Transaction coordinator duties: licensed and unlicensed
What a TC does, what needs a license, how to answer when agents ask for more, and what to put in writing.
Last reviewed October 2026
Standard TC duties
A TC's core job is the same with or without a license: paperwork, deadlines and communication from contract to close. A license adds licensed tasks, but only under the TC's own broker. Anything listed as an add-on isn't TC work: offer it for an extra fee or decline it.
| Duty | Unlicensed TC | Licensed TC |
|---|---|---|
| Core: in every package | ||
| Open the file: contract to escrow or title, introduction emails | Yes | Yes |
| Track every contract deadline and remind the agent | Yes | Yes |
| Request and collect documents and signatures | Yes | Yes |
| Schedule inspections, appraisal access, walkthrough and signing | Yes | Yes |
| Factual updates to the agent, escrow, lender and other side | Yes | Yes |
| Enter MLS status changes the agent gives you | Yes | Yes |
| Prepare the compliance file, the CDA, and close out the file | Yes | Yes |
| Depends on your state | ||
| Type purchase agreements and addenda as the agent directs | See the state table below | Yes, under your broker |
| Licensed work | ||
| Explain contract terms or advise buyers and sellers | No | Only under your own broker |
| Present offers or negotiate price, repairs or credits | No | Only under your own broker |
| Show property or hold open houses | No | Only under your own broker |
| Answer buyers' questions about a listing (price, size, age) | No | Only under your own broker |
| Call or message prospects for the agent | No | Only under your own broker |
| Add-on: assistant work, not TC work | ||
| Take listing photos or video | Add-on | Add-on |
| Order photography, signs and lockboxes (often in a listing package) | Add-on | Add-on |
| Flyers, social media and other marketing | Add-on | Add-on |
| CRM entry, client gifts, review requests | Add-on | Add-on |
Licensed TCs: your license lets you do more, but licensed work is supervised by your own broker and paid through them. Before doing licensed tasks for an agent at another brokerage, get your broker's approval in writing.
When agents ask for more
It's common: once an agent has a TC, they start treating the TC as an assistant. Decide your answer before it comes up.
- Is it licensed work? Advice, negotiating, showings, talking to prospects. If you're unlicensed, say no every time: it puts your agent's license at risk, not only yours.
- Is it TC work? Paperwork, deadlines, scheduling, updates. Then it's in your fee.
- Is it assistant work? Photos, marketing, errands, CRM. It's an add-on: quote a price, or decline.
Who may fill out the purchase agreement, by state
The biggest difference between states is whether an unlicensed TC may fill out contract forms. From each state regulator's own guidance:
| State | May an unlicensed TC fill out the purchase agreement? |
|---|---|
| Arizona | No; the licensee completes them |
| California | Yes, if the licensee reviews before it goes out |
| Colorado | Yes, as the broker directs (as a scrivener) |
| Georgia | Typing as the licensee and broker direct only |
| Illinois | Yes, factual entries as a licensee directs and approves |
| Louisiana | Typing as directed only; the licensee completes them |
| Maryland | Typing as directed, for licensee and broker approval |
| Michigan | No official rule; leave to the licensee |
| Nevada | No; the licensee completes them |
| New Jersey | Yes, typed for a licensee's approval |
| New York | Yes, typed for the broker's approval |
| North Carolina | Typing from the licensee's completed draft only |
| Ohio | No official rule; leave to the licensee |
| Oklahoma | Yes, as directed, with the licensee approving |
| Oregon | No official rule; leave to the licensee |
| Tennessee | Yes, typed for licensee and Principal Broker approval |
| Texas | Typing as a license holder directs only |
| Utah | No; the licensee completes them |
| Virginia | Yes, for licensee and supervising broker approval |
| Washington | No; the licensee completes them and gets signatures |
| Wyoming | No; the broker or a licensee prepares them |
Other states: check your regulator before you fill out any contract form. When in doubt, the agent completes it.
Put it in writing
Have a written agreement with each agent before your first file together: your services, what you don't do, your fees and when they're paid, what happens if a deal falls through, confidentiality, and limits of responsibility. Some brokerages have their own TC agreement or confidentiality form, so ask the agent's broker first.
Quick answers
What are a transaction coordinator's standard duties?
Paperwork, deadlines and communication from the signed contract to closing: opening the file, tracking every contract deadline, collecting documents and signatures, scheduling inspections and the walkthrough, keeping everyone updated, and preparing the file for the broker's review.
What can't an unlicensed transaction coordinator do?
Anything that needs a real estate license: advising buyers or sellers, negotiating, presenting offers, showing property, answering questions about a listing, or prospecting. In many states an unlicensed TC also may not fill out the purchase agreement.
Should a transaction coordinator take listing photos?
Photos, marketing and errands are assistant work, not TC work. Offer them as add-ons with their own price, or decline them, and put your list of services in writing.
Do transaction coordinators need a written agreement with each agent?
Yes. It should cover your services, what you don't do, your fees and when they're paid, what happens if a deal falls through, confidentiality and limits of responsibility. Have an attorney in your state review it.
Buying or selling a home yourself? These pages are for people who work in real estate. Work with a licensed agent or a real estate attorney.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, and your broker's policies may be stricter: confirm your duties with your supervising broker and your state's real estate regulator.
The agreement template is a general framework, not legal advice or a contract ready to sign. Closima isn't a law firm. Have a real estate attorney in your state review any agreement before you use it.
See also: TC licensing by state · How to become a transaction coordinator · TC software
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