They can be found in ORC 4707.101.  They are also available on our website.

A licensee is required to complete the eight hours of continuing education as follows: 
(a) Three of the hours shall include areas of instruction in any of the following areas: an overview of this chapter and rules adopted under it, including any          recent amendments to that chapter or rules; contract law; the uniform commercial code; auction ethics; or trust or escrow accounts. 
(b) Five of the hours shall include areas of instruction in any of the following areas: advertising and marketing; business math and accounting; insurance           and liability; federal firearms law; business management; motor vehicle auctions; real estate auctions; or personal property auctions. 

Your CE is due at the time of renewal. You are required to complete 8 hours of CE. When you renew your license, you will be required to attest to completion of the CE. If you have not completed your CE, you will not be able to complete the license renewal application.  

All Ohio Auction Commission (OAC) approved auction schools, National Auctioneers Association, and the Ohio Auctioneers Association courses are automatically approved if they are under the required core and elective subject areas and required hours.  

Other providers may apply for approval from the OAC. Currently, the only approved providers are All Star Training and the Indiana Auctioneer Association Winter Conference Educational Seminars.  

A complete list of approved providers is available on our website.

Only if the courses taken are given by an approved auctioneer CE provider and if the subject matter falls within the core and elective CE requirements found in ORC 4707.101.

Only if the course is given by an approved Ohio CE provider and if the course falls within the required core and elective subjects.

CE taken in another state may apply if:

• The course has been approved by the appropriate state governing body in the other state.
• The OAC approves the completion of the area of instruction by the auctioneer of an auction firm manager in the other state.

No, you are required to complete 8 hours of CE.

Yes, online CE has been approved by the OAC.

No, your CE needs to be completed within the renewal biennium and after September 13, 2022, the effective date of the requirement.

ODA no longer automatically mails renewal applications. The preferred method of application and renewal are via the online license portal. You will receive email notifications at the time of renewal. If you elect not to participate in the online licensing portal, you are required to contact ODA and request a paper renewal in the year that you are due to renew. The wall certificate is available to download via the online licensing portal on your dashboard under options. Paper licenses are no longer mailed automatically.

If the auction is being conducted entirely outside of the State of Ohio, no license is required in Ohio. If the items are located in Ohio, and the auction is being conducted in Ohio, then a license is required by the out of state company.

An auction mediation company is defined as a company that provides a forum through the internet for a person to sell the person’s real or personal property via the submission of silent bids using a computer or other electronic device. An auction firm is defined as a person who provides auction services (see definition in next question).

An auction mediation company provides the online forum for the auction firm or auctioneer to sell property at auction online. It is the virtual equivalent of a person renting a building to another to conduct auctions.  An auction mediation company is merely providing the platform and not conducting auctions. An auction firm provides auction services.  
 

Auction services are defined as the arranging, managing, and sponsoring of a personal property auction. “Auction services” includes the taking and advertising of personal property on consignment to be sold at an online or live auction by a licensed auctioneer for a fee or other consideration. Basically, it is everything but the verbal bid calling at a live personal property auction.

As defined in ORC 4707.01:

(P) “Live Auction” means an auction that is hosted by an auctioneer in real time.

(Q) “Online Auction” means an auction or sale at auction of real or personal property that is conducted via a web site or similar interactive communication media in which the web site or similar interactive communication media accepts and rejects bids and declares items, parcels or lots sold. 

A live auction is an auction where there is a live calling for and the acceptance or rejection of bids.  If there is any live element to the bid calling i.e., where the calling for, acceptance of or rejection of the bids is done by a person and not an automated computer platform, it is a live auction, and a licensed auctioneer must conduct the auction.

An auction firm can only sell personal property.  If you are selling real estate, you must be licensed as a real estate broker or salesperson and as an auctioneer under Chapter 4735 of the Ohio Revised Code and under Chapter 4707 of the Ohio Revised Code. 
 

Any in-person, webinar, zoom, or on-demand continuing education course that meets the topic area of the required continuing education requirement found in ORC 4707.101 offered by Ohio Auctioneer Commission approved auction school, the Ohio Auctioneer’s Association, and the National Auctioneers Association is automatically approved. Other providers may be approved by the Ohio Auctioneers Commission. Applications for approval are found here.

