# Virtual-Staging Disclosure Rules Directory

Updated: 2026-08-09

Stylst records what a public primary source says, separates explicit requirements from recommendations and uncertainty, and labels our practical guidance as guidance—not policy.

Status totals: 12 explicit requirements; 4 guidance or recommendations; 16 confirm locally.

## National Association of REALTORS®

- Geography: United States
- Authority type: national
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: Article 12 requires REALTORS® to present a true picture in advertising, marketing, and other representations. The published code does not prescribe a virtual-staging label, so members should pair accurate imagery with a clear disclosure and check local MLS rules.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Label every altered image as virtually staged, retain the original, and follow the stricter state, MLS, or portal rule that applies.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [2026 Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/governing-documents/code-of-ethics/2026-code-of-ethics-standards-of-practice)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/us-nar-code-of-ethics

## California Legislature

- Geography: California, United States
- Authority type: state
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: AB 723 requires a conspicuous disclosure on or adjacent to a digitally altered image and access to the original image through a link, URL, or QR code. On a licensee-controlled site, the original image or a link to it must also be provided.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Use “Virtually staged—digitally altered” on or beside the image and place the original immediately beside it or behind an obvious original-photo link.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [AB-723 Real estate: digitally altered images](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB723)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/us-california-ab-723

## California Regional MLS (CRMLS)

- Geography: California, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: CRMLS requires the unaltered image immediately before or after the altered version and a photo-description label such as “digitally altered” or “virtually staged.”
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Upload the original and staged image as an adjacent pair, repeat the disclosure in the photo description, and do not alter permanent property facts.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Digitally Altered Image Guidance & FAQs](https://kb.crmls.org/knowledgebase/digitally-altered-image-guidance-faqs/)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/us-california-crmls

## REcolorado

- Geography: Colorado, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: REcolorado permits virtual staging when it is disclosed in remarks or the individual photo description and does not misrepresent the property’s true appearance.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Put “Virtually staged” in every altered photo description and preserve permanent features, landscaping, views, and condition.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [FAQs — Photos](https://recolorado.com/faqs-photos/)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/us-colorado-recolorado

## Stellar MLS

- Geography: Florida, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: Stellar MLS requires each altered photo description to say “Virtually staged,” the virtual-staging field to be selected, and the Public Remarks to begin with the published disclosure sentence.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Use all three Stellar disclosures and limit edits to removable furnishings and décor in an existing property.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Article 04.04: Virtually Staged Photos](https://rules.stellarmls.com/article/article-0404-virtually-staged-photos)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/us-florida-stellar-mls

## Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED)

- Geography: Illinois, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: MRED permits adding or replacing personal-property objects when virtual staging is disclosed in the specified field. Elements outside the owner’s control may not be added or removed.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confine staging to removable personal property, complete MRED’s disclosure field, and retain the source image for compliance review.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [MRED Rules and Regulations — Section 6.2 Virtual Staging](https://www.mredllc.com/comms/resources/MREDRulesAndRegulations.pdf)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/us-illinois-mred

## Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR)

- Geography: Texas, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A HAR rules PDF describing virtual staging was located, but its official public host currently fails normal certificate validation. Until HAR supplies a stable public source, confirm the current rule directly with HAR compliance.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm locally with HAR before upload; clearly disclose virtual staging in the Photo Description and retain the original image.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [HAR Forms Manager](https://cms.har.com/form_manager/)

## Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO)

- Geography: Ontario, Canada
- Authority type: state
- Status: Guidance / recommendation
- Summary: RECO requires online advertising to comply with Ontario advertising rules and remain current and accurate. The bulletin does not publish virtual-staging-specific wording.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Clearly label altered images, keep the originals, and confirm any brokerage, board, or portal-specific requirement before publishing.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [RECO Bulletin 5.3 — Advertising: online](https://www.reco.on.ca/agents-and-brokerages/reco-bulletins/reco-bulletin-5-3-advertising-online)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/ca-ontario-reco

## BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA)

- Geography: British Columbia, Canada
- Authority type: state
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: BCFSA warns licensees not to alter or enhance property photos in a way that misrepresents the property and recommends a disclaimer whenever an image could be ambiguous.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Place “Virtually staged—image digitally altered” directly beside the image and make the original easy to review.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Advertising Checklist and Sample Advertising](https://www.bcfsa.ca/industry-resources/real-estate-professional-resources/knowledge-base/practice-resources/advertising-checklist-and-sample-advertising)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/ca-british-columbia-bcfsa

## Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA)

- Geography: Alberta, Canada
- Authority type: state
- Status: Guidance / recommendation
- Summary: RECA states that real-estate advertising must be truthful and must not be false or misleading. Its public advertising guidance does not prescribe virtual-staging-specific wording.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Disclose every staged image, preserve the original, and confirm brokerage and board requirements before publishing.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Advertising](https://www.reca.ca/advertising/)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/ca-alberta-reca

## UK Trading Standards guidance

- Geography: United Kingdom
- Authority type: national
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: Trading Standards guidance says property photographs must not mislead and warns against doctoring images or using techniques that distort what a buyer will find.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Label virtual staging prominently, show the unaltered version, and avoid changing condition, dimensions, views, fixtures, or surroundings.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Property descriptions and photographs](https://www.darlington.gov.uk/community-safety/trading-standards/details/?id=122659&topic=FairTrading)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/uk-trading-standards-property-descriptions

## Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA)

- Geography: Ireland
- Authority type: national
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: Ireland’s statutory minimum standards prohibit a licensee from knowingly publishing false or misleading property advertising. The code does not prescribe a virtual-staging label.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Clearly label altered images, provide an original, and do not change permanent features, condition, dimensions, or views.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 — Minimum Standards Regulations 2020](https://www.psr.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/SI-No-564-of-2020.pdf)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/ie-psr-advertising-code

## Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

- Geography: Australia
- Authority type: national
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: The ACCC states that real-estate businesses must not mislead consumers and must provide truthful and complete property information. Its guidance does not prescribe a virtual-staging label.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Disclose virtual staging on the image or immediately beside it, show the original, and preserve the property’s factual condition and features.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Real estate](https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/specific-products-and-activities/real-estate)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/au-accc-real-estate-advertising

## Domain

- Geography: Australia
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Guidance / recommendation
- Summary: Domain’s production guidelines support standard corrections but reject heavy retouching, artificial changes, and removal of physical imperfections. The page is production guidance, not a complete portal-wide virtual-staging policy.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Treat these as conservative visual-integrity guidelines and confirm the current listing-submission policy directly with Domain.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Photography, 3D assets and floorplan editing guidelines](https://help.domain.com.au/hc/en-au/articles/59224442318617-Photography-3D-assets-and-floorplan-editing-guidelines)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/au-domain-editing-guidelines

## New Zealand Real Estate Authority (REA)

- Geography: New Zealand
- Authority type: national
- Status: Guidance / recommendation
- Summary: REA’s generative-AI guidance expressly includes virtual staging and says licensees remain responsible for the quality and accuracy of customer-facing marketing produced with AI.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Review every generated image, label it as virtually staged, retain the original, and never use AI output to conceal a defect or invent a permanent feature.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Generative AI guidance](https://www.rea.govt.nz/real-estate-professionals/generative-ai-guidance/)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/nz-rea-generative-ai

## New Zealand Real Estate Authority — marketing guidance

- Geography: New Zealand
- Authority type: national
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: REA says marketing must match the property and must not contain false or misleading claims. Its public page requires accurate marketing but does not prescribe a virtual-staging label.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Pair each altered image with a conspicuous virtual-staging label and an original photo, and preserve all permanent facts of the property.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Marketing and advertising a property](https://www.rea.govt.nz/real-estate-professionals/listing-a-property/marketing-and-advertising/)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/nz-rea-marketing-accuracy

## New Zealand Real Estate Authority — photo-editing training

- Geography: New Zealand
- Authority type: national
- Status: Explicit requirement
- Summary: REA training material says a photograph cannot be edited to make a property look better when the result misrepresents it. It distinguishes ordinary brightness or sky corrections from edits that change property facts.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Use brightness and color correction only when the result stays truthful; label virtual staging, provide the original, and do not change property condition or permanent facts.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [REA Marketing Facilitated Meeting — photo editing scenario](https://www.rea.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Resources/4521_REA_Marketing-Facilitated-Meeting_FA2_web.pdf)
- Detail: https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/rules/nz-rea-photo-editing-training

