Your real estate license is your livelihood. Unfortunately, serious mistakes can happen and cause your real estate license to be revoked. As a result, many realtors and brokers fear that their careers are over. However, there is hope to reinstate your professional license. Here’s what you need to know.
Causes for Revocation
The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) requires license holders to be honest and truthful. Unfortunately, some real estate professionals fail to uphold this positive character and end up with a serious offense. The most common reasons the DRE revokes licenses are:
- Failure to disclose a criminal conviction
- Performing unlicensed real estate activities
- Misrepresenting material facts about a property
- Mishandling trust funds
- Failing to report others who violate the law
Although these are the most prominent reasons for disciplinary action, this list goes on. Maintaining your real estate license is dependent on being transparent and upholding both state and real estate law. However, if you are accused of these offenses and the DRE has revoked your professional license, you do have a chance at getting your career back.
Related Article: Real Estate Violations in California That Can Result in License Suspensions
Petitioning to Reinstate Your Real Estate License
To reinstate your professional license, the DRE requires you to wait a full year after your revocation. This wait time applies to both full reinstatement and restricted reinstatement. Before your year is up, it’s important to begin consulting with an attorney who focuses on professional license defense. A license defense attorney can help you petition for your reinstatement. This petition requires you to submit documentation that shows you have taken the necessary steps to prevent future offenses and are a trustworthy member of society. Once you have submitted your documents, the Deputy Real Estate Commissioner will investigate.
During this investigation, the Commissioner will look at your behavior and lifestyle changes since your disciplinary action by reviewing your criminal records, court records, employment records, and any internal board records. From this investigation, the Commissioner will submit a recommendation to the DRE, who will then decide whether your petition is granted or denied.
This process can be lengthy and exhausting for even the most seasoned real estate professionals. A license defense attorney can help alleviate these stresses and give you the best chance at reinstating your real estate license.
Related Article: Case Study: Unlocking a California Real Estate License
Contact Unlock Legal for Help with Your Real Estate License
If your real estate license was revoked, our real estate license defense lawyers can take some weight off your shoulders. We’ve helped dozens of professionals like you petition to reinstate their licenses and get back to work. We’ll stand before the DRE and fight to unlock your career.
Unlock Legal provides focused representation in criminal defense and defense for California licensed professionals. Contact Unlock Legal today or give us a call at 949-997-1469 to speak with a professional about your case and your unique needs. You’ll find we are compassionate, easy to talk to, and willing to help in any capacity we can.