Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 520 - GEORGIA REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
Chapter 520-2 - STANDARDS FOR REAL ESTATE COURSES
Rule 520-2-.04 - Real Estate Courses

Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 520-2-.04

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024

(1) Developing and Offering Courses.

(a) Purpose. The Commission intends that all courses offered by its approved schools to meet the requirements of this Chapter shall be educational in nature. Schools should not specifically orient courses to the passing of state licensing examinations or other examinations. The courses should introduce students to the language of the profession and basic theory underlying the duties and responsibilities of real estate licensees. They should also seek to improve licensee's skills in handling the normal business activities of a licensee. Courses must require practice in the skills being taught and provide a significant number of exercises for practice of those skills. All courses should make students aware of the need for further study and the perfection of practical skills.

(b) Course Code. An approved school may not hold out a course as meeting the requirements of this Chapter until the course is posted on the Commission's electronic record of the school's courses or the school receives other written authorization from the Commission.

(2) Instructors. Only instructors approved by the Commission under the standards of this Chapter may instruct Salespersons Prelicense, Brokers Prelicense, or Community Association Managers Prelicense courses. Only instructors with appropriate experience and knowledge of the content areas of Salespersons Postlicense or continuing education courses may teach these courses.

(3) Hours of Instruction. For all courses under the requirements of this chapter, an "instructional hour" means a period of time of at least fifty minutes of instruction or other learning activity. In-class instruction and testing in any course shall not exceed seven and one-half hours per day. The school shall hold all in-class instruction between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. with breaks totaling at least fifteen minutes every two hours. The schedule must allow reasonable time for preparation for each classroom session. All in-class instruction for Brokers Prelicense course students shall be separate from all in-class instruction for Salespersons Prelicense course students. Instructors shall utilize no more than thirty minutes of audio or video material toward meeting any required in-class (or makeup) hours of instruction unless the Commission grants written authorization for such material prior to its use.

(4) Prelicense Courses.

(a) Documentation Required for Offered Courses. For each prelicense course, the approved school must maintain and make readily available to an authorized representative of the Commission the following documentation:
(1) Course Outline. A detailed course outline that identifies the hours to be spent on each subject area to be covered in the course and all planned exercises that students are required to complete.

(2) Learning Objectives. A detailed list of learning objectives for each instructional hour of the course. A learning objective is part of the overall goal of the course. An objective states, in terms that are measurable, what the student should be able to do, explain, or demonstrate upon mastery of the content of each hour of instruction.

(3) Texts. A list of text materials utilized in the course;

(4) Evaluation Materials. Copies of daily tests, final examinations, or other materials used to evaluate student performance;

(5) Student Records. - Records that identify each student and the student's attendance record and final grade for any course; and

(6) Course Evaluations. Written summaries of student evaluations of the courses.

(7) Ethics. Every course offered by an approved school for prelicense credit must include acknowledgment and coverage of the ethical implications of the subject matter of the course.

(8) Additional Subjects. Schools may offer units of instruction on subjects other than those required for courses cited in this Rule only with prior written authorization from the Commission.

(9) Reading Assignments and Exercises. For all prelicense courses cited in this Rule, schools must include with each instructional unit appropriate reading assignments for completion out of class. The school shall also require that students complete out of class extensive written exercises that the school grades.

(10) Student Certifications. Each out of class written assignment a student submits for grading must include the following:

I certify that I have personally completed this assignment.

__________ ___________________________

Date Student's Signature

The school shall refuse to grade any out of class written assignment on which the student does not sign this statement.

(11) An approved instructor and/or the school coordinator/director must grade the written course work required of students.

