Key reports, issues, and decisions of interest to licensees and/or the public are reported here from the most recent Commission meeting:
Commission Meeting of September 23, 2026
Pending Cases: The Commission entered into consent agreements to suspend 16 licenses, ordered hearings in cases involving a total of 5 licensees, left 3 cases pending, closed 1 case without action, and reprimanded 7 licensees.
License Applications Involving Character Issues: License applicants who have character issues such as prior criminal convictions or disciplinary actions by another licensing board are separately considered by the Commission. Decisions are based upon criminal background checks, information supplied by the applicant, and in-person interviews.
Total candidates considered:14; total approved: 7; continued: 3; deferred: 1; postponed: 1; approved with conditions: 2.
License Examination Results: If you are interested in reviewing the most recent statistics and pass rates regarding the North Carolina broker license examination. License Examination Results.
Rulemaking – A. 0104 Agency Agreements and Disclosures: The Compliance Manager stated that, in July, staff was directed to revise the rules to prohibit dual agency only for brokers on provisional status, rather than for all brokers. The rules have been revised and brought forward for the Commission’s consideration. The Commission approved the revised rules. They will be republished, followed by a new public comment period and another public hearing. The proposed effective date is July 1, 2027.
The Director of Regulatory Affairs advised that the 2027 dates for the Rules Review Commission are not yet available and asked whether the Commission could be provided with a more detailed calendar once those dates are established.
Rulemaking – A .1800 Limited Nonresident Commercial License Rule: The Compliance Manager stated that, according to the last Public Comment Report, no one was present and no comments were submitted during that hearing. Since then, we have received two written comments. The proposed effective date is January 1, 2027. The matter will be filed with Rules Review and is scheduled to be heard at the November 24 meeting.
Local Rules: The Director of Regulatory Affairs stated that the primary addition to Rule 2.4 addresses the procedure for cases that would have previously been presented to Settlement Officers. As cases are no longer being presented to Settlement Officers, such matters will instead be brought before the full Board for consideration. If a settlement case is not accepted, the matter will automatically be placed on the calendar for the following month.
Report on Proposed Phased On-site and Hybrid Work Plan: The Executive Director presented her proposed On-Site and Hybrid Work Plan report. Following the presentation, Commission members agreed to allow the Executive Director to implement the policy she determines will work best for her organization.
Ethics Commission SEI Evaluation Letters: The Executive Director read into the record of the Commission’s meeting the results of the Evaluations of the Statement of Economic Interest of Commission members Aceto, Alston, Barfield, Black, and Ramseur by the North Carolina State Ethics Commission; namely, that the Ethics Commission did not find an actual conflict of interest but did find the potential for a conflict of interest, and that the potential conflict does not prohibit her service on the Commission. No biennial evaluation was required for Commission members Beaty, Bell, Gallimore, and Sebti.
Report on License Numbers: As of September 1, 2026, there are 120,847 brokers and firms licensed by the Commission, as follows:
Active Full Brokers – 78,094
Active Provisional Brokers – 4,211
Brokers-in-Charge – 17,302
BIC Eligible Brokers – 6,952
Inactive Full Brokers – 15,350
Inactive Provisional Brokers – 5,315
Firms – 17,621
Limited Nonresident Commercial Brokers – 256
Next Commission Meeting: The next Commission meeting will be held on October 21, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at the North Carolina Real Estate Commission in Raleigh, NC, and is open to the public. It can also be viewed via Zoom online video.
Public Comment Period for Proposed Rulemaking
The Commission is considering proposed rule changes for the Limited Nonresident Commercial License, 21 NCAC 58A .1800s. We invite members of the public to submit written comments on the proposed rules during the designated comment period, July 15 to September 14, 2026. Comments should be directed to the Commission’s Rulemaking Coordinator at public.comment@ncrec.gov.
NCREC is hiring!
Are you considering a career with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission? If so, visit the Commission’s website to view current job opportunities, sign up for job alerts, and apply.
You are invited!
