Registration of appraisal management companies required; exemptions.

(1) A person may not engage, or offer to engage, in appraisal management services for compensation in this state, or advertise or represent herself or himself as an appraisal management company, unless the person is registered with the department as an appraisal management company under this section. However, an employee of an appraisal management company is not required to obtain a separate registration.

(2) An application for registration must be submitted to the department in the format prescribed by the department and must include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) The firm or business name under which the appraisal management company conducts business in this state. The appraisal management company must notify the department of any change in the firm or business name, on a form provided by the department, within 10 days after such change.

(b) The mailing address, street address, and telephone number of the appraisal management company’s principal business location. The appraisal management company must notify the department of any change in the mailing or street address, on a form provided by the department, within 10 days after such change.

(c) The appraisal management company’s federal employer identification number.

(d) The appraisal management company’s type of business organization, such as a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or sole proprietorship.

(e) A statement as to whether the appraisal management company, if incorporated, is a domestic or foreign corporation, the company’s date of incorporation, the state in which the company was incorporated, its charter number, and, if it is a foreign corporation, the date that the company first registered with the Department of State to conduct business in this state.

(f) The full name, street address, telephone number, corporate title, and social security number or federal employer identification number of any person who possesses the authority, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of the appraisal management company, whether through ownership, by contract, or otherwise, including, but not limited to:

1. Each officer and director if the appraisal management company is a corporation.

2. Each general partner if the appraisal management company is a partnership.

3. Each manager or managing member if the appraisal management company is a limited liability company.

4. The owner if the appraisal management company is a sole proprietorship.

5. Each other person who, directly or indirectly, owns or controls 10 percent or more of an ownership interest in the appraisal management company.

(g) The firm or business name under which any person listed in paragraph (f) conducted business as an appraisal management company within the 5 years preceding the date of the application.

(h) The appraisal management company’s registered agent for service of process in this state.

(3) Appropriate fees, as set forth in the rules of the board pursuant to s. 475.6147, and a complete set of fingerprints for each person listed in paragraph (2)(f) must accompany all applications for registration. The fingerprints shall be forwarded to the Division of Criminal Justice Information Systems within the Department of Law Enforcement for purposes of processing the fingerprints to determine whether the person has a criminal history record. The fingerprints shall also be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of processing the fingerprints to determine whether the person has a criminal history record. The information obtained by the processing of fingerprints by the Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be sent to the department for the purpose of determining whether the appraisal management company is statutorily qualified for registration.

(4) At the time of filing an application for registration of an appraisal management company, each person listed in paragraph (2)(f) must sign a pledge to comply with applicable standards of professional practice established by rule of the board, including standards for the development or communication of a real estate appraisal, and must indicate in writing that she or he understands the types of misconduct for which disciplinary proceedings may be initiated. The application expires 1 year after the date received.

(5) Each person listed in paragraph (2)(f) must be competent and qualified to engage in appraisal management services with safety to the general public and those with whom the person may undertake a relationship of trust and confidence. If any person listed in paragraph (2)(f) has been denied registration, licensure, or certification as an appraiser or has been disbarred, or if the person’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, any possession or district of the United States, or any court or lawful agency thereof because of any conduct or practices that would have warranted a like result under this part, or if the person has been guilty of conduct or practices in this state or elsewhere that would have been grounds for disciplining her or his registration, license, or certification under this part had the person then been a registered trainee appraiser or a licensed or certified appraiser, the person shall be deemed not to be qualified to be registered.

(6) An applicant seeking to become registered under this part as an appraisal management company may not be rejected solely by virtue of membership or lack of membership of any person listed in paragraph (2)(f) or any employee of the company in any particular appraisal organization.

(7) The department shall renew the registration of an appraisal management company upon receipt of the renewal application and the proper fee. The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for renewal of the registration of an appraisal management company at least every 4 years.

(8) This section does not apply to:

(a) A financial institution, as defined in s. 655.005, which owns and operates an internal appraisal office, business unit, or department; or

(b) A federally regulated appraisal management company.