According to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC) rules, a primary and non-delegable duty of a broker-in-charge (BIC) is the direct supervision of all provisional brokers affiliated with the firm at their designated office location. This responsibility includes ensuring provisional brokers comply with the Real Estate License Law and all Commission rules, reviewing their transaction records, and providing necessary training and guidance. The BIC's role is fundamentally supervisory, with a specific focus on brokers who have not yet completed their post-licensing education and removed their provisional status.

A. can appoint a second BIC to help in the office.

This is incorrect. A firm designates a BIC for a specific office, and that designation is filed with the NCREC. A BIC cannot unilaterally appoint another BIC; there is only one designated BIC per office.

B. can supervise both the main office and one or more branch offices.

This is incorrect. NCREC rules explicitly state that a broker shall not serve as the broker-in-charge for more than one physical office location at the same time.

C. must be the owner of the brokerage firm.

This is incorrect. The BIC is a supervisory role and does not need to have an ownership stake in the firm. The owner and the BIC can be, and often are, different individuals.

1. North Carolina Real Estate Commission. North Carolina Real Estate Manual. (2023-2024 ed.). Chapter 8, "The Broker-in-Charge," Section: "Duties of the Broker-in-Charge," p. 8-10. The manual explicitly lists "(1) Actively and directly supervising all provisional brokers" as a key duty. It also states on p. 8-5, "A broker may not be the BIC for more than one office location."

2. North Carolina Administrative Code. Title 21, Chapter 58, Subchapter A, Section .0110, "Duties of Broker-in-Charge." Rule 21 NCAC 58A .0110(c)(1) states a BIC is responsible for "the direct supervision of all provisional brokers affiliated with the broker-in-charge." Rule 21 NCAC 58A .0110(b) states, "A broker shall not be designated as a broker-in-charge at more than one office location..."

3. UNC School of Government. Introduction to North Carolina Real Estate Law. Courseware Module 4: "Brokerage Relationships and Responsibilities." This material clarifies that the BIC's role is defined by NCREC rules, focusing on supervision, particularly of provisional brokers, rather than ownership or multi-office management.