The monthly Real Estate Commission meetings are always open to the public, and you are invited to attend in person or online via Zoom. The meeting this month is September 23rd, 2026, here at the Commission building, 1313 Navaho Drive, Raleigh, NC. A Zoom link will be available at ncrec.gov on the day of the meeting.
Key reports, issues, and decisions of interest to licensees and/or the public are reported here from the most recent Commission meeting:
Commission Meeting of August 19, 2026
Pending Cases: The Commission entered into consent agreements to suspend 12 licenses, ordered hearings in cases involving a total of 20 licensees, accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of 1 license, left 13 cases pending, closed 10 cases without action, reprimanded 6 licensees, extended time for 2 licensees to satisfy conditions, voluntarily surrendered 2 licenses, denied issuance of 2 licenses, approved withdrawal of 1 license application, and approved payment of $6,500 from the Real Estate Education and Recovery Fund.
License Applications Involving Character Issues: License applicants who have character issues such as prior criminal convictions or disciplinary actions by another licensing board are separately considered by the Commission. Decisions are based upon criminal background checks, information supplied by the applicant, and in-person interviews.
Total candidates considered: 9; total approved: 6; continued: 1; approved with conditions: 2.
License Examination Results: If you are interested in reviewing the most recent statistics and pass rates regarding the North Carolina broker license examination. License Examination Results.
Education Town Hall: The Director of Education and Licensing reported on the quarterly Town Hall held on August 11, 2026, noting that 65 instructors attended. The next Education Town Hall will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, November 3 and 3pm.
NC Real Estate Manual: The Assistant Director of Education and Licensing distributed the hard copy manuals to all Commission members. The digital copy is also available on the website.
REEA 2026 National Conference: The Director of Education and Licensing reported on the National REEA conference held in Denver, CO, on July 21 -24, 2026. Five members from Education staff attended along with many instructors from across the state. Topics consisted of the uses of AI, the new appraisal changes and the Director of Education and Licensing led a session of DREI instructors on Education Principles. The National REEA Larry Outlaw Award was presented to Miriam Baer, the former Executive Director of the Commission. The award for the Classroom Program of the Year went to the Assistant Director of Education and Licensing for her work on the 2025-26 Update Course “How to Become a Superstar Broker”.
Draft Revisions to Rule A.0104 Agency Agreements and Disclosures: The Compliance Manager stated that in July staff was directed to revise the rules to prohibit dual agency only for brokers on provisional status instead of all brokers. Additional changes came from some of the public comments that were received. If the rules are approved, they will be republished, so there will be a new public comment period, and another public hearing. A new disclosure form was created as well. The Commission asked the Director of Regulatory Affairs to make changes to the disclosure and bring the matter back before the Commission in September.
Report on License Numbers: As of August 1, 2026, there are 119,910 brokers and firms licensed by the Commission, as follows:
Active Full Brokers – 77,507
Active Provisional Brokers – 4,080
Brokers-in-Charge – 17,181
BIC Eligible Brokers – 6,888
Inactive Full Brokers – 15,465
Inactive Provisional Brokers – 5,119
Firms – 17,492
Limited Nonresident Commercial Brokers – 247
Next Commission Meeting: The next Commission meeting will be held on September 23, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at the North Carolina Real Estate Commission in Raleigh, NC, and is open to the public. It can also be viewed via Zoom online video.
New Chair and Vice-Chair began their terms on August 1, 2026.
Executive Director Janet Thoren announced that Melvin “Skip” Alston of Greensboro has been elected as Chair and Robert J. Ramseur, Jr., of Raleigh as Vice Chair of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. Their terms will begin on August 1, 2026.
Seller impersonation fraud is increasing.
The North Carolina Real Estate Commission has issued alerts to consumers and brokers regarding fake seller scams since 2022. These fraudulent schemes continue to increase in frequency and sophistication, posing significant risks to consumers, brokers, attorneys, and lenders. Consumers are encouraged to stay informed about seller impersonation fraud and recognize potential warning signs. Watch the Fake Seller Fraud video in the Commission’s newly released Consumer Fraud YouTube playlist to learn how these scams occur and the steps you can take to help protect yourself.
