropriate court of this state to collect payment of the penalty.
(c)
Penalties collected pursuant to
subdivision (b)
shall be deposited into
the Consumer Recovery Account of the Real Estate Fund and shall, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, be available for expenditure for the
purposes specified in Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 10470).
(d)
The statement of the findings of an examination conducted pursuant to
this section shall belong to the Commissioner and shall not be disclosed
to anyone other than the Licensee, law enforcement officials, or other
state or federal regulatory agencies for further investigation and
enforcement. Reports required of Licensees by the Commissioner under
this division and results of examinations performed by the Commissioner
under this division are the property of the Commissioner.
10166.13.
A
real estate Broker who acts pursuant to Section 10131.1 or subdivision
(d) or (e) of Section 10131 and who makes, arranges, or services Loans
secured by real property containing one to four residential units shall
make any special reports to the Commissioner that the Commissioner may,
from time to time, require.
10166.14.
A real estate Broker shall notify
the department when he or she is no longer subject to this part. If a
Broker has already made reports required by Sections 10166.07 and
10166.08 within the year, he or she shall continue reports for that
year, but shall notify the department prior to the expiration of that
year that he or she will no longer be subject to this part in the
succeeding year.
10166.15.
(a) The Commissioner
shall regularly report violations of this article, as well as
enforcement actions taken against any Mortgage Loan
originator to whom an endorsement has been issued, and enforcement
actions taken against any individual for failure to obtain an
endorsement as a Mortgage Loan originator, to the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry.
(b) The Commissioner
shall establish a process that may be used by Mortgage Loan originators to challenge
information entered into the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and
Registry by the Commissioner.
(c) The Commissioner is authorized to
promulgate regulations specifying
(1) the
recordkeeping requirements that Mortgage Loan originators shall satisfy and
(2) the penalties
that shall apply to Mortgage Loan originators for violations of this article.
10166.16.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 1512 of the SAFE
Act, the requirements under any federal or state law regarding the
privacy or confidentiality of any information or material provided to
the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, and any privilege
arising under federal or state law, including the rules of any federal
or state court, with respect to that information or material, shall
continue to apply to the information or material after the information
or material has been disclosed to the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing
System and Registry. The information and material may be shared with all
state and federal regulatory officials with mortgage industry oversight
authority without the loss of privilege or the loss of confidentiality
protections provided by federal or state law.
(b) For these purposes,
the Commissioner is authorized to enter agreements or sharing
arrangements with other governmental agencies, the Conference of State
Bank Supervisors, the American Association of Residential Mortgage
Regulators, or other associations representing governmental agencies as
established by rule, regulation or order of the Commissioner.
(c)
Information or material that is subject to a privilege or
confidentiality under subdivision (a) shall not be subject to either of
the following:
(1) Disclosure under any federal or state law governing
the disclosure to the public of information held by an officer or an
Agency of the federal government or the state.
(2) Subpoena or
discovery, or admission into evidence, in any private civil action or
administrative process, unless with respect to any privilege held by the
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry with respect to the
information or material, the person to whom the information or material
pertains waives, in whole or in part, in the discretion of the person,
that privilege.
(d) This section
shall not apply with respect to the information or material relating to
the employment history of, and publicly adjudicated disciplinary and
enforcement actions against, Mortgage Loan originators that is included in the Nationwide Mortgage
Licensing System and Registry for access by the public.
10166.17.
In
addition to any other duties imposed upon the Commissioner by law, the
Commissioner
shall require Mortgage Loan originators to be Licensed and
registered through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and
Registry. In order to carry out this requirement the Commissioner is
authorized to participate in the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System
and Registry. For this purpose, the Commissioner may establish by rule,
regulation, or order, requirements as necessary, including, but not
limited to, the following:
(a) Background checks for the following:
(1)
Criminal history through fingerprint or other databases.
(2) Civil or
administrative records.
