--- title: "Alabama real estate website and advertising rules" description: "Check Alabama brokerage-name prominence, team advertising, broker authorization, social posts, and listing disclosures against primary sources." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/website-rules-alabama" --- ## Site navigation - [Scale With Search](https://scalewithsearch.com/) - Real estate - Real estate - [Real estate](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/real-estate) - Work - Start here - [Send your brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#send-your-brief) - [Prepare your six-question brief](https://scalewithsearch.com/work#prepare-your-six-question-brief) - Build - [Site build, content library with SEO, signal desk](https://scalewithsearch.com/work) - For your business - Trades and home services - [Auto body and collision shops](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/auto-body-and-collision-shops) - [Foundation and home repair contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/foundation-and-home-repair) - [Garage door and fencing contractors](https://scalewithsearch.com/for/garage-door-and-fencing-contractors) - 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Alabama defines prominence through both size and placement. Team advertising also needs a member’s name, the licensed company’s name, and written broker authorization. [Code of Alabama §§ 34-27-36(b)(15) and 34-27-39(e), as amended or added by Act 2025-380](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf). Read: 2026.10.10. Start with the homepage, a landing page, and a property page. Inspect the phone layout too. The Commission’s published guidance says it will not scroll to the bottom of a website to find the company name. [AREC, *Basic Elements of Advertising*, slide 3](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/basic-of-advertising-presentation100325.pdf#page=3). Read: 2026.10.10. ## Show the brokerage name with the prominence Alabama defines Section 34-27-36(b)(15) prohibits an associate broker or salesperson from advertising without the following identification: > the name or trade name of the qualifying broker or company under whom the salesperson or associate broker is licensed appearing prominently on the advertising. The same subdivision defines “prominently”: > using a font size that is equal to or larger than any other name, text, or logo, other than terms like "for sale" or "for lease," in the advertisement and situated and sized for the purpose of gaining the attention of consumers viewing the advertisement. Source: [Code of Alabama § 34-27-36(b)(15), Act 2025-380, printed pages 12–13](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf#page=13). Read: 2026.10.10. Compare the brokerage identification with your personal name, team name, text, and logos. The statutory exception concerns terms like “for sale” or “for lease.” It does not create a general exception for your other branding. Use the licensed company name or its licensed trade name. AREC’s presentation explains that shortened branding may omit part of the licensed identity. Its website-placement guidance says: > we will not scroll down to the bottom of the website Source: [AREC, *Basic Elements of Advertising*, slides 2–3](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/basic-of-advertising-presentation100325.pdf#page=3). Read: 2026.10.10. Put the identification where a visitor sees the advertisement without hunting for it. A small footer disclosure alone does not meet the approach described in that guidance. ## Use a team name that identifies a team within a company Alabama’s current team-name rule states: > The team’s name must either include the word “team” or “group”. It also states: > The team’s name must not use terms that could lead the public to believe that the team is a real estate company, rather than a distinct group within a company. Source: [Ala. Admin. Code r. 790-X-3-.16, paragraphs 1–2](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/rule/790-X-3-.16). Read: 2026.10.10. The rule lists prohibited words and abbreviations, including corporation, limited liability company, partnership, business, enterprise, and company. Its list is not exhaustive. Check the complete name and the impression it creates. The rule’s replacement took effect on February 14, 2026. The current rule is titled *Advertising Teams*. Use the statute above for the prominence definition, rather than an earlier version of this rule. [Rule history](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/rule/790-X-3-.16). Read: 2026.10.10. ## Include the required names and obtain written team authorization For a licensee advertising as part of a team, § 34-27-39(e) requires all four items: > (1) Include the name of at least one of the team members in the advertisement. > > (2) Include the name of the company with whom the licensee is licensed in the advertisement. > > (3) Include the term "team" or "group" in the team name. > > (4) Receive written authorization from the qualifying broker of the licensee to include the team name in the advertisement. Source: [Code of Alabama § 34-27-39(e)(1)–(4), Act 2025-380, printed pages 35–36](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf#page=36). Read: 2026.10.10. A team logo does not replace those required names. Section 34-27-39(c) says a team does not require separate licensure or registration with the Commission. Written broker authorization remains required for advertising the team name. [Code of Alabama § 34-27-39(c), (e)](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf#page=36). Read: 2026.10.10. AREC’s sample team form offers blanket approval, approval for individual requests, or no permission to advertise the team name. That is a sample authorization form, not a requirement to use that particular form. [AREC, *Sample Brokerage Team Form*](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/sample-brokerage-team-form.pdf). Read: 