Licensing, Advertising, and Recordkeeping Requirements
Licensure structure
Vermont issues salesperson and broker licenses and licenses brokerage entities. A salesperson may act only under a supervising broker, and the broker is answerable for that salesperson's advertising, escrow handling, and paperwork. The license must be active for any activity performed for compensation - a lapsed or inactive license means no showings, no referrals, no opinions of value. Renewal requires the continuing education OPR prescribes for the cycle; verify current hours with OPR rather than memorizing a number.
Advertising
Every advertisement for a property or for the licensee's services must identify the licensed brokerage firm by its registered name, not merely a trade name or first name. Blind ads (advertising another's property without the owner's consent), ads implying a salesperson is the broker, and ads misrepresenting services, fees, or results are violations. Team names, websites, and social media handles must tie back to the registered firm, and "coming soon" teasers are advertising.
Recordkeeping and money
Keep transaction files - listing and buyer agency agreements, offers and counteroffers, agency disclosures, inspection and financing documents, closing statements - plus complete escrow records, for the retention period OPR requires. Commingling personal and trust funds, failing to account for an earnest money deposit, and disbursing a deposit without proper authority are among the fastest routes to discipline.
Traps
An unlicensed assistant may do administrative work but may not quote commissions, hold open houses, or negotiate. Referral fees may not be paid to unlicensed persons. A broker with a branch office must license and supervise that office.
Rule of thumb
If a document is not in the file, it did not happen.