You are invited!
The monthly Real Estate Commission meetings are always open to the public, and you are invited to attend in person or online via Zoom. The meeting next week is August 19th, 2026, here at the Commission building, 1313 Navaho Drive, Raleigh, NC. A Zoom link will be available at ncrec.gov on the day of the meeting.
Key reports, issues, and decisions of interest to licensees and/or the public are reported here from the most recent Commission meeting:
Commission Meeting of July 15, 2026
Pending Cases: The Commission entered into consent agreements to suspend 2 licenses, ordered hearings in cases involving a total of 17 licensees, accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of 2 licenses, left 7 cases pending, and closed 5 cases without action.
License Applications Involving Character Issues: License applicants who have character issues such as prior criminal convictions or disciplinary actions by another licensing board are separately considered by the Commission. Decisions are based upon criminal background checks, information supplied by the applicant, and in-person interviews.
Total candidates considered: 9; total approved: 6; continued: 1; deferred: 2.
License Examination Results: If you are interested in reviewing the most recent statistics and pass rates regarding the North Carolina broker license examination. License Examination Results.
2026 Renewals: The Director of Education and Licensing provided a report on the 2026 Renewals, noting that following closeout on July 1, 2026, 92% of brokers and firms renewed their licenses, slightly above the previous year’s renewal percentages. A total of 2,032 licensees were marked inactive due to a CE deficiency, and 9,289 brokers, 1,497 firms, and 58 limited nonresident commercial licenses expired due to failure to renew. The Director of Education and Licensing indicated this license renewal period had the highest renewal percentages.
Year-End CE Survey: The Assistant Director of Education and Licensing provided a report on the year-end CE student survey and indicated 10,803 surveys were completed over the course of the year. Overall, the reviews were extremely positive.
Update Instructor Seminars: The Assistant Director of Education and Licensing reported that of the 401 approved instructors, 196 have an active update instructor status.
Monthly Financial Report, Quarterly Investment Report, and Education & Recovery Fund Report: The Commission received the monthly Financial Report, Quarterly Investment Report, and Education & Recovery Fund Report presented by the Chief Financial Officer for the period ending June 30, 2026. Upon the motion of Mr. Alston, the Commission approved the Financial Report for the period ending June 30, 2026.
FY2026-27 Projected Receipts and Disbursements: The Chief Financial Officer presented the FY2026-27 Projected Receipts and Disbursements. Upon the motion of Mr. Alston, the Commission approved the Projected Receipts and Disbursements for FY2026-27.
Real Estate Manual Increase: The Chief Financial Officer reported that at the Finance Committee meeting on June 19, the Committee voted in favor of having a $10.00 increase for the printed North Carolina Real Estate Manual. The price increased from $39.00 to $49.00. Upon a motion from Ms. O’Connor, the Commission adopted the price increase.
Square Footage Guidelines: The Executive Director presented the revised Square Footage Guidelines. Upon the motion of Mr. Alston, the Commission approved the revisions to the text of the Square Footage Guidelines.
Rule A .0110 Brokers in Charge: The Compliance Manager presented revisions to Rule 58A .0110 Brokers in Charge. The rule currently prohibits a broker from being granted BIC eligibility status or designated as BIC of a firm if there is a pending investigation against the broker. Since this rule text was presented to the Commission in March, it was revised such that the limitation only applies in cases where probable cause has been found against the broker so that it is consistent with Rule A.0502. Upon the motion of Mr. Alston, the Commission approved staff recommendations to revise the rule text with a proposed effective date of July 1, 2027.
