Back to class on ethics

NAR deadline for completing ethics course differs depending on whether you were a REALTOR® on Jan. 1, 2001.

A   Slow down. You don’t have to rejoin your local board or take other drastic measures. However, you do need some additional information about the ethics training, as it sounds like you got bad information or misunderstood the person who explained it to you.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the Code of Ethics training policy became effective Jan. 1, 2001. Secondly, there are two different requirements–one for new members and one for current REALTOR® members. Your question sounds like you are a current member, meaning you were a REALTOR® prior to to the Jan. 1, 2001 effective date. (If not, read the information about applicants a little further down in this answer.)

Existing members must take ethics training once every four years. In other words, you have to complete an NAR-approved course before Dec. 31, 2004. If you fail to meet that deadline, though, your membership will be suspended until you fulfill the ethics-training requirement. Whether you take the course tomorrow or at the end of 2004, your next deadline will be Dec. 31, 2008.

The timetable for new members–meaning anyone not a REALTOR® as of Jan. 1, 2001–is quite different. Anyone who applies to become a REALTOR® member must complete an orientation program on the Code of Ethics within the first year of membership.

The orientation to the Code of Ethics for new members and the quadrennial REALTOR® ethics training for existing members are different courses. However, a new member who completes the orientation does not have to take additional ethics training until the next four-year cycle. In other words, if a new member completed her training today, the deadline for her quadrennial ethics training would be Dec. 31, 2008.

NAR requires every local board to provide access to training locally, in conjunction with other boards, or through other methods, such as Internet-based training. Toward that end, NAR created online courses. You can find the one for new members (password required) at www.realtor.org/mempolweb.nsf/pages/newmemberorientationcourse. The course for existing members is at www.realtor.org/mempolweb.nsf/pages/quadrennialethicstrainingcourse.

TAR and the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University have also developed a Code of Ethics video that meets the requirements for both new and existing members. The video can be used by local boards, brokerages, or individual REALTORS®. (For more information, call the TAR education department at 800/873-9155.) The course is approved for three hours legal MCE.

All courses must meet NAR’s objectives and criteria. REALTOR® members may take the training from any board or association and are not required to take additional courses if they belong to more than one board.

Send your questions about ethics to texasrealtor@texasrealtors.com or fax to 512/370-2390. Not all questions received can be answered.

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