Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 73 - PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS (§§ 73-1-1 — 73-79-1) › Chapter 34 - REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS (§§ 73-34-1 — 73-34-131) › REAL ESTATE APPRAISER LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION ACT (§§ 73-34-1 — 73-34-63) › Section 73-34-35 - Grounds for denial, suspension or revocation of license or registration, or other disciplinary action

(1)
An application for licensure or renewal may be denied, and the rights of any licensed appraiser or licensed certified real estate appraiser may be revoked or suspended, or the holder of the license may be otherwise disciplined, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter for any of the following acts or omissions:
(a)
Failing to meet the minimum qualifications for licensure established under this chapter;
(b)
Procuring or attempting to procure licensure under this chapter by knowingly making a false statement, submitting false information or making a material misrepresentation in an application filed with the board or procuring or attempting to procure licensure through any form of fraud or misrepresentation;
(c)
Paying money other than the fees provided for by this chapter to any member or employee of the board to procure licensure under this chapter;
(d)
An act or omission in the practice of real estate appraising which constitutes dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation with the intent to substantially benefit the licensee or another person or with the intent to substantially injure another person;
(e)
Entry of a final civil or criminal judgment against a licensee on grounds of fraud, misrepresentation or deceit;
(f)
Conviction, including a conviction based upon a plea or finding of guilty, of a crime which is substantially related to the qualifications, functions or duties of a person developing real estate appraisals and communicating real estate appraisals to others;
(g)
Engaging in the business of real estate appraising under an assumed or fictitious name not properly registered in this state;
(h)
Paying a finder's fee or a referral fee;
(i)
Making a false or misleading statement in that portion of a written appraisal report that deals with professional qualifications or in any testimony concerning professional qualifications;
(j)
Issuing an appraisal on any real property in which the appraiser has an interest through fee simple ownership, leasehold, rental agreement or auction agreement;
(k)
Taking a listing for the sale of a property within ninety (90) days of appraising such property, except as may be otherwise agreed upon by all parties and disclosed in the listing agreement; or
(l)
Any act or conduct, whether the same or of a different character than specified above, which constitutes or demonstrates bad faith, incompetency or untrustworthiness; or dishonest, fraudulent or improper dealing; or any other violation of the provisions of this chapter and of rules and regulations established by the board.
(2)
In accordance with the laws of this state, and to the extent permitted by any applicable federal legislation or regulation, the board may censure an appraisal management company, conditionally or unconditionally suspend or revoke any registration issued under this chapter, or deny renewal of any registration issued under this chapter, or levy fines or impose civil penalties not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), if after appropriate investigation the board concludes that an appraisal management company is attempting to perform, has performed, or has attempted to perform any of the following acts:
(a)
Committed any act in violation of this chapter;
(b)
Violated any rule or regulation adopted by the board in the interest of the public and consistent with the provisions of this chapter; or
(c)
Procured a registration for itself or any other person by fraud, misrepresentation or deceit.
(3)
In order to promote voluntary compliance, encourage appraisal management companies to correct errors promptly, and ensure a fair and consistent approach to enforcement, the board is authorized to impose fines or civil penalties that are reasonable in light of the nature, extent and severity of the violation. The board is also authorized to take action against an appraisal management company's registration, if at all, only after less severe sanctions have proven insufficient to ensure behavior consistent with this chapter. When deciding whether to impose a sanction permitted by subsection (2), determining the sanction that is most appropriate in a specific instance, or making any other discretionary decision regarding the enforcement of this chapter, the board shall consider whether an appraisal management company:
(a)
Has an effective program reasonably designed to ensure compliance with this chapter;
(b)
Has taken prompt and appropriate steps to correct and prevent the recurrence of any detected violations; and
(c)
Has independently reported to the board any significant violations or potential violations of this chapter, before an imminent threat of disclosure or investigation and within a reasonably prompt time after becoming aware of their occurrence.
(4)
In addition to the reasons specified in subsection (1) of this section, the board shall be authorized to suspend the license of any licensee for being out of compliance with an order for support, as defined in Section
93-11-153
. The procedure for suspension of a license for being out of compliance with an order for support, and the procedure for the reissuance or reinstatement of a license suspended for that purpose, and the payment of any fees for the reissuance or reinstatement of a license suspended for that purpose, shall be governed by Section
93-11-157
or
93-11-163
, as the case may be. If there is any conflict between any provision of Section
93-11-157
or
93-11-163
and any provision of this chapter, the provisions of Section
93-11-157
or
93-11-163
, as the case may be, shall control.
Laws, 1990, ch. 576, § 18; Laws, 1993, ch. 559, § 11; Laws, 1996, ch. 507, § 66, eff. 7/1/1996.
Amended by Laws, 2023, ch. 501, SB 2673,§ 9, eff. 7/1/2023.
Amended by Laws, 2011, ch. 458, HB 1337, 23, eff. 12/1/2013.