Although licensed as a broker, licensed brokers often do not have a desire to be a principal broker. They may wish to just have the distinguished title of being a broker without running a real estate office. In this case the broker may be an associate broker. Associate brokers must also qualify in the same manner as principal brokers for the broker license.

The following are characteristics of associate brokers:

• Like sales agents, associate brokers work under the supervision of the principal broker. 

• Associate brokers are brokers that have obtained a broker's license, but for a variety of possible reasons, are not principal brokers.

Another type of broker is a branch broker. Branch brokers supervise the agents and business of a separate branch location in the same company, while still under the direction of the Principal Broker.