Agency Public Rule Comments:
The Compliance Manager reviewed the public comments received on the agency rule changes. She reported that comments were received from associations, brokers, attorneys, and members of the public. Of the comments received, 34 were in support, 291 were opposed, and 2 were categorized as ‘suggestion.’ At the request of Mr. Aceto, the Executive Director provided the Commission with a possible alternative that would prevent provisional brokers from being a single dual agent as opposed to eliminating dual agency for all brokers. She explained that if the alternate text were to be approved, the rule text would require another comment period due to the text’s substantive change. Upon the motion of Mr. Ramseur, the Commission agreed to withdraw the rule text concerning the elimination of dual agency for all brokers from rulemaking with Mr. Black and Ms. Sebti voting against the motion. Upon the motion of Mr. Barfield, the Commission agreed that the alternate rule text provided by staff would be included as an exhibit at the August Commission meeting for further discussion with Mr. Beaty, Mr. Black, and Mr. Aceto voting against the motion.
Report on License Numbers: As of July 1, 2026, there are 116,028 brokers and firms licensed by the Commission, as follows:
Active Full Brokers – 76,104
Active Provisional Brokers – 3,642
Brokers-in-Charge – 16,803
BIC Eligible Brokers – 7,057
Inactive Full Brokers – 14,855
Inactive Provisional Brokers – 4,612
Firms – 16,584
Limited Nonresident Commercial Brokers – 231
Next Commission Meeting: The next Commission meeting will be held on August 19, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at the North Carolina Real Estate Commission in Raleigh, NC, and is open to the public. It can also be viewed via Zoom online video.
NCREC wishes Miriam Baer a happy retirement!
Miriam Baer retired from her position as Executive Director on June 30, 2026, from the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, after 38 years of service. The Commission thanks Miriam for her excellence and dedication to North Carolina consumers and brokers and wishes her a happy retirement!
Have you updated your email address, physical address, and phone number?
Maintaining accurate contact information with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission is a requirement. All licensees must notify the Commission of any change to their email address or phone number within 10 days of the change. This requirement applies to all brokers, including provisional brokers and full brokers, regardless of whether their licenses are on active or inactive status.
You are invited!
The monthly Real Estate Commission meetings are always open to the public, and you are invited to attend in person or online via Zoom. The meeting next week is July 15th, 2026, at Appalachian State University, Plemmons Student Union, 263 Locust Street, Boone, NC. A Zoom link will be available at ncrec.gov on the day of the meeting.
Key reports, issues, and decisions of interest to licensees and/or the public are reported here from the most recent Commission meeting:
Commission Meeting of June 24, 2026
Pending Cases: The Commission entered into consent agreements to suspend 16 licenses, ordered hearings in cases involving a total of 32 licensees, accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of 1 license and 1 instructor approval, accepted the two-year voluntary surrender of 1 license, reprimanded 5 licensees and closed 7 cases without action.
License Applications Involving Character Issues: License applicants who have character issues such as prior criminal convictions or disciplinary actions by another licensing board are separately considered by the Commission. Decisions are based upon criminal background checks, information supplied by the applicant, and in-person interviews.
Total candidates considered: 18; total approved: 7; approved with conditions: 9; continued: 2.
License Examination Results: If you are interested in reviewing the most recent statistics and pass rates regarding the North Carolina broker license examination. License Examination Results.
Renewals: The Director of Education and Licensing reported that of the 126,567 licensees, 83% (89,943) of brokers renewed their licenses as of June 23, 2026, compared with 77% in 2025 and 2024.
CE Completions and Delinquencies: The Director of Education and Licensing reported that at the beginning of the renewal period, 80,887 brokers needed CE to remain active. Of those, 76,462 have fully satisfied CE requirements, and 4,532 still show a CE deficiency and will go inactive as of June 30. Of those with a CE deficiency, 380 still need one elective, 638 need an Update course, and 3,514 need both an elective and an Update course. Also, of those CE-deficient, 104 are designated as Qualifying Broker, 282 as Broker-in-Charge, and 213 are designated as both. Ms. O’Connor commended the staff for handling all the phone calls from brokers who find themselves expired or CE deficient.