(3) Credit history.
(4) Any other information as
deemed necessary by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and
Registry.
(b) The payment of fees to apply for or renew licenses through
the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.
(c) The setting
or resetting as necessary of renewal or reporting dates.
(d)
Requirements for amending or surrendering a License or any other
activities as the Commissioner deems necessary for participation in the
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.
10167.
The
definitions used in this section shall govern the construction and terms
as used in this article:
(a) "Prepaid rental listing service" means the
business of supplying prospective tenants with listings of residential
real properties for tenancy, by publication or otherwise, pursuant to an
arrangement under which the prospective tenants are required to pay an
advance or contemporaneous fee
(1) specifically to obtain listings or
(2) to purchase any other product or service in order to obtain
listings, but which does not otherwise involve the negotiation of
rentals by the person conducting the service. "Prepaid rental listing
service" does not include the business of providing roommate referral
information designed to assist persons in locating a roommate who meets
various selection criteria related to the prospective roommate's
personal traits, characteristics, habits or preferences, and selection
criteria related to the residential real property occupied by the
prospective roommate.
(b) "Licensee" means a person Licensed to conduct
a prepaid rental listing service or a person engaged in the business of
a prepaid rental listing service under a real estate Broker License.
(c)
"Location" means the place, other than the main or branch office of a
real estate Broker, where a prepaid rental listing service business is
conducted.
(d) "Designated Agent" means the person who is in charge of
the business of a prepaid rental listing service at a given location.
(e) "Fee" means the charge required by a Licensee (1) to obtain listings
of residential real properties for tenancy or (2) to purchase any other
product or service in order to obtain listings.
(f) "Service charge"
means the amount of the fee that a Licensee may retain if a prospective
tenant finds housing through a source other than the listings supplied
by the Licensee.
10167.1.
This article shall not apply to a newspaper of
general circulation. 10167.2.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to
engage in the business of a prepaid rental listing service unless
Licensed in that capacity or unless Licensed as a real estate Broker.
(b)
(1) The requirements of this article apply only to the provision of
listings of residential real properties for tenancy by prepaid rental
listing services. Except if expressly provided otherwise in this
article, the requirements of this article do not apply to any other
goods or services sold by a prepaid rental listing service as long as
the purchase of those goods or services is not required to obtain those
listings, and as long as the purchase of those goods or services is not
included in the same contract as the contract to provide those listings,
and as long as the contract to provide those listings clearly specifies
that the purchase of any other goods and services is optional, and as
long as the price charged for any other goods and services is fair and
reasonable.
(2) In an action alleging that the price charged for any
other goods and services is not fair and reasonable, the burden shall be
on the Commissioner to demonstrate that the price charged unreasonably
exceeds the fee customarily charged for the same or comparable goods or
services in the community in which the prepaid rental listing service
operates. The fact that the price charged for goods or services exceeds
the cost incurred by the prepaid rental listing service shall not render
the price charged for the goods or services to be unfair or
unreasonable, so long as the price charged does not unreasonably exceed
the fee customarily charged for the same or comparable goods or services
in the community in which the prepaid rental listing service operates.
10167.3.
(a) A separate application for a License as a prepaid rental
listing service shall be made in writing for each location to be
operated by a Licensee other than a real estate Broker. Each application
shall be on forms provided by the department, shall be signed by the
applicant, and shall be accompanied by a one hundred dollar ($100)
application fee for the first location, and a twenty-five dollar ($25)
application fee for each additional location of the applicant.
Applications to add or eliminate locations during the term of a License
shall be on forms prescribed by the department. A twenty-five dollar
($25) application fee for the remainder of a License term for each
location to be added shall accompany the application.
(b) A real estate
Broker may provide a prepaid rental listing service at a Licensed office
for the conduct of his or her real estate brokerage business if the
business at the office is conducted under the immediate supervision of
the Broker or of a real estate Salesperson Licensed to, and acting on
behalf of, the Broker.
