Texas real estate license holders give the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) a mailing address and a business address. TREC sends notices to the mailing or email address in its records. For an active sales agent, notices go to the sponsoring broker's address instead. TREC's FAQ calls the business address a physical address.
If you came here for the address to write to TREC, the agency's mailing address is PO Box 12188, Austin, TX 78711-2188. The rest of this post covers the addresses on your own license.
We read TREC's current rules page on October 17, 2026. The rules we used are in Title 22 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC): §535.21, §533.1, §533.3, §535.91 and §535.191. We also read Texas Occupations Code §1101.552, the TREC FAQ and TREC's guide to its REALM licensing portal. On the same day we checked two public TREC tools and counted what they show.
What mailing address does TREC ask a license holder to give?
The rule is 22 TAC §535.21. Its first paragraph reads:
"Using a process acceptable to the Commission, each license holder shall provide a mailing address, business address, business phone number, and email address used for business to the Commission and shall report all subsequent changes not later than the 10th day after the date of a change of any of the listed contact information."
So every license holder gives four pieces of contact information, and each change has to reach TREC within 10 days. The same paragraph covers a missed update: "If a license holder fails to update the contact information, the last known contact information provided to the Commission is the license holder's contact information."
In plain words, an old address keeps counting as your address until you change it with TREC.
We counted words in the current §535.21 text on TREC's rules page. With its title, the rule runs 189 words, and "address" appears 6 times. We found 0 uses of "physical," "post office," "box" or "public." In short, the rule doesn't say what kind of mailing address it must be.
Older copies of the rule leave out the business address
Some free copies of §535.21 online show an earlier version. One copy we read carries an amendment note with an effective date of 1/1/2016. Its first paragraph asks for "a mailing address, phone number, and email address used for business". That version runs 137 words, the phrase "business address" appears 0 times, and the paragraph on associated brokers is missing.
The MetroTex Association of Realtors reported on December 4, 2025, that TREC approved changes to Chapter 535 that "Require license holders to provide their business address and phone number". We didn't find the date that change took effect. Quote the rule from TREC's own rules page, because older copies miss the business address line.
How TREC describes the update in REALM
TREC's guide to the REALM portal, dated April 10, 2026, lists these steps:
- "Log in to your REALM Portal account."
- "Go to the Licenses tab."
- "Select Amendment."
- From the Type of Change Request dropdown menu, "select Update Contact Info/Legal Name Change."
- "Edit your name and current business phone number and email address by clicking Review and Remove."
- "Add or update physical addresses by clicking Actions."
We couldn't see the screens behind the login. For that reason we can't say how the portal separates the mailing address from the business address.
How is the mailing address different from the business address on your license?
Each address has its own job. TREC delivers notices to the mailing address, while the business address tells TREC where you do business.
TREC's FAQ answers the question "How do I change my business physical address?" One step tells license holders to "Update contact information and "Place of Business" (business physical) address on the Contact Information page". A later step asks you to "select "Yes" to certify the address information is accurate and correct". In our reading, TREC treats the business address as a physical place, and you vouch for its accuracy.
A broker who lives in Texas faces a firmer rule in the Occupations Code. Section 1101.552(a) reads:
"A resident broker shall maintain a fixed office in this state. The address of the office shall be designated on the broker's license."
Section 1101.552(b) adds a moving deadline. Within 10 days of moving from the office address on the license, the broker applies, with the fee, for a license that shows the new office location.
| Address line | What TREC uses it for | Source | Can a mailbox address go here? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailing address | Notices and correspondence, along with the business email | 22 TAC §535.21 | The rule doesn't say what kind of address it must be. Ask TREC first. |
| Business address | Your Place of Business, which the FAQ calls "business physical" | 22 TAC §535.21 and TREC FAQ | No. TREC treats this line as a physical address. |
| Resident broker's office on the license | A "fixed office in this state" | Occupations Code §1101.552(a) | No. A mailbox can't serve as a fixed office. |
Many forms split a mailing line from a business line for the same reason. We compared the two kinds of address in Business mailing address vs. business address.
