(1) A real estate broker or principal real estate broker conducting professional real estate activity within this state may not bring or maintain any action for the collection of compensation without alleging and proving that the individual was a real estate licensee when the alleged cause of action arose.

(2) An action for collection of compensation from a client for professional real estate activity conducted by a real estate broker associated with a principal real estate broker may not be brought or maintained except by the principal real estate broker with whom the real estate broker was associated when the alleged cause of action arose. [Amended by 1981 c.617 § 32; 1991 c.5 § 44; 2001 c.300 § 43; 2007 c.319 § 18; 2017 c.234 § 26]