(b) Community Association Managers Prelicense Course. A Community Association Managers Prelicense Course must provide for a minimum of twenty-five instructional hours. Schools may not count time students spend on breaks as part of in-class instruction time. Time students spend in taking graded exercises and tests or final examinations may not constitute more than ten percent of in-class instruction time. The course must cover fundamentals in the following areas:
1. property law including Georgia laws on common interest ownership, public rights and limitations, and fair housing laws;

2. forms of ownership including planned unit development (PUD), homeowner's associations, condominiums, cooperatives, timeshares, townhouses, and master association relationships and how to interpret community association governing documents;

3. contracts and transaction documents including the content and negotiation of management agreements, the nature and content of insurance documents, and resale certificates;

4. real estate instruments and conveyances including notices, proxies, and liens and amendments to documents and the requirements for reinstatement;

5. law of agency including identifying and understanding agency relationships and duties between community association managers and association boards, members, and tenants of members; single and dual agency; and agency disclosure;

6. financing instruments and basic accounting practices including principles of accounting for trust accounts, for common interest associations, and for lender requirements for recertification;

7. Georgia real estate license law;

8. ethics in community association management;

9. environmental laws;

10. safety precautions; and/or

11. such other areas as the Commission may from time to time require or authorize.

(c) Salespersons Prelicense Course. A Salespersons Prelicense Course must provide for a minimum of seventy-five instructional hours. Schools may not count time students spend on breaks as part of the required instruction time. Time students spend in taking graded exercises and tests or final examinations may not constitute more than ten percent of the required instruction time. The course must cover fundamentals in the following areas:
1. real estate contracts including completing and presenting form real estate sales contracts with extensive practice with problems involving new FHA, VA, and conventional loans; loan assumptions; brokerage engagements; and leases (students must demonstrate proficiency in completing such form contracts by passing a school developed and administered test or by satisfying such other assessment measurements established by the school as the Commission may authorize);

2. real estate instruments and conveyances;

3. closing procedures (RESPA) including a salesperson's responsibilities at a loan closing conducted by someone else and an explanation of standard closing procedures and documents used in the salesperson's services area;

4. law of agency including agency disclosure;

5. pricing real property (students must demonstrate proficiency in preparing forms which document such pricing by passing a school developed and administered test or by satisfying such other assessment measurements established by the school as the Commission may authorize);

6. real estate financing including extensive practice in estimating costs of selling and purchasing property and estimating monthly payments (students must demonstrate proficiency in completing forms which document such estimates by passing a school developed and administered test or by satisfying such other assessment measurements established by the school as the Commission may authorize);

7. Georgia's Residential Mortgage Fraud law and methods for identifying possible fraud in transactions and properly reporting alleged fraud;

8. community association management activities and property management activities;

9. environmental laws;

10. taxation;

11. city and urban development;

12. fair housing;

13. anti-trust laws;

14. safety precautions;

15. Georgia's real estate license law; and/or

16. such other areas as the Commission may from time to time require or authorize.

(d) Brokers Prelicense Course. A Brokers Prelicense Course must provide for a minimum of sixty instructional hours. Schools may not count time students spend on breaks as part of the required instruction time. Time students spend in taking graded exercises and tests or the final examination may not constitute more than ten percent of the required instruction time. The Brokers Prelicense Course must review all subject areas covered in the Salespersons Prelicense Course so that students may learn advanced concepts in those areas. In addition, the course must include significant components covering conducting loan closings, real estate office management, personnel policies, trust account record keeping, discharging a broker's responsibility for associate licensees, and/or such other areas as the Commission may from time to time require or authorize.

(5) Sales Postlicense Course.

(a) Documentation Required for Offered Courses. For each postlicense course, the school must maintain and make readily available to an authorized representative of the Commission the following documentation:
(1) Course Outline. A detailed course outline that identifies the hours to be spent on each subject area to be covered in the course and all planned exercises that students are required to complete;

(2) Learning Objectives. A detailed list of learning objectives for each instructional hour of the course. A learning objective is part of the overall goal of the course. An objective states, in terms that are measurable, what the student should be able to do, explain, or demonstrate upon mastery of the content of each hour of instruction;

(3) Texts. A list of text materials utilized in the course;

(4) Evaluation Materials. Copies of daily tests, final examinations, or other materials used to evaluate student performance;

(5) Student Records. Records that identify each student and the student's attendance record; and

(6) Course Evaluations. Written summaries of student evaluations of the courses.

(7) Ethics. Every course offered by an approved school for postlicense credit must include acknowledgment and coverage of the ethical implications of the subject matter of the course.