Where does TREC send notices for brokers and for sales agents?
The second paragraph of §535.21 decides whose address receives a TREC letter:
"The Commission shall send a notice or correspondence to an active broker or an inactive license holder to the mailing or email address of the broker or license holder as shown in the Commission's records. The Commission shall send a notice or correspondence to an active sales agent to the mailing or email address of the sales agent's sponsoring broker as shown in the Commission's records."
| License status | Where TREC sends notices | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Active broker | The broker's own mailing or email address | 22 TAC §535.21 |
| Inactive license holder | The license holder's own mailing or email address | 22 TAC §535.21 |
| Active sales agent | The sponsoring broker's mailing or email address | 22 TAC §535.21 and §533.1 |
TREC's disciplinary rules repeat the point for a respondent, meaning a license holder named in a complaint case. The definition in §533.1 says "The mailing address for a respondent that holds an active sales agent license shall be the mailing address of the sales agent's sponsoring broker as shown in the Commission's records."
An active sales agent still gives TREC a mailing address of their own. Section 535.21 says "each license holder shall provide" one. The routing rule changes only where TREC sends notices. If your license goes inactive, notices go to your own mailing or email address under the same rule.
A sales agent can ask the sponsoring broker how TREC mail for the agent gets passed on. A broker who sponsors agents receives those notices at the broker's own mailing or email address. As a result, the broker's address on file carries more than the broker's own letters.
The third paragraph of §535.21 covers associated brokers. An associated broker gives TREC "the name of the broker the associated broker is associated with" and reports changes within 10 days.
Does the TREC license search show your address to the public?
We checked what two public tools show, and then asked what the address is really for.
We opened two records in TREC's public License Holder Search: one active individual broker and one active sales agent. The broker record showed labels such as License Status, Expiration Date, DBAs (doing-business-as names) and Designated Broker For. The sales agent record showed Sponsoring Broker details in the same spot. Neither record showed a street address. The only address on the page was TREC's own PO Box in the footer. Behind the screen, the search response had 28 field paths, and none had "address" in its name. One field held a county, and the screen didn't show it.
TREC also publishes a data set on the Texas Open Data Portal, called Broker and Sales Agent License Holder Information. TREC's page on these data sets says "All data updated daily." We counted 20 columns in the data set. None is an address column, and the only location column is County.
In the two public tools we checked, no street address appears. We didn't check whether TREC releases addresses in other ways, so we don't say the address is private. For a Texas license, the practical test of a mailing address is delivery. Will TREC mail sent there reach you and get read? We covered other places a home address can show up in Can I use my home address as my business address?
What happens if TREC mail goes to an old address?
Several TREC rules decide who bears the risk of a missed letter. The service rule for disciplinary matters, §533.3, reads:
"Any document served upon a party is prima facie evidence of receipt, if it is directed to the party's mailing address or email address. This presumption is rebuttable. Failure to claim properly addressed certified or registered mail will not support a finding of nondelivery."
Prima facie evidence means proof that stands unless someone shows otherwise. A document sent to your mailing or email address counts as received, and you can try to rebut that. Leaving properly addressed certified mail unclaimed doesn't support a finding that the mail never reached you.
Renewal works on a similar basis. Section 535.91 says "The Commission will deliver a license renewal notice to a license holder 90 days before the expiration of the license holder's current license." The same section says that if a license holder intends to renew, "failure to receive a license renewal notice from the Commission does not relieve a license holder from the requirements of this subsection." TREC also "has no obligation to notify" a license holder who hasn't given TREC a mailing address and email address.
A stale address can also lead to a penalty. Section 535.191 lists §535.21 among the rules for which "An administrative penalty range of $100 - $1,500 per violation per day may be assessed". The words "may be assessed" mean the penalty is possible, and the rule doesn't say it is automatic.
| Rule | What it says about missed mail |
|---|---|
| 22 TAC §535.21 | The last contact information you gave TREC stays your contact information. |
| 22 TAC §533.3 | A document sent to your mailing or email address is prima facie evidence of receipt, and you can rebut it. |
| 22 TAC §535.91 | Not receiving the renewal notice doesn't excuse you from the renewal requirements. |
| 22 TAC §535.191 | A §535.21 violation may bring a penalty of $100 to $1,500 per violation per day. |
None of these rules names a kind of address that keeps you safe. Each rule assumes mail sent to your address on file reaches you. A PO Box and a street mailbox each handle mail in their own way, which we compared in virtual mailbox vs PO Box.
