MLS virtual staging disclosure requirements, board by board
Same question, a dozen different answers. Here is what each rulebook actually says.
CRMLS (California) — label the photo and show the original
CRMLS added Rule 11.5.2 on January 1, 2026 to line up with California's AB 723. A digitally altered image must be labelled in the photo description field — CRMLS gives "digitally altered" and "virtually staged" as the accepted terms — and the original, unaltered image must appear in the listing immediately before or after the altered one. Exposure, sharpening and colour fixes are exempt. CRMLS treats virtually removing furniture that does not convey with the property as a digitally altered image, so removal carries the same label and the same original. First violation is a warning, then $250.
Two layers, worth keeping apart: the state statute (Bus. & Prof. Code § 10140.8) requires a conspicuous disclosure plus a link, URL or QR code to the original; the CRMLS rule is the one that puts the original photo in the listing. If you are on CRMLS you meet both by doing the CRMLS version.
Bright MLS (Mid-Atlantic) — disclose in both remarks fields
Bright's rule is short: virtual staging is permitted, and it must be disclosed in both the Private and the Public remarks. Adding furniture, mirrors, art and plants is permitted; so is removing existing furniture. Removing power lines, water towers or roads is not. Bright's page says nothing about a watermark and nothing about an original photo — the two things other sites most often claim it requires.
Stellar MLS (Florida) — three disclosures, one exact sentence
Article 04.04 accepts virtually staged photos on existing homes but not on pre-construction or under-construction listings. Three steps: "Virtually staged" in the photo description, the virtually-staged checkbox on the photo, and public remarks that begin with "One or more photo(s) was virtually staged." Removing and replacing furniture is permitted; staging the exterior beyond unattached décor is not; no fixtures, no hidden defects, no distorted dimensions, no people, no words on the image. Non-compliance is a Level I fine, applied automatically.
ARMLS (Arizona) — the "Digitally Altered" watermark, paired with the original
Since May 28, 2026, ARMLS Rule 8.23 requires the Flexmls "Digitally Altered" watermark on any photo where software or AI added, removed or changed content — staging, decluttering, a fire in the fireplace all count — and the original, unaltered photo uploaded directly before or after it. Brightness, contrast, colour, cropping and sky replacement are not "altered". Fines are abated from June to November 2026; from December 2026 each violation is $200. Only ARMLS-approved watermarks are allowed on the image.
Canopy MLS (Carolinas) — on the image, not in the caption
Canopy is the strictest on where the disclosure goes: it must be a clear, readily visible disclosure directly on the image, and a disclosure that appears only in captions, agent remarks or supplemental text is not acceptable. A non-staged original must sit immediately before or after the staged photo. Placing furniture, mirrors, art and plants into an empty room is permitted, and so is removing existing furniture and replacing it — provided no structural change is implied.
NorthstarMLS (Minnesota) — a "before" for every staged room
Northstar published its virtual staging guidelines on July 10, 2026. Disclose in the photo caption or filename, or on the photo itself, and include at least one unaltered "before" image for every room that was staged or AI-enhanced. Staging is limited to personal property — furniture and décor added or removed — and any edit to walls, floors, doors, windows, roofing, siding or site grading is prohibited. The page describes them as proposed guidelines, so check the current rulebook before you rely on the detail.
REcolorado (Colorado) — allowed, and not treated as manipulation
REcolorado's photo FAQ says virtually staged photos are acceptable and are "not considered manipulating photos or the appearance of the property." Renderings and builder models must be disclosed in the remarks; the page states no disclosure step for staging itself. Permanent objects cannot be removed and improvements that do not exist cannot be shown. The page is dated October 2023 — older than every other row here.
HAR (Houston) — say it in the Photo Description
HAR's Rule 1.25.1 allows virtual staging "limited to the addition of furnishings and wall décor that would otherwise be considered personal property," and says participants "shall clearly indicate in the Photo Description the image has been virtually staged." That is the whole staging duty — no remarks sentence, no watermark, no original photo. HAR goes further than most boards on the property itself: an image edited "to alter real property characteristics" is allowed only with a watermark across the bottom reading "Image does not represent actual property as is," it can never be the main photo, and an unaltered photo of the same view must sit beside it. Removing furniture is not mentioned; if you remove anything, HAR's general rule that images show the property "in its 'as-is' condition" applies — ask HAR MLS before you rely on it.
