(a) Upon receipt of a completed application and the appropriate fees, the department, upon authorization of the commission, shall: (1) Issue and deliver to the applicant a certificate of registration; or (2) refuse to issue the certificate. The commission may suspend, revoke or refuse to issue or renew any certificate issued under sections 20-450 to 20-462, inclusive, or may place a registrant on probation or issue a letter of reprimand for any of the reasons stated in § 20-456. No application for the reinstatement of a certificate which has been revoked shall be accepted by the department within one year after the date of such revocation.

(b) Any person issued an initial certificate of registration as a community association manager prior to October 1, 2019, shall, not later than one year following the date of issuance of such certificate, successfully complete a nationally recognized course on community association management and pass the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers’ Certified Manager of Community Associations examination, or a similar examination as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection in regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

(c) Any person applying for an initial certificate of registration as a community association manager shall successfully complete a nationally recognized course on community association management and pass the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers’ Certified Manager of Community Associations examination, or a similar examination as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection in regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, prior to being issued such certificate.

(d) The department, with the advice and assistance of the commission, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, concerning any examination required for certification under this chapter and the approval of schools, institutions or organizations offering courses in current practices and laws concerning community association management and the content of such courses. Such regulations shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Specifications for meeting the educational requirements prescribed in this section; and (2) exemptions from the educational requirements for reasons of health or instances of individual hardship. In adopting such regulations, the department may not disapprove a school, institution or organization that offers an examination or courses in current practices and laws concerning community association management solely because its examination or courses are offered or taught by electronic means, nor may the department disapprove an examination or course solely because it is offered or taught by electronic means.

(e) An applicant for renewal of registration as a community association manager shall, in addition to the other requirements imposed by the provisions of this chapter, complete sixteen hours of continuing education over the course of the two-year period, retain proof of completion, and, upon request, provide such proof to the department. Continuing education shall consist of a course or courses, offered by the Connecticut chapter of the Community Associations Institute, in community association management techniques and common interest community law, or similar courses as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection in regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.