<section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-101" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>“Land professional” means a person that, acting on the person’s own behalf or on behalf of a prospective lessee or buyer, negotiates with a property owner for the acquisition of mineral rights in oil or gas in the State.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“Land professional” does not include a person that negotiates for the acquisition or divestiture of a lessee’s interest in an existing lease for mineral rights in oil or gas.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>“Mineral rights in oil or gas” means property rights that allow the holder of the rights to enter onto or under the property of another person for the extraction of crude oil, natural gas, or the constituents of crude oil or natural gas.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“Mineral rights in oil or gas” includes an oil or gas lease.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-102" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <text>Except as otherwise provided in §§ 10–14A–03 and 10–14B–03 of the State Government Article, a person may not operate as a land professional in the State unless the person registers with the Department and is issued a registration certificate under this title.</text> </section> <section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-103" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>A person shall register as a land professional by submitting to the Department:</text> <level label="1"> <text>an initial registration application on the form required by the Department; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>an initial registration fee set by the Department.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Department shall assign a registration number and issue a registration certificate to each person that meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>A registration under this title is valid for 2 years from the effective date of the registration and may be renewed by submitting to the Department:</text> <level label="1"> <text>a registration renewal application on the form required by the Department; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>a registration renewal fee set by the Department.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-104" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <text>Before obtaining any mineral rights in oil or gas from a property owner, a land professional shall provide to the property owner proof that the land professional is registered under this title.</text> </section> <section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-105" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <text>The Department shall adopt regulations that:</text> <level label="1"> <text>establish a registration form for the initial and renewal registration of a land professional;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>set fees for the issuance of an initial registration and for a registration renewal;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>provide for the assignment of a registration number and the issuance of a registration certificate to each registered land professional; and</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>establish any other requirements and procedures necessary to implement this title.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-106" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <text>The Department shall develop a means for providing public access to relevant information relating to each person registered under this title.</text> </section> <section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="10.5-107" title_number="10.5" title_name="Oil and Gas Land Professionals" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>A person that violates any provision of this title or any regulation adopted under this title is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>for a first violation, a fine of not less than $500 but not exceeding $1,000; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>for a second or subsequent violation, a fine of not less than $1,000 but not exceeding $2,000.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Any fines collected under this section shall be paid into the General Fund of the State.</text> </level> </section>