I know I am being paranoid, but the wait is killing me. The stress of not knowing whether or not I will be allowed to take the exam is overwhelming. Has anyone ever known of someone being denied? If so, can you elaborate on it, like why, and how they overcame it, if they over came it.

Thanks a lot.

Well I don't know how your state operates but in mine here is how it goes.

You take a pre-liscense clase a mid-term test and then a final test.Then after that you schedule the state exam,if you pass that you get an inactive liscense assuming everything checks out.

No matter what state you are in passing the test and getting liscensure are 2 seperate things.This is why the real estate commission says before pouring tons of money into taking the classes and tests see FIRST if they will allow you to be liscensed.

The big one is the criminal history report.If you have had felonies,alchohol,drugs,speeding etc. this is a big flag for them.This will almost always show up in your criminal history report you have to submit.If there are problems the decision by the commission is on acase by case basis on whether you are granted liscensure and what conditions are attatched to it.

They take these kind of things very seriously as you will be possibly driving people around in your car and also having entry to people's and banks properties.

As long as you pass the tests and don't have previous criminal history problems you should be fine.If you do have blips it will take longer for a decision and could go either way.

If you are clean, and bright - just be patient.

If you are a criminal, or a moron - be worried.

Yes but only in the event that the applicant has been convicted of a crime.

I do have a few small blips on my record from a long time ago when I was just a kid. Never any felonies or anything serious. This is why I have been worried. No one told me anything about being able to check to see if I could be licensed before taking the classes. So it is highly likely that I just wasted all this time and money for nothing.

Thanks for the wonderful news..

If its just minor stuff from when you were a kid don't worry about it. They're looking for felony charges and things of that nature.

I was just reading through the Maryland Real Estate Commission's judgements against licensees, they post them every year. They also post licenses that were denied and why, they generally deny about 2 a year and its for felony drug charges or things like that.

Well, thanks a lot Steve for the small indirect light at the end of the tunnel.

Keep us posted lol, I really wouldn't be worried.

But hey, you can always become a mortgage broker

In my state they will only deny you a license if you have a really bad criminal history, or if you don't disclose your history up front and then they find out.

It's pretty much the same in Washington as Mr.Utah r.e. says... those felony convictions and if you don't disclose.

Hang in there! Update us when you know anything.


sunshine shanon

If you get denied, you might be able to go before the Real Estate Commission and state your case. It's worth a shot.

Thanks a lot for the positive out look floks. It really does help a lot.

Still haven't heard of anything yet, hope to see it in the mail tomarrow.

I think it boils down to a recent...and maybe hardcore old felony charges....as in my case..all you have a is a handful of speeding tickets from 10yrs ago..and in my case taken care of ....no worries

Here in our state the key seems to be disclosure. If you disclose your felony on the application. I feel sure if it was some hardcore felony etc you would probably get rejected. I know a guy who had some drug charges less than 3 years who did a year in jail and he had no problems. He said he was honest about it and volunteered all of the information before he was asked.

I know some states are very strict, but i'm sure most have an appeals process

Just had an article in the paper the other day about a woman who got caught up in a big government scandal here. She applied for a RE license and was denied until she finished her probation on a misdemeanor resulting from the mess. She has now completed probation and license was granted.

The big thing in the Carolinas seems to be disclosure. If you had a DWI, they are likely to be forgiving unless you don't tell them about it and it comes to light. So if your past indiscretions come to be an issue, say "Yes, I was young, it was stupid, I am now a model citizen" and back it up with reference letters from clergy, community leaders, anyone you can come up with.

Well they have sent my application back to me. They have requested that I send in a SLED Check (South Carolina Criminal Background Report). The Funny thing is that my Sled Check returned fewer results than I expected. So I guess there is less to fess up to this time around.

So now I have to put the sled check with the application and send it all back out again on Monday. Then the waiting game begins again. I am going to be fully gray headed by the time I get an answer, if I am able to refrain from pulling it all out before I finally get one. ...lol

Arkansas requires both - and two different fees - a state police B/G check AND and FBI B/G check.
One of my mortgage banker's daughters was denied a license because she had some hot checks several years ago.
If you have had ANY contact with the criminal justice system as a defendant, DISCLOSE, DISCLOSE, DISCLOSE.
If you do not and it turns up, you lied to them and the Commission frowns upon liars.
The B/G check here takes 10-12 weeks, maybe longer.

FULL DISCLOSURE is best....look at MICHAEL VICK!

What about traffic violations within the last year?

Well, I can not speak for any state other than South Carolina, but from the application you have to fill out here asks about any criminal convictions other than minor traffic violations.

I can say from experience now that full disclosure is the most important thing. If they ask about traffic violations in the past year, list them all.

And for those that have been wondering, I just got my Examination Eligibility Letter today. So now all I have left is to pass the exam, and Prudential here I come!

A couple of agents around here I spoke to say pretty much the same thing, they are looking for criminal records and such. Now when I took my exam, they also asked something to the effect of wether or not you had any judgements against you for unpaid debts...I don't know if they deny it til you havepaid it off or what, but that had me curious as well...

What caused this thread to be re-awakened ?

Most States find the Licensing and License Renewal Procedures for Professionals to be a very convenient checkpoint for:

Delinquent Child Support;
Delinquent Alimony;
Unpaid Unemployment Compensation Insurance;
Delinquent Taxes; and
Anything else you might be forced to Pay in order to get your License OR keep your License.

It seems to work. In Vermont, we get a Quarterly Disciplinary Action Report, and there's always someone I know on there who got nailed for Lying on his/her Renewal Application; and then they have their License to Practice Revoked or at least Suspended for perjuring themselves in addition to the failure to pay up.

The QDAR always makes for some interesting reading; it's all about the People who got caught doing what I did not get caught doing. It's important to learn from the mistakes of others like in "There but for the Grace of God go I"

Malok is right. If you are a criminal, you should worry. Other than that, no big deal...

Where I come from, its about the criminal history. Speeding and trafic do not play into it (DUIs will though). Convictions must be reported though.

Like Vermont said also, unpaid items mentioned above can result in the professional license being denied or revoked. We get a quarterly report as well, its good reading.

On a side note, our State also puts the displinary actions taken for the medical profession every quarter. WOW, thats some good reading but quite scary!

In Texas there are two pretty sure-fire ways to have a license rejected:

1. Having a conviction in which FRAUD was a factor
2. Owing the State money... such as unpaid student loans

Most states are pretty funny about people who owe them money. Not so much the other things.

Good luck!