State Board of Auctioneer Examiners, Business Licensing Division
Pennsylvania Department of State
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
Hostetter, Jr., Sherman E. – 3rd Term, AU (Chairperson)
9/21/10 – 9/21/13 USQ for 6 months
Rader, Matthew C. – 1st Term, TRA
12/16/09 – 12/16/12 USQ for 6 months
Rentzel, Blaine N. – 2nd Term, AU
9/21/10 – 9/21/13 USQ for 6 months
Foerster, Michael
Agent, Bureau of Consumer Protection
Office of Attorney General
14th Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717)-787-9707
Stewart, Ralph M. – 8th Term (Secretary), AU
12/16/09 – 12/16/12 USQ for 6 months
Wiggin, Timothy A. – 1st Term (Public Member)
11/1/11 – 11/1/14 USQ for 6 months
(Two vacancies currently exist on the State Board of Examiners -
one professional member and one public member)
USQ = Until Successor Qualifies
Quorum Requirements – Five Members
4 Auctioneers
1 Trading Assistant
2 Public Members
1 Consumer Protection
1 Commissioner
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Terrie Kocher , Board Administrator
State Board of Auctioneer Examiners
PO Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
(717) 783-3397 * (717) 705-5540 (fax)
tkocher@state.pa.us
ST-AUCTIONEER@state.pa.us
www.dos.state.pa.us
Juan Ruiz , Attorney-at-Law
Board Counsel
Governor’s Office of General Counsel
2601 N. Third St., PO Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
(717) 783-7200
(717) 787.0251 (fax)
jruiz@pa.gov
Julia Feld-Caralle, Attorney-at-Law
Assistant Counsel (Prosecuting)
Governor’s Office of General Counsel
2601 N. Third St., PO Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
(717) 783-7200
(717) 787.0251 (fax)
jfeldcaral@pa.gov
AUCTION LICENSE INFORMATION
Does PA require an auctioneer license? Yes.
Requirements: Graduation from an approved school of auctioneering
(Harrisburg Area Community College, Reading Area Community College or Clarion University-Venango Campus) OR two years of apprenticeship with 30 sales and passing score on the Pennsylvania Auctioneer Examination (if an applicant fails the examination twice, they must request Board approval to sit again. The Board may require an applicant to complete additional training approved by the Board. Per §1.23(c) of the Board’s regulations.
Exceptions: **Please direct questions regarding exceptions to Section 3(h) and Section (i) of the law act** Specified single sale per year by owner of property, charity, government agency , if the owner is not engaged in the business of selling the property.
Does an auctioneer need a real estate license to call bids at a real estate auction? No.
Does an auctioneer need a real estate license to handle all aspects of a real estate auction? No.
Does a person need an auctioneer’s license to call bids at a real estate auction? Yes.
Does a person need an auctioneer’s license to handle all other aspects of a real estate auction? No.
Licensed Auctioneers in State:
4,815 Auctioneers issued licenses
2,054 are currently actively licensed
Apprentice Auctioneers:
3,206 Apprentice Auctioneers issued licenses
269 are currently actively licensed
Licensed Auction Companies:
456 Auction Company licenses have been issued
180 are actively licensed
Licensed Auction Houses:
446 Auction House licenses have been issued
128 are actively licensed
Registered Auction Companies:
366 Auction Companies have been issued registration
140 are actively registered
Registered Auction Houses:
366 Auction Houses have been issued registration
85 are actively registered
Trading Assistant Registrants:
64 Trading Assistant issued licenses
50 are actively licensed
Auctioneer Test Administered: On a daily basis to eligible candidates on a computer-based testing platform using Laser Grade test locations – www.pcshq.com.
Examination Fee: $200 ($150 for a repeat candidate)
Biennial (every 2 years) License Fees:
Apprentice – $100
Auctioneer – $200
Auction Firm, Company or House – $200.
Bonding Requirement: $5,000 for all categories. A bond is not required for a licensed auctioneer applying for registration of an auction house or auction company that they operate.
Reciprocity: PA currently has reciprocal agreements with the following 13 states:
Alabama; Florida; Georgia; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisiana; North Carolina
Ohio; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; West Virginia
To be eligible for licensure by reciprocity, he/she must be a nonresident of PA and hold a current auctioneer license by the state of his residence from the list above.
A reciprocal license is limited to the sale of whatever property the laws and regulations of his state permit non-resident auctioneers and apprentice auctioneers to sell at auction.
Click Here to become a PA Auctioneer