10167.4.
The Commissioner may require such proof
as he or she may deem advisable concerning the honesty and truthfulness
of
(a) any applicant for a License as a prepaid rental listing service,
(b) the designated Agents of the applicant,
(c) the officers, directors,
and any persons owning 25 percent or more of the shares of any
corporation making such an application, or
(d) any person owning or
controlling a beneficial ownership interest of 25 percent or more in the
entity making application before authorizing the issuance of a License
for a location. For this purpose, the Commissioner may hold a hearing in
accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of
Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and may refuse to issue a
License to an applicant who does not furnish satisfactory proof of his
or her honesty and truthfulness or of the honesty and truthfulness of
the corporate officers, directors, and shareholders. To assist in this
determination, the Commissioner shall require the fingerprinting of
every original applicant including designated Agents, officers,
directors, and persons owning 25 percent or more of the shares of the
corporate applicant.
10167.5.
The business at a location Licensed
pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10167.3 shall be conducted under
the immediate supervision of the Licensee or a designated Agent who is
not a designated Agent at any other location. Whenever a designated
Agent ceases permanently to be a designated Agent at any location
because of death, termination of employment, or any other reason, the
Licensee, within five days thereafter, shall give written notice to the
department. A License issued for a particular location shall
automatically expire 60 days after the time the business conducted at
such location ceases for any reason to be under the charge of and
managed by the designated Agent of record with the department, unless
within such 60-day period the Licensee submits written notice of the new
designated Agent to the department. A designated Agent of the Licensed
service may serve as designated Agent for the location in question as
well as for the location for which he or she is the designated Agent of
record during the period of 60 days.
10167.6.
Every applicant for a
prepaid rental listing service License who is not a resident of this
state shall file with the application for a License an irrevocable
consent that in any action arising out of the activities of the prepaid
rental listing service commenced against him or her in this state, if
personal service of process upon him or her cannot be made in this state
in the exercise of due diligence, a valid service may be made upon him
or her by delivering the process to the Secretary of State. Insofar as
possible, the provisions of Section 1018 of the Code of Civil Procedure
relating to service of process on the Secretary of State are applicable
to this section.
10167.7.
Except as provided in Section 10167.8, each
Licensee shall provide to the department, and at all times maintain in
force, a bond in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each
location. The bond may be in the form of a corporate surety bond, or a
cash deposit. A cash deposit may be deposited by the Licensee in an
interest-bearing account assigned to the Commissioner, with interest
earned thereon payable to the Licensee. The bond or cash deposit may be
utilized by the Commissioner for the benefit of any unsatisfied judgment
creditor in an action pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 10167.10.
10167.8. The requirement of Section 10167.7 shall not apply to any
prepaid rental listing service operated by:
(a) a person exempt from the
payment of federal and state income taxes;
(b) an Agency of the federal,
state, or local government; or
(c) a real estate Broker conducting a
prepaid rental listing service pursuant to a real estate License.
10167.9.
(a) Prior to the acceptance of a fee, a Licensee shall offer
the prospective tenant a written contract, either on paper or in
electronic form, which shall include at least the following:
(1) The
name of the Licensee and the addresses and telephone numbers of the
Principal office or location of the Licensee and of the location, or
branch office of a real estate Broker, providing the listing to the
prospective tenant.
(2) Acknowledgment of receipt of the fee, including
the amount.
(3) A description of the service to be performed by the
Licensee, including significant conditions, restrictions, and
limitations where applicable.
(4) The prospective tenant's
specifications for the rental property, including, but not limited to:
(a) Type of structure, including, detached
single-family home, apartment, or duplex.
(b) Location by commonly
accepted residential area name, by designation of boundary streets, or
by any other manner affording a reasonable means of identifying
locations acceptable to the prospective tenant.
(c) Furnished or
unfurnished.
(d) Number of bedrooms required.
