- Utah's real estate license search is free, official and takes about two minutes.
- Confirm the license is active and check for any disciplinary history.
- "Sales agent," "associate broker" and "principal broker" mean different levels of experience.
- "REALTOR®" is a trade membership, not a license.
Step 1: Use the state's license search
Utah's Division of Real Estate runs a free Real Estate and Appraisal License Search. You can search two ways:
- By name: enter the agent's name and choose "Real Estate" as the profession.
- By license number: enter the number in two parts, the core number and the four-character identifier.
Agents often list their license number in their email signature or on their website. The ending tells you the license type. For example, a number ending in SA00 is a sales agent, and PB00 is a principal broker. The search asks you to complete a quick human-verification check first.
Use the right lookup. Utah has a separate lookup for other licensed professions, like contractors and nurses. Real estate licenses only appear in the Division of Real Estate's search linked above.
Step 2: Check what matters
- Status. The license should be active. Inactive or expired means they can't legally represent you right now.
- License type. Sales agent, associate broker or principal broker (more on these below).
- Disciplinary history. Utah's Division of Real Estate can fine, reprimand, suspend or revoke a license. Any past action should be easy to find.
Found a disciplinary action? It isn't automatically a dealbreaker, but ask the agent about it directly. How they answer is worth paying attention to.
What Utah's license types mean
Sales agent
To get licensed in Utah, a sales agent must complete 120 hours of approved pre-license education at a certified school, pass the state exam and meet the Division's standards for honesty and integrity. Sales agents work under a principal broker.
Associate broker and principal broker
A broker license requires at least three years of full-time experience as a sales agent (or the equivalent), plus another 120 hours of broker education covering Utah law, broker principles and broker practices. A principal broker supervises the agents at a brokerage. An associate broker has broker-level training but works under a principal broker.
Keeping a license current
Active Utah agents complete 18 hours of continuing education every renewal cycle, including at least 9 core hours. Three of those must be a Division-approved mandatory course.
Agent vs. REALTOR®
Every agent in Utah has a state license. "REALTOR®" means the agent is also a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, which requires following its Code of Ethics. Membership is worth knowing about, but the license is what makes an agent legally able to represent you.
Beyond the license
A clean, active license is the minimum, not the goal. Next, look at local experience, recent transactions and what past clients say. Our guide to choosing an agent covers what to ask.
Have a concern about a licensee? The Utah Division of Real Estate can be reached at (801) 530-6747.