DLEG INTRODUCES NEW ONLINE LICENSING SERVICES

www.michigan.gov/iCOLA

(INCLUDES NEW REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON APPLICATIONS)

EXPANDED SERVICES AVAILABLE   

Beginning December 1, 2007, the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG) began offering enhanced online services.  This includes information on the availability of real estate education (both prelicensure and continuing education) as well as a significantly improved information link for license lookup ("Check a License"). Further, salespersons and associate brokers can now change their address online.  Eventually brokers will also be able to make changes.  It is also anticipated that salespersons will be able to transfer employment from one broker to another using this Internet service.   The license and exam application processes for brokers and associate brokers remain unchanged at this time, but it is anticipated that they too will be automated in the future.

NEW REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON APPLICATIONS   

The Department has been responsive to the real estate industry requests to have the salesperson license issued as soon as all licensing requirements have been met.  The expanded online program implements this improvement.   For the system to work, once the 40-prelicensure course is completed, all applicants must apply for the salesperson license online at www.michigan.gov/iCOLA prior to registering for the exam.  DLEG is very proud of this new feature as it allows real estate salespersons to immediately begin work in their new career as soon as all of the requirements for that license are met (education completed, application filed, employing broker approved and examination passed). The new photo identification license card also includes a bar-code containing identifying information that can be used by approved education providers to more quickly, accurately and efficiently report attendance of licensed real estate professionals at approved education courses.

Description of the new system is as follows:

1. Real estate salesperson license applicants access the Department's Internet database system to apply for a license at www.michigan.gov/iCOLA.
2. Applicants enter information, answer questions and pay for the license electronically.
3. Once the applicant completes the process, if the applicant provided DLEG with employing broker information, that broker is required to access iCOLA using the broker's user ID and password.  This confirms the broker's desire to have this new salesperson licensed to the broker. 
4. Note:  A salesperson applicant is not required to name an employing broker at the time of application for a license; however, even if the applicant passes the examination, no license will be issued at the examination site.
5. After the salesperson successfully completes their application for a license on iCOLA, DLEG will electronically supply this information to the exam administrators, PSI. The applicant will then register with PSI and pay PSI for the exam (at www.psiexams.com).    An email will be sent to the applicant providing a 6-digit approval number to use in the exam registration process.
6. Once the salesperson applicant passes the exam, if an employing broker was named and verified in the application process, he or she will receive their photo pocket license at the exam site, enabling them to begin their new careers immediately!  The wall license and paper pocket card will be sent in the mail to the employing broker's main office in approximately two weeks.
7. Salespersons who pass the exam but who did not enter employing broker information in the beginning of the process can, within one year of applying on-line, have their broker submit to the Department, the Employing Broker Notification form (BCS/LRE-052), available at the Forms and Publications link on www.michigan.gov/realestate.  Once the broker confirms employment and the Department processes the new information, PSI will mail the photo pocket license to the broker.

We encourage ALL brokers to access iCOLA to create a permanent user ID and password to immediately be in a position to verify new salesperson relationships.  Please call the department at (517) 241-9288, press 111 to get a real estate staff person, if you have questions about getting your user name and password on iCOLA.  Thank you!