§ 441. Application for license. 1. Form. (a) Any person, copartnership, limited liability company or corporation desiring to act as a real estate broker or any person desiring to act as a real estate salesperson on or after the first day of October, nineteen hundred twenty-two, shall file with the department of state at its office in Albany an application for the kind of license desired, in such form and detail as such department shall prescribe and conforming to the requirements of section 3-503 of the general obligations law, setting forth the following, if the application be for a broker's license:

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(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.