(e) Maximum acceptable
monthly rental.
(5) The contract expiration date, which shall not be
later than 90 days from the date of execution of the contract.
(6) A
clause setting forth the right to a full or partial refund of the fee
paid as provided in Section 10167.10.
(7) The signature and printed full
name of the Licensee or of the designated Agent, real estate
Salesperson, or employee acting on behalf of the Licensee. The signature
of any person, including any signature required by the terms of the
contract to be provided by the prospective tenant, may be provided in
any electronic form that provides a reasonable method of indicating that
the individual whose signature is required authorized the contract to be
signed in that electronic form.
(8) A clause in bold type letters
outlining the small claims court remedy available to the prospective
tenant.
(9) A clause in boldface type letters clearly stating that the
purchase of any goods and services other than the provision of listings
of residential real properties for tenancy is optional.
(b)
(1) The
original of each contract, any separate contracts for required goods or
services, refund claims, receipts and any other relevant documents shall
be retained by the Licensee for a period of not less than three years
from the date of termination of the contract during which time the
contract shall be subject to examination by a duly authorized
representative of the Commissioner. Any records retained pursuant to
this subdivision that are stored in the ordinary course of business in
digital media shall, upon request of a duly authorized representative of
the Commissioner, be provided on diskette, CD-ROM or similar portable
digital storage medium. For purposes of this subdivision, the "original"
of a contract executed in electronic form shall be either the copy of
the contract stored in digital media or a paper printout of that
contract.
(2) Any Licensee, or employee thereof, shall dispose of the
documents required to be kept pursuant to paragraph (1) by shredding or
other appropriate means so that the identity of the prospective tenant
may not be determined from the disposed information alone or in
combination with other publicly available information.
(c) The form of
contract proposed to be used by a Licensee to effect compliance with
this section shall be filed with the department prior to use. Any
modification of a form previously filed with the department, including a
change in the name or business address of the Licensee, shall also be
filed prior to use. The department shall withhold the issuance or
renewal of a License until the department has approved the contract. If
a proposed modification to a contract has not been approved or
disapproved within 15 working days of being filed with the department,
the proposed modification shall be deemed approved. If a proposed
modification or contract provision is disapproved, the department shall
communicate that disapproval in writing to the Licensee within 15
working days of being filed with the department, accompanied by a
written justification of why the modification or contract provision is
contrary to the requirements of this article.
(d) Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, a contract for prepaid rental listing services
executed in electronic form, and signed in any electronic form that
provides a reasonable method of indicating that the individual whose
signature is required authorized the contract to be signed in electronic
form, shall be valid to the same extent as an executed written contract.
Upon request by the customer, the Licensee shall deliver an executed
paper copy to the customer within five working days of receiving the
request.
10167.10.
(a)
(1) A Licensee shall refund in full the fee paid
by a prospective tenant if the Licensee does not, within five days after
execution of the contract, supply at least three rental properties then
available to the prospective tenant and meeting the specifications of
the contract, unless the prospective tenant obtains a rental through the
services of the Licensee.
(2) A Licensee will be deemed to have supplied
information meeting the specifications of the prospective tenant if the
information supplied meets the contract specifications with reference
to:
(i) type of structure;
(ii) designated area;
(iii) furnished or
unfurnished;
(iv) number of bedrooms;
(v) maximum rental; and
(vi) any
other specification expressly set forth in the contract.
A demand for
the return of the fee shall be made by or on behalf of the prospective
tenant within 10 days following the expiration of the five-day period
referred to above by delivery or by mailing by registered or certified
mail to the address of a location, or branch office of a real estate
Broker, set forth in the contract.
(b)
(1) Except as provided in
paragraph (3), a Licensee shall refund any fee paid over and above the
sum of a fifty dollar ($50) service charge to the prospective tenant if
the prospective tenant obtains a rental other than through the services
of the Licensee during the term of the contract or does not obtain a
rental, provided that the prospective tenant demands a return of that
part of the fee within 10 days after the expiration of the contract.
