To check a Realtor’s license, go to the official website of the real estate regulator in the state where the agent practices, open its license lookup tool, and search by the agent’s full legal name or license number. Every state runs a free public database, and confirming that an agent’s license is currently active takes about two minutes.
What to Gather Before You Search
A few details make the search cleaner. Start with the agent’s full legal name. Marketing materials often use nicknames, so if “Mike Johnson” returns nothing, try “Michael Johnson.” The brokerage name helps when a common name pulls up multiple matches. Identify the state where the agent practices, because licensing happens at the state level and each state runs its own database.
If you have the agent’s business card or a listing sheet, the license number is often printed on it. Searching by license number is the fastest and most precise method.
Where to Search
Each state has a regulator that issues, renews, suspends, and revokes real estate licenses. The name varies by state: Real Estate Commission, Department of Real Estate, Division of Real Estate, Bureau of Real Estate. A web search for your state’s name plus “real estate license lookup” will get you there. Check that the URL ends in “.gov” or is clearly an official state domain. Third-party sites sometimes mimic government pages to collect information or charge fees for searches that are free on the official site.
On the official page, look for a link labeled “License Search,” “Verify a License,” or “Licensee Lookup.” Nearly every state offers this as a free public tool with no account or login required.
ARELLO for Multi-State Verification
If you don’t know which state an agent is licensed in, or you suspect they hold licenses in more than one, the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials maintains a national verification database.1Arello. License Verification It covers more than 55 jurisdictions, including most U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and several Canadian provinces, and reports active, inactive, and expired licenses for salespeople, brokers, and associate brokers.2ARELLO. Participants ARELLO asks jurisdictions to submit data no more than a month old, so once you’ve narrowed the state, confirm the current status on that state’s own site, which updates in real time.
Realtor Membership Through NAR
The word “Realtor” is trademarked and applies only to members of the National Association of Realtors.3National Association of REALTORS®. Logos and Trademark Rules A licensed agent who isn’t an NAR member can legally represent you but cannot use the Realtor title. If someone specifically claims to be a Realtor, you can verify membership through realtor.com’s agent search, which covers more than one million members.4realtor.com®. Find Real Estate Agents and Brokers in Your Area Membership is separate from licensure. An agent who isn’t listed there may still hold a valid state license.
Running the Search
The interfaces vary, but the steps look similar everywhere:
- Enter search criteria. Type the agent’s last name (and first name if the field allows) or the license number. Some states also let you search by brokerage.
- Review the results. If multiple people share the name, use the brokerage or city to identify the right person.
- Open the individual record to see the full license details.
No fees, no account creation. If a state site asks you to pay for a basic status check, you’re probably on the wrong website.
Reading the License Status
The status field is the most important piece of information on the page. It tells you whether the agent is currently authorized to work with you.
- Active. The agent is currently authorized to practice real estate in that state. This is the only status you want to see.
- Inactive. The person holds a license but is not currently authorized to practice. Some agents go inactive voluntarily during a break from the business. They cannot represent you in a transaction.
- Expired. The license lapsed, typically after a missed renewal deadline or unfinished continuing education. The person is not authorized to practice.
- Suspended. The state has temporarily barred the agent from practicing, usually as a disciplinary action. This is a serious red flag.
- Revoked. The state has permanently taken away the agent’s license. This is the most severe disciplinary outcome.
If the status reads anything other than Active, that agent should not be handling your transaction.
The record will also show the license type. A salesperson (or sales associate) works under a supervising broker, whose name usually appears on the record and who is legally responsible for supervising that agent’s work. A broker license allows the holder to work independently or supervise others. Both can legally represent you as long as the license is active.
Disciplinary History and Complaints
Many state databases display a history of formal disciplinary actions, including fines, license restrictions, suspensions, and consent orders. Not every complaint produces a formal action. A resolved complaint with no penalty may mean the investigation found no violation. But multiple actions or a pattern of complaints is a warning sign worth taking seriously. Some states link to the full text of disciplinary orders, which show the specific facts behind a penalty.
Agents Working Near State Lines
Many states have reciprocity or mutual recognition agreements that let agents licensed in one state obtain a license in another without repeating the full education requirement, though they typically still have to pass an exam on the second state’s laws. If your agent works near a state border, verify the license in the state where your property is located. An active license in a neighboring state does not authorize practice in yours. ARELLO’s multi-jurisdiction search is the quickest way to see every state where a given agent holds a license.1Arello. License Verification
What to Do if the License Isn’t Active
If the database shows anything other than an active license, stop before signing or continuing. An agreement with an unlicensed agent may be unenforceable, and unwinding a transaction later is expensive.
- License expired or inactive. Ask the agent directly. A renewal may be pending that the database hasn’t posted yet. Don’t rely on their word alone. Check back in a few days, and don’t sign anything until you see an active status in the state database.
- License suspended or revoked. Do not continue working with this person. If you’re mid-transaction, contact the brokerage and your own attorney. You may need to engage a different agent to close the deal.
- Agent not found. Try alternate spellings and full legal names, then check ARELLO. If nothing turns up, ask the agent for a license number you can verify directly.
If you believe someone is practicing without a license or has committed fraud, file a complaint with your state’s real estate commission. Every commission accepts public complaints, and most offer an online form. Practicing without a valid license is illegal in every state, with penalties ranging from fines to criminal charges. Your complaint triggers an investigation that protects other consumers as well as you.