(1)    No licensee may provide brokerage services on behalf of a firm unless all of the following apply:

      (a)    The licensee is associated with the firm.

      (b)    The licensee has notified the department that the licensee is associated with the firm.

   (2)   A licensee may notify the department that the licensee is associated with a firm under sub. (1) (b) by doing one of the following:

      (a)    Providing the notice at the time the licensee first applies for licensure as a broker or salesperson. No separate fee for notifying the department may be required for such a notification under this paragraph.

      (b)    Notifying the department through the use of a form prescribed by the department and paying the transfer fee specified in s. 440.05 (7).

   (3)   A licensee who is associated with a firm may notify the department that the licensee has become associated with another firm using the method specified in sub. (2) (b).

   (4)   

      (a)    A licensee that ceases to be associated with a firm shall, through the use of a form prescribed by the department, send written notice to the department within 10 days after the date on which the licensee ceases to be associated with the firm.

      (b)    A firm that terminates a licensee from being associated with the firm shall, through the use of a form prescribed by the department, send written notice of that termination to the department within 10 days after the termination.

   (5)   No licensee may be associated with a firm if the firm’s license has been suspended or revoked during the period of suspension or revocation. The licensee may become associated with another firm, provided the licensee is not a party to the activities causing the suspension or revocation of the firm’s license. If the licensee becomes associated with another firm, the licensee may not provide brokerage services on behalf of that firm until sub. (1) (b) has been satisfied.

   (6)   

      (a)    A broker who is associated with a firm may also engage in independent real estate practice in his or her own name or under the name of a licensed broker business entity, if the broker obtains written approval from and avoids conflicts of interest with each firm with which the broker is associated. The written approval shall specify all of the following:

         1.    Whether the broker engaging in independent practice may engage other licensees to work under the broker.

         2.    That the broker engaging in independent practice is responsible for the supervision of any licensees associated with the broker.

      (b)    Before engaging in independent practice as provided in par. (a), a broker shall notify the department of that fact and of the name under which the broker will engage in independent practice. The broker shall notify the department using any form or other method prescribed by the department for that purpose.

      (c)    A broker that is engaging in independent practice shall not be considered to be associated with a firm that approved the broker engaging in independent practice under par. (a) with respect to the broker’s independent practice activities.

   (7)   

      (a)    A salesperson may be associated with only one firm at a given time.

      (b)    A salesperson may not engage in independent real estate practice and may engage in real estate practice only when associated with a firm.