--- title: "MLS and IDX Commingling: Agent Website Display Rules" description: "Separate multi-MLS search from MLS and non-MLS inventory. Check current display rules, vendor tabs, source labels, and property inquiry delivery." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/mls-idx-commingling-display-rules" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Services - Services - [AI systems](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-systems) - [Site build](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#site-build) - [Whole website fix](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#whole-website-fix) - [Content library with SEO](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#content-library) - [Working session](https://scalewithsearch.com/audit) - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Example scope](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#review-the-example-scope) - [Prices and terms](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prices-and-terms) - Industries - Real estate - [Real estate agents and teams](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - [Platforms, ownership, and IDX](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-platforms-ownership-idx) - [Search, content, and AI](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-search-content-ai) - [Inquiries, campaigns, and handoffs](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-inquiries-campaigns-handoffs) - [Buyer, seller, and local pages](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-buyer-seller-local-resources) - [Rules, privacy, and trust](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate/real-estate-website-rules-privacy-trust) - Browse by business - [Trades and home services](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-trades) - [Health, wellness, and animal care](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-practices) - [Law, finance, and IT](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-professional) - [Marketing and SEO agencies](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-agencies) - [Shops and manufacturers](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-manufacturing) - [Restaurants, shops, studios, and nonprofits](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/#group-local-services) - Chiropractic practices - [Chiropractic and wellness practices](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-wellness-practices) - [Chiropractic and physical therapy clinics](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/chiropractic-and-physical-therapy-clinics) - [All industries](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/) - Resources - Free tools - [AI readiness check](https://scalewithsearch.com/check) - [Free tools](https://scalewithsearch.com/tools/) - [Free Starter Kit](https://scalewithsearch.com/kit/business-memory-starter-kit.zip) - Guides - [AI-native library](https://scalewithsearch.com/ai-native) - [Industry intelligence](https://scalewithsearch.com/intelligence) - [Office job guides](https://scalewithsearch.com/guides/) - [Business memory](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) - [Agent governance](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/ai-agent-governance-guide-small-business) - [Migration and ownership](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/leaving-vendor-ai-memory-guide) - Articles - [All articles](https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/) - [What changed](https://scalewithsearch.com/changes/) - About - Evidence - [Proof](https://scalewithsearch.com/proof) - Scale With Search - [About](https://scalewithsearch.com/about) - [How it works](https://scalewithsearch.com/how-it-works) # What does commingling mean on an MLS and IDX website? For listing search, commingling means combining inventory from different sources in one display. NAR's 2026 IDX policy defines multi-MLS commingling as a search across IDX feeds with their results on one page. It permits that arrangement subject to IDX rules and participatory rights. [NAR 2026 handbook, Policy Statement 7.58, checked 2026.10.13](https://gprmlsdocs.com/Handbook2026.pdf#page=40). Before changing your agent website, name the sources you want to combine. Distinguish multiple MLS feeds from MLS and non-MLS inventory. Rules differ by MLS. Confirm the proposed display with your MLS and broker; NAR requires IDX displays to comply with MLS rules and state requirements. [NAR display guidance, checked 2026.10.13](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/governing-documents/code-of-ethics/code-comprehension-article-12-display-of-competitors-listings-on-social-media-websites). The checks below are recommendations for your website brief. Use them to settle coverage, presentation, and the property question a visitor sends you. ## Identify which inventory you want to combine Write a source list before asking for a combined search. Name each MLS feed and any proposed non-MLS source. Identify who supplies each record and who can authorize its use. Use this worksheet to frame the request. The examples describe proposed website arrangements, without establishing permission for any of them. | Proposed arrangement | Question for your MLS, broker, and provider | | --- | --- | | Listings from multiple MLS feeds | Can the approved feeds share a results page under current rules and account settings? | | MLS listings alongside non-MLS properties | Which current rule, agreement, and permissions govern this combination? | | Additional information beside an MLS property | How must the outside information be distinguished and sourced? | Keep the last case separate. NAR's 2026 policy allows applicable outside property information beside MLS data, with clear separation and nearby source identification. That provision concerns augmenting property