Section 4707.02 | Unlicensed practice.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 507 - 134th General Assembly

(A) No person shall act as an auction firm or auctioneer within this state without a license issued by the department of agriculture. No auction shall be conducted in this state except by an auctioneer licensed by the department.

Except as provided in division (D) of this section, the department shall not issue or renew a license if the applicant or licensee has been convicted of a felony or crime involving fraud or theft in this or another state at any time during the ten years immediately preceding application or renewal.

(B) Division (A) of this section does not apply to any of the following:

(1) Sales at auction that either are required by law to be at auction, other than sales pursuant to a judicial order or decree, or are conducted by or under the direction of a public authority;

(2) The owner of any real or personal property desiring to sell the property at auction, provided that the property was not acquired for the purpose of resale;

(3) An auction mediation company;

(4) An auction that is conducted in a course of study for auctioneers that is approved by the state auctioneers commission created under section 4707.03 of the Revised Code for purposes of student training and is supervised by a licensed auctioneer;

(5)(a) An auction that is sponsored by a nonprofit or charitable organization that is registered in this state under Chapter 1702. or Chapter 1716. of the Revised Code, respectively, if the auction only involves the property of the members of the organization and the auction is part of a fair that is organized by an agricultural society under Chapter 1711. of the Revised Code or by the Ohio expositions commission under Chapter 991. of the Revised Code at which an auctioneer who is licensed under this chapter physically conducts the auction;

(b) Sales at an auction sponsored by a charitable, religious, or civic organization that is tax exempt under subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or by a public school, chartered nonpublic school, or community school, if no person in the business of organizing, arranging, or conducting an auction for compensation and no consignor of consigned items sold at the auction, except such organization or school, receives compensation from the proceeds of the auction. As used in division (B)(5)(b) of this section, "compensation" means money, a thing of value other than participation in a charitable event, or a financial benefit.

(c) Sales at an auction sponsored by an organization that is tax exempt under subsection 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is a part of a national, regional, or state convention or conference that advances or promotes the auction profession in this state when the property to be sold is donated to or is the property of the organization and the proceeds remain within the organization or are donated to a charitable organization that is tax exempt under subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(6) A person licensed as a livestock dealer under Chapter 943. of the Revised Code who exclusively sells livestock and uses an auctioneer who is licensed under this chapter to conduct the auction;

(7) A person licensed as a motor vehicle auction owner under Chapter 4517. of the Revised Code who exclusively sells motor vehicles to a person licensed under Chapter 4517. of the Revised Code and who uses an auctioneer who is licensed under this chapter to conduct the auction;

(8) A bid calling contest that is approved by the commission and that is conducted for the purposes of the advancement or promotion of the auction profession in this state;

(9) An auction at which the champion of a national or international bid calling contest appears, provided that both of the following apply:

(a) The champion is not paid a commission.

(b) The auction is conducted under the direct supervision of an auctioneer licensed under this chapter in order to ensure that the champion complies with this chapter and rules adopted under it.

(10) A person who, in any calendar year, sells not more than ten thousand dollars of personal property via an auction mediation company if both of the following apply:

(a) The auction mediation company specifically provides a fraud protection or money-back guarantee to the buyer of the property being sold;

(b) The person is either selling the property of another and does not receive any compensation for such sale, or the person is selling the person's own personal property.

(C)(1) No person shall advertise or hold oneself out as an auction firm or auctioneer without a license issued by the department of agriculture.

(2) Division (C)(1) of this section does not apply to an individual who is the subject of an advertisement regarding an auction conducted under division (B)(5)(b) of this section.

(D) The department shall not refuse to issue a license to an applicant because of a criminal conviction unless the refusal is in accordance with section 9.79 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 23, 2023 at 10:24 AM

Available Versions of this Section

• September 29, 2013 – House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly
• March 23, 2016 – House Bill 131, House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly
• October 9, 2021 – Amended by House Bill 263 - 133rd General Assembly
• September 13, 2022 – Amended by House Bill 321 - 134th General Assembly
• April 7, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 507 - 134th General Assembly