Real estate licensees.

Existing law, the Real Estate Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of real estate brokers and salespersons by the Real Estate Commissioner, who is the chief officer of the Department of Real Estate within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Existing law prohibits a real estate licensee from publishing, circulating, distributing, or causing to be published, circulated, or distributed in newspapers or periodicals or mail, a matter pertaining to any activity for which a real estate license is required that does not contain a designation disclosing that the licensee is performing acts for which a real estate license is required. Existing law also requires a real estate licensee to disclose their name, license identification number, and other specified information, on all solicitation materials intended to be the first point of contact with consumers and on real property purchase agreements, as specified. Existing law authorizes the commissioner to adopt regulations identifying the materials in which a licensee must disclose this information. This bill would authorize a real estate licensee who is a natural person and who legally changes the surname in which their license was originally issued to continue to utilize their former surname for business associated with their license so long as both names are filed with the department. The bill would provide that use of a former surname does not constitute a fictitious name for purposes of certain filing requirements.