How to Choose a Real Estate Agency You Can Trust in Uruguay: What You Can Actually Verify Today

Choosing the right real estate agency isn't something you settle by scrolling reviews or confirming the firm has a storefront. There are specific documents, behaviors and terms worth verifying before you hand over information, sign a reservation or pay a commission.

Since 2024, Uruguay has had Ley 20.380, which created a dedicated legal framework for the real estate profession. But one detail changes all the practical advice that follows: as of August 1, 2026, the Registro Nacional de Operadores Inmobiliarios (the national registry of real estate operators) is still not up and running.

So it helps to separate three things:

what you can verify right now;
what the law will require once licensing exists;
the good practices that reduce your risk today.

Can you check an agency's license today?

No.

Ley 20.380 created the Registro Nacional de Operadores Inmobiliarios under the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura (Uruguay's ministry of education and culture), made it publicly searchable by design, and required agents to display their license number in every listing. It also set a registration fee capped at 1.000 UI (Unidades Indexadas, Uruguay's inflation-indexed accounting unit), renewable every two years, plus a special grandfathering path for professionals already working in the field, to be used within 180 days of the registry becoming operational.

None of that is functioning yet. The most recent official statement from the MEC, dated April 9, 2026, reported that the rulemaking process was ongoing and that the necessary software tool was still being built. The law had called for regulations within 90 days of taking effect; that deadline came and went.

What this means in practice, today:

there is no official public license lookup;
there's no point demanding a number the government doesn't yet issue;
if someone shows you a "license number," you cannot verify it against any official database;
once the registry launches, this check becomes your first filter.

Source: MEC — Rulemaking process for the real estate operator law.

What you can verify today

What to check	How	What it proves
Legal name and RUT	Ask for the full registered company name and the RUT (taxpayer ID) number	Identifies the taxpayer and whose name the service will be documented under
DGI certificate	Request it, or check its status using the RUT	Shows the standing of the tax certificate issued by DGI (Uruguay's tax authority); it does not guarantee solvency or professional quality
Standard BPS certificate	Check validity using the taxpayer number	Indicates an active, compliant contributor to BPS (Uruguay's social-security agency); on its own it doesn't certify that every employee is registered
SENACLAFT, where applicable	Ask for proof of registration	Relevant to transactions covered by anti-money-laundering rules enforced by SENACLAFT (Uruguay's AML enforcement agency)
Invoicing	Ask upfront who issues the invoice	Confirms the payment will be formally documented
Authorization to list the property	Ask who engaged the agency to market it	Reduces the risk of cloned listings or ads published without the owner's knowledge
Terms of the brokerage	Ask for them by email or in a document	Heads off arguments over services, exclusivity, payments and refunds of reservation money

You can check the validity of a standard BPS certificate and the status of a DGI single certificate online.

Now, let's be precise about what these prove: they establish that a business is above board, not that it's good. A firm can have every certificate current and still misprice your property, serve you poorly and fail to defend your interests. They're a floor, not a verdict.

SENACLAFT doesn't apply the same way to every transaction

This one gets waved around as a seal of trust, so it's worth understanding properly.

Ley 19.574 lists real estate agencies and intermediaries in property transactions among the entities subject to reporting duties, but it expressly carves out rentals.

In other words, asking for proof of SENACLAFT registration makes sense depending on the specific activity involved. It isn't a universal test you can apply to a firm that only manages or brokers rentals.

And the reverse holds too: when an agency handles a sale that falls under those rules, expect it to ask you for identity documents, ultimate beneficial ownership details and the source of your funds. That isn't suspicion aimed at you — it's a legal obligation on them.

What Ley 20.380 requires (and what it doesn't yet)

Even though the license itself can't be obtained, the law sets the standard the industry is heading toward.

Article 6 states that a licensed operator must:

provide clear, accurate and conspicuous information about its services and the properties it offers;
inspect the property thoroughly enough to identify it properly;
document the rights and obligations agreed with the principal in a form that can serve as evidence;
display its license number in listings;
keep personal data confidential;
give truthful information, particularly on price, payment terms and payment methods;
comply with tax, social-security and anti-money-laundering rules.

