Licenses required; qualifications; examination.

(1) The department shall license any applicant who the board certifies is qualified to practice auctioneering.

(2) No person shall auction or offer to auction any property in this state unless he or she is licensed by the department or is exempt from licensure under this act.

(3) No person shall be licensed as an auctioneer or apprentice if he or she:

(a) Is under 18 years of age; or

(b) Has committed any act or offense in this state or any other jurisdiction which would constitute a basis for disciplinary action under s. 468.389.

(4) Any person seeking a license as an auctioneer must pass a written examination approved by the board which tests his or her general knowledge of the laws of this state relating to provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code that are relevant to auctions, the laws of agency, and the provisions of this act.

(5) Each apprentice application and license shall name a licensed auctioneer who has agreed to serve as the supervisor of the apprentice. No apprentice may conduct, or contract to conduct, an auction without the express approval of his or her supervisor. The supervisor shall regularly review the apprentice’s records, which are required by the board to be maintained, to determine if such records are accurate and current.

(6) No person shall be licensed as an auctioneer unless he or she:

(a) Has held an apprentice license and has served as an apprentice for 1 year or more, or has completed a course of study, consisting of not less than 80 classroom hours of instruction, that meets standards adopted by the board;

(b) Has passed the required examination; and

(c) Is approved by the board.

(7)(a) Any auction that is subject to the provisions of this part must be conducted by an auctioneer who has an active license or an apprentice who has an active apprentice auctioneer license and who has received prior written sponsor consent.

(b) No business shall auction or offer to auction any property in this state unless it is licensed as an auction business by the board or is exempt from licensure under this act. Each application for licensure shall include the names of the owner and the business, the business mailing address and location, and any other information which the board may require. The owner of an auction business shall report to the board within 30 days of any change in this required information.

(8) A license issued by the department to an auctioneer, apprentice, or auction business is not transferable.