To verify a real estate license, search the agent’s name or license number on the state regulator’s free website: the DBPR license search in Florida, the TREC License Holder Search in Texas, and the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE) license search in Arizona. Confirm the name matches, the license type fits the role, and the status is active.

It takes two minutes and it is the single most useful check before you sign anything with an agent or a brokerage. Only an active license lets someone legally do real estate brokerage work for others, and the regulator’s record is the official one.

Below you will find the steps for each state, a comparison table, what the most common statuses mean, and how to read the license data shown on Dupica profiles.

  • Florida: Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
  • Texas: Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).
  • Arizona: Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE).

Florida: DBPR license lookup step by step

  1. Go to the DBPR Licensing Portal license search at myfloridalicense.com.
  2. Choose how to search: by name (an individual or an organization), by license number, by city or county, or by license type.
  3. For a name search, you can type at least four letters of the last name for partial matches and add a first initial to narrow the list. For a license number, you can enter just the number or the full number with its letters.
  4. For a city or county search, select a license category, a license type and the city or county.
  5. Open the result and check the name, license type, status and expiration date.

Florida license types

Florida real estate licenses are separated by rank: sales associate, broker associate and broker. A sales associate works under the direction and control of a broker, and a broker associate is qualified as a broker but works as a sales associate under another broker. Companies appear as separate records, such as a real estate corporation, a partnership or a branch office.

Florida status values

DBPR shows a primary status and a secondary status. According to the DBPR glossary:

  • Current: the licensee is up to date with the department’s licensure requirements.
  • Active: the licensee is allowed to operate under the license.
  • Inactive: requirements are met, but the licensee is not allowed to work under this license.
  • Delinquent or Involuntary Inactive: the license was not renewed on time. Under Florida law, a license not renewed at the end of its period automatically becomes involuntarily inactive, and one that stays involuntarily inactive for more than 2 years expires.
  • Null and Void: the licensee would need to reapply to operate again.
  • Suspended, Revoked or Probation: results of disciplinary action or failing to meet requirements.

What you want to see for an agent you are about to hire is a current, active license. You can also call the DBPR Customer Contact Center at 850-487-1395, and the portal has a page to submit a complaint to the department.

Texas: TREC license lookup step by step

  1. Open the TREC License Holder Search at trec.texas.gov.
  2. Type the name or license number. Individual names use the format last name, first name. Partial values work, for example a last name and a first initial.
  3. Select the license type Broker or Sales Agent. You can filter by status: Active, Inactive, Un-Sponsored, Expired, Suspended, Surrendered or Revoked.
  4. The results list shows the license number, license type, status, expiration date and any registered business names (DBAs) or team names.
  5. Click the name to see the full record. For a sales agent, it shows the sponsoring broker (name, license number and sponsor date). For a broker, it can show the companies the person is designated broker for.
  6. Click Disciplinary Actions at the top of the record. If there is nothing, TREC shows a message that no disciplinary history was found in its records for the past 10 years.

Texas license types and statuses

Records include sales agent licenses, individual broker licenses and broker company licenses. A business entity cannot act as a broker unless it designates an active individual broker to act for it. An active license is required to negotiate a real estate transaction for others; doing brokerage work with an inactive license is a violation. A sales agent’s license becomes inactive when sponsorship by the broker ends.

Texas license holders must also give you the Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) notice at the first substantive communication about a specific property, and each broker and sales agent must link to it from the homepage of their website.

Arizona: ADRE license lookup

  1. Go to the Arizona Department of Real Estate website, azre.gov, and open its public license search.
  2. Search by the person’s or company’s name, or by license number.
  3. Check the name, the license type and the status, and ask the agent which brokerage they work for so you can look that company up too.

Arizona license types

Arizona law defines a salesperson, a broker, and a designated broker: a licensed broker who acts for an employing entity or does business as a sole proprietor. Corporations, LLCs and partnerships can hold an entity broker license, but must designate a licensed broker who is an officer, manager, member or partner to act as designated broker. Arizona also has inactive licenses for licensees on inactive status.

Florida vs. Texas vs. Arizona at a glance

Florida (DBPR) Texas (TREC) Arizona (ADRE)
Where to search myfloridalicense.com license search trec.texas.gov License Holder Search azre.gov license search
Search by Name, license number, city or county, license type Name or license number, license type, status Name or license number
Individual license types Sales associate, broker associate, broker Sales agent, broker Salesperson, broker, designated broker
Company records Real estate corporation, partnership, branch office Broker company with a designated broker Entity license with a designated broker
Who supervises the agent A broker Sponsoring broker, shown on the record Employing broker
Discipline Statuses such as suspended, revoked, probation Disciplinary Actions button (past 10 years) Check ADRE records

If you need a multi-state check, the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) runs a licensee verification database that includes Arizona, Florida and Texas. The state regulator is still the place to confirm.

What to do if something looks wrong

  • No record found: try a partial name, a maiden or legal name, or the license number. If you still find nothing, ask the agent for the number and search again.
  • Inactive, expired or un-sponsored: the person should not be doing brokerage work for you until the license is active again.
  • Name or broker does not match: ask the agent to explain, and call the brokerage listed on the record.
  • Discipline on record: read the order and ask the agent about it before deciding.

How Dupica shows license data

Dupica builds its profiles of brokerages and agents from the public license records of DBPR, TREC and ADRE. Each profile shows the license number and license type taken from those records, and you can browse by state on our Florida, Texas and Arizona pages.

The data is refreshed periodically, so a status can change between updates. Dupica does not verify, audit or recommend anyone: use the license number on the profile to confirm it with the regulator. Learn more on our data sources page, and see our guide on how to choose a real estate agent.

Frequently asked questions

How do I look up a real estate license in Florida?

Use the DBPR license search at myfloridalicense.com and search by name, license number, city or county, or license type. Check that the license shows a current, active status.

Does the TREC license lookup show disciplinary actions?

Yes. Open the license holder’s record and click Disciplinary Actions. If there is none, TREC shows a message that no disciplinary history was found in its records for the past 10 years.

What does involuntary inactive mean on a Florida real estate license?

It means the license was not renewed at the end of its license period. A Florida license that stays involuntarily inactive for more than 2 years expires.

Can a Texas agent with an inactive license help me buy a home?

No. TREC says an active license is required to negotiate a real estate transaction for others, and doing brokerage work with an inactive license is a violation subject to sanctions.

What is a designated broker in Arizona?

A designated broker is a licensed broker who acts on behalf of an employing real estate entity or does business as a sole proprietor. Every corporation, LLC or partnership with a broker license must have one.

Is the license information on Dupica official?

No. Dupica shows license numbers and types taken from state records and refreshes them periodically, but the regulator’s website is the official source. Always confirm the license there.

Sources

This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Amounts and rules change: confirm them with the official sources linked above or with a licensed professional before making decisions.