(2)
The Licensee shall refund any fee paid over and above the sum of a fifty
dollar ($50) service charge to the prospective tenant within 10 days of
receipt from the prospective tenant of either the documentation
specified in subparagraph (a) or the written statement specified in
subparagraph (b), as applicable:
(a) Except as specified in subparagraph
(b), a prospective tenant demanding a refund shall provide to the
Licensee reasonable documentation of the prospective tenant's new rental
or of the fact that the prospective tenant did not move, such as a
lease, rental agreement, or utility bill, with sufficient information to
verify that the new rental was not obtained through the services of the
Licensee or that the prospective tenant did not move.
(b) If the
prospective tenant is unable to locate or provide the documentation
specified in subparagraph (a), the prospective tenant may, at his or her
option, fill out and sign a written statement, supplied by the Licensee,
in the following form:
I, ______________________________ , do swear
(name of prospective tenant) or affirm the following: I currently live
at __________________. (street address) The following statement is true
(check one): _____ I have rented a unit at the above address. I did not
obtain this rental through the services of _________ (name of __________
Licensee) during the time of our contract. _____ I did not find a new
rental and did not move. I still live at the above address. I declare
under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct to the
best of my knowledge. ________ (date) ____________ (location)
_____________ (signature)
(3) On or after January 1, 2002, the
department may, from time to time, by regulation, adjust the amount of
the allowable service charge to reflect the rate of inflation from the
previous date that the amount of the allowable service charge was
established, as measured by the Consumer Price Index or other method of
measuring the rate of inflation which the department determines is
reliable and generally accepted.
(c) Each contract shall contain
provisions that shall read as follows unless different language shall
have been approved in writing by the department prior to use: "RIGHT TO
REFUND (Full capital letters, in 12-point type or greater, boldface or
italicized) If, within five days after payment of a fee, the Licensee
has not supplied the prospective tenant with at least three available
rental properties meeting the specifications of the contract as to
(i)
type of structure;
(ii) designated area;
(iii) furnished or unfurnished;
(iv) number of bedrooms;
(v) maximum rental; and
(vi) any other
specification expressly set forth in the contract, the full amount of
the fee paid shall be refunded to the prospective tenant upon
presentation of evidence of that failure within 10 days after the
expiration of the five-day period.
The prospective tenant is not
entitled to a refund if the prospective tenant obtains a rental through
the services of the Licensee. If the prospective tenant obtains a rental
other than through the services of the Licensee during the term of this
contract or if the prospective tenant does not obtain a rental through
the services of the Licensee during the term of the contract, the
Licensee shall refund the fee received in excess of a (insert applicable
limit pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10167.10 of the
Business
and Professions Code) service charge to the prospective tenant
within 10 days after the prospective tenant supplies either (i) reasonable
documentation of the prospective tenant's new rental or of the fact that
the prospective tenant did not move, such as a lease, rental agreement,
or utility bill, with sufficient information to verify that the new
rental was not obtained through the services of the Licensee or that the
prospective tenant did not move, or (ii) if the prospective tenant is
unable to locate or provide that documentation, the prospective tenant
may, at his or her option, fill out a written form provided by the
Licensee and signed by the prospective tenant under penalty of perjury
stating that he or she did not obtain a rental through the services of
the Licensee during the time of the contract.
To be entitled to a refund
in excess of the service charge, the prospective tenant must mail or
deliver the demand for refund not later than 10 days after expiration of
this contract, and must supply either (i) reasonable documentation of
the prospective tenant's new rental or of the fact that the prospective
tenant did not move, such as a lease, rental agreement, or utility bill,
with sufficient information to verify that the new rental was not
obtained through the services of the Licensee or that the prospective
tenant did not move, or (ii) a written form provided by the Licensee and
signed by the prospective tenant under penalty of perjury stating that
he or she did not obtain a rental through the services of the Licensee
during the time of the contract. The documentation may be supplied after
the demand for a refund is mailed or delivered, provided that it is
supplied within a reasonable time after it becomes available".
