New York Laws
Article 12-A - Real Estate Brokers and Real Estate Salespersons
441 - Application for License.

(i) The name and residence address of the applicant, and if an
individual the name under which they intend to conduct business.
(ii) If the applicant be a copartnership the name and residence
address of each member thereof and the name under which the business is
to be conducted; or, if the applicant be a limited liability company,
the name of the company, and the name and residence of each of its
members; or, if the applicant be a corporation, the name of the
corporation and the name and residence address of each of its officers.
(iii) The place or places, including the city, town or village, with
the street and number, where the business is to be conducted.
(iv) The business or occupation theretofore engaged in by the
applicant, or, if a copartnership, by each member thereof, or, if a
limited liability company, by each member thereof, or, if a corporation,
by each officer thereof, for a period of two years, immediately
preceding the date of such application, setting forth the place or
places where such business or occupation was engaged in and the name or
names of employers, if any.
(v) The form, information and statement required by section 3-503 of
the general obligations law.
(b) Such further information as the department may reasonably require
shall be furnished by the applicant including sufficient proof of having
taken and passed a written examination and answered such questions as
may be prepared by the department to enable it to determine the
trustworthiness of the applicant if an individual, or of each member of
a co-partnership or each member of a limited liability company or each
officer of a corporation for whom a license as a broker is asked, and
their competency to transact the business of real estate broker in such
a manner as to safeguard the interests of the public. In determining
competency, the department shall require proof that the person being
tested to qualify to apply for a broker's license has a fair knowledge
of the English language, a fair understanding of the general purposes
and general legal effect of deeds, mortgages, land contracts of sale,
and leases, a general and fair understanding of the obligations between
principal and agent, has taken a class on cultural competency training,
a general and fair understanding of the laws, rules and regulations
pertaining to fair housing and discrimination in the sale or rental of
real property or an interest in real property, as well as of the
provisions of this section. The applicant must also furnish proof that
they have attended for at least one hundred fifty-two hours and has
successfully completed a real estate course or courses approved by the
secretary of state as to method and content and supervision which
approval may be withdrawn if in the opinion of the secretary of state
said course or courses are not being conducted properly as to method,
content and supervision, and that either the applicant has actively
participated in the general real estate brokerage business as a licensed
real estate salesperson under the supervision of a licensed real estate
broker for a period of not less than two years or has had the equivalent
experience in general real estate business for a period of at least
three years, the nature of which experience shall be established by

affidavit duly sworn to under oath and/or other and further proof
required by the department of state. Computer-based and
distance-learning courses may be approved by the department so long as
providers demonstrate the ability to monitor and verify participation by
the applicant for the specified time period. Notwithstanding the
foregoing authority to approve computer-based and distance-learning
courses, the department may prescribe that specified subjects or hours
must be presented in a classroom setting. For purposes of this section,
cultural competency is defined as understanding cultural norms,
preferences and challenges within our diverse communities.
(c) In the event the applicant shall be a licensed salesperson under
this article and shall have submitted acceptable proof pursuant to the
provisions of either paragraph (d) of subdivision one-A of this section
or paragraph (a) of subdivision three of this section of having attended
and successfully completed seventy-seven hours of an approved real
estate course or courses, six hours of which have been focused on fair
housing and discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an
interest in real property, within eight years of the date of the
application, the department may accept and credit same against the one
hundred fifty-two hours required hereunder.
(d) The one hundred fifty-two hours of an approved real estate course
or courses required by paragraph (b) of this subdivision shall include
instruction on fair housing and discrimination in the sale or rental of
real property or an interest in real property as described in paragraph
(e) of subdivision three of this section and instruction on the licensed
real estate broker's responsibility for ensuring that each licensed real
estate salesman under such broker's supervision is in compliance with
his or her obligations under applicable federal, state, and local laws,
rules, and regulations pertaining to fair housing and discrimination in
the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property.
1-A. (a) Every application for a real estate salesperson's license
shall set forth:
(i) The name and residence address of the applicant.
(ii) The name and principal business address of the broker with whom
they are to be associated.
(iii) The business or occupation engaged in for the two years
immediately preceding the date of the application, setting forth the
place or places where such business or occupation was engaged in, and
the name or names of employers if any.
(iv) The length of time they have been engaged in the real estate
business.
(v) The form, information and statement required by section 3-503 of
the general obligations law.
(b) Each applicant for a salesperson's license shall provide such
further information as the department may reasonably require, appearing
at such time and place as may be designated by the department, to take a
written examination and answer such questions as may be prepared by the
department to enable it to determine the trustworthiness of the
applicant and the applicant's competence to transact the business of
real estate salesperson in such a manner as to safeguard the interests
of the public, including the applicant's working knowledge of the basic
concepts of law pertaining to contracts, real property, agency and this
article which govern conduct of such business, knowledge of laws, rules,
and regulations pertaining to fair housing and discrimination in the
sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property, mastery
of basic skills needed to perform the applicant's duties, working
knowledge of the ethical obligations of a real estate salesperson, and

