The following classes of membership are available in the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS. Only individuals shall be eligible for any class of membership. There is no firm membership.

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

(1) Individuals who, as sole proprietors, partners, corporate officers, branch office managers, or otherwise in a position of management control are engaged actively in the real estate profession, including buying, selling, exchanging, renting or leasing, managing, appraising for others for compensation, counseling, or financing, building, developing or subdividing real estate, and who maintain or are associated with an established real estate office in the state of Tennessee or a state contiguous thereto and meet the qualifications set out in Article V. All persons who are partners in a partnership, or all officers in a corporation who are actively engaged in the real estate profession within the state or a state contiguous thereto shall qualify for REALTOR® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Membership, and each is required to hold REALTOR® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Membership (except as provided in the following paragraph) in a Board of REALTORS® within the state or a state contiguous thereto unless otherwise qualified for Institute Affiliate Membership as described in Section l (b) of Article IV; provided, however, that any partner, officer, or person in a position of management control of a real estate firm who holds a broker license shall be eligible for REALTOR® Membership, or Institute Affiliate Membership and any partner, officer, or person in a position of management control of a real estate firm who holds an affiliate broker license shall be eligible for REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Membership or Institute Affiliate Membership.

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® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Membership unless otherwise qualified for Institute Affiliate Membership as described in Section 1 (c) of Article IV.

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

(3) Franchise REALTOR® Members. 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 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; and the right to hold elective office in the 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 on 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. A Primary or Secondary Member shall maintain a current, valid real estate broker license from any state, or be licensed or certified by an appropriate regulatory agency of any state to engage in the appraisal of real property; however, a Primary Member must maintain said licensing or certification from Tennessee or state contiguous thereto.

(5) Designated REALTOR® Members. Each firm shall designate in writing a 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 manager acting on behalf of the firm's principal(s) and must meet all other qualifications for REALTOR® Membership established in Section 2 of Article V of the Bylaws.

(6) REALTOR® - Emeritus Members. A REALTOR® Member, who has achieved forty (40) continuous years of membership in the National Association of REALTORS® through membership in a local or state association, or as an individual member REALTOR®.

(b) REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Members. REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Members shall be individuals who are engaged in the real estate profession and do not qualify for or seek REALTOR® Membership as described in Article V, Section 2 (b). Salesmen and other associates of a real estate office shall be eligible for REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Membership if they are employed by, or affiliated as an independent contractor with, a REALTOR® Member as provided in this Article. REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Members may transfer to REALTOR® Membership by meeting the requirements for such membership set out in Article V.

(1) Primary and secondary REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Members. An individual is a Primary Member if the Association pays state and National dues based on 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. A primary or Secondary Member shall maintain a current, valid real estate broker or affiliate broker license from any state, or be licensed or certified by an appropriate regulatory agency of any state to engage in the appraisal of real property; however, a Primary Member must maintain said licensing or certification from Tennessee or state contiguous thereto.

(c) 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. Such member shall be encouraged to abide by the principles established in the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS® but is not subject to disciplinary authority of this Association with regard to conduct inconsistent with the Code of Ethics; however, such member shall be subject to disciplinary action to the extent provided in Section 18 of Article VI. Such member shall abide by the Charter, Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Association, the Constitution and Bylaws of the Tennessee Association of REALTORS® and the Constitution and Bylaws of the National Association of REALTORS®. Any such individual, if otherwise eligible, may elect to hold REALTOR® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® membership, subject to payment of applicable dues for such membership.

(d) Affiliate Members. Applicants for Affiliate Member shall be individuals who, while not engaged in the real estate profession as defined in Sections l (a) and (b) of Article IV, have interests requiring information concerning real estate, and are in sympathy with the objectives of the Association.

(e) Public Service Members. Public Service Members shall be individuals who are interested in the real estate profession as 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. A Public Service Affiliate Member shall also meet the qualifications for “Affiliate Member” as set forth in Section 1 (d) of Article IV.

(f) Honorary Members. Honorary Members shall be individuals not engaged in the real estate profession who have performed notable service for the real estate profession, for the Association, or for the public.

(g) Student Members. 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 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.

(h) REALTOR® Members (retired). A REALTOR® Member shall be eligible for the status of REALTOR® Member (retired) if he is over 62 years of age and has completed 15 years as a member in good standing in the Association, taking into account his years of membership in any classification; he no longer holds a current license as a real estate broker or affiliate broker; and he has achieved a satisfactory record as an Association member.

(i) REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Members (retired). A REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Member shall be eligible for the status of REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® Member (retired) if he is over 62 years of age and has completed 15 years as a member in good standing in the Association, taking into account his years of membership in any classification; he no longer holds a current license as a real estate broker or affiliate broker; and he has achieved a satisfactory record as an Association member.