(d) This
section shall not apply to a person purchasing rental information for a
purpose other than that of locating a rental unit for personal use or
the use of a designated person.
(e) If the Licensee fails to make a
refund as provided in this section and if the denial or delay in making
the refund is found to have been done in bad faith, a court of
appropriate jurisdiction, including a small claims court, shall be
empowered to award damages to the plaintiff in an amount not to exceed
one thousand dollars ($1,000) in addition to actual damages sustained by
the plaintiff. If the Licensee refuses or is unable to pay the damages
awarded by the court, the award may be satisfied out of the security
required under Section 10167.7.
10167.11.
It shall be a violation of
this article for any Licensee or any employee or Agent of a Licensee to
do the following:
(a) Make, or cause to be made, any false, misleading,
or deceptive advertisements or representations concerning the services
that the Licensee will provide to prospective tenants.
(b) Refer a
property to a prospective tenant knowing or having reason to know that:
(1) The property does not exist or is unavailable for tenancy.
(2) The
property has been described or advertised by or on behalf of the
Licensee in a false, misleading, or deceptive manner.
(3) The Licensee
has not confirmed the availability of the property for tenancy during
the four-day period immediately preceding dissemination of the listing
information. However, it shall not be a violation to refer a property to
a prospective tenant during a period of from five to seven days after
the most recent confirmation of the availability of the property for
rental if the Licensee has made a good faith effort to confirm
availability within the stated four-day period, and if the most recent
date of confirmation of availability is set forth in the referral.
(4)
The Licensee has not obtained written or oral permission to list the
property from the property owner, manager, or other authorized Agent.
10167.12.
(a) The Commissioner may suspend, deny, or revoke the License
of a Licensee or the License of the Licensee to operate at one or more
locations for either of the following:
(1) A violation of this article
by a Licensee or by an employee or Agent, including a designated Agent,
of the Licensee.
(2) A conviction of a Licensee, or a designated Agent,
or of an officer, director, or owner of 25 percent or more of the shares
of a corporate Licensee for a crime which is substantially related to
the qualifications, functions, or duties of a prepaid rental listing
service Licensee.
(b) For the purpose of determining whether grounds
exist for suspending, denying, or revoking the License of a Licensee,
the Commissioner shall hold a hearing in accordance with Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.
10167.13.
A prepaid rental listing service License
issued by the department shall be for a period of two years. An
application and fee for renewal filed with the department before
midnight of the last day of the period for which a previous License was
issued entitles the Licensee to continue operating at all locations
specified in the previous License for which a renewal fee is paid.
10167.14.
Whenever any person has engaged or threatens to engage in any
acts or practices which constitute, or will constitute a violation of a
provision of the article, the superior court of the county in which the
acts or practices have taken place, or are about to take place, on
complaint of the Commissioner, the Attorney General, district attorney,
or city attorney, may enjoin such acts or practices by appropriate
order. The proceedings under this section shall be governed by Chapter 3
(commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil
Procedure, except that no undertaking shall be required.
10167.15.
Any
person, including an officer, director, or employee of a corporation who
willfully violates any provision of this article is guilty of a
Misdemeanor.
10167.16.
A person or corporation Licensed pursuant to this
article and not engaging in acts for which a real estate License is
required under Article 1 (commencing with Section 10130) of Chapter 3 of
Part 1 of Division 4, shall be subject, in addition to the provisions of
this article, to the provisions of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section
10000) and Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10050) of Part 1 of
Division 4, and to Sections 10450, 10452, 10453, and 10454.
10167.17.
