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Frequently Asked Licensing and Education Questions for COVID-19

The Education FAQs being provided by NYSAR are based upon what we believe to be true through ongoing communications with various state agencies. NYSAR’s role is to provide information in the best interest of all of our members in every part of New York, and where state guidance is unclear we offer the narrowest possible interpretation so as not to expose members to potential liability, as well as preventing the spread of COVID-19.

 

The Division of Licensing Services will continue to allow educational providers to offer courses in a Live Distance Education delivery method for real estate qualifying and continuing education courses.  If you are offering these courses in this manner currently and would like to continue, or if you would like to submit a new course, please follow the below instructions.

Live Distance Education is the use of live webinar technology to offer courses originally designed to be presented by an instructor in a traditional classroom setting.  A live distance education program must meet the following requirements:

  • Have available devices with video and/or microphone for required participation and verification
  • Be available to DOS for active live audit, see 19 NYCRR § 177.21.
  • Have an instructor who is teaching the course and monitoring attendance that is approved pursuant to the existing rules governing qualifying and continuing education
  • Ensure that the instructor maintains an attendance roster, which includes verifying classroom and remote attendance.  An example would include taking attendance at various established times during the course
  • Program contains a time-default mechanism for inactivity (e.g., instructor provides codes throughout the course that student is required to provide back to the school with their certification)
  • Obtain from each student a signed and dated statement that he or she personally completed each module of the learning program 19 NYCRR §§ 176.23; 177.22
  • Please note that qualifying courses must include a proctored final examination which must be held at a location within New York State approved by the Department

Educational providers who wish to offer Live Distance Education for a new course will need to submit an original application.  Educational providers who wish to offer Live Distance Education for a course already approved for a traditional classroom setting can submit  new application indicating a change in the procedures for taking attendance along with the existing course code number.  A description of the educational providers proposed method for live distance education would need to accompany the applications.  There will be no additional fee for educational providers adding a type of delivery method.

Notice to educational providers granted temporary approval to offer Live Distance Education courses for delivery through the COVID-19 restriction period:   Once your area has met the requirements to reopen, the “temporary” approval you received is no longer in effect.  You will need to revert back to your classroom approval and apply for Live Distance Education approval to continue offering your course(es) in this manner.  If you have any questions about this requirement, you may contact the Bureau of Educational Standards at [email protected].

The application for the Sales/Broker Qualifying course can be downloaded from the Department’s website here.

The renewal application for the Sales/Broker qualifying course can be downloaded from the Department’s website here.

The application for the 30-hour remedial course may be downloaded here.

The renewal application for the 30-hour remedial course may be downloaded here.

The application for a continuing education course may be downloaded here.

The renewal application for a continuing education course may be downloaded here.

In response to the inquiries we have received regarding reopening guidance, please refer to the NYForward website (https://forward.ny.gov/).  You will find the look-up tool to assist with whether you are permitted to reopen and, if so, the reopening standards.

  1. From the NY Forward homepage, you should click on the box for “Essential Businesses” (https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026).  At the bottom of the page is a link to the “Business Reopening Lookup Tool”
  2. After you click on the box for the lookup tool, you will click “Get Started”
  3. The website will prompt you to enter relevant information.  You will need to:
    • Select the County where your business is located
    • Click “Next”
    • Select “Filter by Category”
    • Enter the following information into the pop-up box
    • Industry Sector: Educational Services
    • Subsector: Educational Services
    • Industry: Technical and Trade Schools
    • Industry Classification: technical and trade schools
  • Click “Next”
  • The tool will then let you know if you are permitted to operate.  If so, reopening guidance can be downloaded and printed.

Continuing education courses are now available. If licensees are having difficulty finding an available continuing education course, please contact the Department at (518) 474 – 4429.

The Division is currently offering all examinations  based on established schedules and following all established recommended guidelines and safety requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Accordingly, all exam sites will reduce capacities to ensure that the recommended six-foot social distancing standards are followed.  For the immediate future, in order to effectively manage these standards, all written exams will require the exam candidate to schedule their exam date prior to appearing for an exam. Please visit the below link before attending your scheduled exam.

Mandatory COVID-19 Precautions Checklist — candidates should refer to this checklist prior to appearing for exam

Effective March 27, 2020, pursuant to Executive Order 202.11, any license issued by the Division of Licensing Services or New York State Athletic Commission, that expires after that date, shall remain in effect until April 16, 2021. Further, the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, has advised that appraisers within New York have been granted a 90-day deferment for meeting continuing education requirements. Any license holder that is eligible to renew and does not need the extension is encouraged to do so; all other license holders may rely on the above extensions. IF YOU ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING AN AVAILABLE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE, PLEASE CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT AT (518) 474-4429. ALL REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION MUST BE COMPLETED ON OR BEFORE April 16, 2021.

Please note licensees who submit a renewal after the expiration date printed on their license but by April 16, 2021 will see a change in their license term dates upon renewal, however, our office will maintain a record of the EO extension and your license will considered continuous licensure for this period.

The New York State Department of State Division of Licensing Services has recently begun the process of assigning new dates for people to take their real estate licensing exam that was postponed due to COVID-19.  After you receive confirmation via email, if the rescheduled date and time is not acceptable, candidates may reschedule their exam through their online account up to six days before the new date.

For more information on cancellations please click here.

Those wishing to schedule an exam (and were NOT previously cancelled) should visit eAccessNY and make an account to register.

Please note that all locations except NYC and Pomona are open.

 

During the COVID-19 period, the Division of Licensing Services will consider allowing course providers to temporarily administer exams in a distance learning format.  Each school needs to provide our office with a detailed description of their secure remote live proctoring process for approval.

The Division of Licensing Services is allowing educational providers to offer courses through the use of live broadcasting. Visit NYSAR’s Education Schedule for upcoming designation courses delivered via Zoom or check your local board’s website for available CE programs.