(b) A Sales Postlicense Course must provide for a minimum of twenty-five instructional hours. Schools may not count time students spend on breaks as part of the required instruction time. Time students spend in taking graded exercises and tests or final examinations may not constitute more than ten percent of the required instruction time. The curriculum of the course must focus on legal fundamentals and/or basic practices in sales or management of residential, agricultural, commercial, or industrial properties. If the subject matter of the course addresses residential sales, then the course must include a component on Georgia's Residential Mortgage Fraud law and methods for identifying possible fraud in transactions and properly reporting alleged fraud.

(6) Continuing Education Courses. Every approved school must offer every calendar year a course designed to help licensees meet the continuing education requirements of O.C.G.A. § 43-40-8(e). This course or courses shall be in addition to the Community Association Managers Prelicense, Salespersons Prelicense, Sales Postlicense, or Brokers Prelicense Course.

(a) Documentation Required for Offered Courses. For each continuing education, course, the approved school must maintain and make readily available to an authorized representative of the Commission the following documentation:
(1) Course Outline. A detailed course outline that identifies the hours to be spent on each subject area to be covered in the course and all planned exercises that students are required to complete

(2) Learning Objectives. A detailed list of learning objectives for each instructional hour of the course. A learning objective is part of the overall goal of the course. An objective states, in terms that are measurable, what the student should be able to do, explain, or demonstrate upon mastery of the content of each hour of instruction.

(3) Texts. A list of text materials utilized in the course;

(4) Student Records. Records that identify each student and the student's attendance record; and

(5) Course Evaluations. Written summaries of student evaluations of the courses.

(b) Duration of Classes. No school may offer a continuing education course of fewer than three credit hours. A credit hour is defined as an "instructional hour" means a period of time of at least fifty minutes of instruction or other learning activity. In-class instruction and testing in any course must not exceed seven and one-half clock hours per day.

(c) Subject Areas. In order to provide reasonable guidelines for approved schools but without defining every area or topic of continuing education, the Commission has identified the following areas or topics of continuing education that are considered appropriate for continuing education in addition to the areas or topics found in paragraph (4) of this Rule. These areas or topics of continuing education are:
1. all forms of real estate including agricultural, commercial, and industrial;

2. real estate development and construction

3. real estate legal descriptions, plats, and surveys;

4. land use and zoning;

5. property management, landlord/tenant issues;

6. real estate ad valorem taxes;

7. real estate title issues;

8. water rights;

9. real estate income tax issues;

10. real estate inspections;

11. business brokerage;

12. real estate auctions;

13. ethics; and

14. such other subjects as the Commission may deem appropriate.

The Commission has identified the following areas or topics that may not be considered appropriate areas or topics of continuing education unless the area or topic has the prior written authorization of the Commission. Courses designed for the personal growth, business development, or to specifically benefit the real estate licensee are discouraged. The areas or topics of continuing education that may not be considered appropriate for continuing education include, but are not limited to:

1. the psychology of selling;

2. personality assessments;

3. business development;

4. personal real estate investing;

5. retirement planning;

6. personal or business branding such as dress and presentation techniques;

7. motivational classes or seminars;

8. time management classes;

9. sales and marketing techniques unrelated to real estate;

10. instruction in the use of technology, computers, or other devices; and

11. training in social media;

Courses that have already been issued a course approval code may continue until such time as further approval may be required.

(d) Courses Exceeding Twenty-Four Hours. The Commission will accept any course for continuing education credit that exceeds twenty-four classroom hours in length only if such course also meets all requirements for approval as a Sales Postlicense course.

(e) Repeating Courses. A licensee who has successfully completed a course to meet any part of such licensee's continuing education credit may not repeat that course unless at least one full year has passed since the completion of that course.