The Commissioner shall, by regulation, make prepaid rental listing
service Licensees and applicants for prepaid rental listing service
licenses subject to the same provisions respecting licensure as are
applicable to real estate licenses under Sections 10151.5, 10156.5,
10156.6, 10156.7, 10200, and 10201.
10170.
The Legislature has
determined that it is in the public interest of consumer protection and
consumer service that all real estate Licensees Licensed under the
provisions of this part comply with continuing education requirements
adopted by the Commissioner pursuant to this article as a prerequisite
to the renewal of real estate licenses on and after January 1, 1981.
10170.2.
The Commissioner may appoint a committee comprised of Licensees
under this part and persons with expertise in real estate education to
advise him with respect to his responsibilities under this article.
10170.4.
The Commissioner shall adopt regulations pursuant to Section
10080, to prescribe all of the following:
(a) A definition of basic
requirements for continuing education of 45 clock hours of attendance at
approved educational courses, seminars, workshops, or conferences, or
their equivalent, achieved during a four-year period preceding License
renewal application.
(b) A basis and method of qualifying educational
programs, the successful completion of which, will satisfy the
requirements of this article.
(c) A procedure for evaluation of
petitions based on a claim of equivalency with the requirements of
subdivision (a), and a reasonable standard by which an activity would be
judged equivalent, including, but not limited to, instruction in real
estate subjects, publication of professional articles or books, or
development of real estate educational programs, law or research.
(d) A
system of control and reporting qualifying attendance.
(e) An
appropriate form of testing, examination or evaluation by the sponsor of
each approved correspondence or homestudy educational program, or
equivalent, of the student.
(f) A statement of the conditions of
exemption from the continuing education requirements established under
this article, as well as a method of applying and qualifying for these
exemptions, for reasons of health, military service, or other compelling
cause. In exercising the authority under this article, the Commissioner
shall establish standards which will assure reasonable currency of
knowledge as a basis for a level of real estate practice which will
provide a high level of consumer protection and of competence in
achieving the objectives of members of the public who engage the
services of Licensees. The standards shall permit a variety of
alternatives of subject material to Licensees taking cognizance of
specialized areas of practice, and alternatives in sources of programs
considering availability in area and time. The standards shall include,
where qualified, generally accredited educational institutions, private
vocational schools, correspondence institutions, educational programs,
workshops, and seminars of professional societies and organizations,
other organized educational programs on technical subjects, or
equivalent offerings.
10170.5.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in
Sections 10153.4 and 10170.8, no real estate License shall be renewed
unless the Commissioner finds that the applicant for License renewal
has, during the four-year period preceding the renewal application,
successfully completed the 45-clock hours of education provided for in
Section 10170.4, including all of the following:
(1) A three-hour course
in ethics, professional conduct, and legal aspects of real estate, which
shall include, but not be limited to, relevant legislation, regulations,
articles, reports, studies, court decisions, treatises, and information
of current interest.
(2) A three-hour course in Agency relationships and
duties in a real estate brokerage practice, including instruction in the
disclosures to be made and the confidences to be kept in the various
Agency relationships between Licensees and the parties to real estate
transactions.
(3) A three-hour course in Trust fund accounting and
handling.
(4) A three-hour course in fair housing.
(5) A three-hour
course in risk management that shall include, but need not be limited
to, principles, practices, and procedures calculated to avoid errors and
omissions in the practice of real estate Licensed activities.
(6) Not
less than 18-clock hours of courses or programs related to consumer
protection, and designated by the Commissioner as satisfying this
purpose in his or her approval of the offering of these courses or
programs, which shall include, but not be limited to, forms of real
estate financing relevant to serving consumers in the marketplace, land
use regulation and control, pertinent consumer disclosures, Agency
relationships, capital formation for real estate development, fair
practices in real estate, appraisal and valuation techniques,
landlord-tenant relationships, energy conservation, environmental
regulation and consideration, taxation as it relates to consumer
decisions in real estate transactions, probate and similar disposition
of real property, governmental programs such as revenue bond activities,
redevelopment, and related programs, business opportunities, mineral,
oil, and gas conveyancing, and California law that relates to managing
community associations that own, operate, and maintain property within
common interest developments, including, but not limited to management,
maintenance, and financial matters addressed in the
Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act.
