§34-27-35. License certificates generally.

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

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

(c)(1) The fee for a temporary license shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The original fee for a broker's license shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150) and, beginning with the license period effective October 1, 2002, the renewal fee for a broker's license shall be seventy-five dollars ($75) per year for each year of the license period. The original fee for each salesperson's license shall be sixty-five dollars ($65) per year for each year or portion of a year remaining in the respective license period, and the renewal fee for each salesperson's license shall be sixty-five dollars ($65) per year for each year of the license period. The original fee for each company license shall be sixty-five dollars ($65) per year for each year or portion of a year remaining in the respective license period, and the renewal fee for each license shall be sixty-five dollars ($65) per year for each year of the license period.

(2) Beginning with the license period effective October 1, 2004, the renewal fee for a broker's license shall be ninety-five dollars ($95) per year for each year of the license period. The original fee for each salesperson's license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year or portion of a year remaining in the respective license period, and the renewal fee for each salesperson's license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year of the license period. The original fee for each company license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year or portion of a year remaining in the respective license period, and the renewal fee for each license shall be eighty-five dollars ($85) per year for each year of the license period.

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

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

(e) The original research and education fee shall be thirty dollars ($30) and shall be paid at the time of all applications received on and after October 15, 1995, for issuance of an original broker's license, and shall be paid at the time of all applications received on and after October 15, 1995, for issuance of a temporary salesperson's license. The original research and education fee shall also be paid by reciprocal salespersons. This is in addition to the original license fees set out in this section. This thirty dollar ($30) original research and education fee is a one-time fee which no person shall be required to pay more than once.

(f) The license of a salesperson who is subsequently issued a broker's license automatically terminates upon the issuance of his or her broker's license certificate. The salesperson's license certificate shall be returned to the commission in order for a broker's license to be issued. No refund shall be made of any fee or Recovery Fund deposit pertaining to the salesperson's, broker's, or company's license.

(g) The commission shall prescribe a license renewal form, which shall accompany renewal fees which shall be filed on or before August 31 of the final year of each license period in order for the respective license to be renewed on a timely basis for the following license period. If any of the foregoing are filed during the period from September 1 through September 30 of the final year of a license period, the one hundred fifty dollar ($150) penalty set out below shall be paid in addition to the renewal fees. Failure to meet this September 30 deadline shall result in the license being placed on inactive status on the following October 1, and the license shall be subject to all reactivation requirements. Reactivations shall be processed in the order received as evidenced by postmark or delivery date. Certified or registered mail may be used for reactivation in these cases. Licensees filing during the period from September 1 of the final year of a license period through September 30 of the initial year of a license period shall pay the required license fee, plus a penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

(h) The renewal form shall be mailed by the commission to the licensee's place of business, if an active licensee, or to his or her residence, if an inactive licensee, prior to August 1 of the final year of each license period. Each licensee shall notify the commission in writing of any change in his or her business or residence address within 30 days of the change.

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

(j)(1) Each applicant for renewal of an active salesperson or broker license issued by the commission shall, on or before September 30 of the final year of each license period, submit proof of completion of not less than 15 clock hours of approved continuing education course work to the commission, in addition to any other requirements for renewal. Failure to meet this deadline shall result in the license being placed on inactive status on the following October 1, and the license shall be subject to all reactivation requirements. Reactivations shall be processed in the order received as evidenced by postmark or delivery date. Certified or registered mail may be used for reactivation in this case. Proof of attendance at the course work, whether or not the applicant attained a passing grade in the course, shall be sufficient to satisfy requirements for renewal. The 15 clock hours' course work requirement shall apply to each two-year license renewal, and hours in excess of 15 shall not be cumulated or credited for the purpose of subsequent license renewals. The commission shall develop standards for approval of courses, and shall require certification of the course work of the applicant.

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

(2) This section shall apply to renewals of licenses which expire after September 30, 1986. An applicant for first renewal who has been licensed for not more than one year shall not be required to comply with this section for the first renewal of the applicant's license. Any licensee reaching the age of 65 on or before September 30, 2000, and having been licensed 10 years prior to that date shall be exempt from this section.

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

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

(Acts 1951, No. 422, p. 745, §10; Acts 1963, No. 290, p. 734, §8; Acts 1967, No. 386, p. 973, §1; Acts 1971, No. 2485, p. 3966, §10; Acts 1971, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 310, p. 4599, §1; Acts 1975, No. 563, p. 1276, §1; Acts 1978, No. 654, p. 932, §1; Acts 1979, No. 79-690, p. 1221, §1; Acts 1982, No. 82-231, p. 292, §1; Acts 1983, No. 83-516, p. 781, §1; Acts 1985, No. 85-750, p. 1204, §1; Acts 1986, No. 86-298, p. 427, § 1; Acts 1986, No. 86-418, p. 624, §1; Acts 1988, No. 88-214, p. 315, §3; Acts 1989, No. 89-284, p. 447, §4; Acts 1992, No. 92-177, p. 305, §3; Acts 1995, No. 95-679, p. 1483, §1; Acts 1996, No. 96-791, p. 1471, §1; Act 99-518, p. 1140, §1; Act 2001-310, p. 391, §1; Act 2003-298, p. 701, §1; Act 2005-314, 1st Sp. Sess., p. 646, §1; Act 2014-443, §1.)