NCREC Investment Policy: The Chief Financial Officer presented the NCREC Investment Policy for its annual review, noting that staff had no recommended changes to the policy and that the Finance Committee reviewed it at its June 19, 2026, meeting. The Commission reviewed the policy and made no changes.
Allan R. Dameron Award: The Commission presented the Allan R. Dameron Legal Internship Award to Mary Beth Cole, a student at North Carolina Central University School of Law.
2026-2027 Business and Related Insurance Proposals: Ms. Debbie Callahan presented the Insurance Report, including options for carriers, coverage, and costs thereof for the Commission’s business and related coverage. The Executive Director noted that the Finance Committee (Mr. Aceto, Mr. Alston, and Mr. Beaty) had met to review the coverage in detail and recommended its approval without changes. Upon the motion of Mr. Alston, the Commission voted to purchase or renew the insurance policies as more particularly described in the Report.
Election of Commission Officers for the period August 2026 to July 2027: Mr. Aceto reported that he had sought nominations for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission for the next year, beginning August 1, 2026, and he received nominations for Mr. Ramseur for Vice Chair and Mr. Alston for Chair. Mr. Barfield nominated Mr. Alston for the Commission Chair. Mr. Aceto asked for other nominations, and none were made. Upon a motion from Mr. Barfield, the Commission closed nominations. Mr. Black moved that Mr. Alston be elected by acclamation. Mr. Barfield nominated Mr. Ramseur for Vice Chair. Mr. Aceto asked for other nominations, and none were given. Upon a motion from Ms. O’Connor, the nominations were closed. Ms. O’Connor moved that Mr. Ramseur be elected by acclamation. Mr. Bell opposed. Upon a motion from Ms. O’Connor, the Commission then voted for Mr. Ramseur to serve as the next Vice Chair. Mr. Bell dissented.
Report on License Numbers: As of June 1, 2026, there are 126,784 brokers and firms licensed by the Commission, as follows:
Active Full Brokers – 81,105
Active Provisional Brokers – 4,322
Brokers-in-Charge – 17,855
BIC Eligible Brokers – 7,122
Inactive Full Brokers – 16,237
Inactive Provisional Brokers – 6,791
Firms –18,043
Limited Nonresident Commercial Brokers – 286
Next Commission Meeting: The next Commission meeting will be held on July 15, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at Appalachian State University, Plemmons Student Union in the Parkway Ballroom in Boone, NC, and is open to the public. It can also be viewed via Zoom online video.
Renewal Deadline is Rapidly Approaching
NCREC encourages all brokers and firms to take a moment to renew their broker and firm licenses by June 30, 2026. Failure to renew will cause their licenses to expire on July 1st. Ask your broker if they have renewed their license. https://www.ncrec.gov/Licensing/LicenseRenewalFaq
Public Comment Period for Proposed Agency Rules is Open Now.
The Commission is considering updates to rule 58A. 0104, and the introduction of three new rules regarding Agency, WWREA/Agency Disclosures, Agency Agreements and Dual Agency. A 60-day public comment period began last month and will run through July 3, 2026. All comments must be submitted in writing by email or mail. You may review the proposed changes on the ncrec.gov homepage, under the License Law and Rules section.
You are invited!
The monthly Real Estate Commission meetings are always open to the public, and you are invited to attend in person or online via Zoom. The meeting next week is June 24th, 2026 here at the Commission building, 1313 Navaho Drive, Raleigh, NC. A Zoom link will be available at ncrec.gov on the day of the meeting.
Key reports, issues, and decisions of interest to licensees and/or the public are reported here from the most recent Commission meeting:
Commission Meeting of May 20, 2026
Pending Cases: The Commission entered into consent agreements to suspend licenses, ordered hearings in cases involving a total of 23 licensees, accepted the permanent voluntary surrender of 3 licenses, voluntary surrender of 3 licenses, left 8 cases pending, reprimanded 3 licensees, suspended 10 licenses, closed 1 case without action, closed 2 cases without action, but cautioned the respondents, issued 1 license on conditions, and approved payment of $7,481.21 from the Real Estate Education and Recovery Fund.
