eAccessNY: Verify a NYC Broker’s License Fast
Go Back To Previous PageQuick answer: eAccessNY is New York State’s official portal for real estate license records, run by the NY Department of State. Anyone can use the free Public License Search to check a broker or agent’s license. It shows whether the license is real, active, and free of disciplinary action. No login is required. Licensees use the same portal to renew, take continuing education, and manage their own file.
Here’s the thing about a home purchase in New York: it’s the biggest check most people ever write, and they hand a huge chunk of the process to someone whose name they found
on a listing site an hour ago. eAccessNY is the two-minute step that turns “I think this person is legit” into “I confirmed it.”
What is eAccessNY, exactly?
eAccessNY is the online licensing system used by the NY Department of State’s Division of Licensing Services to manage real estate licenses statewide. It does two jobs at once: it’s the back office where brokers and salespersons apply for, renew, and track their own licenses, and it’s a public record system anyone can search, no account needed.
Every real estate salesperson, associate broker, and broker in New York has to be licensed through this system. If someone is showing you apartments or writing offers on your behalf and they’re not in there, that’s not a paperwork gap. It’s a problem.
Why should a buyer or seller bother checking?
Because “I have a card that says Realtor on it” isn’t the same as “I’m licensed.” Real estate deals move fast. Commissions are large. NYC, in particular, attracts people who rely on hustle over credentials. A license check costs you nothing and takes less time than reading this paragraph.
What you’re confirming: the license is real and active. It is not expired or lapsed. The name matches who you’re dealing with. There is no disciplinary history on file. The Department of State can suspend or revoke a license for violations of the Real Property Law. These actions become part of the public record. You’d rather know before you sign, not after.
How do you actually look someone up?
- Go to the official portal. Visit the NYS Division of Licensing Services eAccessNY page and click through to Public License Search. No account, no login.
- Pick how you want to search. You can search by name, license number, city, or county. If you only have a first and last name off a business card, a name search is fine.
- Choose the license type. Select “Real Estate Broker” or “Real Estate Salesperson” so you’re not wading through unrelated NY licenses (notaries, appraisers, and a long list of others all live in the same system).
- Enter what you have and search. Full name spelled correctly matters more than you’d think. If nothing comes back, try the license number instead if you have it (it’s usually on their business card or email signature).
- Open the record. Check the license status (active vs. expired vs. suspended), the effective and expiration dates, and the associated brokerage name and address.
- Check for enforcement history. Disciplinary information, if there is any, appears in the record’s enforcement section. Anything there is public and worth reading before you go further.
If the name doesn’t match, discuss it before you sign. If the license has expired, talk about it before you sign.If the brokerage listed does not match your actual representative, talk about it before you sign. Not after.
What if the agent isn’t in the system at all?
Then you’ve found your answer. In New York, anyone acting as a real estate broker or salesperson for a fee must be licensed. No record means no license, and that’s a hard stop, not a small detail. Ask directly, and if the answer is vague, walk.
How does eAccessNY work for licensees themselves?
If you hold the license, use eAccessNY for admin tasks. You can apply for your license and renew it every two years.You can log your continuing education credits.You can also update your contact and brokerage information. Unlike the public search, this side requires an account.
New licensees set up an account by emailing realestate@dos.ny.gov for a temporary password, including your full legal name as it appears on your driver’s license, your driver’s license ID, and the email you want to use as your User ID. After that, your User ID is that email address for every future login.
One detail worth knowing if you’re licensed: The Department of State uses the email address on file. If you do not respond to emails sent there, it can affect your license status. Keep that inbox checked.
Verifying that your broker is licensed is one piece of due diligence before a purchase. See our full due diligence guide for the rest, including how to check the property itself through ACRIS.
FAQ
Is eAccessNY the same as looking someone up on Zillow or StreetEasy?
No. Listing sites show you an agent’s photo, reviews, and listings, none of which confirm they’re actually licensed. eAccessNY is the government record, the only source that tells you the license is real and current.
Does it cost anything to search?
No. The Public License Search is free and available to anyone; no account is required.
How current is the information?
License status updates typically reflect within a day or two of a change. If something looks off, a quick call to the Division of Licensing Services can confirm it.
What if I can’t find someone by name?
Double-check the spelling, try searching by license number if you have it, or try just the last name. If they are licensed under a different legal name than their professional name, ask about it directly.
Does an active license mean the person is a Realtor?
Not necessarily. “Realtor” is a trademarked term for members of the National Association of Realtors, a separate membership organization. A licensed agent is not always a Realtor. A Realtor must have a license. The license is a legal requirement. Membership is optional.
Can I check a brokerage’s license too, not just an individual agent?
Yes. The Public License Search also lets you search by organization name. Brokerage firms have their own license records, separate from those of their agents.
Nicole Fishman Benoliel co-founded NestApple in 2017. She's a lawyer admitted to the New York bar - her law degree is from La Escuela Libre de Derecho in Costa Rica, with further study at IE Business School in Madrid and an LLM from Fordham in New York. She does not act in a legal capacity at NestApple; every client is referred to an attorney who handles real estate deals full time.