NTREIS (Dallas–Fort Worth) — no staging rule, an accuracy rule
The NTREIS rulebook (as amended October 16, 2024) never uses the words "virtual staging." Rule 7.30 allows only "a true current photograph" without "any digitally enhanced modifications that would misrepresent the true condition or appearance of the property," and Rule 7.29 lets NTREIS remove photos carrying text or personal promotion. MetroTex, the Dallas–Fort Worth REALTORS® association that gives its members NTREIS support, spells out the practice (August 2026): virtual staging is permitted, but AI cannot change permanent features — flooring, countertops, paint, landscaping, pools, fireplaces, windows, roofs.
Unlock MLS (Austin) — the original of the same view
Unlock MLS Rule 2.15 (September 2026) is short: images "must show an accurate representation of the property in its current state," and "Images with virtual staging (i.e., use of software to add furnishings) must include a non-virtually staged image of the same view." There is no label rule, and Unlock reserves the right to remove images with "embedded, overlaid, or digitally stamped text" — so the unstaged original is the disclosure.
MRED (Chicago) — a Y/N field, not a watermark
MRED's Section 6.2 permits virtual staging — including "Removing existing furniture from a photo and replacing it with digital images of furniture" — and requires disclosure "in the specified field," which on the listing input is "Are Any Property Photos Virtually Staged?" (Y/N). MRED is specific about what is prohibited: adding or removing anything "not within a property owner's control," with its own examples — editing in a view of the Chicago Bean, or removing power lines, water towers or highways. No original photo is required, and no staging-specific fine is listed. Homes not yet built may be staged in every respect, with the same field disclosure.
OneKey MLS (downstate New York) — no staging rule
OneKey's Rules and Procedures (version 2026C) do not mention virtual staging. The rule that applies is Section 307: images "must accurately reflect only information or descriptions of the listed property" and carry no contact or identifying information. OneKey says staff "will immediately remove any photo or image that violates" Section 307, with an automatic fine. New York State's November 2025 alert on AI-altered listing photos restates the state's accurate-advertising rule; it does not prescribe a label.
Upstate New York MLSs (NYSAMLSs) — label on the photo, original first
The upstate New York alliance (which includes WNYREIS in Buffalo) adopted one of the strictest rules in the country, effective September 1, 2026: "A text overlay is required on virtually staged photos. The overlay must read 'Virtually Staged.' Subscribers must upload the original, unaltered photo directly before the altered version." Disclosure only in captions or remarks "is NOT acceptable." Staging is limited to adding furnishings and wall décor; landscaping, wall colour and structural defects cannot be changed. The first photo must be an unaltered exterior.
MLS PIN (Massachusetts) — no staging rule
MLS PIN's rules contain no virtual staging, AI or altered-photo rule. Rule 1.0(f) accepts an image "only if the Image contains, displays and is limited to objective information about either the physical attributes of the property itself or about its location," and bans contact details and branding on photos. A furniture-only staged photo of the real room fits that; a photo that changes the property does not. Confirm anything more specific with MLS PIN.
NWMLS (Washington) — members-only rulebook, no added text
NWMLS publishes its photo policy to members only, so we cannot quote it. What NWMLS says in public: "Do not manipulate images in a way that misrepresents what is for sale. Examples: removing the power lines, adding a lawn, adding a driveway, or removing any property defects," and "NWMLS will not accept photos with superimposed graphics or text." That second line is worth knowing before you stamp "Virtually Staged" on a Seattle listing photo — check the member policy or ask NWMLS first.
Everywhere else in the US — NAR Article 12
If your board is not in the table, the baseline is the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. Article 12 requires a "true picture" in advertising, and Standard of Practice 12-10 prohibits manipulating listing content in any way that produces a deceptive or misleading result. A labelled, furniture-only staged photo meets that; an unlabelled photo that makes a room look bigger, brighter or more finished than it is does not. Disclosure rules by US state covers the state-law layer.