License Applications Involving Character Issues: License applicants who have character issues such as prior criminal convictions or disciplinary actions by another licensing board are separately considered by the Commission. Decisions are based upon criminal background checks, information supplied by the applicant, and in-person interviews.
Total candidates considered: 15; total approved: 2; approved with conditions: 3; continued: 8; deferred: 2.
License Examination Results: If you are interested in reviewing the most recent statistics and pass rates regarding the North Carolina broker license examination. License Examination Results.
Renewals: The Assistant Director of Education and Licensing reported that 29 percent of brokers had renewed their licenses as of May 20, 2026. The Assistant Director of Education and Licensing noted that 80,807 active brokers are required to complete continuing education by June 10. Of the 35,377 brokers currently deficient, 21,049 still need both an elective course and an update course. Additionally, 2,548 of the deficient brokers are designated as BIC, and 3,970 hold both BIC and QB designations.
Revised Square Footage Guidelines: The Director of Regulatory Affairs provided the members with a consolidation of all comments to the proposed revisions of the Residential Square Footage Guidelines. Stakeholders provided feedback on proposed revisions to the Guidelines, noting differences between how brokers and appraisers report living area and raising concerns about terminology and standards. Staff agreed to clarify certain definitions, refine language, and format the Guidelines to make key concepts more visible.
The Commission will consider at the June meeting the Guidelines with the revisions discussed. Upon a motion from Ms. O’Connor, the Commission approved making the changes discussed to the revised Square Footage Guidelines.
Challenge to NC Land Surveyors License Law: The Director of Regulatory Affairs reported that the US Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge from 360 Virtual Drone Service LLC regarding a suit against North Carolina’s Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors, leaving in place a Fourth Circuit ruling that North Carolina can require a land-surveyor license for certain drone-generated images.
MV Realty: The Director of Regulatory Affairs reported that the North Carolina Attorney General (AG) settled its case against MV Realty, whose license the Commission revoked approximately two years ago. The terms of the AG settlement provide that MV Realty is permanently banned from doing business in North Carolina. In addition, consent judgments were entered to void all 2100 contracts that still had 40-year listings. MV Realty must also pay $1,300,000 in restitution.
Health and Dental Insurance: The Chief Administrative Officer reported that she and the Commission’s Finance Committee met with Mr. Parham McNair, CLU, ChFC, to review options for continuation of health, dental, and life/accidental death/long-term disability insurance benefits for staff. Mr. McNair noted that the rate increase from the Commission’s current provider has been, and remains, very minimal. Upon the motion of the Finance Committee, the Commission voted to adopt the recommendation of the Finance Committee and continue the current insurance coverage and benefits as set out.
Report on License Numbers: As of May 1, 2026, there are 126,192 brokers and firms licensed by the Commission, as follows:
Active Full Brokers – 80,700
Active Provisional Brokers – 4,331
Brokers-in-Charge – 17,783
BIC Eligible Brokers – 7,059
Inactive Full Brokers – 16,611
Inactive Provisional Brokers – 6,348
Firms – 17,919
Limited Nonresident Commercial Brokers – 283
Next Commission Meeting: The next Commission meeting will be held on June 24, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. at the North Carolina Real Estate Commission in Raleigh, NC, and is open to the public. It can also be viewed via Zoom online video.
Continuing Education Deadline is Rapidly Approaching
NCREC encourages all brokers to verify their Continuing Education (CE) status. Are you one of the +/- 80,000 brokers with outstanding CE requirements that, if not satisfied by June 10, 2026, will cause your licenses to go inactive on July 1st?
You are invited!
The monthly Real Estate Commission meetings are always open to the public, and you are invited to attend in person or online via Zoom. The meeting next week is May 20th, 2026, here at the Commission building, 1313 Navaho Drive, Raleigh, NC. A Zoom link will be available at ncrec.gov on the day of the meeting.