(A) To be eligible for licensure as a property manager or property manager-in-charge, an applicant must:

(1) attain the age of twenty-one if applying for a property manager-in-charge;

(2) attain the age of eighteen if applying for a license as a property manager;

(3) provide a physical address at which the licensee can be contacted in the course of an investigation. A licensee shall maintain on file with the commission his current contact information for his residential address, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. Failure to update this contact information within thirty days after a change may result in an administrative suspension of the property manager, salesperson, broker, or broker-in-charge pursuant to Section 40-57-710;

(4) graduate from high school or hold a certificate of equivalency that is recognized by the South Carolina Department of Education;

(5) submit proof of completion of education to the commission and, if applicable, experience requirements as specified in this chapter;

(6) submit to criminal background check as provided in Section 40-57-115 for initial application; and

(7) pass the applicable examination.

(B) An application for examination or licensure must be made in writing on a form prescribed by the commission and must be accompanied by all applicable fees.

(C) As a condition for and before applying to the commission for licensure, an applicant for a property manager or property manager-in-charge license shall provide proof to the commission of having met the following educational requirements, in addition to the other requirements of this chapter:

(1) for a property manager license:

(a) completion of thirty hours of classroom instruction in property management principles and practices; or

(b) evidence of holding a juris doctor degree, a bachelor of law degree, a baccalaureate degree or a master's degree with a major in real estate or housing from an accredited college or university, or completion of another course of study approved by the commission; and

(2) for a property manager-in-charge license:

(a) an active property manager license; and

(b) completion of seven hours of instruction in property management accounting and record keeping approved by the commission.

(D) The commission shall issue licenses in the classifications of property manager or property manager-in-charge to individuals who qualify under and comply with the requirements of this chapter. An individual may not be licensed in more than one classification at the same time. The license must be in the form and size as the commission prescribes and is not transferable.

(E) An individual holding an active property manager license must be licensed under a property manager-in-charge or broker-in-charge who is licensed by the commission or must be designated as a property manager-in-charge. A property manager may not be licensed during the same period with more than one property manager-in-charge or broker-in-charge. When a licensee becomes disassociated with a broker-in-charge or property manager-in-charge, the licensee immediately shall notify the commission by completion of the proper form. The licensee must furnish a new business address to the commission, the authorization of the new broker-in-charge or new property manager-in-charge, and proof of notification to the former broker-in-charge or property manager-in-charge.

Text of (F) effective May 19, 2020.

(F) As a condition for and before applying to the commission for licensure renewal, a property manager or property manager-in-charge shall submit to a criminal background check upon every third renewal as required for initial applicants pursuant to Section 40-57-115.

Text of (G) effective May 19, 2020.

(G) A property manager or property manager-in-charge who fails to submit to criminal background check requirements of this section by the date of license renewal may renew by submitting applicable fees but immediately must be placed on inactive status. The license may be reactivated upon proof of submission to a criminal background check.

HISTORY: 2016 Act No. 170 (S.1013), Section 1, eff January 1, 2017; 2017 Act No. 60 (H.3041), Section 4, eff May 19, 2020.

Effect of Amendment

2017 Act No. 60, Section 4, added (F) and (G), relating to the requirement of a criminal background check upon every third licensure renewal and consequences for failing to submit to the requirement.