(f) Effective July 1, 2020, any course developed to qualify as a continuing education course on the topic of license law under Rule 520-1-.05(1)(e) shall have a minimum of three credit hours and shall contain a review of material limited to the following areas of license law:
(1) The effects on license status by a licensee of prohibited conduct found in O.C.G.A. § 43-40-15(c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), and (m);

(2) Requirements of a qualifying broker and an affiliated licensee upon transfer of a license from one firm to another under O.C.G.A. 43-40-19 and Rule 520-1-.07(5);

(3) Requirements of a qualifying broker and affiliate licensee concerning trust or escrow accounts under O.C.G.A. § 43-40-20 and under Rule 520-1-.08;

(4) Unfair trade practices prohibited by O.C.G.A. § 43-40-25(b);

(5) Brokerage relationships under Rule 520-1-.06;

(6) Management responsibilities of real estate firms under Rule 520-1-.07(4), (5) and 6;

(7) Advertising under O.C.G.A. § 43-40-25(b)(1), (2), (11), (12) and (21) and Rule 520-1-.09;

(8) Handling real estate transactions under Rule 520-1-.10; and

(9) Licensees acting as principals under Rule 520-1-.11.

(7) Teaching Methods. While instructors may use such teaching methods as lecture, discussion, questions and answers, etc. in in-class sessions, instruction should also include role play, simulations, or other similar instructional techniques designed to assist students in mastering such skills as writing offers, presenting offers, calculating costs, pricing property, and complying with fair housing laws.

(8) Interactive Instruction Required. Schools must present courses to students through interactive instructional techniques. Examples of interactive instruction include such teaching techniques as providing a student (1) the opportunity for immediate exchange with an instructor in a classroom setting and (2) immediate assessment and remediation through computer assisted or other audio or audiovisual interactive instruction. Schools shall not attempt to provide instruction primarily by having students (a) read text material, (b) listen to audio tapes, (c) watch video tapes or films, or (d) study questions similar to those on the state licensing examinations or by combining elements of (a) through (d) above.

(9) Distance Education Courses. Distance education is comprised of courses in which instruction does not take place in a traditional classroom setting but rather through other media in which distance and time separate teacher and student. Schools generally deliver distance education courses through such media as telecommunications or by computer. The Commission approves distance education courses:

(a) that meet all of the requirements of this chapter, or

(b) for which the applicant provides satisfactory documentation that the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) has certified the course as meeting its distance education standards. Any Commission approval based on such an ARELLO certification will cease immediately upon notice from ARELLO that ARELLO has discontinued such certification of the course for any reason. Synchronous Internet Courses or "Webinar" Courses require ARELLO certification. In distance education courses, a credit hour is defined as sixty minutes of instruction.

(10) Computer-Based Courses. The Commission approves the offering of computer-based courses that meet the specific standards of this Rule and all other applicable requirements of this Chapter.

(a) Teach to Mastery. Every course offered under this Rule must teach to mastery. Teaching to mastery means that the course must, at a minimum:
1. divide the material into major units as approved by the Commission;

2. divide each of the major units of content into modules of instruction for delivery on a computer;

3. specify the learning objectives for each module of instruction. The learning objectives must be comprehensive enough to insure that if all the objectives are met, the student will master the entire content of the course;

4. specify an objective, quantitative criterion for mastery used for each learning objective;

5. implement a structured learning method by which each student is able to attain each learning objective;

6. provide means of diagnostic assessment of each student's performance on an ongoing basis during each module of instruction. This assessment process must measure what each student has learned and not learned at regular intervals throughout each module of instruction, and the diagnostic assessment must specifically assess the mastery of each concept covered in the content material.

7. provide a means of tailoring the instruction to the needs of each student as identified in (10) (a) 5. above. The process of tailoring the instruction must insure that each student receives adequate remediation for specific deficiencies identified by the diagnostic assessment;

8. continue the appropriate remediation on an individualized basis until the student demonstrates achievement of each mastery criterion;

9. require that the student demonstrate mastery of all material covered by the learning objectives for the module before the student completes the module; and

10. consist of interactive computer-based instructional material which will reasonably require a student completing the course to expend the number of hours for which the school offers the course.

