Those acting as auctioneers, or otherwise engaged in the auction business, are required to be licensed in some states in the United States.
Generally speaking, states in the eastern-half of the United States require licensing, where the states in the western-half of the United States do not.
However, each state has their own licensing requirements (or lack thereof) and across the United States, this requirement varies substantially.
Some states require schooling, testing, apprenticeship, a bond, continuing education and associated fees; other states require nothing of the kind.
We’ve previously written numerous articles about auctioneer licensing and one such article regarded if auctioneer licensing was good or bad:http://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2009/12/25/auctioneer-licensing-good-or-bad/
As well, we wrote about when an auctioneer license may not be needed, even in a state where such licensing is otherwise required:http://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/i-dont-need-an-auctioneers-license/
Our list below (as of September 2, 2017) gives a summary of each state’s (and the District of Columbia’s) requirements, as well as a link to each state’s related website.
Alabama http://www.auctioneer.state.al.us Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test, Bond & CE
Alaska http://www.law.state.ak.us/ Some local licensing/permits
Arizona http://www.revenue.state.az.us Some local licensing/permits
Arkansas http://www.aralb.com/index.html Statewide (live only) licensing, Bond/Recovery fund & CE
California http://www.ss.ca.gov Some local licensing/permits, Bond
Colorado http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate Some local licensing/permits
Connecticut http://www.ct.gov/dcp Some local and/or property specific licensing/permits
Delaware http://www.state.de.us/revenue State business license and some local licensing/permits
District of Columbia https://dcra.dc.gov/service/get-auction-sales-license State Auction Sales license
Florida http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/pro/auct/auc_index.shtml Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school or Apprenticeship, Test & Bond/Recovery fund
Georgia http://www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/auctioneer/ Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school, Test, Bond/Recovery fund & CE
Hawaii http://hawaii.gov/dcca Some local and/or property specific licensing/permits
Idaho http://www.sos.idaho.gov Some local licensing/permits
Illinois http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/re/auctioneers.asp Statewide (live and some online) licensing, Test, CE
Indiana http://www.in.gov/pla/auction.htm Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Test, CE
Iowa https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers Some local and/or property specific licensing/permits
Kansas http://ag.ks.gov/in-your-corner-kansas Some local and/or property specific licensing/permits
Kentucky http://auctioneers.ky.gov Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test, Recovery fund & CE
Louisiana http://www.lalb.org/licensing.php Statewide (live and some online) licensing, Auction school or Apprenticeship, Test & Bond
Maine http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/auctioneers/index.htm Statewide (live only) licensing, Test & Bond
Maryland http://www.dat.state.md.us/ Some local licensing/permits
Massachusetts http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/government/oca-agencies/dos-lp/dos-licensing/dos-auctioneers/ Statewide (live and most online) licensing, Auction school, Test & Bond
Michigan http://www.michigan.gov/ag Some local licensing/permits
Minnesota http://www.sos.state.mn.us Local licensing/permits & Bond
Mississippi http://www.auctioneers.ms.gov Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test & Bond
Missouri http://sos.mo.gov/ Local licensing/permits & Bond
Montana http://www.doj.mt.gov/ Local licensing/permits & Bond
Nebraska http://www.sos.ne.gov Some local and property specific licensing/permits
Nevada http://www.nvsos.gov Some local licensing/permits
New Hampshire http://www.sos.nh.gov/auctioneers.aspx Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school or apprenticeship, Test & Bond
New Jersey http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ Some local licensing/permits
New Mexico http://www.sos.state.nm.us Some local licensing/permits
New York http://www.dos.ny.gov Some local and/or property specific licensing/permits
North Carolina http://www.ncalb.org Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test, Recovery fund & CE
North Dakota http://www.psc.nd.gov/jurisdiction/auctions/index.php Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship & Bond
Ohio http://www.agri.ohio.gov/auction/ Statewide licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test & Bond/Recovery fund
Oklahoma http://www.sos.ok.gov Some local licensing/permits
Oregon http://www.sos.state.or.us Some local and/or property specific licensing/permits
Pennsylvania http://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/AuctioneerExaminers/Pages/default.aspx Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school and/or Apprenticeship, Test & Bond
Rhode Island http://www.riag.ri.gov/ Some local licensing/permits
South Carolina http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Auctioneers Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test, Bond & CE
South Dakota http://www.sdsos.gov Some local licensing/permits
Tennessee http://www.tn.gov/commerce/section/auctioneers Statewide (live and online) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship, Test, Recovery fund & CE
Texas https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/auc/auction.htm Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Test, Recovery fund & CE
Utah http://www.utah.gov/ Some local licensing/permits
Vermont https://www.sec.state.vt.us/professional-regulation/list-of-professions/auctioneers.aspx Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Apprenticeship & Test
Virginia http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Auctioneers/ Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school, Test, Bond & CE
Washington http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/auctioneers/ Statewide (live only) licensing & Bond
West Virginia http://www.agriculture.wv.gov/divisions/executive/Pages/Auctioneers.aspx Statewide (live only) licensing, Auction school and/or Apprenticeship, Test, Bond & CE
Wisconsin http://dsps.wi.gov//licenses-permits/auctioneer Statewide (live and online) licensing & CE
Wyoming http://www.wyo.gov/ Some local licensing/permits
It is important to note that auctioneer licensing laws change periodically. As well, links to such state agencies change as well.
If auctioneer licensing interests you, please use this guide, but was well talk with others already in the auction business in the state or area of interest; they often know the most current status of licensing laws.
Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, CAI, AARE has been an auctioneer and certified appraiser for over 30 years. His company’s auctions are located at: Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, RES Auction Services and Goodwill Columbus Car Auction. He serves as Distinguished Faculty at Hondros College of Business, Executive Director of The Ohio Auction School, an Instructor at the National Auctioneers Association’s Designation Academy and Faculty at the Certified Auctioneers Institute held at Indiana University.
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