What does a broker who lives outside Texas still have to give TREC?
Section 1101.552(d) of the Occupations Code says "A nonresident licensed broker is not required to maintain a place of business in this state." A broker who lives in another state or another country doesn't need a Texas office for the license.
The contact duties still apply. Section 1101.552(e), as amended by S.B. 1968 effective January 1, 2026, asks every license holder for a current mailing address, business address, business telephone number and business e-mail address. Rule §535.21 also asks every license holder for a business address.
The text of §535.21 we read doesn't say where the mailing address must be located. A nonresident broker can think about where TREC mail will be read soonest. Some brokers want a US street address for mail that is separate from home, and some prefer a PO Box. We explained how USPS and address software tell those apart in Is your mailing address a P.O. Box? For forms that ask for a business address, we covered where a PO Box falls short in Can a PO Box be a business address?
How an Auteur address fits
We sell virtual mailboxes, so read this section as the seller's view. Auteur is in pre-launch, and your exact street address is assigned the day your city opens. An Auteur address can't be the Place of Business on a Texas license or a resident broker's fixed office under §1101.552(a). We don't offer it for either line. Our addresses receive mail. TREC's rule doesn't say what kind of mailing address it takes, so ask TREC before you put any mailbox address on your record, ours included.
Mail can arrive in your name only after you complete USPS Form 1583 with us. If USPS paperwork has tripped you up before, we listed the documents USPS accepts in USPS Form 1583 rejected. The Virtual Mailing Address covers personal mail in your own name, such as license mail for a broker or agent who wants it kept away from home. The Virtual Business Address receives mail in a business or trade name, and it is a mailing address only.
Each plan sends you a photo of every envelope when it arrives. We open and scan a letter only when you ask, for one flat fee. Henry, our AI assistant, explains each letter you ask us to open. We email prices along with the next steps after you order, and our fair use policy sets out fees and limits.
Austin is one of our nine US cities. For personal license mail at a Texas street address, choose the Virtual Mailing Address in Austin. For mail in a business or trade name, choose the Virtual Business Address in Austin. Placing an order costs nothing today.
FAQ
How many days do you have to update your address with TREC?
Under 22 TAC §535.21, you report a change to your mailing address, business address, business phone or business email within 10 days. A resident broker who moves the office named on the license also has 10 days under Occupations Code §1101.552(b) to apply, with the fee, for a license that shows the new office.
What is TREC's own mailing address?
TREC's Address page lists its mailing address as Texas Real Estate Commission, PO Box 12188, Austin, TX 78711-2188. The office location on the same page is the Stephen F Austin Building, 1700 N. Congress Ave., Suite 400.
Can you use a P.O. Box or a private mailbox as your TREC mailing address?
For the mailing address, §535.21 doesn't say what kind of address it must be, and we found no TREC FAQ that answers the question. Ask TREC before you rely on either one. For the business address, TREC's FAQ calls it the "business physical" address, so a P.O. Box or private mailbox doesn't fit that line.
Does an active sales agent receive TREC notices directly?
If your sales agent license is active, TREC sends notices to your sponsoring broker's mailing or email address. You still give TREC your own mailing address under §535.21. If your license goes inactive, notices go to your own address.
Bottom line
Every Texas license holder gives TREC a mailing address and a business address under 22 TAC §535.21, and reports changes within 10 days. Notices for an active broker or inactive license holder go to that person's own mailing or email address, and notices for an active sales agent go to the sponsoring broker. The business address is a physical Place of Business, and a resident broker keeps a fixed office in Texas. The rule doesn't say what kind of mailing address TREC takes, so pick one where TREC mail will be read, and ask TREC if you plan to use a mailbox.
