New Service Stems from Governor’s Big Audit/Fiscal Fitness Program
Rhode Island realtors now have an easier way to renew their broker and sales licenses through a new online service offered by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR). The Real Estate Broker and Salesperson renewal service allows over 7,800 of Rhode Island’s realtors the convenience of renewing via the Internet at www.dbr.state.ri.us/real_estate.html or by visiting the state’s official website www.RI.gov
The online real estate license renewal service joins a fast growing list of professional license renewals offered through Rhode Island’s E-licensing initiative. Travel industry license renewals, lender license renewals and annual filings can already be completed online through the business licensing portal at http://www.ri.gov/BusinessForward/
The Rhode Island E-licensing initiative is a collaborative effort of the Governor’s Fiscal Fitness Program, the Division of Information Technology (DoIT), the participating licensing agency and RI.gov. The Fiscal Fitness Program grew out of Governor Carcieri’s promise to perform a Big Audit of state government. The Big Audit was designed to reduce government waste, streamline government functions, and to make state government more convenient for Rhode Islanders.
“In this information age, we are pleased to be able to provide business-friendly technology to professionals working in and around Rhode Island,” said Governor Carcieri. “These are the first of many professional license renewals that will be available online. We will continue this momentum to streamline government services to provide better service, with less paperwork, that benefits Rhode Island businesses. This is another great example of how my Fiscal Fitness Program is working to make state government services more accessible to the people of Rhode Island.”
Real estate brokers and salespersons licensed in Rhode Island can log-in anytime by using their license number. The entire renewal process, including payment, should take less than 10 minutes. The user will receive an online receipt and the renewal request is sent to the Division of Commercial Licensing, Racing and Athletics at DBR for approval and fulfillment. The renewed license will be mailed to complete the transaction. Licensees can renew starting March 1, 2006 through the expiration date of April 30, 2006. Renewals after the expiration date may be completed online and a $100 late fee will be assessed.
“We’re pleased with the efforts of the Department of Business Regulation to eliminate the need to use paper forms,” said Dan Majcher, Program Director of Fiscal Fitness. “It’s our goal not only to provide the business community with a fast and easy way to interact with state government, but also to reduce the cost of doing business in Rhode Island.”
E-licensing is an initiative driven by Governor Carcieri’s Fiscal Fitness Program to provide business-friendly technology that will offer better services, streamline internal government processes, reduce paperwork flow, and the costs associated with the manual renewal process. A variety of professional licenses have been identified according to complexity and annual renewal date as part of the E-licensing program. Several agencies will work with the Fiscal Fitness Program, DoIT and RI.gov to provide online professional license renewals.