(A)(1) The Ohio real estate commission may adopt reasonable rules in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, necessary for implementing the provisions of this chapter relating, but not limited to, the following:

Terms Used In Ohio Code 4735.10

  • Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
  • Brokerage: includes the affiliated licensees who have been assigned management duties that include supervision of licensees whose duties may conflict with those of other affiliated licensees. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Foreign real estate: means real estate not situated in this state and any interest in real estate not situated in this state. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Foreign real estate dealer: includes any person, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation, foreign or domestic, who for another, whether pursuant to a power of attorney or otherwise, and who for a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration, or with the intention, or in the expectation, or upon the promise of receiving or collecting a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration, does or deals in any act or transaction specified or comprehended in division (A) of this section with respect to foreign real estate. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Licensee: means any individual licensed as a real estate broker or salesperson by the Ohio real estate commission pursuant to this chapter. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Principal broker: means an individual licensed as a real estate broker under this chapter who oversees and directs the operations of the brokerage. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Real estate: includes leaseholds as well as any and every interest or estate in land situated in this state, whether corporeal or incorporeal, whether freehold or nonfreehold, and the improvements on the land, but does not include cemetery interment rights. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Real estate broker: includes any person, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation, foreign or domestic, who for another, whether pursuant to a power of attorney or otherwise, and who for a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration, or with the intention, or in the expectation, or upon the promise of receiving or collecting a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration does any of the following:

    (1) Sells, exchanges, purchases, rents, or leases, or negotiates the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of any real estate;

    (2) Offers, attempts, or agrees to negotiate the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of any real estate;

    (3) Lists, or offers, attempts, or agrees to list, or auctions, or offers, attempts, or agrees to auction, any real estate;

    (4) Buys or offers to buy, sells or offers to sell, or otherwise deals in options on real estate;

    (5) Operates, manages, or rents, or offers or attempts to operate, manage, or rent, other than as custodian, caretaker, or janitor, any building or portions of buildings to the public as tenants;

    (6) Advertises or holds self out as engaged in the business of selling, exchanging, purchasing, renting, or leasing real estate;

    (7) Directs or assists in the procuring of prospects or the negotiation of any transaction, other than mortgage financing, which does or is calculated to result in the sale, exchange, leasing, or renting of any real estate;

    (8) Is engaged in the business of charging an advance fee or contracting for collection of a fee in connection with any contract whereby the broker undertakes primarily to promote the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of real estate through its listing in a publication issued primarily for such purpose, or for referral of information concerning such real estate to brokers, or both, except that this division does not apply to a publisher of listings or compilations of sales of real estate by their owners;

    (9) Collects rental information for purposes of referring prospective tenants to rental units or locations of such units and charges the prospective tenants a fee. See Ohio Code 4735.01

  • Real estate salesperson: means any person associated with a licensed real estate broker to do or to deal in any acts or transactions set out or comprehended by the definition of a real estate broker, for compensation or otherwise. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Rule: includes regulation. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • superintendent of real estate: means the superintendent of the division of real estate and professional licensing of this state. See Ohio Code 4735.01
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

(a) The form and manner of filing applications for licensure;

(b) Times and form of examination for license;

(c) Placing an existing broker’s license on deposit or a salesperson’s license on an inactive status for an indefinite period;

(d) Specifying the process by which a licensee may resign the licensee’s license;

(e) Defining any additional license status that the commission determines is necessary and that is not otherwise defined in this chapter and establishing the process by which a licensee places the licensee’s license in a status defined by the commission in the rules the commission adopts;

(f) Clarification of the activities that require a license under this chapter;

(g) Permitting a broker to act as principal broker for more than one brokerage.

(2) The commission shall adopt reasonable rules in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, for implementing the provisions of this chapter relating to the following:

(a) The issuance, renewal, suspension, and revocation of licenses, other sanctions that may be imposed for violations of this chapter, the conduct of hearings related to these actions, and the process of reactivating a license;

(b) A three-year license and a three-year license renewal system;

(c) Standards for the approval of the postlicensure courses as required by division (G) of section 4735.07 and division (J) of section 4735.09 of the Revised Code, courses of study required for licenses, courses offered in preparation for license examinations, or courses required as continuing education for licenses.

(d) Guidelines to ensure that continuing education classes are open to all persons licensed under this chapter. The rules shall specify that an organization that sponsors a continuing education class may offer its members a reasonable reduction in the fees charged for the class.

(e) Requirements for trust accounts and property management accounts. The rules shall specify that:

(i) Brokerages engaged in the management of property for another may, pursuant to a written contract with the property owner, exercise signatory authority for withdrawals from property management accounts maintained in the name of the property owner. The exercise of authority for withdrawals does not constitute a violation of any provision of division (A) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code.

(ii) The interest earned on property management trust accounts maintained in the name of the property owner or the broker shall be payable to the property owner unless otherwise specified in a written contract.

(f) Notice of renewal forms and filing deadlines;

(g) Special assessments under division (A) of section 4735.12 of the Revised Code.

(B) The commission may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code establishing standards and guidelines with which the superintendent of real estate shall comply in the exercise of the following powers:

(1) Appointment and recommendation of ancillary trustees under section 4735.05 of the Revised Code;

(2) Rejection of names proposed to be used by partnerships, associations, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, and corporations, under division (B) of section 4735.06 of the Revised Code, including procedures for the application and approval of more than one trade name for a brokerage;

(3) Acceptance and rejection of applications to take the broker and salesperson examinations and licensure, with appropriate waivers pursuant to division (E) of section 4735.07 and section 4735.09 of the Revised Code;

(4) Approval of applications of brokers to place their licenses in an inactive status and to become salespersons under section 4735.13 of the Revised Code;

(5) Appointment of hearing examiners under section 119.09 of the Revised Code;

(6) Acceptance and rejection of applications to take the foreign real estate dealer and salesperson examinations and licensure, with waiver of examination, under sections 4735.27 and 4735.28 of the Revised Code;

(7) Qualification of foreign real estate under section 4735.25 of the Revised Code.

If at any time there is no rule in effect establishing a guideline or standard required by this division, the superintendent may adopt a rule in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code for such purpose.

(C) The commission or superintendent may hear testimony in matters relating to the duties imposed upon them, and the president of the commission and superintendent may administer oaths. The commission or superintendent may require other proof of the honesty and truthfulness of any person named in an application for a real estate broker‘s or real estate salesperson‘s license before admitting the applicant to the examination or issuing a license.

Last updated March 3, 2023 at 9:34 AM