California Real Estate and Financial Services License Information

Together, the Department of Real Estate, the Office of Real Estate Appraisers, the Department of Corporations and the Department of Financial Institutions regulate most of the real estate and financial services in California. This web page is provided as a one-stop resource for California real estate and financial services license information, laws and regulations.

To check the license records of all four departments at once, click the button below:

Information specific to each department is provided below.

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Department of Real Estate (DRE) www.dre.ca.gov
The DRE is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Real Estate Law and Subdivided Lands Law. Licensees include real estate brokers and salespersons, prepaid rental listing services and mineral, oil and gas brokers. Real estate brokers may also act as mortgage brokers.

• License Status Check
  
  
  • Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
  • Prepaid Rental Listing Services
  • Mineral, Oil and Gas Brokers
  • Real Estate Broker and Corporation Search by Main Office or Branch Office Address
• Desist and Refrain Orders
  
  
  • Unlicensed Activities
  • Unlawful Subdivision Activities
  • Unlicensed Prepaid Rental Listing Service Activities
• Applicable Laws and Regulations

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Office of Real Estate Appraisers (OREA) www.orea.ca.gov
OREA licenses real estate appraisers and ensures adherence to the national Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and the California Real Estate Appraisers Licensing and Certification Law and Regulations.

• License Status Check
  
  
  • Real Estate Appraisers
• Applicable Laws and Regulations

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Department of Corporations (CORP) www.corp.ca.gov
CORP licenses and regulates Residential Mortgage Lenders (RMLs); California Finance Lenders (CFLs); independent escrow companies; deferred deposit originators (payday lenders); check sellers, bill payers and proraters; securities brokers and dealers; investment advisers; and financial planners. The Department also regulates the offer and sales of securities, franchises, and off-exchange commodities.

• License Status Check
  
  
  • Residential Mortgage Lenders
  • California Finance Lenders
  • Independent Escrow Companies
  • Deferred Deposit Originators (Payday Lenders)
  • Check Sellers, Bill Payers and Proraters
  • Securities Broker-Dealers, Securities Broker-Dealer Agents, Investment Advisers and Financial Planners
  • Access to Securities and Franchise Filings (Cal-EASI) View notices and applications submitted for the offer and sales of Securities and Franchise Registrations/Renewals.
• Enforcement Actions
  
  
  • Civil Actions
  • Desist & Refrain Orders
  • Orders to Censure, Suspend or Bar Individuals from Employment Under the Escrow Law
• Applicable Laws and Regulations
  
  
  • California Residential Mortgage Lending Act
  • California Finance Lenders Law
  • Escrow Law
  • California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law
  • Check Sellers, Bill Payers and Proraters Law
  • Corporate Securities Law of 1968
  • Franchise Investment Law
  • Regulations of the Commissioner of Corporations

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Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) www.dfi.ca.gov
DFI is responsible for administering state laws regulating state-licensed financial institutions: banks, credit unions, industrial banks, trust companies, offices of foreign banks, issuers of travelers checks and payment instruments (money orders), and transmitters of money abroad pursuant to the Financial Code and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions.

• License Status Check
  
  
  • Banks
  • Credit Unions
  • Foreign Banks: Agencies and Branches,  Representative Offices, Facilities
  • Industrial Banks
  • Issuers of Payment Instruments (Money Orders)
  • Issuers of Travelers Checks
  • Premium Finance Companies
  • Transmitters of Money Abroad
  • Trust Companies and Departments
• Applicable Laws and Regulations

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Department of Insurance (CDI) www.insurance.ca.gov
The California Department of Insurance is responsible for enforcing many of the insurance-related laws of the state. They are foremost a consumer protection agency. Their number one priority is to protect insurance consumers by regulating the industry's practices and encouraging a healthy marketplace, which is one of the largest in the world.

• License Status Check
• File a complaint

To view an alphabetical list of license types along with the responsible department, click here.