Raise this with your agent
- Every state has a regulator that licenses agents and brokers.
- A sales agent works under a sponsoring broker, who answers for their work.
- Check the license before you sign a buyer agreement.
Checking a license takes five minutes, and it is the one part of choosing an agent that does not depend on gut feeling. A record shows whether the person is licensed now, which brokerage they work under and, in many states, whether a regulator has ever disciplined them. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau suggests checking with your state’s licensing agency before you choose an agent.
Do it before you sign anything
Agents who use a Multiple Listing Service now need a written agreement with you before they tour homes with you. That agreement sets out the services and the pay, and it can bind you for a period of time. Look the agent up after the first conversation and before you sign, while walking away still costs you nothing. Our guide to Buyer Agreements and Agent Pay Explained covers what the agreement has to say.
Where to look
Your state’s real estate regulator
Real estate licensing is handled state by state, usually by a real estate commission or a division of a state licensing department. Most of them run a free public lookup on their website. In Texas, for example, the Texas Real Estate Commission offers a license holder search, a list of disciplinary actions and a page explaining how to file a complaint. Search for your state’s name plus “real estate commission” and use the site that ends in .gov.
ARELLO’s national databases
The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials, an organization of real estate regulators, runs a licensee verification database that can be searched by name or license number, and a separate disciplinary action database. These are handy when an agent has worked in more than one state. Coverage depends on the data each jurisdiction supplies, so treat a result there as a starting point and confirm it with the state regulator.
What the record tells you
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Name | Matches the person you met, including any former names. |
| License status | Active, not expired, inactive, suspended or revoked. |
| License type | Sales agent or broker. |
| Sponsoring broker | The brokerage the agent works under; it should match their business card. |
| Expiration date | Should not lapse in the middle of your search. |
| Disciplinary history | Any orders, fines, suspensions or reprimands, with dates. |
Broker or sales agent?
Most people you meet are sales agents. The Texas Real Estate Commission’s required notice, Information About Brokerage Services, puts the structure plainly: a broker is responsible for all brokerage activities, including those performed by the sales agents it sponsors, and a sales agent must be sponsored by a broker. Rules vary by state, but the pattern is common: your agreement is usually with the brokerage, and the broker supervises the agent who works with you.
That matters if something goes wrong. If you cannot resolve a problem with your agent, the supervising broker is the next person to talk to. Write down the broker’s name and how to reach them when you check the license.
If you find a complaint or discipline
A disciplinary record is not always a reason to walk away, but it is always a reason to ask. Read what the order says and when it happened. A late license renewal years ago is different from mishandling a client’s money last year.
- Ask the agent to explain it in their own words and see whether the story matches the record.
- Check whether the problem involved buyers, deposits or disclosure, the areas that matter most to you.
- Look for a pattern. One old matter is easier to accept than several recent ones.
- If the explanation is vague or defensive, keep interviewing.
Tip: A clean record is not the same as a good agent. Use the license check to rule people out, then use Questions to Ask a Buyer’s Agent Before You Sign to choose between the ones who are left.
Other quick checks
While you are looking, confirm that the brokerage name on the license matches the name on the agent’s email signature and on the agreement you will be asked to sign. Ask for two recent buyer references and call them. If the agent recommends an inspector, remember that inspector licensing varies too; the CFPB suggests asking for references and checking state or county licensing for inspectors as well.
If something goes wrong later
Talk to the agent first, then the supervising broker, and keep everything in writing. If the issue is serious, such as misleading statements or problems with your deposit, your state regulator’s complaint page explains what it can look into. For questions about your contract or your rights, a real estate attorney is the right person to ask, not the regulator.