(7) Other courses and programs that
will enable a Licensee to achieve a high level of competence in serving
the objectives of consumers who may engage the services of Licensees to
secure the transfer, financing, or similar objectives with respect to
real property, including organizational and management techniques that
will significantly contribute to this goal.
(b) Except as otherwise
provided in Section 10170.8, no real estate License shall be renewed for
a Licensee who already has renewed under subdivision (a), unless the
Commissioner finds that the applicant for License renewal has, during
the four-year period preceding the renewal application, successfully
completed the 45-clock hours of education provided for in Section
10170.4, including an eight-hour update survey course that covers the
subject areas specified in paragraphs
(1)
to (5), inclusive, of
subdivision (a).
(c) Any denial of a License pursuant to this section
shall be subject to Section 10100.
(d) For purposes of this section,
"successful completion" of a course described in paragraphs
(1)
to (5),
inclusive, of subdivision (a) means the passing of a final examination.
10170.6.
The Commissioner may amend or repeal any regulation adopted
pursuant to this article in the same manner as provided for adoption of
such regulations, except that no amendment or repeal shall operate to
deprive any Licensee of the right to submit qualifying education
completed pursuant to such amended or repealed regulation during his
current License term, as a basis for License renewal.
10170.8.
The
provisions of this article shall not apply to any real estate Licensee
who submits proof satisfactory to the Commissioner that he or she has
been a real estate Licensee in good standing for 30 continuous years in
this state and is 70 years of age or older. A Licensee in good standing
is one who holds an active License which has not been suspended,
revoked, or restricted as a result of disciplinary action.
10171.2.
If
an applicant for a License has submitted, in good faith, evidence of
completion of continuing education which he had reason to believe would
qualify him for License renewal, but the Commissioner finds that the
evidence submitted does not qualify under standards adopted pursuant to
this article, the Commissioner may, nonetheless, extend the License for
90 days in order to allow the applicant to submit additional evidence of
compliance, which satisfies the requirements of this article. When the
License is issued during or at the end of the grace period provided for
in this section it shall expire four years from the date otherwise
applicable if no grace period had been granted.
10171.3.
On and after
January 1, 1981, a real estate License, which has been revoked as the
result of disciplinary action by the Commissioner, shall not be
reinstated, nor shall a restricted real estate License be issued to an
applicant in connection with a petition for reinstatement, unless the
applicant presents evidence of completion of the continuing education
required by this article. This requirement of evidence of continuing
education shall not be imposed upon an applicant for reinstatement who
has been required under Section 10182 to pass a qualifying examination
as a condition to reinstatement.
10171.4.
Any Licensee who applies for
renewal of his or her License under Section 10461, or for reinstatement
of his or her License under Section 10161.5 or 10463, shall, if the
previous active License issued to him or her was issued four or more
years prior to his or her application for renewal or reinstatement,
present evidence of compliance with this article. If no such qualifying
evidence is presented, the Commissioner may issue a temporary License
for a period of 90 days. If the applicant presents evidence within 90
days of compliance with this article and is otherwise qualified, the
Commissioner shall issue a regular License without additional fee. It
shall expire four years from the date which would otherwise have been
applicable if a temporary License under this section had not been
issued.
10171.5.
A person who is Licensed as a real estate Broker only
as an officer of a corporate Broker pursuant to Section 10158 or 10211
shall not be eligible for the renewal of such License nor for the
issuance of a License in an individual capacity or as an officer of a
corporate Broker Licensed pursuant to Section 10158 or 10211, unless and
until such person has completed the continuing education requirements of
this article.
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