West Virginia Code 30-40-5 – Scope of practice; exceptions

(a) The practice of real estate brokerage includes acting in the capacity of a broker, associate broker, or salesperson as defined in § 30-40-4 of this code.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 30-40-5

Associate broker: means any person who qualifies for a broker's license, but who is employed or engaged by a licensed broker to engage in any activity regulated by this article, in the name of and under the direct supervision of the licensed broker. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
Broker: means any person who for compensation or with the intention or expectation of receiving or collecting compensation:
(1) Lists, sells, purchases, exchanges, options, rents, manages, leases, or auctions any interest in real estate. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Compensation: means fee, commission, salary, or other valuable consideration, in the form of money or otherwise. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Decedent: A deceased person.
Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
Entity: means a business, company, corporation, limited liability company, association, or partnership. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
License: means a license to act as a broker, associate broker, or salesperson. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
Real estate: means any interest or estate in land, and anything permanently affixed to land. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Salesperson: means a person employed or engaged by or on behalf of a broker to do or deal in any activity included in this article, in the name of and under the direct supervision of a broker, other than an associate broker: Provided, That for the purposes of receiving compensation, a salesperson may designate an entity to receive any compensation payable to the salesperson, including, but not limited to, a limited liability corporation or an S-corporation. See West Virginia Code 30-40-4
Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

(b) The practice of real estate brokerage does not include the activities normally performed by an appraiser, mortgage company, lawyer, engineer, contractor, surveyor, home inspector, or other professional who may perform an ancillary service in conjunction with a real estate transaction.

(1) Any person acting on his or her own behalf as owner or lessor of real estate.

(2) The regular employees of an owner of real estate, who perform any acts regulated by this article, where the acts are incidental to the management of the real estate: Provided, That the employee does not receive additional compensation for the act and does not perform the act as a vocation.

(3) Attorneys-at-law: Provided, That attorneys-at-law shall be required to submit to the written examination required under § 30-40-12 of this code in order to qualify for a broker’s license: Provided, however, That an attorney-at-law who is licensed as a real estate broker prior to July 1, 1980, is exempt from the written examination required under § 30-40-12 of this code.

(4) Any person holding, in good faith, a valid power of attorney from the owner or lessor of the real estate.

(5) Any person acting as a receiver, trustee, administrator, executor, guardian, conservator, or under the order of any court or under the authority of a deed of trust or will.

(6) A public officer while performing his or her official duties.

(7) Any person acquiring or disposing of any interest in timber or minerals, or acquiring or disposing of properties for easements and rights of way.

(8) Any person employed exclusively to act as the management or rental agent for the real estate of one person or entity.

(9) Any person properly licensed pursuant to the provisions of § 19-2C-1 et seq. of this code when conducting an auction, any portion of which contains any leasehold or estate in real estate, only when the person so licensed is retained to conduct an auction by:

(A) A receiver or trustee in bankruptcy;

(B) A fiduciary acting under the authority of a deed of trust or will; or

(10) Any person employed by a broker in a noncommissioned secretarial or clerical capacity who may in the normal course of employment, be required to:

(A) Disseminate brokerage preprinted and predetermined real estate sales and rental information;

(B) Accept and process rental reservations or bookings for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days in a manner and procedure predetermined by the broker;

(D) Make appointments on behalf of the broker or licensed salesperson with buyers and sellers of real estate and potential buyers and sellers of real estate; or

(E) Any combination thereof.

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