Governor DeWine Signs Occupational License Reform Bill Into Law
By Anastasia Kotkovskaya, Manager, Advocacy and Research
This week, Governor DeWine signed House Bill (HB) 238 into law, marking the end of the six-year required review of licenses issued by the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. Ohio REALTORS® played a key role in advocating for reforms that make the licensing process more accessible while maintaining high industry standards, and several key changes were made that will benefit real estate professionals in Ohio:
- Removing barriers for brokers: The elimination of Ohio’s unique requirement for brokers to complete two years of postsecondary education is a significant win for real estate professionals. This has long been an obstacle for experienced real estate salespeople who want to advance to the role of a broker, and now more REALTORS® will have the opportunity to make this move in their careers.
- Expanding educational access: The law also has a provision that removes the requirement for real estate schools to offer college credits, a change that will allow more institutions to provide pre-licensing education. Ohio’s cost of pre-licensing education was the most expensive in the nation, yet results on the real estate exam were no better than in our surrounding states. This shift will increase competition among education providers, lower costs, and improve outcomes for students – all while maintaining strict oversight through the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.
Included in this legislation was a 20-hour reduction in pre-licensing education for real estate salespeople. Although Ohio will still have more hours of pre-licensing education for salespeople than any surrounding state, reducing the hours of education is something Ohio REALTORS® strongly opposed throughout the legislative process of this bill. Moving forward, Ohio REALTORS® hopes to work with stakeholders on ways to improve the quality of education despite the reduction in training hours.
This law will take effect in 90 days.
Read more about this legislation:
Lame Duck Session Recap: Advancing Legislative Wins for Ohio REALTORS
Ohio REALTORS Testifies on Changes to Occupational Licensing Reforms
Ohio Legislature | 135 General Assembly | House Bill 238
