Must a California property management company have a real estate broker’s license?

The answer is ‘yes’.

Most aspects of property management are considered a real estate activity under current California real estate licensing laws.

A broker’s license is required for any person or company that, for compensation,

• leases or rents or offers to lease or rent, or
• places for rent, or
• solicits listings of places for rent, or
• solicits for prospective tenants, or
• negotiates the sale, purchase or exchanges of leases on real property, or
• collects rents from real property, or improvements thereon.A salesperson working under a broker may engage in such activities.