Division Updates

Notice to Licensees - Update Regarding Division Communication Protocols and Service Standards

Dear Licensees,

The Utah Division of Real Estate is committed to providing consistent and accessible service to our more than 40,000 licensees. To maintain this standard, we are formalizing our communication protocols to ensure that all inquiries are handled efficiently and in the order they are received.

Centralized Routing and Initial Contact

All incoming calls are now processed through a centralized Department of Commerce switchboard. This system is designed to assess inquiries and connect you to the first available staff member who can help you. Switchboard agents are Department of Commerce employees, just like division staff.

Licensees are expected to provide the switchboard agent with the necessary information to route the call.
Please be advised that our staff has been instructed to redirect callers back through the proper channels if they attempt to bypass the triage process.

Staff Assignments and Availability

We understand that many of you have developed professional relationships with specific members of our team. However, to ensure fairness and maximize our resources, the division does not offer concierge service or the ability to request specific staff members for general inquiries.

Our team operates on a high-volume queue system. Demanding a specific individual often leads to unnecessary delays in your own service, as that individual may be assisting other licensees or performing regulatory duties.
Every member of our staff is trained and empowered to assist you. We ask that you work with the professional who answers your call.

Professional Conduct and Mutual Respect

The division maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding disrespectful behavior toward staff, including our partners at the Department of Commerce switchboard.

Refusing to interact with the initial intake staff or engaging in aggressive behavior is unacceptable.
Our priority is providing you with accurate information. This is best achieved through a collaborative and professional dialogue.

Response Times

By following these protocols, you help us maintain our current 24-hour average turnaround time for voicemails and prompt email responses. Attempting to bypass the system creates bottlenecks that impact all licensees.

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a professional and efficient regulatory environment. Following these protocols allows our team to focus on what matters most: supporting you and protecting the public interest.

RapBack Enrollment

New Licensees

All Real Estate & Appraisal licensing applicants are REQUIRED to provide their Digital Fingerprinting Receipt OR two (2) fingerprint cards (blue FD-258) at the time of application, OR THE APPLICATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR PROCESSING.

Rap Back FAQ

In an effort to help all licensees avoid any delays in license renewal, these are the most common questions we receive about RAP Back and license renewal:

The Division of Real Estate has tried to make it as convenient as possible for licensees to be fingerprinted. During the process detailed in number 7 below, licensees will be given a list of fingerprinting locations. Please select one of the locations to have your fingerprints taken. If you select the Division, please keep in mind that while the Division does offer fingerprinting services, we do so by appointment only and require licensees to wear a mask. Please schedule your appointment on the Division’s website before arriving at the Division. Remember that there are numerous other locations that offer fingerprinting services including most police stations.

To renew their license, each Real Estate and Appraisal licensee must go here to review and sign a Consent to Background Check Form. This will all be done electronically and licensees will have the ability to print a copy of the completed form for their own records.
After, and only after the licensee reviews and signs the consent form, will they have access to the Authorization for Live Scan Fingerprinting Form that licensees are required to take with them to be fingerprinted. The form requires you to enter specific information that must be presented to your fingerprint vendor. Only forms with electronically entered licensee information should be provided to your fingerprint vendor (hand written information on the form is prohibited). Please do not make copies of this authorization form for other licensees; the FBI requires that each licensee sign the consent form. Failure to review and sign the consent form on the Division’s website would likely prevent you from being able to be fingerprinted and renew your license.
The Consent to Background Check form and the Authorization for Live Scan Fingerprinting Form can be found on the main page of the Division website. When you are authorized to be fingerprinted (based on information found in Question 4 above), go to the RAP Back Service page.

A copy of your license, or at least your license number, as you must submit your license number with your fingerprints;
Valid driver’s license or passport; and,
The Authorization for Live Scan Fingerprinting Form that you can print on our website once you have completed the Consent to Background Check Form. Print the completed authorization form and bring the form with you when you are fingerprinted. If you do not have all the requested information on the authorization form, you may not be fingerprinted, or your background check may not properly link to your license, which could delay your license renewal.

If you are fingerprinted using Direct Electronic Submission the processing time is typically up to 5 days. If you are fingerprinted using paper fingerprint cards (Two Original FD-258 Fingerprint Cards) it can take 15-30 days to process. Keep this in mind when deciding when and where to be fingerprinted. If you know you will be using a location that only does paper fingerprint cards, plan accordingly.

You will be prevented from renewing your license until the RELMS system receives an electronic acknowledgement from the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) that you have submitted your fingerprints to the FBI for processing, you have no criminal history, or the Division has reviewed your criminal history.

Most Direct Electronic Submission locations will still print off a fingerprint card for your records. The only time you need to send the fingerprint cards to the Division is if your fingerprints were not electronically submitted to BCI. If you are unsure, please ask the third-party provider if your fingerprints have been direct electronically submitted to BCI. If they have been electronically submitted to BCI, you may retain the cards for your own records. If they have not been submitted electronically to BCI, you may send the printed fingerprint cards (Two Original FD-258 Cards) to the Division and we will submit the cards electronically to BCI.