How do I verify a collection agency license?

There is no national database, because there is no national collection license. Verification is state by state and follows the consumer, not the agency's headquarters, so an agency collecting in twelve states should show authority in all twelve. In NMLS states, the public company search shows every state license the company holds along with its status, which makes it the fastest single check for multi-state agencies. Elsewhere, use the state regulator's own license search: our per-state debt collection law pages link the regulator for each state.

Read past the yes-or-no answer. The record's status field distinguishes active from expired, suspended, or revoked, and the named entity should match the contracting entity exactly, since trade-name mismatches are one of the most common findings in vendor reviews. In registration states the check is whether the bond is on file with the filing office. And in the states with no collection agency license at all, such as Ohio and South Carolina, vet the agency on its licenses everywhere else it collects. The full walkthrough is in our guide to verifying a collection agency license.