§ 4707.101. Continuing Education.
(A) A licensed auctioneer shall complete eight hours of continuing education in accordance with this section prior to renewal of the license under section 4707.10 of the Revised Code. The auction firm manager of a licensed auction firm shall complete eight hours of continuing education in accordance with this section prior to the renewal of the auction firm license under section 4707.10 of the Revised Code. 
    (B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, a licensed auctioneer and an auction firm manager shall complete the eight hours of continuing education as follows: 
          (a) Three of the hours shall include areas of instruction in any of the following areas: an overview of this chapter and rules adopted under it, including any recent amendments to that chapter or rules; contract law; the uniform commercial code; auction ethics; or trust or escrow accounts. 
          (b) Five of the hours shall include areas of instruction in any of the following areas: advertising and marketing; business math and accounting; insurance and liability; federal firearms law; business management; motor vehicle auctions; real estate auctions; or personal property auctions. 
     (2) If a licensed auctioneer has been issued a license with a period of validity of twelve months or less, the auctioneer shall complete four hours of continuing education as follows: 
          (a) One hour in the areas of instruction described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section; 
          (b) Three hours in the areas of instruction described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section. 
   (C) A licensed auctioneer or an auction firm manager of a licensed auction firm may complete an area of instruction for continuing education hours in another state if both of the following apply: 
      (1) The area of instruction has been approved by the appropriate state governing body in the other state. 
      (2) The Ohio auctioneers commission approves the completion of the area of instruction by the auctioneer or an auction firm manager in the other state
 

You may file a complaint using this complaint form.

Yes, you will need to be licensed either as an auctioneer or auction firm.  

An auction firm can manage, arrange, sponsor, contract for, take consignments, and handle monies for a personal property auction either online or for a live auction. If it is a live auction, a licensed auctioneer must conduct the bid calling.

No, under provisions passed in HB 321, the apprenticeship is no longer required to become a licensed auctioneer in Ohio. You need to attend an approved auction school, secure a $25,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit and a background check to apply for the auctioneer license and written exam. The exam is given monthly at ODA.

No, the auction firm license does not require attendance at an approved auction school. If the firm manager is not a licensed auctioneer, they will need to take and pass the auction firm manager exam given at ODA once a month.  

For those who are taking the auctioneer license exam, anything that you learned at auction school may be on the auctioneer exam. You should study the materials provided by the auction school to prepare for the exam. You can also study the auctioneer guidebook.

For those studying for the firm manager exam, you can study the auctioneer guidebook. Some applicants choose to take a course on auction law from an approved auction school—this is not required for licensure.

Both exams may also have questions regarding laws that would impact auctions in areas such as Federal Firearms Law, Motor Vehicle Sales, Chapter 1301 of the Ohio Revised Code, etc. There may also be basic math and contract law.

The exam for the auction firm is a different exam than the auctioneer licensing exam.  They are similar in format. Both will have multiple choice, true and false, fill in the blank and a practical application section. The auctioneer exam is longer and more in-depth than the firm manager exam.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs, and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability please contact: Donna Potter, Auctioneer Program Administrator, at 614-728-6350 or Donna.Potter@agri.ohio.gov no later than 14 days before the event.

No, you do not need an auctioneer or auction firm license if you are selling via an online platform for a fixed price or buy it now price since it is not an auction.  An auction is defined in ORC 4707.01(A) as:

“Auction” means a method of sale of real or personal property, goods, or chattels, at a predetermined date and time, by means of a verbal exchange, regular mail, telecommunications, the internet, an electronic transmission, or a physical gesture between an auctioneer and members of the audience or prospective purchasers, the exchanges and gestures consisting of a series of invitations for offers made by the auctioneer and offers by members of the audience or prospective purchasers, with the right to acceptance of offers with the auctioneer. “Auction” includes a sale of real or personal property, goods, or chattels in which there has been a solicitation or invitation by advertisement to the public for an advance in bidding using sealed bidding, provided that the bids are opened and there is a call for an advancement of the bids.

A ”deal or no deal” offering is an auction if there are multiple offers being entertained and there is a rejection or acceptance of the offers by the seller at a predetermined date and time.
 

Yes, if the CE is a required subject and provided by an approved auctioneer continuing education provider.