NEWS - Residential Real Estate

SBJ Staff Report

Dec 19, 2011 - The Georgia Board of Realtors urges its members and member companies to remember that effective January 2, 2012, the Georgia “Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011” requires all applicants for real estate licensure or appraiser classification, and those applying for renewal of an existing license or classification (including a broker or qualifying broker seeking to renew a real estate firm license or applying for a new firm license,) submit a “secure and verifiable document” for identification purposes as defined in the law, and a signed and sworn affidavit verifying the applicant’s lawful presence in the United State, to the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC).

According to William L. Rogers, Jr, Real Estate Commissioner, there are approximately 90,000 Realtors in Georgia and 5,000 licenses appraiser licenses that are affected by this change “though fortunately for us not all have to renew their licenses at the same time.”

The law also applies to appraisal management companies, schools, instructions and school directors.

If a license or classification is currently eligible for renewal, it may be renewed prior to Dec. 31 without submission of the additional documents at the this time, according to GREC. 

After January 1, the additional documents are required by the GREC prior to license renewal. And, the GREC must receive the additional documents by renewal deadline or the license cannot be renewed  and will lapse which requires the licensees to cease doing business, and which requires they pay a lapse fee to renew.

Instructions on how to submit this additional documentation can be found on the GREC’s website at www.grec.state.ga.us.