How to check an Ontario real estate agent's licence and what to do if something goes wrong

This is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute that involves money or a signed contract, speak with a lawyer.

Checking a licence takes a few minutes and it is one of the most useful things you can do before hiring anyone. It does not tell you whether an agent is good, only that they are permitted to practise and whether anything is on the record.

What you are checking

The Real Estate Council of Ontario keeps a public registry of licensed agents and brokers. Our glossary entry on RECO covers the basics. The legal framework sits in the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, also in the glossary as TRESA. What you want from the registry is simple:

• The person is registered
• The brokerage they work for is the one they named
• Their status is current
• Any public action recorded

Titles that look similar

Term	What it tells you
Salesperson	Licensed to trade under a brokerage
Broker	Higher licensing level
Broker of record	The person responsible for the brokerage’s compliance
REALTOR	Association membership, not a licence

The glossary entry on salesperson, broker and broker of record explains the licensing tiers in more detail. If an agent uses a title you do not recognise, ask what it means.

A quick check routine

1. Get the agent’s full name and brokerage from their card or website.
2. Search the regulator’s public registry for that name.
3. Compare the brokerage listed with what you were told.
4. Note anything that does not match and ask about it.
5. Repeat for each agent on your shortlist.

If you cannot find them, ask why. There may be a simple answer, such as a different legal name, but do not sign anything until it is resolved.

What a clean record does and does not mean

A clean registry entry is a baseline. It does not measure communication, local knowledge or fit. For those, look at what clients describe. In this directory, reviewers most often mention agents who explain each step clearly and reply quickly. Those are individual experiences. Treat them as a prompt for interview questions, not a promise. Once the check comes back clean, read the agreement before you sign it; the guide to buyer representation agreements covers what to look for.

If something goes wrong

Not every disappointment is misconduct, but some situations deserve a formal route. These steps help whichever way it goes:

1. Write down what happened and when.
2. Collect emails, texts, agreements and anything you were sent.
3. Raise the issue with the agent and the brokerage in writing and give them a chance to respond.
4. If it is not resolved, contact the regulator about its complaints process.
5. If money or a contract is at stake, speak with a lawyer.

Keep the tone factual. A complaint is easier to assess when it sticks to dates, documents and specifics.

Using this directory

Profiles here are built from public information and review themes, as laid out in the scoring method. They are not a substitute for a registry check. If you need to start a shortlist, the home page is the place to begin.

Check first, hire second, and keep every document. That simple order protects you far better than a good first impression does.

Keep the check on file

Take a screenshot or save a copy of the registry page with the date, and keep it alongside your agreement. If anything changes later, you will have a record of what you saw when you decided. Repeat the check if you move to a new agent or brokerage, since status and affiliations can change over time.