knowledge of the provisions of the general obligations law pertaining to
performance of the applicant's duties.
(c) Each application for either a broker's or salesperson's license
under this article shall be subscribed by the applicant; or if made by a
co-partnership it shall be subscribed by a member thereof, or if made by
a corporation it shall be subscribed by an officer thereof, and shall
conform to the requirements of section 3-503 of the general obligations
law. Each application shall contain an affirmation by the person so
subscribing that the statements therein are true under the penalties of
perjury. An application for a license shall be accompanied by the
appropriate license fee, as hereinafter prescribed in this article.
(d) Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, on and after the
effective date of this paragraph, no salesperson's license or
conditional license shall be issued by the department unless the
application therefor has been accompanied by proof that prior to such
application the applicant has attended at least seventy-seven hours and
successfully completed a real estate course or courses approved by the
secretary of state as to method and content and supervision, which
approval may be withdrawn if in the opinion of the secretary of state
said course or courses are not properly conducted as to method, content
and supervision. Computer-based and distance-learning courses may be
approved by the department so long as providers demonstrate the ability
to monitor and verify participation by the applicant for the specified
time period. Notwithstanding the foregoing authority to approve
computer-based and distance-learning courses, the department may
prescribe that specified subjects or hours must be presented in a
classroom setting.
2. Renewals. Any license granted under the provision hereof may be
renewed by the department upon application therefor by the holder
thereof, in such form as the department may prescribe and conforming to
the requirements of section 3-503 of the general obligations law, and
payment of the fee for such license. In case of application for renewal
of license, the department may dispense with the requirement of such
statements as it deems unnecessary in view of those contained in the
original application for license but may not dispense with the
requirements of section 3-503 of the general obligations law. A renewal
period within the meaning of this act is considered as being a period of
two years from the date of expiration of a previously issued license.
The department shall require any applicant, who does not apply for
renewal of license within such period, to qualify by passing the written
examination as provided herein, and may require any licensee who has not
yet passed the written examination, and who cannot reasonably prove to
the satisfaction of the department, that he can meet the competency
requirements, to pass the written examination before a renewal of
license shall be granted; provided, however, that a person who failed or
was unable to renew his license by reason of his induction or enlistment
in the armed forces of the United States shall not be required to take
or pass such examination.
3. (a) No renewal license shall be issued any licensee under this
article for any license period commencing November first, nineteen
hundred ninety-five unless such licensee shall have within the two year
period immediately preceding such renewal attended at least twenty-two
and one-half hours which shall include at least two hours of cultural
competency training, at least three hours of instruction pertaining to
fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real
property or an interest in real property, at least two hours of
instruction pertaining to implicit bias awareness and understanding, at
least two and one-half hours of instruction pertaining to ethical

