NYS License Search: Professions, Attorneys, and Businesses

An NYS license search is free, but there isn’t one master database. New York splits professional licensing among several agencies, and the portal you use depends on the profession: the Education Department’s Office of the Professions for nurses, pharmacists, engineers, social workers, and dozens of other license types; the Department of State for real estate agents, cosmetologists, and private investigators; the Department of Health for physicians; the Department of Financial Services for insurance producers; and the Unified Court System for attorneys.

Office of the Professions

Most licensed professionals in New York fall under the Office of the Professions, part of the State Education Department. It handles the fields governed by Education Law Title VIII, which covers nursing, pharmacy, architecture, engineering, psychology, social work, dentistry, and many more.1New York State Senate. New York Education Code Title 8 – The Professions If the profession requires a degree and a licensing exam, this is almost always the right place to start.

The free verification tool is at op.nysed.gov/verification-search, and it works two ways.2New York State Education Department Office of the Professions. Online Verification Searches To search by name, pick a profession from the dropdown, then type at least three letters of the last name, a space, and the first name. No comma. To search by license number, pick the profession and enter the full six-digit number, padding with leading zeros if it’s shorter. If the number has a dash and a trailing digit (like 000456-1), drop the dash and everything after it.

You can only search one profession at a time. If you’re not sure whether someone is a licensed clinical social worker or a psychologist, you’ll need to run separate searches. Clicking the license number on the results page opens the full record, including current registration status, effective and end dates, and any disciplinary history.

Department of State Licenses

The Department of State licenses service and trade professions that sit outside the Education Department. It runs a few separate search tools.

  • Real estate brokers and salespersons: appext20.dos.ny.gov.3New York State Department of State. Licensee Name Search
  • Private investigators, watch guard agencies, and armored car carriers: same domain, but you can only search by business name or unique ID. Individual qualifying officers aren’t shown.
  • Cosmetologists, barbers, nail specialists, and estheticians: aca.licensecenter.ny.gov.

If you need an official paper record for court, employment verification, or an administrative hearing, the Department of State offers a downloadable form to request a license history or certified copy.4New York State Department of State. License History and Certification

Physician Profiles

Doctors have their own site: nydoctorprofile.com, maintained by the Department of Health.5New York State Department of Health. Physician Profiles State law requires each profile to include:6New York State Senate. New York Public Health Law 2995-A

  • Medical school, graduation dates, graduate medical education, and specialty board certifications.
  • Criminal convictions within the past ten years for offenses specified by department regulations.
  • Disciplinary actions by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct or another state licensing entity within the past ten years.
  • Malpractice judgments and arbitration awards within the past ten years, plus settlements when the total exceeds two or when the state health commissioner determines a settlement is relevant to patient decision-making.
  • Hospital privileges, and any loss or involuntary restriction of privileges within the past ten years.

The site also lists accepted health plans and any translation services offered at the practice.7New York State Physician Profile. New York State Physician Profile

Insurance and Financial Services

Insurance agents, brokers, and adjusters fall under the Department of Financial Services. The DFS Producer/Licensee Search at myportal.dfs.ny.gov confirms whether a person or business is currently licensed to sell insurance or handle claims in New York. DFS also supervises banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions, though some federally chartered institutions sit outside its direct authority.8Department of Financial Services. Who We Supervise

Attorney Verification

Attorneys are licensed by the courts, not an executive agency. The Unified Court System runs a public attorney search at iapps.courts.state.ny.us. You can search by first name, last name, or both, and results show current registration status. Separate tabs cover foreign legal consultants and in-house counsel. The Office of Court Administration’s Attorney Registration Unit takes questions beyond what the search returns at 212-428-2800.

Business Entity Search

To confirm that a professional corporation, LLC, or other business is legally authorized in New York, use the Department of State’s corporate records database at apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry. It shows whether the entity is active, its formation date, and its filing history. It does not replace a license search for the individuals inside the business; it only confirms the entity itself is in good standing.

What the Status Labels Mean

The status shown in an Office of the Professions record carries specific legal meaning.2New York State Education Department Office of the Professions. Online Verification Searches

  • Registered: the professional holds a valid license and has completed the current registration. This is the only status that authorizes practice.
  • Not Registered: the registration lapsed. The person may hold an underlying license but cannot legally practice until they re-register.
  • Inactive: at the last renewal, the professional told the Education Department they would not be practicing in New York, and the record was marked inactive at the start of the next registration period.
  • License Suspended, Revoked, or Surrendered: disciplinary action. A suspension may be lifted after a set period and compliance with conditions; revocation or surrender is more permanent.
  • License Rescinded: the license was issued in error and taken back.
  • Deceased: the Department has received reliable notice of the licensee’s death.

“Not Registered” and “Inactive” both prevent practice, but they mean different things. Inactive is a choice the professional made at renewal; Not Registered means they let it lapse. Neither implies misconduct on its own.

Registration periods for Education Department professions run on a three-year cycle.9New York State Senate. New York Education Law 6502 – Duration and Registration of a License The effective and end dates in the record tell you when the current window opened and when it closes. If the end date has passed and the status reads Not Registered, the person should not be providing services.

If Someone Is Practicing Without a License

Under Education Law Section 6512, practicing a profession without a license, practicing while suspended or revoked, or helping an unlicensed person practice is a Class E felony, which carries up to four years in prison.10New York State Education Department Office of the Professions. New York Education Law 6512 – Unauthorized Practice a Crime It applies to the unlicensed person and to anyone who knowingly assists them.

If a search turns up something wrong, you can file a written complaint with the Office of Professional Discipline. Complaints about physicians go instead to the Department of Health’s Office of Professional Medical Conduct. Supporting documentation like bills, correspondence, or photographs helps.

Tips for Cleaner Results

Spelling matters more than you’d expect. The Office of the Professions search matches the exact letter sequence you enter, so “Smythe” and “Smith” return entirely different results. When the spelling is uncertain, type fewer letters to widen the net.

Each profession is a separate license. Someone who is both a registered nurse and a nurse practitioner holds two registrations, and you have to search each field on its own. The same person may also appear in Department of State results if they hold a notary commission or a real estate license.

For employment credentialing or a legal proceeding where a screenshot won’t do, request a certified verification from the relevant agency. Those carry the state’s seal and stand up as evidence in a way a printout does not.