## Zillow

- Geography: United States
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: We did not find a publicly accessible Zillow source that states a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule. Requirements can also depend on the listing feed and local MLS.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm the current rule with Zillow and the originating MLS; meanwhile label every altered image and retain the original.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Zillow Help Center](https://zillow.zendesk.com/hc/en-us)

## Realtor.com

- Geography: United States
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: We did not find a public Realtor.com source that provides a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule for listing submissions.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm the current portal and feed-provider rule; use a visible virtual-staging label and keep the unaltered image.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Realtor.com Support](https://support.realtor.com/)

## First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS)

- Geography: Georgia, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A useful, public, virtual-staging-specific FMLS rule was not located. Member-only or current input-system instructions may apply.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm locally with FMLS compliance before upload; disclose altered images and retain originals.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [FMLS](https://firstmls.com/)

## Georgia MLS

- Geography: Georgia, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A useful, public, virtual-staging-specific Georgia MLS rule was not located. Current member rules may require authentication.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm locally with Georgia MLS before upload; disclose altered images and retain originals.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Georgia MLS](https://www.gamls.com/)

## Intermountain MLS

- Geography: Idaho, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A useful, publicly accessible virtual-staging rule was not located for Intermountain MLS.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm the current member rule before upload; label staged images and preserve originals.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Intermountain MLS](https://www.imlsmembers.com/)

## OneKey MLS

- Geography: New York, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A useful, publicly accessible virtual-staging-specific rule was not located for OneKey MLS.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm current requirements with OneKey before upload; use an image-level disclosure and retain the original.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [OneKey MLS](https://www.onekeymls.com/)

## North Texas Real Estate Information Systems (NTREIS)

- Geography: Texas, United States
- Authority type: mls
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A useful, publicly accessible virtual-staging-specific rule was not located for NTREIS.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm current NTREIS requirements before upload; clearly disclose virtual staging and keep originals.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [NTREIS](https://ntreis.net/)

## REALTOR.ca

- Geography: Canada
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A useful public REALTOR.ca source with a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located; board and feed rules may also apply.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with the originating board and REALTOR.ca before publication; visibly disclose staged images.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [REALTOR.ca Help](https://www.realtor.ca/en/help)

## Rightmove

- Geography: United Kingdom
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public Rightmove source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with Rightmove and apply UK misleading-advertising requirements; disclose every altered image.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Rightmove Hub](https://hub.rightmove.co.uk/)

## Zoopla

- Geography: United Kingdom
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public Zoopla source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with Zoopla and apply UK misleading-advertising requirements; disclose every altered image.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Zoopla Help Centre](https://help.zoopla.co.uk/)

## realestate.com.au

- Geography: Australia
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public realestate.com.au source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm the portal rule and comply with Australian misleading-advertising law; label altered images.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [realestate.com.au Help Centre](https://help.realestate.com.au/hc/en-us)

## Trade Me Property

- Geography: New Zealand
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public Trade Me source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with Trade Me and follow REA accuracy guidance; label virtual staging and retain originals.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Trade Me Help](https://help.trademe.co.nz/)

## OneRoof

- Geography: New Zealand
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public OneRoof source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with OneRoof and follow REA accuracy guidance; label virtual staging and retain originals.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [OneRoof](https://www.oneroof.co.nz/)

## Daft.ie

- Geography: Ireland
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public Daft.ie source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with Daft.ie and follow Irish misleading-advertising requirements; disclose altered images.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [Daft.ie Help Centre](https://support.daft.ie/)

## MyHome.ie

- Geography: Ireland
- Authority type: portal
- Status: Confirm locally
- Summary: A public MyHome.ie source stating a complete virtual-staging disclosure rule was not located.
- Stylst guidance (not policy): Confirm with MyHome.ie and follow Irish misleading-advertising requirements; disclose altered images.
- Last verified: 2026-08-09
- Next review: 2026-11-09
- Primary source: [MyHome.ie](https://www.myhome.ie/)

## Methodology and corrections

https://stylst.app/virtual-staging-disclosure/methodology