Virtual staging MLS rules in Canada
Canadian obligations have different sources. OACIQ provides AI-disclosure guidance; Alberta and PEIREA’s cited MLS rules use public remarks; BCFSA recommends labelling; PropTx prohibits inaccurate images. See the Canadian guide for dates and verification gaps.
- Ontario — PropTx (TRREB) Rule 5.01(a): prohibits AI-altered or digitally staged images "that do not accurately depict the listed real estate." A staged photo of the real room is fine; a photo that changes the property is not. No staging-label clause in the cited article; check current board instructions for placement and originals — the rule only lets PropTx add its own. Fines: $500 first breach, $1,000 repeat. Ontario page.
- Alberta — provincial MLS rules s. 2.04(g)–(h): virtually staged images must be disclosed "in the public remarks on the Board's MLS® System"; "virtually enhanced" images (changing or adding features) are banned outright. The regulator, RECA, says nothing about photos — the duty comes from the MLS rules. Alberta page.
- Prince Edward Island — PEIREA Rules s. 16(8)–(9): the same template as Alberta — disclose staging in the public remarks, enhancing prohibited. PEI page.
- Quebec — OACIQ advertising guideline: example wording from the regulator: "Image generated by artificial intelligence." Virtual staging is named as a trigger. Quebec page.
- British Columbia — BCFSA AI Guideline (Feb 2024): you "should label" altered photos — guidance, not a black-letter rule, and no wording is prescribed. BCFSA's worked example: editing out a garbage can is acceptable, removing power lines is not. BC page.
- The other eight provinces and territories: no staging rule. General misleading-advertising provisions apply, and board MLS rules are behind member logins — unverified, not negative.
National layer: the Competition Act's deceptive-marketing provisions sit above all of it, and REALTOR.ca's own rules apply to what is syndicated there — see REALTOR.ca and Canadian MLS staging rules.
Can you remove furniture from MLS photos?
On every board that addresses it, yes — with the board's disclosure. Bright, Stellar, Canopy and MRED say in so many words that removing existing furniture is permitted (MRED: "Removing existing furniture from a photo and replacing it with digital images of furniture"). CRMLS and ARMLS permit it and treat it as a digitally altered image, so it carries the same label (and on those two boards, the original photo) as staging. Northstar limits staging to personal property in both directions — added or removed. HAR, Unlock MLS and the upstate New York MLSs define staging as adding furniture and never mention removal; NTREIS, OneKey and MLS PIN have no staging rule at all. On those boards the accuracy rule is the test — a room shown without the seller's sofa is still the room.
In Canada the word "removing" does not appear in any rule. Alberta and PEI define virtual staging as adding chattels and virtual enhancing as changing or adding features; Ontario applies its accuracy test. The reasoning our law pages publish: a sofa leaves with the seller and was never part of the property sold, so taking it out of the photo does not misrepresent the sale. The real exposure is technical — an AI tool that paints clean floor over a stain, or closes the mounting holes behind a television, has changed a physical characteristic. That is what the disclosure is for. More in is furniture removal allowed on the MLS.
Do you have to show the original photo next to a virtually staged one?
Only on some boards, and the list is growing. Required in the listing: CRMLS (immediately before or after), ARMLS (directly before or after), Canopy (immediately before or after), NorthstarMLS (a "before" of every staged room), Unlock MLS in Austin (a non-staged image of the same view) and the upstate New York MLSs (directly before, from September 1, 2026). HAR requires it only when the property itself was edited. Not required or not stated: Bright, Stellar, REcolorado, MRED, NTREIS, OneKey, MLS PIN, PropTx/TRREB, the Alberta boards, PEIREA, OACIQ, BCFSA. California's statute asks for a link, URL or QR code to the original rather than the image itself — CRMLS's rule is what puts it in the photo order.
Our recommendation: retain each original and show a comparison where permitted. Complete the board’s specific fields and ordering instructions; retaining a file alone does not satisfy a requirement to publish or link it.
What every MLS bans, whatever the disclosure rule
- Adding or removing walls, windows, doors, fireplaces, pools, rooms or any permanent feature (CRMLS, Canopy, Northstar, Stellar, upstate New York, Alberta, PEI; NTREIS through MetroTex's guidance). The one exception we found is HAR, which allows edits to the property only with the "Image does not represent actual property as is" watermark and the unaltered photo beside it.
