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Best Practices for Passing Your Oregon Real Estate Agency Education Audit

by | Jan 21, 2014

(Jeff Sorg, OnlineEd) – As reported by OnlineEd® earlier this month, the Oregon Real Estate Agency released the results of its first continuing education audit. This audit revealed that 22% of the licensees audited failed because of :

  • fraudulent or altered certificates;
  • courses completed from non-agency-certified continuing education providers; or
  • not enough hours.
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Continuing Education Audit Form Map

Only 55% of the licensees met the agency’s audit requirements and appeared to be in compliance with all requirements for license renewal.

The remaining 23% of licensees did not meet the audit requirements because of late or missing documentation. It’s this 23% of the licensees who failed because of late or missing documentation we hope to help with this post. By following these guidelines and suggestions, licensees will be able to make sure they are ready when they receive their audit notice:

  • Every broker is responsible for tracking their own continuing education hours. While your agency-approved education provider might be asked to verify your participation in the qualifying education you reported, it is not their responsibility to renew your license or otherwise report your education to the Agency.
  • Brokers renewing for the first time are required to complete the 27-hour Broker Advanced Practices (BAP) course and the 3-hour Law and Rule Required Course (LARRC). Together these two courses make the required 30-hours of education. LARRC is NOT part of BAP and is to be delivered as a standalone course.
  • Brokers renewing for a second or subsequent time are required to complete 27-hours of approved education, plus the 3-hour LARRC in the two years preceding their license renewal. The 27-hours can be BAP or regular, qualifying continuing education.
  • In order for education to qualify, it must be delivered by an Oregon Real Estate Agency approved provider, and be categorized by the provider in one of the Agency’s approved topics of study.
  • List the qualifying education on the Agency’s form, Continuing Education Record (see below).
  • Maintain your continuing education certificates of completion or attendance and your Continuing Education Record form for at least three years after they were used for your license renewal.
  • Log into the Agency’s e-Licensing system, swear under penalty, including license revocation, that you have completed your required education and pay the license renewal fee.

Note: If you are renewing an inactive license, you are not required to complete any continuing education.  Prior to activating your license, you must then meet the applicable continuing education and other requirements.

In addition to the above, the Agency suggests these best practices to help with your audit:

  • Don’t renew your license until you have completed your required education;
  • Make sure your email and mailing addresses are up to date with the Agency to avoid missing important notifications;
  • Take your continuing education from Agency-certified providers;
  • Keep your certificates of attendance and Continuing Education Record form for three years after your license renewal; and
  • Don’t fraudulently produce or otherwise modify a continuing education certificate.

Download the OnlineEd guide to completing your Continuing Education Audit form here.

To renew a license without meeting the agency’s continuing education requirements is a violation of Oregon real estate license law and may result in administrative action against the licensee.

 

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For more information about OnlineEd and their Oregon pre-license and continuing education courses for real estate licensees, please visit www.OnlineEd.com or telephone Chris Culbertson at 503.670.9278.OnlineEd is  Oregon owned and operated Oregon Real Estate Agency Certified Continuing Education Provider No. 1038.

This article was published on January 20, 2014. All information contained in this posting is deemed correct and current as of this date, but is not guaranteed by the author. Due to the fluid nature of the subject matter, regulations, requirements, laws, prices and all other information may or may not be correct in the future and should be verified if cited, shared or otherwise republished.

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