(b) Documentation of Methodology. Prior to the development of specific computer-based courses to be offered to meet prelicense, postlicense, and continuing education requirements, a school must submit to the Commission for its approval satisfactory documentation of the method by which the course will accomplish each element of mastery in paragraph (a) of this Rule. If the Commission authorizes that method, the school may utilize that method in developing any courses it may offer to meet licensees' education requirements under this chapter. The school must base the rationale for the educational processes implemented with computer-based study on sound instructional strategies systematically designed and proven effective through educational research and development. The school must specify the basis and rationale for any proposed instructional approach in any request for approval.

(c) Required Testing and Evaluation of Courses. Courses offered under this Rule must also meet the criteria outlined in this Rule except those covering in-class instruction. Except where the Commission has granted permission in writing to do otherwise, persons developing computer-based courses must:
1. when developing prelicense courses for salespersons and community association managers, utilize at least nine persons in testing programs in order to evaluate for the developer the quality of content and the user friendliness of software and hardware. Of those nine persons, at least three must be unlicensed, at least three must be licensed salespersons or community association managers, and at least six must be non-educators. Persons developing any other courses for education credit for licensees must utilize at least six persons in testing programs in order to evaluate for the developer the quality of the content and the user friendliness of software and hardware. Of those six persons at least four must be non-educators and no more than two may be brokers, unless the course will only be offered to brokers. Persons developing such courses must document that those testing the programs have varying skill and knowledge levels of computers and real estate; and

2. make reasonably available to an authorized representative of the Commission documentation on the development and testing processes utilized in its computer-based courses.

(d) The Commission has determined that the following types of programs do not meet the requirements of this Rule:
1. those programs that consist primarily of text material presented on a computer or other audio or audiovisual programs rather than in printed material;

2. those programs that consist primarily of questions similar to those on the state licensing examination;

3. Those programs that consist primarily of combinations of the elements in 1. and 2. above.

(e) An approved instructor and/or the school coordinator/director must supervise the grading of the written course work required of students in computer-based courses.

(f) Every computer-based course for the Community Association Managers Prelicense Course must consist of interactive computer-based programs that will reasonably require the student to expend at least twenty-five hours in completing the content areas identified in paragraph (4) of this Rule. Every computer-based course for the Salespersons Prelicense course must consist of interactive computer-based programs that will reasonably require the student to expend seventy-five hours in completing the content areas identified in paragraph (4) of this Rule. Every computer-based course for the Sales Postlicense Course must consist of interactive computer-based programs that will reasonably require the student to expend twenty-five hours in completing the content areas identified in paragraph (4) of this Rule. Every computer-based course for the Brokers Prelicense course must consist of interactive computer-based programs that will reasonably require the student to expend sixty hours in completing the content areas identified in paragraph (4) of this Rule. Every computer-based course for continuing education must consist of interactive computer-based instructional material that will reasonably require the student completing the course to expend the number of hours for which the school offers the course.

(g) Every school offering a computer-based course under the requirements of this Chapter must offer those courses under an instructor. For the Community Association Managers, Salespersons Prelicense, and Brokers Prelicense courses, the school must offer those courses under an approved instructor. Every instructor in a computer-based course must:
1. be available to answer students' questions or provide them assistance as necessary;

2. provide reasonable oversight of students' work in order to insure that the student who completes the work is the student who is enrolled in the course;

3. certify students as successfully completing a computer-based course only if the student:
(i) has completed all instructional modules required to demonstrate mastery of the material,

(ii) has attended any hours of live instruction and/or testing required for a given course, and

(iii) has passed the final examination for the Community Association Managers, Salespersons Prelicense, Sales Postlicense, Brokers Prelicense or any test required by a continuing education course.

4. obtain from each student the following certification statement:

I certify that I have personally completed each assigned module of instruction. I understand that if any other person has completed any module of instruction or any part of this course required for completion of the course, the school may not award credit for the course or may withdraw credit already awarded for the course.

_________________ _____________________

Date Student's Signature

A school or instructor may permit a student to complete this statement in an electronic or internet format in any computer-based or distance learning course. A school must provide prior documentation or demonstration to the Commission of the method by which the school will acquire this statement. The Commission must authorize the method of requiring this certification.

