How to verify a Massachusetts real estate license
There is one official source for license status: the DOL Check a License lookup. Everything else — an Educational Certificate, a PSI passing result, or a brokerage website listing — is a proxy, not proof.
System model: The Educational Certificate is education evidence, not a license. A PSI result is an examination result, not a license. eLIPSE account transaction status covers application, renewal, or reinstatement workflow and is not proof of issuance by itself. The eLIPSE public license search / DOL Check a License route is the current public issued-license verification workflow for this Board and can show license type, number, issue date, status, expiration, and disciplinary information where available. A brokerage website is non-authoritative and may lag.
The official DOL Check a License lookup
This is the Division of Occupational Licensure's official system for verifying whether a Massachusetts real estate salesperson, broker, or firm license is Active, Inactive, expired, or subject to disciplinary action where shown. Use it directly rather than relying on a third-party directory.
An Educational Certificate is education evidence, not a license. A PSI result is an exam result, not a license. eLIPSE transaction status is not proof of an issued Active license.
Educational Certificate vs. an actual license
A Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Educational Certificate confirms you finished your 40-hour pre-license course. It is not proof of licensure and does not appear on the official lookup as a license record.
PSI exam result vs. an actual license
Passing the required PSI exam portions is an examination result, not a license. Fee payment and issuance are still required.
A brokerage's website listing vs. the official record
A real estate firm's website or roster page may list an agent as active, but that listing is not authoritative. Always cross-check against the official DOL lookup, since a firm's own site can lag behind an actual status change, including a lapse to Inactive status or a change in broker affiliation.
Pending applications
Check the application transaction in your eLIPSE account. After issuance, use the public license search to verify the issued record. Contact DOL when the two systems appear inconsistent.
Applying and want to track your status?
Review the full eLIPSE application sequence, including the 180-day completeness window.