Acting Agencies Near Me: How to Find Real Ones in Your City

Agent, Manager or Modeling Agency?

The three terms get mixed up in search results, and the difference affects who can submit you for roles.

• Talent agent. The person or office that submits you for projects and negotiates your deals. Our glossary entry on what a talent agent is covers the details. Casting directors often send roles to agents first. The Breakdown Services FAQ says the casting director chooses where each project is posted, and agents and managers see projects on Breakdown Express.
• Manager. A guide for your career, usually with a smaller roster. SAG-AFTRA says on its page about whether you need a manager if you have an agent that the union does not franchise managers, and it advises having an attorney review any management contract.
• Modeling agency. An agency built around fashion, print and brand work. Some also have an acting division, but signing as a model does not automatically put you in front of acting casting directors. The FTC’s page on modeling scams is a useful read before you sign anywhere.

When you search, add the word “talent” or “theatrical” to separate acting agencies from modeling ones. Then check whether the agency lists actors on its roster. That habit helps you skip the businesses that are really modeling schools or fee-based services.

If modeling is your goal, our guide to modeling agencies near me explains how modeling agencies take new faces and what to send them, with city guides for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta and Dallas.

Does Your State License Talent Agencies?

Licensing rules vary a lot, and an agency can be legal in one state because the law is different there. The Association of Talent Agents publishes a state-by-state licensing guide. It is dated May 2024, so confirm anything important with the state office before you rely on it. The list covers the states in our city sections.

• California: a professional license is required for talent agents. Read the talent agency license page and use the license search.
• New York: the state requires a license for theatrical agents, and New York City licenses artist agents but not artist managers. See the state Department of Labor and the city checklist.
• Florida: a license is required to operate a talent agency. The rule is in Florida Statutes, section 468.403.
• Illinois: there is no separate talent agency license, but a private employment agency license is required. The Illinois Department of Labor FAQ explains how it works.
• Georgia, Louisiana and Texas: no specific professional license for agents and managers.
• New Mexico: no specific professional license, though an employment agency license may be required. The New Mexico Film Office FAQs are a starting point.

A missing state license is not a warning sign by itself. In a state with no license, your protection comes from the union franchise, your contract and your own checks. In a state with a license, ask for the license number and look it up.

Acting Agencies by City

Every market has its own mix of film, television, commercials and stage work, so the right search changes with the city. These sections point you to official pages only. Where an agency is named, it is because its own website confirms what is stated.

New York and Los Angeles

In New York, begin with the SAG-AFTRA New York Local and the franchised list. Theater actors should also read Equity’s agency page. New York City licenses artist agents through its Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and the city’s license lookup lets you check a business. The state’s Employment Agency Law explains the rules on fees. For auditions that come after you sign, see auditions in New York.

In Los Angeles, the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local page and the franchised list come first. California requires talent agencies to be licensed, so use the state’s license search before you send anything. SAG-AFTRA also posted a notice on commission limits for Los Angeles members. Our guide to auditions in Los Angeles covers the market itself.

Atlanta and Chicago

Atlanta is a big film and television market, but Georgia has no specific talent agency license, according to the Association of Talent Agents guide. That makes the SAG-AFTRA Atlanta page and the franchise list your main checks. Ask any agency who it has placed and whether it is franchised. Then read auditions in Atlanta for the local scene.

Chicago mixes stage, commercial and screen work. Start with the SAG-AFTRA Chicago page. Illinois has no separate talent agency license, but it does license private employment agencies, and the Department of Labor’s FAQ is the place to see how that applies. Stage actors can add Equity’s franchise information. Our guide to auditions in Chicago lists the theaters and film offices to know.

One real example of how to read an agency’s site: Stewart Talent lists offices in Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles, and its home page carries a caution about people who claim to represent the agency and solicit actors by email or social media. Take the lesson, not a recommendation. Contact an agency only through the address on its own website, and confirm its franchise status yourself.

Florida and Louisiana

In Miami and Orlando, the union’s Miami Local page is the starting point. Florida does require a talent agency license, and the state statute on license requirements is public. Spanish-language work is a large part of the Miami market, so see our guide to auditions in Miami. Orlando work leans toward theme parks and regional stages, covered in auditions in Orlando.

In New Orleans, use the SAG-AFTRA New Orleans page and the franchise list. Louisiana has no specific talent agency license according to the Association of Talent Agents guide, so the franchise check matters more. The state’s film office is another official place to learn about productions. Read auditions in New Orleans next.

New Mexico and Texas

In Albuquerque and Santa Fe, check the SAG-AFTRA New Mexico page. The union has also posted an update on franchised talent agents in New Mexico, a good reminder to reread the list on the day you apply. The City of Albuquerque keeps resources for actors, and our guide to auditions in New Mexico has more.

In Texas, choose the Local nearest you in the franchised list, since the state is large and its cities work differently. Texas has no specific talent agency license, according to the Association of Talent Agents guide. The Texas Film Commission is the state’s official film office, and auditions in Texas covers Dallas, Houston, Austin and other cities.

If your city is not here, the same method works for finding acting agencies near me anywhere. Find the nearest SAG-AFTRA Local, check your state’s licensing rule in the guide above, and read the film office’s page for your region.

How to Ask an Agency for a Meeting

Your first message is a short introduction, not a résumé dump. Say who you are, what kind of work you want and why you picked this office. Link to a reel or self-tape that opens without a password, and attach a headshot and resume only if the agency’s rules allow it. If you need materials, our guides on headshots and self-tapes help you get ready.

Follow the agency’s instructions to the letter. If the site says it does not accept unsolicited submissions, respect that and look for a referral or a showcase instead. Send one follow-up after a few weeks and then move on.

When an agency invites you in, treat the meeting as a two-way interview. Ask who would submit you, whether the office handles commercial and theatrical work, how the contract ends, and which income is commissionable. Take the contract home before you sign. The commission rules differ by union and by state, so read the sources instead of trusting a number from a stranger. SAG-AFTRA’s agents and managers FAQ and the California talent agency laws are good places to start.

Warning Signs of a Fake Agency

Scammers choose search terms like “agency near me” on purpose, because people trust what feels local. These patterns show up again and again.

• Money up front. The FTC’s modeling scams page says legitimate agencies get paid when you get paid, and that any agency asking for money to represent you is a scam.
• A required photographer. According to the same FTC page, an agency should let you hire your own photographer. Pushing you toward one studio is a red flag.
• Paid “classes” as an entry fee. The FTC has warned about unexpected texts from a “talent scout” that lead to a sales pitch for photo shoots or acting classes (FTC alert). California’s Labor Commissioner explains its rules on advance-fee talent services.
• An agency missing from the franchise list when you are a union member, or one that dodges your questions about its license.
• Pressure. Be wary of “sign today” deadlines, guaranteed work or requests for gift cards and wire transfers.

Honest classes are fine. An acting class you choose yourself, from a teacher whose own site explains the program, is different from a class an agency says you must take. Compare options in our guide to acting classes near me, and read how to spot a fake casting call for more red flags. SAG-AFTRA also keeps a scam alert page. If you already paid, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

What to Do While You Look for Representation

An agent is not the only door. Many actors build credits first by working with local theaters, student films and open calls, and our guide to auditions near me shows where to find them. You can also browse our free castings in the United States and submit yourself.

Credits and training make a first email easier to write. Keep a simple log of agencies you contacted, what you sent and when, and update the agencies on your list when you book something new. If you are unsure about union rules, read union vs non-union acting before you sign with anyone.