The Florida Senate

475.615  Qualifications for registration, licensure, or certification.--

(1)  Any person desiring to act as a registered assistant appraiser or as a licensed or certified appraiser must make application in writing to the department in such form and detail as the board shall prescribe. Each applicant must be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. At the time of application, a person must furnish evidence of successful completion of required education and evidence of required experience, if any.

(2)  The board is authorized to waive or modify any education, experience, or examination requirements established in this section in order to conform with any such requirements established by the Appraisal Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation and recognized by the Appraisal Subcommittee or any successor body recognized by federal law.

(3)  Appropriate fees, as set forth in the rules of the board pursuant to s. 475.6147, and a fingerprint card must accompany all applications for registration, certification, or licensure. The fingerprint card shall be forwarded to the Division of Criminal Justice Information Systems within the Department of Law Enforcement for purposes of processing the fingerprint card to determine if the applicant has a criminal history record. The fingerprint card shall also be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of processing the fingerprint card to determine if the applicant has a criminal history record. The information obtained by the processing of the fingerprint card by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be sent to the department for the purpose of determining if the applicant is statutorily qualified for registration, certification, or licensure.

(4)  In the event that the applicant is currently a registered assistant appraiser or a licensed or certified appraiser and is making application to obtain a different status of appraisal licensure, should such application be received by the department within 180 days prior to through 180 days after the applicant's scheduled renewal, the charge for the application shall be established by the rules of the board pursuant to s. 475.6147.

(5)  At the time of filing a notarized application for registration, licensure, or certification, the applicant must sign a pledge to comply with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice upon registration, licensure, or certification, and must indicate in writing that she or he understands the types of misconduct for which disciplinary proceedings may be initiated. The application shall expire 1 year from the date received, if the applicant for registration, licensure, or certification fails to take the appropriate examination.

(6)  All applicants must be competent and qualified to make real estate appraisals with safety to those with whom they may undertake a relationship of trust and confidence and the general public. If any applicant has been denied registration, licensure, or certification, or has been disbarred, or the applicant's registration, license, or certificate to practice or conduct any regulated profession, business, or vocation has been revoked or suspended by this or any other state, any nation, or any possession or district of the United States, or any court or lawful agency thereof, because of any conduct or practices which would have warranted a like result under this part, or if the applicant has been guilty of conduct or practices in this state or elsewhere which would have been grounds for disciplining her or his registration, license, or certification under this part had the applicant then been a registered assistant appraiser or a licensed or certified appraiser, the applicant shall be deemed not to be qualified unless, because of lapse of time and subsequent good conduct and reputation, or other reason deemed sufficient, it appears to the board that the interest of the public is not likely to be endangered by the granting of registration, licensure, or certification.

(7)  No applicant seeking to become registered, licensed, or certified under this part may be rejected solely by virtue of membership or lack of membership in any particular appraisal organization.

History.--ss. 9, 11, ch. 91-89; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 384, ch. 97-103; s. 24, ch. 98-250; s. 142, ch. 99-251.