In Massachusetts, real estate agents, mortgage loan officers, home inspectors and real estate attorneys need a state license. No state license is required for appraisers. Ask any professional for their license number and check it yourself at the official lookup listed below.
Five trades, five regulators
Do real estate agents need a license in Massachusetts?
Yes: in Massachusetts, real estate agents need a state license issued by the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen. You can check a name yourself on Division of Occupational Licensure: Check a license.
- License required · Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen
- Titles you will see: Salesman (salesperson), Broker
- Check a name yourself: Division of Occupational Licensure: Check a license (we could not open this search page ourselves)
Do mortgage loan officers need a license in Massachusetts?
Yes: in Massachusetts, mortgage loan officers need a state license issued by the Massachusetts Division of Banks. You can check a name yourself on NMLS Consumer Access.
- License required · Massachusetts Division of Banks
- Titles you will see: Mortgage loan originator
- Check a name yourself: NMLS Consumer Access (we could not open this search page ourselves)
Do home inspectors need a license in Massachusetts?
Yes: in Massachusetts, home inspectors need a state license issued by the Board of Registration of Home Inspectors. You can check a name yourself on Division of Occupational Licensure: Check a license.
- License required · Board of Registration of Home Inspectors
- Titles you will see: Licensed home inspector
- Check a name yourself: Division of Occupational Licensure: Check a license (we could not open this search page ourselves)
Do real estate attorneys need a license in Massachusetts?
Yes: in Massachusetts, real estate attorneys need a state license issued by the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers (Supreme Judicial Court). You can check a name yourself on BBO attorney lookup.
- License required · Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers (Supreme Judicial Court)
- Titles you will see: Attorney
- Check a name yourself: BBO attorney lookup
Do appraisers need a license in Massachusetts?
No: Massachusetts does not require a license for appraisers; only a voluntary certification exists (Board of Real Estate Appraisers). You can check a name yourself on ASC National Registry (Appraiser Registry).
- Voluntary certification only · Board of Real Estate Appraisers
- Titles you will see: State-certified general real estate appraiser, State-certified residential real estate appraiser, State-licensed real estate appraiser
- Check a name yourself: ASC National Registry (Appraiser Registry)
More on each license: How to check a license in Massachusetts.
Sectors of Boston
10 most populous neighborhoods (of 23 in the Planning Department neighborhood dataset), as published by Boston Population Estimates 2025, Neighborhood Level (City of Boston Planning Department Research Division, Analyze Boston).
- Dorchester (population 123,056)
- Roxbury (population 56,800)
- Brighton (population 55,869)
- East Boston (population 46,892)
- Jamaica Plain (population 42,949)
- Fenway (population 42,351)
- South Boston (population 40,904)
- South End (population 34,582)
- Hyde Park (population 33,469)
- Allston (population 31,810)