Article 7 prohibits it from:

running advertising or conducting business in a way that could mislead;
chasing clients through conduct incompatible with professional dignity and integrity;
improperly withholding a principal's documents or funds;
practicing and charging fees without being licensed or authorized by the client.

Because these articles are addressed to licensed operators and the registry isn't running, it would be inaccurate to present their penalty regime as fully in force. That said, plenty of this conduct is already covered today by contract law, tax rules, data protection, anti-money-laundering regulation and consumer protection law.

Authorization to advertise a property

Before you reserve anything or hand over money, ask:

who the owner or the party responsible for the transaction is;
whether the agency was authorized to market that property;
whether it's acting directly or splitting the listing with another agency;
who will receive any reservation payment;
whose name the receipt will be issued in.

The law contemplates verifiable written authorization from the client for the operator to act on their behalf. That doesn't entitle you to a copy of the contract between owner and agency — it may contain confidential terms — but the firm should absolutely be able to explain clearly what its connection to the property is and who stands behind the listing. If that answer turns vague, that's information too.

Fees: the 3% isn't set by law

Ley 20.380 recognizes a licensed operator's right to charge fees, but it sets no mandatory percentage.

In sales, 3% plus VAT per side is the customary figure. That's market practice, not a legal fee schedule. The percentage, the base it's calculated on and the services included all vary, and they're negotiated before you sign on.

Ask, in writing, for:

the percentage or flat amount;
the value it's calculated on;
whether VAT is added on top;
what additional expenses may be billed;
which services are included;
at what point the right to the fee is triggered;
what happens if the deal falls through.

The invoice must come from the same provider you made the agreement with. Since 2025, as a general rule, VAT taxpayers document their transactions electronically, with exceptions depending on their tax regime (DGI's e-invoicing guide).

The inspection and the square meters in the listing

An agency that knows what it's selling should be able to explain, at minimum: location and identification, floor area and where that number came from, the number and layout of rooms, apparent overall condition, common charges, occupancy status, price and payment terms, and what documentation is available.

The legal duty to inspect exists so the property can be correctly identified. It's no substitute for the legal and title review your escribano (Uruguay's notary-lawyer, who handles property closings) will carry out.

On square meters — a perennial source of disputes — the figure may come from the floor plan, the cédula catastral (cadastral certificate), the condominium bylaws, the title deeds, or a later measurement. When the numbers don't match, the agency should say which source it's using and not pass off an estimate as documented floor area.

The reservation: what has to be in writing

Don't hand over money on the strength of a conversation.

The document should state:

the property and its padrón (cadastral parcel number), where available;
who is paying and who is receiving;
the amount and the currency;
the account or payment method;
the price being offered;
how long the offer stands;
any conditions the transaction is subject to;
where the money goes if the offer is accepted;
the circumstances in which it's refunded;
the consequences of walking away;
a signature or verifiable acceptance from both parties.

An agency may receive or hold funds if it's authorized to do so and the terms are documented. What's not acceptable is withholding money without grounds, failing to issue a receipt, or dodging the question of who's holding the funds and when they come back.

The buyer's escribano

In a purchase, the buyer should have an escribano advising them independently and reviewing title, certificates, outstanding debts, powers of attorney, tax status and the property's history.

Article 1673 of the Código Civil (Uruguay's Civil Code) places closing costs on the buyer, absent an agreement to the contrary. It says nothing about who picks the professional.

In practice, it's entirely reasonable for the buyer to propose an escribano they trust. If bank financing is involved, the lender may impose requirements or its own appointment procedure — find out what those are before you commit. The non-negotiable part is getting independent advice.