- Removing power lines, water towers, roads or anything outside the owner's control (Bright, Canopy, MRED, NWMLS, BCFSA).
- Hiding a defect — a stain, damage, a flaw — behind furniture or a clean render (Canopy, Stellar, PropTx accuracy test).
- Changing room dimensions or the view (Canopy, Stellar).
- Staging a listing that is not built yet as if it were (Stellar bans it; Canopy allows it with a label).
- People in photos, including AI-generated people (Stellar; PropTx 5.01(d)).
- Words, logos or third-party watermarks on the image (ARMLS, Stellar, Canopy); contact details or branding on photos (HAR, NTREIS, Unlock MLS, OneKey, MLS PIN). NWMLS accepts no added text at all.
Claims other sites repeat — checked against the rulebooks
- "Bright MLS requires a watermark and the unedited photo." Bright's own page requires disclosure in the Private and Public remarks and nothing else. No watermark, no original.
- "TRREB requires the original photo beside every staged one." The PropTx rules contain no such requirement. That article does not remove other Ontario advertising duties or later MLS requirements.
- "Alberta requires a watermark on staged photos." The Alberta rules let the board apply its own brand watermark, optionally. There is no member watermark requirement.
- "MRED requires a watermark on staged photos." MRED's Section 6.2 puts the disclosure in a listing field — "Are Any Property Photos Virtually Staged?" — not on the photo.
- "HAR requires the disclosure in the marketing remarks." HAR Rule 1.25.1 puts it in the Photo Description. HAR's watermark is for edits to the property itself, and its wording is prescribed.
- "NWMLS requires a 'Virtually Staged' watermark" (sometimes cited as "Rule 80"). NWMLS's own public guidance says it will not accept photos with superimposed graphics or text. Its full photo policy is members-only; we found no public NWMLS text supporting the claim.
- "OneKey and MLS PIN require a staging label in the caption." Neither rulebook mentions virtual staging.
- "NTREIS requires a watermark and the vacant photo first." Rule 7.30 bans edits that misrepresent the property and says nothing about either; Rule 7.29 lets NTREIS remove photos with added text.
The pattern: a rule from one board (usually CRMLS or ARMLS) gets copied onto every other board's name. Read your own board's page — it is usually one paragraph.
How to stay compliant on any board
1. Stage only the furniture. Walls, floors, windows, fixtures and light stay exactly as photographed. 2. Label it where your board wants it — on the photo (ARMLS, Canopy, upstate New York), in the photo description (CRMLS, Stellar, HAR), in a listing field (MRED), or in the remarks (Bright, Alberta, PEI). 3. Use your board's exact sentence where one is prescribed (Stellar or the upstate New York overlay). 4. Keep the empty original and follow the MLS’s upload and ordering requirements. 5. Never stage a defect away.
One warning: there is no single method that satisfies every board. Canopy, ARMLS and the upstate New York MLSs require the label on the photo, while NWMLS says it will not accept photos with added text and NTREIS and Unlock MLS may remove them. Check which kind of board yours is before you stamp anything. The disclosure wording generator writes the sentence for your board.
Stage within the rules
VirtuallyStage furnishes the actual room and leaves the house as photographed — walls, floor, windows, trim and light are the ones in the photo — so the empty original and the staged photo agree, which helps buyers compare the original with the staged version using your MLS’s required workflow. $35 for 8 photos, pay per photo, no subscription; furniture removal is included in every pack (one credit per photo).
This isn't about credits or who's cheapest. A buyer's first impression is the photos. If a room looks fake, they scroll past and never see anything else you wrote. You're paying for photos that look real, present the home at its best, and give buyers a reason to come see it — that is what sells it. — Ali Annabi, working real estate agent and founder
See the packs → · Before and after examples →
FAQ
Is virtual staging allowed on the MLS?
Yes — no board we checked in the US or Canada bans furniture-only staging of an existing room. Each board sets its own disclosure rule, and some (OneKey, MLS PIN, NTREIS) have none beyond a general accuracy rule. All of them ban edits that misrepresent the property or hide a defect.
Do you have to disclose virtual staging on the MLS?
