Section 1. There shall be Five (5) classes of Members, as follows:

(a) REALTOR® Members, whether primary or secondary, shall be:

(1)  Individuals who as sole proprietors, partners, corporate officers, principals or branch office managers are engaged actively in the real estate profession, including buying, selling, exchanging, renting or leasing, managing, appraising for others for compensation, counseling, building, developing or subdividing real estate and who maintain or are associated with an established real estate office in the state of Minnesota or a state contiguous thereto.  All persons who are partners in a partnership, all officers of a corporation, or office managers, who are actively engaged in the real estate profession within the state or a state contiguous thereto shall qualify for REALTOR® Membership only, and each is required to hold REALTOR® Membership (except as provided in the following paragraph) in an Association/Board of REALTORSâ within the state or a state contiguous thereto unless otherwise qualified for Institute Affiliate Membership as described in Section 1 (b) of Article IV.

In the case of a real estate firm, partnership, or corporation, whose business activity is substantially all commercial, only those principals actively engaged in the real estate business in connection with the same office, or any other offices within the jurisdiction of the Association in which one of the firm’s principals holds REALTOR® membership shall be required to hold REALTOR® membership  unless otherwise qualified for Institute Affiliate Membership as described in Section 1 (b) of Article IV.

NOTE:  REALTOR® Members may obtain membership in a “secondary” Board/Association in another state.

(2) Individuals who are engaged in the real estate profession other than as sole proprietors, partners, corporate officers, or branch office manager and are associated with a REALTOR® Members and meet the qualifications set out in Article V.

(3) Franchise REALTOR® Membership: Corporate officers (who may be licensed or unlicensed) of a real estate brokerage franchise organization with at least one hundred fifty (150) franchisees located within the United States, its insular possessions and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, elected to membership pursuant to the provisions in the NAR Constitution and Bylaws. Such individuals shall enjoy all of the rights, privileges and obligations of REALTOR® membership (including compliance with the Code of Ethics) EXCEPT: obligations related to Board/Association mandated education, meeting attendance or indoctrination classes or other similar requirements; the right to use the term REALTOR® in connection with their franchise organization's name; the right to hold elective office in the local Board/Association, State Association and National Association.

 (4) Primary and secondary REALTOR® Members.  An individual is a primary member if the Association pays State and National dues based upon such Member.  An individual is a secondary Member if State and National dues are remitted through another Association.  One of the principals in a real estate firm must be a Designated REALTOR® member of the Association in order for licensees affiliated with the firm to select the Association as their “primary" Association.

(5) Designated REALTOR® Members:  Each firm shall designate in writing one REALTOR® Member who shall be responsible for all duties and obligations of Membership including the obligation to arbitrate pursuant to Article 17 of the Code of Ethics and the payment of Association dues as established in Article X of the Bylaws.  The "Designated REALTOR®" must be a sole proprietor, partner, corporate officer or branch office manager acting on behalf of the firm's principal(s) and must meet all other qualification for REALTOR® Membership established in Article V. Section 2, of the bylaws.

1 (b) Institute Affiliate Members. Institute Affiliate Members shall be individuals who hold a professional designation awarded by an Institute, Society, or Council affiliated with the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS that addresses a specialty area other than residential brokerage or individuals who otherwise hold a class of membership in such Institute, Society or Council that confers the right to hold office.  Any such individual, if otherwise eligible, may elect to hold REALTOR or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE membership, subject to payment of applicable dues for such membership. (Amended 1/02)

Section 1(c)  Affiliate Members shall be real estate owners and other individuals or firms who while not engaged in the real estate profession as defined in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section, have interests requiring information concerning real estate and are in sympathy with the objectives of the Association.  Affiliate Membership shall also be granted to individuals licensed or certified to engage in real estate practice who, if otherwise eligible, do not elect to hold REALTORÒ membership in the board, provided the applicant is engaged exclusively in a specialty of the real estate business other than brokerage of real property.

(d)  Public Service Members shall be individuals who are interested in the real estate profession as salaried employees of or affiliated with educational, public utility, governmental or other similar organizations, but are not engaged in the real estate profession on their own account or in association with an established real estate business.

(e) Honorary Members shall be individuals not engaged in the real estate profession who have performed notable services for the real estate profession, for the Association or for the public. Past Presidents that have retired from active participation in the Association shall become Honorary Members of the Association upon written request and approval of the Board of Directors.  All other applicants must meet the criteria as established by the Board of Directors.

(f) Student Members shall be individuals who are seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree with a specialization or major in real estate at institutions of higher learning and who have completed at least two (2) years of college and at least one college level course in real estate, but are not engaged in the real estate profession on their own account or not associated with an established real estate office.