An Irish estate agent, letting agent, auctioneer or property management provider must be checked against the Property Services Regulatory Authority register for the service offered. Match the licensed business and individual, licence number, category, expiry and live status, then confirm the legal company or business behind the trading name. A CRO number alone is not a property-services licence.
Direct answer
Search the PSRA Register of Licensed Property Services Providers, match the agent and business, and confirm the licence category covers the transaction: A for auction of property other than land, B for purchase or sale of land, C for letting and D for property management. Then verify the legal entity and contact details independently before paying or sharing documents.
Identify both the brand and legal provider
An agency brand may be operated by a limited company, partnership or individual. Find the legal name on the engagement letter, website footer, invoice, privacy notice and PSRA record. Record the licence number and the CRO number where a company is involved.
Compare the company’s current status, registered office and directors with the agent’s materials. If the names differ, check the Irish business-name registration and ask the agent to explain the relationship.
Understand the four PSRA licence types
| Licence | Property service | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Type A | Auction of property other than land | Fine art, machinery or other non-land auction services |
| Type B | Purchase or sale, by whatever means, of land | Estate agency work for a house or commercial property sale |
| Type C | Letting of land | Residential or commercial letting agency services |
| Type D | Property management services | Managing a multi-unit development or property portfolio |
A provider may hold one or several categories. Do not treat any PSRA number as permission for every service. Confirm both the business licence and the individual you are dealing with where relevant.
How to read the live PSRA register
- Search by licence number if one is supplied.
- Search the full legal and trading names if the number is absent.
- Match county, address and business details.
- Open the detail record and confirm licence type.
- Read expiry and status wording rather than looking only for a name match.
- Check the individual’s licence card and the business licence displayed at the premises.
- Contact the PSRA if the result or renewal position is unclear.
The PSRA explains that its register uses status and colour information. Some licensees with a past expiry date may be permitted to continue pending a renewal decision, while suspended or otherwise unauthorised entries are identified. Because the register is live, follow its current legend rather than relying on a saved screenshot.
Licence verification and company checks are complementary
| Source | Use it for | Do not infer |
|---|---|---|
| PSRA register | Current property-services licensing and categories | Financial strength or ownership of every bank account |
| CRO company record | Legal company identity, status, directors and filings | PSRA permission or professional conduct |
| Business-name record | Connection between a trading name and registrant | Separate legal personality or licence |
| Engagement letter | Service, fees, client money and contractual responsibilities | Authenticity unless matched independently |
| Property Price Register | Recorded residential sale price information | Agent licence or property condition |
Protect against impersonation and payment fraud
A fraudster can copy a genuine agent’s PSRA and company details. Verify the email domain and phone number through independent sources. When payment instructions arrive or change, call a known contact using a trusted number and confirm the account name and transaction reference. Do not rely solely on replying to the same email chain.
- Be cautious if the sender pressures you to act before checks are complete.
- Question a personal or unrelated bank account.
- Verify deposit terms, refundability and who holds the money.
- Keep the property address, licence, account and legal-provider names consistent.
- Ask your solicitor before transferring material purchase funds.
- Preserve messages and contact your bank immediately if fraud is suspected.
Documents to check before engaging an agent
- current PSRA business and individual licence details;
- the legal entity or registrant behind the brand;
- written engagement terms and scope;
- fees, VAT, outlays and when they become payable;
- client-money and deposit arrangements;
- conflicts, connected parties and referral fees where relevant;
- complaints procedure and applicable compensation protection;
- privacy and identity-document handling;
- verified payment instructions.
What a licence does not guarantee
A current licence establishes an important regulatory condition and access to the PSRA framework. It does not guarantee that a property is sound, the seller owns it, planning is compliant, a tenant will pay, an investment is suitable or every representation is accurate. Property buyers and sellers still need appropriate solicitor, engineer, survey, planning, title and financial work.
Likewise, company status is not a review of the agent’s service. If you are checking the legitimacy of an entity more broadly, use the evidence framework in how to check an Irish company is legitimate.
If something goes wrong
Preserve the licence result, engagement letter, invoices, receipts, advertisements and communications. Raise the issue with the provider in writing and use the PSRA’s current complaints process where the matter falls within its remit. Contact your bank quickly for payment fraud and An Garda Síochána where criminal conduct is suspected. Obtain legal advice for a material property or financial dispute.
Sources and editorial review
This guide was reviewed on 24 August 2026 using the PSRA’s live Register of Licensed Property Services Providers, its consumer guidance on engaging a licensed provider, and its complaints information. It is general information, not property, legal or financial advice.