In short
Six professionals usually take part in a US home purchase: a real estate agent, a mortgage loan originator, sometimes a real estate attorney, a home inspector, an appraiser and a title or escrow agent. Only one is licensed under a federal law, the loan originator (SAFE Act); the others are licensed by the states, and not every state licenses every trade. In each case you check the professional yourself, on the official register, and Payotte links to it.
The six professions
| Profession | Who regulates | Across the 50 states | Where to check one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate agents | Each state | License required in 50 states | The state real estate commission or department |
| Mortgage loan originators | Federal SAFE Act, licensed by the states or registered (bank staff) | License required in 48 states, registration in 2 | NMLS Consumer Access, with the NMLS ID on your Loan Estimate |
| Real estate attorneys | Each state (bar or court) | Required at closing in 6 states, partly in 8 | The state bar or court lawyer search |
| Home inspectors | Some states only | License in 31 states, registration in 6, none found in 13 | The state search where one exists; references everywhere |
| Appraisers | The states, under federal Title XI oversight (ASC) | License required in 46 states, voluntary certification in 4 | ASC National Registry, or the state board |
| Title and escrow agents | Not compiled by Payotte yet | Not compiled by Payotte yet | The state agency named by the company |
State counts: Payotte's reading of each state's statute and regulator pages (October 2026) and its state table on attorneys at closing (read October 14, 2026). Each profession page gives the federal sources, dated.
Each profession in one paragraph
Real estate agent
A real estate agent helps you find a home, make an offer and get to closing.
Mortgage loan originator
A mortgage loan originator, usually called a loan officer, takes your loan application and offers or negotiates its terms.
Real estate attorney
A real estate attorney reviews the contract, examines the title and, in some states, runs the closing.
Home inspector
A home inspector examines the house's condition before you commit: structure, roof, systems, and what will need repair.
Appraiser
An appraiser gives your lender a written opinion of what the home is worth.
Title and escrow agent
A title agent searches the property's ownership history and issues title insurance; an escrow or settlement agent holds the money and documents and runs the closing.
Check it yourself
Official registers exist so that the public can check its own professional. Use them that way: ask the person for their licensed name and number, then look them up once, on the register itself. Several registers forbid compiling lists or commercial use of their data in their terms, which is why Payotte publishes the link to each register and never a copy of it, and never runs searches in series. A membership in a private association is not a license: an association is not a regulator.
The professions in each state
Each state page names the regulator of five trades (agent, loan officer, home inspector, attorney, appraiser), the titles you will see and the official search.
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
What they cost
Payotte gives a price only where an official source does. Real estate commission (no law sets it) · Home inspection cost · Home appraisal cost · Title insurance · Loan costs by county · Cost of buying a home
Questions
Which real estate professionals need a license in the US?
It depends on the trade and the state. Payotte's state data finds a license required for real estate agents in all 50 states and for mortgage loan originators everywhere (license or registration). Home inspectors are licensed in 31 states only, and appraisers in 46, with a voluntary certification in the others.
How do I check a real estate professional’s license?
Ask the professional for their licensed name and license number, then look them up on the official register: NMLS Consumer Access for loan officers, the ASC National Registry or the state board for appraisers, and the state commission, bar or board for agents, attorneys and inspectors. Payotte links to each register and does not check anyone for you.
Does Payotte list US real estate professionals?
No. The US section names no professional. It explains each trade, who regulates it and where the official register is, state by state.
General information drawn from the official sources cited and dated on this page. It is not legal, tax or financial advice: for your own situation, ask a licensed professional.
Sources
- Real estate agents in the US: what they do and how to check one: federal sources listed and dated on the page
- Mortgage loan originators: the NMLS ID and how to check one: federal sources listed and dated on the page
- Real estate attorneys: which states require one at closing: federal sources listed and dated on the page
- Home inspectors in the US: which states license them: federal sources listed and dated on the page
- Home appraisers: state licenses and the ASC National Registry: federal sources listed and dated on the page
- Title and escrow agents: who runs the closing in each state: federal sources listed and dated on the page
- State figures: Payotte's state-by-state reading of each regulator's statute and pages; the sources of each state are on its page.