License renewal; reactivation deadlines extended
By Peg Ritenour, Ohio REALTORS Vice President of Legal Services
As a result of the coronavirus, in-person continuing education courses across Ohio have been cancelled. This has impacted the ability of licensees who had not completed their required 30 hours of continuing education to meet their license renewal deadline. While online c.e. courses are available, this is not a delivery method with which all licensees feel comfortable.
Luckily, emergency legislation passed last month by the Ohio legislature provides for an extension of any license renewal due on or after March 9 -- the date the Governor issued his emergency order. Under HB 197, the renewal deadline is extended to 90 days after the date the Governor’s emergency ends or Dec. 1, 2020, whichever occurs first. Again, this only applies to anyone with a renewal deadline on or after March 9 -- the date the Governor issued his emergency order.
For example, if your license renewal deadline is April 10 and the Governor lifts the emergency order on May 1, you will have 90 days from May 1 (or July 30) to complete your required continuing education and renew your license.
HB 179 also extends the license reactivation deadlines occurring on or after March 9. For example, if a licensee failed to renew his license last year on his March 15 birthday, he would have had one year -- or until March 15, 2020 -- to reactivate that license. However, under this legislation, the deadline is extended to 90 days after the emergency order is lifted or Dec. 1, whichever comes first. So if the order is lifted on May 1, the reactivation deadline will be July 30.