(h) Schools may provide homework exercises, contract forms, or other assessment exercises required in courses in a computer-based or internet delivery format. A school must provide prior documentation or demonstration to the Commission of the delivery methods prior to offering such exercises or assessments. The Commission must authorize the delivery method offered by the school.

(i) Schools may permit students in computer-based or distance-learning courses to complete written homework exercises, standard forms, or other assessment exercises. Each written assignment a student submits for completion of a computer-based or distance learning course must include the following:

"I certify that I have personally completed this assignment. I understand that if any other person has completed any assignment, contract form, or other written assessment required for completion of the course, the school may not award credit for the course or may withdraw credit already awarded for the course."

_________________ _____________________

Date Student's Signature

(11) Course Examinations. Every Community Association Managers Prelicense, Salespersons Prelicense, Sales Postlicense, and Brokers Prelicense Courses must conclude with an examination administered by the approved school.

(a) Scheduling. Schools shall administer final examinations for every Salesperson Prelicense and Brokers Prelicense Courses on a day when the course holds no in-class instruction. Schools may administer final examinations for every Community Association Managers Prelicense Course and Salespersons Postlicense Course on the last day of in-class instruction.

(b) Passing Score. On final examinations administered for Community Association Managers Prelicense, Salespersons Prelicense, Sales Postlicense, and Brokers Prelicense Courses, schools must require that students achieve a passing score on the final examination that is consistent with the passing score required on state qualifying examinations for these licenses unless a school has first obtained the written permission of the Commission to require a different passing score.

(c) Retaking a Course Examination. Schools may elect to allow any student who fails to achieve a passing score to take another examination on another day without repeating instruction. If a student fails to achieve a passing score on a second final examination, the student must repeat all instruction of that course before taking another examination.

(d) Security. Schools must maintain at least two forms of a final examination for each course and must provide the Commission, upon its request, with reasonable assurances that examinations are secure from distribution to students except upon administration of an examination. These final examinations are evaluation tools, not teaching tools. While schools may supply students with information regarding their individual proficiency in areas of the examination, they must not review specific questions from these examinations with students. The Commission may impose any sanction permitted by law on the approval of any school and/or instructor that fails to provide proper security for examinations.

(e) Content Areas for Salespersons Prelicense Examination. The final examination for the Salespersons Prelicense Course must include at least five questions each on (a) brokerage engagements, (b) legal descriptions and legal aspects of contracts, (c) methods of payment and earnest money, (d) special stipulations and writing sales contracts, (e) leases and fair housing, (f) licensees acting as principals, (g) anti-trust laws, (h) basic finance, (i) loan types, (j) pricing property, (k) seller's costs, (l) qualifying purchasers and purchaser's costs, (m) contract closing, and (n) such other matters as the Commission may from time to time require or authorize.

(f) Examination Formats. Final Examinations for prelicense and postlicense courses should attempt to measure the student's competence in the knowledge or skills taught in the course. A school need not submit a course final examination to the Commission if: (1) the examination consists of multiple choice questions with a minimum of four choices of answers for each question; (2) the final examination for the Salespersons Prelicense Course and the Brokers Prelicense Course consists of no fewer than one hundred questions; and (3) the final examination for the Community Association Managers Prelicense Course and the Sales Postlicense Course consists of no fewer than fifty questions. A school must submit to the Commission for approval any course final examination that does not meet the above criteria prior to the examination's being administered for the course.

(g) Proctoring. Schools must provide proctors for all final examinations for prelicense and postlicense courses and for any continuing education courses that require the passing of a final examination in order to receive credit for the course. The school director, coordinator, approved instructor, or other person designated by the school director or coordinator may administer or proctor final examinations in courses. The school director or coordinator must insure that examinations are conducted according to the requirements of this chapter.

(12) Alternatives for Meeting Prelicense Course Requirements.

(a) College Courses. Applicants for examination may qualify to sit for examination by presenting college transcripts that show courses in real estate subjects of at least ten quarter hours or six semester hours if the application is for the salesperson's examination or fifteen quarter hours or nine semester hours if the application is for the broker's examination. Applicants for the community association manager's examination may qualify to sit for the examination by presenting college transcripts that show real estate courses of at least four quarter hours or two semester hours with a concentration in community associations and community association management.
1. Applicants must submit an official transcript at the time of making application for examination; and the applicant may be required to provide a description of the course or courses from the school's catalogue or bulletin.

