License disclosures

Verify the role before engaging

Before relying on a person to perform an activity that requires a license, ask for their full legal name, license number, issuing jurisdiction and the brokerage or business responsible for the engagement. Verify the current status with the relevant state's licensing authority. A website description or an email signature does not establish that a license is active.

Confirm in writing who represents whom, what services are included, how compensation is determined and who will handle transaction funds. Licensing requirements and permitted activities vary by jurisdiction and transaction type. An informational resource, referral or introduction is not the same as a signed representation agreement.

If the information necessary to verify a regulated service is unavailable, pause that engagement and request it before signing documents or transferring money. Seek independent legal advice for questions about your specific transaction. This page does not replace official licensing records or provide an opinion on an individual's authority to perform a particular activity.

Different activities can require different credentials. Brokering a sale for someone else, originating a mortgage loan, appraising a home, holding escrow funds and giving legal advice are each regulated separately, and one credential does not cover another. When a transaction involves several of these activities, check each person for the specific role they will perform rather than relying on a single company name.

Keep a dated record of what you checked: the name searched, the license number, its status and expiration, and any disciplinary history the regulator publishes. Recheck if a closing is delayed or a new person joins the transaction. Most state regulators also accept complaints about licensees, and their websites explain how to file one and what records to include.