business practices, at least one hour of instruction pertaining to
recent legal matters governing the practice of real estate brokers and
salespersons in New York which may include statutes, laws, regulations,
rules, codes, department of state opinions and decisions, and court
decisions and at least one hour of instruction pertaining to the law of
agency except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for
real estate salespersons, two hours of agency related instruction must
be completed, and successfully completed a continuing education real
estate course or courses approved by the secretary of state as to
method, content and supervision, which approval may be withdrawn if in
the opinion of the secretary of state such course or courses are not
being conducted properly as to method, content and supervision. For
those individuals licensed pursuant to subdivision six of section four
hundred forty-two-g of this article, in the individual's initial license
term, at least eleven hours of the required twenty-two and one-half
hours of continuing education shall be completed during the first year
of the term. Of those eleven hours, three hours shall pertain to
applicable New York state statutes and regulations governing the
practice of real estate brokers and salespersons. To establish
compliance with the continuing education requirements imposed by this
section, licensees shall provide an affidavit, in a form acceptable to
the department of state, establishing the nature of the continuing
education acquired and shall provide such further proof as required by
the department of state. For purposes of this subdivision, "implicit
bias" shall mean the attitudes or stereotypes that affect an
individual's understanding, actions and decisions in an unconscious
manner.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section four hundred one of the
state administrative procedure act, except as provided in this
paragraph, no license issued under this article shall continue in effect
beyond the period for which it is issued if the proof of attendance
required hereunder is not submitted and accepted prior to such
expiration date. The department in its discretion may however issue a
temporary renewal license for such period of time it deems appropriate
to permit the submission of the required proof of attendance when the
failure to submit such proof is not due to the fault of the licensee.
(c) (i) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules establishing the
method, content, setting and supervision requirements of the continuing
education real estate course or courses provided for in this section. In
establishing the requirements for the continuing education course or
courses, the secretary of state shall permit alternatives with respect
to content and method of presentation in consideration of the type of
brokerage practiced and the availability of the sources of such course
or courses in different areas of the state. Each course shall have an
established curriculum composed primarily of real estate practice and
professional responsibility and ethics and properly prepared written
materials of the subject matter which shall be distributed as part of
the course. It shall be taught by a qualified faculty with attorneys
presenting legal subjects. Credit shall be awarded on the basis of one
hour for each sixty minutes of actual attendance and records shall be
maintained of attendance at each session which shall be transmitted to
the department at the conclusion of the course. Computer-based and
distance learning courses may be approved by the department so long as
providers demonstrate the ability to monitor and verify participation by
the licensee for the specified time period.
(ii) The secretary of state shall require approved faculty to sign and
affirm, under penalty of perjury, a document, approved by and submitted
electronically to the department of state, attesting to compliance with

all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements pertaining to the
instruction of the established curriculum. The secretary of state shall
promulgate penalties for faculty that fail to meet the obligations
required under this section and department of state regulations
including, but not limited to, the temporary suspension of their
instructor certificate for the first such failure and the revocation of
their instructor certificate for any subsequent failure.
(d) The state real estate board, created pursuant to section four
hundred forty-two-i of this article, shall not have the power to
promulgate any rule, regulation or guidance requiring continuing
education for real estate brokers or salespeople except those
requirements set forth in subdivisions two and three of section four
hundred forty-two-k of this article.
(e) The secretary of state shall, upon notice and a public hearing,
promulgate rules establishing the content of the instruction pertaining
to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real
property or an interest in real property required by paragraph (a) of
this subdivision. Such instruction shall include, but not be limited to,
courses on: (1) the legacy of segregation, unequal treatment, and
historic lack of access to opportunity in housing; (2) unequal access to
amenities and resources on the basis of race, disability, and other
protected characteristics; (3) federal, state, and local fair housing
laws; and (4) anti-bias training.
4. The fees provided for by this section shall not be refundable.