Red flags

Pay attention if the agency:

won't tell you its registered name or RUT;
asks you to wire funds to someone other than the party named in the contract;
doesn't provide a receipt or an invoice;
avoids putting fees and terms in writing;
publishes details that change depending on who's asking;
can't explain where the advertised floor area came from;
demands a reservation payment before identifying the property and who receives the money;
won't state in writing when a reservation is refunded;
pressures you to sign without time to review;
discourages you from bringing in an independent escribano;
uses photos or copy lifted from another listing and can't arrange a showing;
holds on to original documents without explaining why or giving you a receipt.

An office, a well-known brand or membership in a trade association add traceability, but none of them replaces a single one of these checks.

Ten questions to ask before you sign

What is the registered name and RUT of the entity providing and invoicing the service?
Can I verify your current DGI and BPS certificates?
Does this transaction require SENACLAFT registration?
Who authorized you to market this property?
Is the listing direct, or shared with another agency?
Which document or measurement does the advertised floor area come from?
What are the fees, taxes and additional expenses?
At what point are the fees earned?
If I put down a reservation, who holds the money and when is it returned?
Can I send the documentation to my escribano before I commit?

The answer matters — and so does whether they're willing to put it in writing.

Where to file a complaint if something goes wrong

Where a consumer relationship exists, you can ask questions, file a claim or report a firm to the Unidad de Defensa del Consumidor (the consumer protection office) at the MEF (Uruguay's ministry of economy and finance), which offers web forms and in-person service (official channels).

Depending on the problem, the right venue may instead be:

DGI, for tax or invoicing irregularities;
BPS, for social-security matters;
SENACLAFT, for registration failures or anti-money-laundering breaches;
the police or the Fiscalía (prosecutor's office), where there may be fraud or misappropriation;
the courts, to recover money or claim damages and breach of contract.

Ley 20.380 provides for the future honorary commission overseeing the registry to receive complaints, and for the MEC to impose penalties ranging from a warning or formal reprimand to fines of 1.000 to 500.000 UI and suspension for up to three months. That particular channel depends on the registry and its procedures actually being implemented.

How we work at INGAR

Our aim is that every client knows from the first conversation who is involved and in whose name, which property is on offer, where the published information came from, what fees and expenses may apply, what the service includes, what terms govern a reservation, when they'll hear from us next, and what documentation their escribano will be able to review.

Fees and terms are documented before anyone commits to anything. When a measurement isn't backed by documentation, we label it as approximate. And every client works with whichever independent escribano they choose.

Trust shouldn't rest on a promise or on a number nobody can verify yet: it should come from information you can check and terms stated plainly.

The questions in this guide apply to any agency, ours included — you can hold them up against our current listings and our free online valuation, which gives you a price range in writing with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Can you verify a real estate agency's license in Uruguay today?

No. Ley 20.380 created the Registro Nacional de Operadores Inmobiliarios under the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura and made it publicly searchable, but the registry isn't operational, so licenses can't be looked up yet.

What can I verify before I sign?

The registered name and RUT of whoever provides and invoices the service, their current DGI and BPS certificates, the authorization to market that specific property, and the terms of the service in writing.

Does the law set the commission at 3%?

No. Ley 20.380 recognizes a licensed operator's right to charge fees, but sets no mandatory percentage. The 3% plus VAT per side is market practice in sales, not a statutory rate.

Is every real estate agency registered with SENACLAFT?

It doesn't apply the same way to every transaction. Ley 19.574 lists real estate agencies and intermediaries in property transactions among the entities subject to reporting duties, but the scope depends on the type of transaction.

What does a reservation document need to say?

Don't hand over money on the strength of a conversation. It should state the property and its padrón where available, who is paying and who is receiving, the amount and currency, and the refund conditions.

Who chooses the escribano in a sale?

The buyer should have an escribano advising them independently and reviewing title, certificates, outstanding debts, powers of attorney and tax status.

Where do I complain if something goes wrong?

Where a consumer relationship exists, you can ask questions, file a claim or report the firm to the Unidad de Defensa del Consumidor at the MEF, which offers web forms and in-person service.

Keep reading

Sources

General information reviewed on August 1, 2026. The implementation status of the registry created by Ley 20.380 may change: check where things stand at the time you sign.