TREC license lookup: how to check a Texas real estate license.
TREC's License Holder Search is free, public, and takes no login. Here's how to use it, what every field and status means, and what to do if your own record doesn't look right.
Open TREC's License Holder Search ↗Key takeaways
- Where: trec.texas.gov/license-search, public, no login.
- How: search "last name, first name" or a license number, with License Type set to "Broker or Sales Agent."
- What you see: status, expiration date, sponsoring broker, education history, and any disciplinary actions.
- For license holders: your record shows whether your CE or SAE hours have been reported and whether your sponsorship is in place.
How to use TREC's License Holder Search.
- Go to TREC's License Holder Search.
- In "Name or License Number," enter the person's name as last name, first name middle name (for example, "smith, john"), a business name, or a license number. Partial names work: "smith, j" returns every Smith whose first name starts with J.
- Set License Type to Broker or Sales Agent. You can also filter by License Status.
- Search, then click a result to open the full record.
What the search results show
Each result lists the license holder's name, license number, license type (for example, "Real Estate - Sales Agent License" or "Real Estate - Individual Broker License"), status, and expiration date. Sales agent license numbers end in -SA; broker numbers end in -B.
What's on a Texas license record.
Open a result and TREC shows:
- License status and expiration date.
- Sponsoring broker (on a sales agent's record): the broker's name, the sponsor date, and the broker's license number and type.
- Delegated supervisor, if one is assigned.
- Education history: every reported course, with the date, course number, course name, subject, provider, and hours.
- Disciplinary actions, if any.
- Print License & License History, a free PDF (more on that below).
Records also carry TREC's continuing education notice: 18 hours of CE per license period, including the 4-hour Legal Update I and 4-hour Legal Update II courses, 3 hours of contract-related coursework, and the 6-hour Broker Responsibility course if it applies, with no duplicate courses in the same renewal period.
What each license status means.
- Active: the license holder can practice real estate in Texas.
- Inactive: the license exists but the holder can't practice right now. New sales agent licenses start out inactive until a broker sponsors them, and a license renewed late can come back inactive.
- Un-Sponsored: a sales agent with no sponsoring broker on record.
- Expired: the license wasn't renewed by its expiration date. TREC shows how long, for example "Expired less than 6 months."
- Suspended, Surrendered, or Revoked: the holder can't practice; check the record's Disciplinary Actions for details.
Checking your own license.
Make sure your sponsorship went through
Your license stays inactive until the sponsorship request is accepted in TREC's REALM Portal. If your record doesn't list your sponsoring broker yet, follow up with your broker. Still looking for one? See how to get a sponsoring broker in Texas.
Confirm your CE or SAE hours were reported
Check the education history table before you renew. Providers have up to 10 days to report completed CE hours to TREC, so finish at least 10 days before your license expires. Your first renewal requires 98 hours of Sales Agent Apprentice Education; every renewal after that needs 18 hours of Texas real estate CE. School Estate reports every CE and SAE course you finish to TREC for you; our 18-hour CE packages are $79 right now ($129 regular).
Just passed and don't see your license yet?
TREC issues your license after you pass the exam and your background check clears. The Pearson VUE handbook says 5-10 business days, but TREC currently warns that REALM Portal issues can make that take longer. See how long TREC takes to approve an application.
Print your license history, or find your State ID and PIN.
Print License & License History
Open your record and click "Print License & License History." TREC generates a PDF with your license status, initial issue and expiration dates, any disciplinary history, and your education history, at no charge. License holders often need it when applying for another license in Texas or another state. It isn't available if a license has been expired for more than four years, and sponsorship history requires a separate request form.
State ID and PIN Number Lookup
Lost your State ID or PIN? Use TREC's State ID and PIN Number Lookup: enter your email plus your name or license number, and if it matches TREC's records, TREC emails them to you.
Checking an agent before you hire them.
Buying, selling, or renting through an agent? Look them up first: confirm the license is Active, see which broker sponsors them, and check for any disciplinary actions. If you believe a license holder has violated the Real Estate License Act, TREC's site has a page on how to file a complaint.
TREC license lookup questions.
How do I look up a Texas real estate license?
Use TREC's License Holder Search at trec.texas.gov/license-search. Enter a name in "last name, first name middle name" format or a license number, choose "Broker or Sales Agent" as the license type, and search. Each result shows the license number, license type, status, and expiration date; click a result for the full record.
Is the TREC license lookup public?
Yes. Anyone can search TREC's License Holder Search without logging in, so buyers, sellers, landlords, and other agents can check a Texas real estate license holder's status.
What does an inactive Texas real estate license mean?
The license holder can't practice real estate right now. A new sales agent license is issued inactive until a broker sponsors it, and a license renewed late can also come back on inactive status.
How do I check if my CE hours were reported to TREC?
Look up your own license and open your record: the education history table lists every reported course with the date, course name, subject, provider, and hours. Providers have up to 10 days to report completed CE hours to TREC, so finish at least 10 days before your license expires.
Why isn't my new license showing up yet?
TREC issues the license after you pass the exam and your background check clears. The Pearson VUE handbook says 5-10 business days, but TREC currently warns that REALM Portal issues can make that step take longer.
How do I find my TREC license number?
Search your own name in TREC's License Holder Search; your license number appears in the results (sales agent numbers end in -SA, broker numbers in -B). To get your State ID and PIN, use TREC's State ID and PIN Number Lookup, which emails them to you.
How do I print my Texas real estate license history?
Search your name or license number in TREC's License Holder Search, open your record, and click "Print License & License History." TREC generates a PDF with your license status, issue and expiration dates, any disciplinary history, and your education history, at no charge. It isn't available if a license has been expired for more than four years.
How do I check a real estate agent's sponsoring broker?
Open the agent's record in TREC's License Holder Search. A sales agent's record lists their sponsoring broker's name, the sponsor date, and the broker's license number and type.
Not licensed yet? Start with the steps to get a Texas real estate license.