North Carolina · Real Estate Licensing
North Carolina real estate license lookup on the NCREC broker search.
The North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC) publishes a Search Licensee Database for brokers and firms. This page explains the broker search and links to it.
Short answer: open the NCREC broker search and enter a licence number, or a name as Last, First. The database lists Active and Inactive licences only. This page does not look anyone up.
What the NCREC broker search asks for
The broker search has four fields: License No, Name, City and County, plus a “Limit Results to” option. You do not need to fill every field; more criteria narrow the results, because records must match all of them.
NCREC’s own tips: if you know the licence number, enter only that. Names are stored as Last Name, First Name, so to find Mary Smith enter Smith, Mary. Entering only a surname returns everyone with that last name, and entering only a city lists every licensee there. An asterisk works as a wildcard, for example *, Mary.
The database contains persons with Active and Inactive licences. For persons with expired licences, NCREC says to contact the Commission office.
Open the official search
Brokers, firms and what status you will see
NCREC splits its public search into Brokers, Firms, Non-Resident Limited and Time Shares. Use the broker search for an individual and the firm search for a company. Because the broker database shows Active and Inactive licences, an expired licence will not appear there; contact the Commission to confirm one.
Format
This page publishes no licence-number format or check-digit rule, because the search page documents none. Enter the number exactly as it appears on the licence.
Official sources used
- license.ncrec.gov/ncrec/oecgi3.exe/O4W_LIC_SEARCH_NEW (retrieved November 2026)
- license.ncrec.gov/ncrec/oecgi3.exe/O4W_FIRM_SEARCH_NEW (retrieved November 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a North Carolina real estate license?
Open the NCREC broker search. Enter the licence number alone, or the name as Last, First, optionally with a city or county.
Why can I not find an expired licence?
The broker database contains Active and Inactive licences. NCREC says to contact the Commission office for persons with expired licences.
How should I type a name?
Names are stored as Last Name, First Name, so enter Smith, Mary. An asterisk works as a wildcard, as in *, Mary.
Does this page verify a licence?
No. It explains the NCREC search form and links to it.
Guide only — not a verification tool
This page describes official registers and links to them. It does not check anyone’s licence status, does not copy or proxy any register, and nothing you might type here is transmitted anywhere. Registers change and licensing rules differ by state and city; use the official source linked above and contact the regulator to confirm anything that matters. This is general information, not legal advice.