On most boards, yes: CRMLS, Bright, Stellar, ARMLS, Canopy, Northstar, HAR, MRED and the upstate New York MLSs all require it, in different places. Alberta and PEI require it in the public remarks and Quebec prescribes the sentence. Ontario (PropTx) does not require disclosure — its rule is an accuracy test — and OneKey, MLS PIN and NTREIS publish no staging disclosure rule. Outside a board rule, NAR Article 12's "true picture" standard applies to every REALTOR®.
Which MLS boards require the original unstaged photo?
CRMLS, ARMLS, Canopy MLS, NorthstarMLS, Unlock MLS and the upstate New York MLSs require the original in the listing next to the staged image; HAR requires it when the property itself was edited. Bright, Stellar, REcolorado, MRED, NTREIS, OneKey, MLS PIN and every Canadian board or regulator we checked do not.
Can I put a "Virtually Staged" watermark on MLS photos?
On some boards you must — ARMLS, Canopy and the upstate New York MLSs want the label on the image. On others it can get the photo rejected: NWMLS says it will not accept photos with superimposed text, and NTREIS and Unlock MLS may remove photos with overlaid text. Check your board first.
What is the fine for undisclosed virtual staging?
CRMLS: a warning, then $250. ARMLS: $200 per violation from December 2026. Stellar: a Level I automatic fine. OneKey: an automatic fine for an inaccurate image, and staff remove it. PropTx (Ontario): $500 for a first breach, $1,000 for a repeat. Other boards (HAR, MRED, upstate New York) apply their general fine schedules.
Can I virtually stage a new-construction listing?
Depends on the board. Stellar MLS does not allow virtually staged photos on pre- or under-construction listings. Canopy allows AI-enhanced and virtually staged renderings on proposed or under-construction listings when they are clearly labelled, and MRED allows to-be-built and under-construction homes to be staged in every respect, with the field disclosure. Check yours.
Does REALTOR.ca have its own virtual staging rule?
REALTOR.ca syndicates what your board sends it, so your board's rule governs the photos. Its own terms cover use of the site rather than staging. Details in REALTOR.ca and Canadian MLS staging rules.
Information, not legal advice — confirm the current rule with your board or broker. Written by a RECO-licensed real estate agent who lists on PropTx. Rules verified September 19, 2026; HAR, NTREIS, Unlock MLS, MRED, OneKey, the upstate New York MLSs, MLS PIN and NWMLS added September 23, 2026.
Sources
- CRMLS, Digitally Altered Images (New Rule 11.5.2) FAQs
- Bright MLS, Virtual Staging (support article)
- Stellar MLS, Rules & Regulations, Article 04
- ARMLS, Digitally Altered Media — Rule 8.23
- Canopy MLS, Digital, Virtually Staged, and AI-enhanced Images (Section 1.18.1)
- NorthstarMLS, Guidelines for Virtual Staging and AI-Enhanced Listing Photos
- REcolorado, FAQs: Photos
- HAR (Houston REALTORS® Information Service), MLS Rules and Regulations, Rule 1.25.1 (dated June 8, 2026)
- NTREIS, Rules and Regulations, Rules 7.29–7.30 (approved as amended October 16, 2024); MetroTex, Don't Let AI Get You Into Compliance Trouble (August 6, 2026)
- Unlock MLS, Rules and Regulations, Rule 2.15 (September 2026)
- MRED, Rules and Regulations, Section 6.2 (revised May 14, 2026)
- OneKey MLS, Accurate Images and Attachments, Section 307
- New York State Alliance of MLSs (adopted by WNYREIS), Multiple Listing Rules and Regulations (effective September 1, 2026)
- MLS PIN, Complete Rules & Regulations, Rule 1.0(f)
- NWMLS, Real Estate Photography 101 (the photo policy itself is members-only)
- NAR, 2026 Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice, Article 12 and SOP 12-10
- PropTx, MLS® Rules, Art. 5.01 (effective 2 December 2024)
- Alberta, Provincial MLS® System Listing & Practice Rules, s. 2.04 (January 2024)
- PEIREA, Virtual staging requirements, Rules s. 16
- OACIQ, Advertising guideline (ref. 264697)
- BCFSA, Artificial Intelligence Guideline
