Business brokerage is not a licensed profession in most US states, so certification comes from trade bodies rather than regulators. That makes a designation a signal about training and continuity rather than a guarantee, and it is worth exactly that much when choosing who sells your business.
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What a certified business intermediary designation actually requires
Typically coursework, an examination, membership in good standing, adherence to a code of ethics and in some cases evidence of completed transactions. That is a real filter against the person who started last month, and it is not a test of whether they have buyers for a business like yours.
Licensed business broker: what licensing does and does not cover
Where a sale includes real property or the assignment of a lease, state real estate licensing rules can apply to the intermediary, and that is a legal requirement rather than a credential. Ask any firm what it holds and under what registration it operates, and get the answer in writing before signing.
What to check instead
Closed transactions in your trade at your size in the last two years, with two sellers you can call. The number of buyers they will approach. Who does the work day to day. The minimum fee and the tail terms. Those four predict your outcome; the letters after a name do not.
Questions people ask about certified business broker
Should I insist on a certified broker?
It is a reasonable filter and a poor decider. Prefer a firm with closed sales in your trade and no designation over one with the designation and no relevant record.
Are brokers regulated at all?
Not as a separate profession in most states. Real estate licensing can apply where property or a lease is involved, and federal rules can apply where the sale is of securities.
What does the trade body offer sellers?
A directory of members and a code of ethics. Neither substitutes for references, but both are a starting point for building a shortlist.