You can check any Virginia real estate agent in a few minutes on the DPOR License Lookup. DPOR is the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, and its lookup tool shows licensing records and disciplinary actions entered since April 1, 2002. Check the license first, then use the interview to learn how the agent works.
This guide covers the lookup, the license types you will run into, what DPOR does with complaints, and a list of interview questions. It is general information, not legal advice. Ask a Virginia real estate attorney if you have a dispute.
How to run the check
- Open DPOR’s License Lookup. The tool offers License Search, Advanced License Search and Disciplinary Action Search.
- Search the agent’s name, or the license number if the agent gives you one. Ask for the number. A licensee should be willing to share it.
- Confirm the license is current and that the agent is active. DPOR’s regulations call a licensee active when working under a principal or supervising broker at a firm and doing licensed work. Inactive means not under a broker and not performing licensed activities.
- Confirm the firm and the broker on the agent’s paperwork match what DPOR shows.
- Run the Disciplinary Action Search for the agent and for the firm.
One caution is printed on the lookup itself. DPOR says the online data are not its public records and may not be up to date at all times. For anything that matters, ask DPOR’s Public Records Section.
The regulations also give you a second check. Under the Real Estate Board regulations, a firm’s license, its principal broker’s license and the licenses of its active licensees must be readily available to the public at the main office. Agent advertising must show the licensee’s name, the firm’s name, and the city and state of the licensee’s place of business. An agent can use a professional name only if it was filed with the board before use, so search under the legal name if the nickname finds nothing.
What the license types mean
Virginia law and regulations use these terms. “Managing broker” is not one of them in the statute section or regulations we reviewed, so if a firm uses that title, ask what role it covers and who holds the supervising or principal license.
| License term | What the sources say | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Salesperson | Works with a broker, as an employee or independent contractor, to perform a broker’s duties for compensation | Va. Code 54.1-2100 |
| Associate broker | Any individual broker who is not the firm’s designated principal broker | Real Estate Board regulations |
| Supervising broker | A broker the principal broker designates to supervise associates and salespersons at a branch office or team; must be available to review brokerage agreements and keep supervision records for 3 years | Va. Code 54.1-2100; regulations 18VAC135-20-165 |
| Principal broker | The one broker per firm designated to ensure compliance, receive board communications and hold signing authority on every escrow account; responsible for the firm and all its licensees | Real Estate Board regulations |
The practical point: a salesperson works under a broker, and the broker answers for the work. The supervising broker’s name and contact information must appear on every brokerage agreement. If you are about to sign one, look for that name on the page.
Interview us alongside the others
Run the DPOR check on every agent you talk to, including ours. See the Mission Realty team and our success stories, and ask us the same questions below.
Complaint history: what DPOR shows and what it does not
The disciplinary search lists orders entered since April 1, 2002. That is not the same as every complaint ever filed. DPOR’s complaint page says open complaint files are not public until they are closed. Closed files can be requested from DPOR’s Information Management Section, usually electronically and at no charge, through [email protected].
| Item | Number or date |
|---|---|
| Disciplinary orders searchable in the lookup | Entered since April 1, 2002 |
| Window to file a complaint | 3 years from the act |
| Window if the licensee misrepresented or concealed | 2 years after discovery |
| Open complaint files public | Only once closed |
| Brokerage agreements kept by the firm | 3 years from signing |
If you do file, DPOR reviews each complaint and may close it, seek compliance, negotiate a consent order or refer it on. For a probable violation, the Real Estate Board can order remedial education, fines, suspension, revocation or non-renewal. DPOR cannot order refunds or give legal advice, and it says it cannot guarantee anonymity. Fair housing discrimination complaints go to the Virginia Fair Housing Office instead.
Read results with care. A clean record means no public order, not proof of good service. A discipline entry deserves a question: ask the agent what happened and read the order itself.
Check on a schedule, not once. License status can change, and DPOR says its online data may not always be current, so run the search again the day before you sign an agreement. Save a screenshot or note of the date you checked, the license status you saw and the firm shown. If anything differs from what the agent told you, ask about it before you sign, and keep the written answer with your paperwork.
Questions to ask in the interview
About the license and supervision
- What is your license number and type, and which firm and supervising broker do you work under?
- Will the supervising broker’s name appear on my agreement? It must.
- Has any DPOR disciplinary order been entered against you or the firm? What was it?
About how you will work for me
- What services are included in your fee, and what is not?
- May I read the full agreement before I decide? How long does it last?
- If I am buying and you also have a seller who wants to be in the same deal, what happens? Our post on dual agency and designated agency in Virginia explains what you would be asked to consent to.
- How do you present offers and tell me about them? Section 54.1-2132 requires a buyer’s agent to present written offers promptly, so the answer should match.
- Do you work in the areas I want? Whether that is the City of Richmond, Hanover County or Goochland County, ask how many deals the agent has handled there. Verify the number rather than accepting a claim. Our recently sold properties page lists our recent sales.
- Which lenders do you work with? We list ours on the preferred lenders page. You are free to use any lender.
About what happens if it does not work out
- Under what conditions can either of us end the agreement early?
- What do I owe if I buy a home you did not show me?
If you want to see what current inventory looks like while you interview, the property search is open to anyone. Agents who work in Powhatan County or Chesterfield County can tell you which MLS areas they cover.
Next step
Start your agent search with us
Bring the questions above to every interview. Look through our team and our success stories, then check us on DPOR like anyone else.
Frequently asked questions
Is a license number enough to know an agent is legitimate?
It is the first check. Search the number on DPOR License Lookup and make sure the name, status and firm match what the agent told you. Then check the disciplinary search for the agent and the firm.
Can I look up the firm as well as the agent?
Yes. DPOR regulations require the firm’s license and the principal broker’s license to be available to the public at the main office, and the lookup tool has separate search options. Check both.
How long does a DPOR complaint have to be filed within?
In writing within three years of the act, or two years after discovery if the licensee materially misrepresented or concealed information, according to DPOR’s complaint page.
Will filing a complaint get me my money back?
No. DPOR says it cannot order refunds or other personal remedies, and private legal action may be your only option for that.
Can I request the details of a closed complaint?
Yes. DPOR says closed complaint files can be requested from its Information Management Section at [email protected], usually electronically at no charge.
Where do discrimination complaints go?
DPOR’s page says fair housing discrimination complaints go to the Virginia Fair Housing Office rather than DPOR’s licensing complaint process.
What if my agent says they are inactive but still helps me?
DPOR’s regulations define inactive as not working under a broker and not performing licensed activities. If an agent is inactive, ask why they are working with you, and ask a Virginia real estate attorney or DPOR about it.
Do I have to sign an agreement before an agent shows me a home?
Yes, since July 1, 2025, according to the Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS summary of HB 1684 and SB 1309. Ask an agent to show you the agreement before any showing, and have a Virginia real estate attorney read it if you have questions.