information. [NAR 2026 handbook, Policy Statement 7.58, paragraph 11, checked 2026.10.13](https://gprmlsdocs.com/Handbook2026.pdf#page=40). Ask your MLS and broker to approve your specific arrangement. Record unresolved sources before the builder creates the search or gallery. ## Check the current rule before repeating an older restriction NAR's 2026 model rules mark Section 18.3.11 as deleted in November 2025. Check the current edition before relying on an older copy of that section. [NAR 2026 handbook, Section 18.3.11, checked 2026.10.13](https://gprmlsdocs.com/Handbook2026.pdf#page=93). For MLS and non-MLS inventory, request the current local rule and agreement that apply to your proposed page. Have your MLS and broker explain the permitted arrangement in writing. Include the rule's edition, confirmation date, website domain, provider, and inventory sources. Ask what permissions the non-MLS source requires for text and photographs. Require a confirmed answer before supplying that material to the builder. Keep each source's approval attached to its intended use. When a provider describes a restriction, ask whether it comes from a current MLS rule, a data agreement, or the product's configuration. Request the cited document and an account-specific explanation. Leave a conflict unresolved until the MLS, broker, and provider reconcile it. ## Understand why IDX Broker may show separate tabs IDX Broker's article addresses multiple MLS feeds. It describes separate result tabs when an account has multiple active MLSs and an attached MLS prohibits commingling. Its instructions also describe a single-MLS widget selector and a map that initially loads the primary MLS. [IDX Broker, article dated 2025.02.28, checked 2026.10.13](https://support.idxbroker.com/hc/en-us/articles/34489917048091-Commingling-MLS-Rules). Treat those instructions as a vendor example to investigate. Ask Support whether they describe your current account and which rule supports its configuration. Rules differ by MLS; confirm the answer with your MLS and broker before requesting a change. If your search has tabs, inspect each tab using the same location and property criteria. Record the selected MLS and what appears. Ask the provider to explain the result against your approved source list. Check the map and neighborhood widgets separately. Do not accept a search-page demonstration as the entire handover. Request evidence for every place your brief calls for property inventory. ## Make coverage clear before the buyer asks about a property Ask the builder to describe the approved search coverage beside its controls. Require the wording to match the confirmed sources. Avoid a claim that the website contains every available home unless you can substantiate it. When separate tabs are required for your setup, specify clear labels and an explanation of how to inspect the other results. Test that explanation on a phone. Record any point where you cannot identify the selected source. Require the property question to preserve the source, listing identifier, page address, and visitor's message. Name the receiving person and destination. Keep a general buyer contact route available when no property is selected. For the seller path, prepare a separate explanation of your representation and how to contact you. Specify what any property gallery is intended to show. Ask the broker to review wording that could imply you listed every property displayed. These are proposed design checks. Assess the finished website through observed searches and received inquiries. ## Use a source-to-inquiry acceptance check Agree the approved sample properties and expected results with the provider before testing. Use this table as a handover checklist: | Check | Evidence to retain | | --- | --- | | Approved combination | Dated MLS and broker confirmation naming the sources and display | | Search coverage | Same criteria tested against each approved source | | Tabs, map, and widgets | Recorded behavior matching the agreed configuration | | Outside information | Reviewed separation and source labels for the proposed page | | Property question | Received message with the correct source, identifier, page, and question | | Seller contact | Received message at the separately agreed destination | Submit clearly marked inquiries using contact details you control. Compare each submission with its received message. Retain failures and the responsible provider's correction plan. Ask who maintains the display when a rule or source changes. Put that responsibility and the support contact in the handover. Keep an unanswered permission or failed inquiry check open. ## Bring the display decision into your website scope The display worksheet identifies combined inventory, provider configuration, and permissions still unresolved. Include the approved combination at [whole website fix: combined MLS displays](/for/real-estate). Board authorization conditions MLS display under the whole website fix. [Published website scope, checked 2026.10.13](https://scalewithsearch.com/work). [combined MLS displays, published scope, checked 2026.10.14](https://scalewithsearch.com/work). - [How MLS listings appear on your website, and what search can miss.](/articles/idx-mls) - [Do you need IDX on your real estate website?](/articles/do-you-need-idx-real-estate-website) - [Test the seller inquiry path on your real estate website](/articles/seller-inquiry-path-agent-website) ## Related: Real estate - [How MLS listings appear on your website, and what search can miss.](/articles/idx-mls) - [Do you need IDX on your real estate website?](/articles/do-you-need-idx-real-estate-website) - [Test the seller inquiry path on your real estate website](/articles/seller-inquiry-path-agent-website) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. Scale With Search 2026 [scalewithsearch.com](https://scalewithsearch.com) ```