How to verify a real estate license in Vermont

The five trades at a glance

Real estate agents and brokers

No one may act as a real estate broker or salesperson in Vermont “without first obtaining a license” (26 V.S.A. § 2212). A salesperson works for or is associated with a licensed broker; a broker lists, sells, negotiates or advertises real estate for pay (§ 2211). Some people are outside the law: owners selling their own property, and Vermont attorneys handling sales in the usual course of practice (§ 2211(b)).

To check one, search the name on OPR’s Find a Professional. The tool returns “name, city, state, zip, license number and type, issue, effective and expiration dates, and license status,” and shows discipline where it applies. OPR says most searches work with the name field alone.

Mortgage loan originators (NMLS)

Vermont bars anyone from acting as a mortgage broker or “engag[ing] in the business of a mortgage loan originator” without a license from the Commissioner of Financial Regulation (8 V.S.A. § 2201(a)). A licensed originator “shall register and maintain a valid unique identifier with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry” and must be sponsored by a licensed lender or mortgage broker (§ 2201(b)). Ask for the originator’s NMLS ID and search it on the NMLS Consumer Access website. Complaints about licensed mortgage providers go to the Department’s Banking Division (802-828-3307).

Home inspectors

Vermont requires a license: “no person shall practice, or offer to practice, property inspecting unless currently licensed” (26 V.S.A. § 1051). An applicant must complete at least 80 hours of approved education covering heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, structure, foundations, roofs, exterior and interior components and site aspects, and pass a nationally recognized proctored exam. Proof of certification from an approved national organization can satisfy those two requirements (§ 1091). Licenses renew every two years (§ 1092). An unlicensed person may not use a title implying licensure (§ 1053). To budget for an inspection, see home inspection cost.

Appraisers (state board and national registry)

The state license is run by OPR under 26 V.S.A. chapter 69, which follows the federal Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) framework. Without a license, a person may not perform an appraisal in a federally related transaction where a licensed or certified appraiser is required, nor use a “licensed” or “certified” appraiser title (§ 3312). OPR must publish a roster of licensees and send it to the ASC (§ 3314).

The ASC National Registry lets you “search for appraisers who are authorized by a State to perform appraisals in connection with federally related transactions.” The ASC notes that states update it at least monthly and that it has not independently verified state data. For the appraisal fee context, see home appraisal cost.

Land surveyors

A person who is not licensed by the Board of Land Surveyors may not use the title “licensed land surveyor,” represent themselves as licensed, or practice land surveying (26 V.S.A. § 2503(a)). The practice includes locating or retracing property lines, setting monuments, and surveys that divide or consolidate land (§ 2502(4)). Check the name on OPR’s Find a Professional. For cost and when a survey is needed, see land survey cost.

What if a license is expired or suspended?

1. Look at the status and dates. The OPR record shows the expiration date and status. An expired or suspended license means the person is not currently authorized to practice that trade.
2. Check discipline. OPR’s Conduct Decision Search lists board and hearing-officer decisions, including findings of unprofessional conduct and sanctions.
3. Do not sign. Ask the professional to explain in writing, or choose someone else.
4. File a complaint. OPR accepts complaints online, no registration needed. It cannot seek money damages for you, cannot mediate disputes, and has no jurisdiction over people who are not required to be licensed or registered with OPR. Mortgage lenders and originators fall under the Department of Financial Regulation instead.

Related: real estate attorney in Vermont, seller disclosure and buying in Burlington.