2. Only courses which count towards the student's obtaining a major in the field of real estate or courses dealing with principles, fundamentals, or essentials of real estate and only courses in agency, real property law, and contract law at a school of law will satisfy this requirement. College correspondence courses and courses that qualify for continuing education units do not satisfy the requirements of this Rule.

(b) Credits for Instructors. The Commission shall approve as meeting the education requirements for examination any instructor who submits satisfactory proof that he or she has taught a course or courses named in this Rule within two years prior to making application to sit for an examination.

(c) Sales I, Sales II, and Sales III. Applicants who successfully completed all three of the Sales I, Sales II, and Sales III courses prior to January 1, 1993, may present certificates of completion of those courses from approved schools in order to sit for the qualifying examination for a salesperson's license.

(d) Courses Approved by Other Jurisdictions. Prelicense education courses for community association managers, salespersons, and brokers authorized by the regulatory body that regulates real estate licensees in any state, district, territory, possession, or province of the United States or Canada are approved as meeting the corresponding prelicense education requirements in Georgia provided that such courses are similar in credit hours earned to Commission required prelicense courses and are offered through classroom instruction or through computer-based instruction that is consistent with the standards of these regulations.

(13) Alternatives for Meeting Continuing Education Requirements.

The Commission shall deem a licensee to have met the continuing education requirement of O.C.G.A. § 43-40-8(e) for a renewal period if the licensee successfully completes in a renewal period any of the following courses that have at least the total number hours of instruction the law requires the licensee to complete:

(a) Prelicense and Post-license Courses. Licensees may obtain continuing education credits by successfully completing during a renewal period a Community Association Managers Prelicense, Salespersons Prelicense, Sales Post-license, or Brokers Prelicense course. Salespersons who complete the twenty-five hour Sales Post-license course in their first year of licensure may count that course as meeting nine (9) hours of the continuing education requirement for the first renewal period.

(b) College Courses. A licensee may obtain continuing education credit for a renewal period by completing at an accredited college or university any course of four quarter hours or two semester hours
1. which counts toward obtaining a major in the field of real estate or courses dealing with principles, fundamentals, or essentials of real estate;

2. which counts toward obtaining a major in business administration, accounting, finance, or marketing offered by a college or university accredited by one the regional accrediting associations recognized by the United States Department of Education; and

3. in courses in agency, real property law, and contract law at an accredited school of law. Licensees may not use college correspondence courses or college continuing education courses to qualify under this Rule.

(c) Credits for Instructors. The Commission shall deem the continuing education requirement for a real estate renewal period as met by any instructor who submits satisfactory written proof that he or she has taught any of the courses offered under the requirements of this Chapter for a total of the hours required under Rule 520-1-.05(1) (d) during the renewal period in which the instructor is applying for a renewal of a real estate license.

(d) Non-resident Licensees. The Commission shall deem the continuing education requirement as met by any nonresident licensee who submits satisfactory written proof that he or she has met the continuing education requirement of his or her state of residence during the renewal period in which the licensee is applying for a renewal of a real estate license. If the state of residence of a nonresident licensee does not require continuing education, then such nonresident licensee must meet the continuing education requirements of a resident licensee.

(e) Courses Approved by Other Jurisdictions. Licensees may use continuing education courses authorized by the regulatory body that regulates real estate licensees in any state, district, territory, possession, or province of the United States or Canada to count toward meeting the continuing education requirement for real estate licensees in Georgia. The Commission deems such courses as meeting continuing education requirements only if a school offers the courses through classroom instruction or through computer based instruction that is consistent with the standards for computer based courses or distance education described in this Rule and only if the course is for three or more credit hours.

(14) Verification of Course Completion.

The Commission may require licensees completing courses under this Rule to submit transcripts or other verification of completion that the Commission deems necessary and adequate.

O.C.G.A. §§ 43-40-2, 43-40-8, 43-40-25.

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