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2011 Code of Ethics

Below, you will find the most recent updates to the Code of Ethics, but please take the time to review the entire REALTOR^® Code of Ethics, or view each update individually by clicking the paragraph titles below.

Revised and added text is noted in italics. Strikeouts indicate deletions.

New Standard of Practice 1-16
REALTORS^® shall not use, or permit or enable others to use, listed or managed property on terms or conditions other than those authorized by the owner or seller. (Adopted 1/12)

Revised Article 15
REALTORS^® shall not knowingly or recklessly make false or misleading statements about competitors other real estate professionals, their businesses, or their business practices. (Amended 1/12)

Revised Standard of Practice 15-2
The obligation to refrain from making false or misleading statements about competitors other real estate professionals, competitors' their businesses and competitors' their business practices includes the duty to not knowingly or recklessly publish, repeat, retransmit, or republish false or misleading statements made by others. This duty applies whether false or misleading statements are repeated in person, in writing, by technological means (e.g., the Internet), or by any other means. (Amended 1/12)

Revised Standard of Practice 15-3
The obligation to refrain from making false or misleading statements about competitors other real estate professionals, competitors' their businesses and competitors' their business practices includes the duty to publish a clarification about or to remove statements made by others on electronic media the REALTOR^® controls once the REALTOR^® knows the statement is false or misleading. (Amended 1/12)

Revised Article 17
In the event of contractual disputes or specific non-contractual disputes as defined in Standard of Practice 17-4 between REALTORS^® (principals) associated with different firms, arising out of their relationship as REALTORS^®, the REALTORS^® shall mediate the dispute if the Board requires its members to mediate. If the dispute is not resolved through mediation, or if mediation is not required, REALTORS^® shall submit the dispute to arbitration in accordance with the regulations policies of their Board or Boards rather than litigate the matter.

In the event clients of REALTORS^® wish to mediate or arbitrate contractual disputes arising out of real estate transactions, REALTORS^® shall mediate or arbitrate those disputes in accordance with the regulations policies of their the Board, provided the clients agree to be bound by the decision any resulting agreement or award.

The obligation to participate in mediation or arbitration contemplated by this Article includes the obligation of REALTORS^® (principals) to cause their firms to mediate or arbitrate and be bound by any resulting agreement or award. (Amended 1/12)

Revised Standard of Practice 17-2
Article 17 does not require REALTORS^® to mediate in those circumstances when all parties to the dispute advise the Board in writing that they choose not to mediate through the Board's facilities. The fact that all parties decline to participate in mediation does not relieve REALTORS^® of the duty to arbitrate.

Article 17 does not require REALTORS^® to arbitrate in those circumstances when all parties to the dispute advise the Board in writing that they choose not to arbitrate before the Board. (Amended 1/12)

Revised Standard of Practice 3-7
When seeking information from another REALTOR^® concerning property under a management or listing agreement, REALTORS^® shall disclose their REALTOR^® status and whether their interest is personal or on behalf of a client and, if on behalf of a client, their relationship with the client. (Amended 1/11)

Previous SoP 3-7 wording "their representational status" was clarified as "their relationship with the client."

New Standard of Practice 3-10
The duty to cooperate established in Article 3 relates to the obligation to share information on listed property, and to make property available to other brokers for showing to prospective purchasers/tenants when it is in the best interests of sellers/landlords. (Adopted 1/11)

Revised Article 10
REALTORS^® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation. REALTORS^® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. (Amended 1/11)

REALTORS^®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation. (Amended 1/11)

Revised Standard of Practice 10-3
REALTORS^® shall not print, display or circulate any statement or advertisement with respect to selling or renting of a property that indicates any preference, limitations or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation. (Adopted 1/94, Renumbered 1/05 and 1/06, Amended 1/11)

Added sexual orientation in emphasis that all persons are to be treated equally and professionally, and not to be discriminated against.

Revised Standard of Practice 12-5
REALTORS^® shall not advertise nor permit any person employed by or affiliated with them to advertise real estate services or listed property in any medium (e.g., electronically, print, radio, television, etc.) without disclosing the name of that REALTOR^®'s firm in a reasonable and readily apparent manner. This Standard of Practice acknowledges that disclosing the name of the firm may not be practical in electronic displays of limited information (e.g. "thumbnails", text messages, "tweets", etc.). Such displays are exempt from the disclosure requirement established in the Standard of Practice, but only when linked to a display that includes all required disclosures. (Adopted 11/86, Amended 1/11)

Added clarification that "thumbnails", text messages, "tweets" and all other electronic displays of covered information are required to disclose the name of REALTOR^®'s firm in a linked display.