2026.10.10. ## Keep website advertising within broker supervision The broker-supervision rule identifies this failure: > Failing to ensure that the company's advertisements or its licensee's advertisements conform with license laws and regulations. Source: [Ala. Admin. Code r. 790-X-3-.15(12)](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/rule/790-X-3-.15#page=2). Read: 2026.10.10. This establishes the qualifying broker’s supervision duty. It does not itself prescribe a separate written approval document for every ordinary website advertisement. The team-name statute expressly requires written authorization. Use your brokerage’s review process for website changes and online ads. ## Check social profiles, posts, and videos separately AREC’s presentation tells licensees to inspect both their social media page and their posts: > Treat them as 2 separate items. Source: [AREC, *Basic Elements of Advertising*, slide 4](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/basic-of-advertising-presentation100325.pdf#page=4). Read: 2026.10.10. Its guidance calls for prominent company identification on a page that presents you as a licensee. It also calls for prominent identification in a post that does so. The presentation says reviewers will not expand “see more” to find the company name. For advertising videos or clips, it says to show or say the company name at the beginning. [AREC, slides 3–5](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/basic-of-advertising-presentation100325.pdf#page=3). Read: 2026.10.10. Check the visible post, image, caption, and opening video frames. A link to your website does not replace the prominent identification described in this guidance. ## Apply online disclosure guidance to pages and listing displays AREC’s published *ARELLO Best Practices Internet Guidelines* recommends: > every viewable page should include (or link to) a full disclosure. The guideline’s licensee disclosure includes the agent’s name, the registered firm name without abbreviation, office city and state, and licensed jurisdictions. This is Commission-published best-practice guidance. It does not replace statutory prominence. [AREC, *The Update*, Spring/Summer 2000, section 2, pages 2–3](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/newsletter/update/update_sprsum2000.pdf#page=2). Read: 2026.10.10. For listing displays, section 4 recommends permission before advertising another licensed entity’s listings, current descriptions and status, and a visible last-update date. Its permission wording includes: > without written permission Source: [AREC, *ARELLO Best Practices Internet Guidelines*, section 4(A)(a)–(d), page 3](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/newsletter/update/update_sprsum2000.pdf#page=3). Read: 2026.10.10. An IDX search remains a listing display. Inspect its property pages and embedded views for brokerage identification and the applicable disclosures. This guidance does not specify an Alabama-wide IDX credit line, attribution format, or refresh interval. Those feed-specific requirements are UNRESOLVED here. Confirm with your broker. ## Keep advertisements accurate Section 34-27-36(b)(6) prohibits publishing an: > advertisement which deceives or which is likely to deceive the public The provision also prohibits advertisements that tend to create a misleading impression. This applies alongside the identification requirements. [Code of Alabama § 34-27-36(b)(6), Act 2025-380, printed page 11](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf#page=12). Read: 2026.10.10. ## Distinguish license numbers from required brokerage identification The cited advertising statute requires prominent broker or company identification. The team statute requires member and company names. Neither specifies an individual license number as a required advertising field. A general agent-website license-number mandate was not established by these provisions. [Code of Alabama §§ 34-27-36(b)(15), 34-27-39(e)](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf). Read: 2026.10.10. A license number does not replace the required names. Whether your brokerage or listing-display agreement requires additional identifiers is UNRESOLVED here. Confirm with your broker. ## Confirm any required fair housing logo or statement The Alabama advertising provisions cited here do not prescribe a universal Equal Housing Opportunity logo or statement for every agent website. That limited finding does not determine requirements for a particular property, housing program, or IDX display. Those requirements are UNRESOLVED in this review. [Code of Alabama §§ 34-27-36(b)(15), 34-27-39(e)](https://arec.alabama.gov/docs/ACT%202025-380%20%28HB382%29.pdf), [r. 790-X-3-.16](https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/rule/790-X-3-.16). Read: 2026.10.10. Confirm with your broker. Record any required logo, statement, placement, and source before changing the page. ## Use this short website checklist - Check the homepage, landing pages, and property pages on a computer and phone. - Match the brokerage name to its licensed name or licensed trade name. - Compare its size and placement with the other names, text, and logos. - Show the brokerage identification without requiring a footer search or an extra click. - For team ads, include a member’s name, the licensed company name, and the approved team name. - Keep the qualifying broker’s written authorization for advertising the team name. - Check social profiles, posts, and opening video frames separately. - Check listing-display permission, current status, and visible update information. - Confirm any additional license-number, IDX, or fair housing display requirements with your broker. Save the page address, a screenshot, and the exact change you need. Bring that list to the [$2,000 whole website fix for real estate agents](/for/real-estate). ## Related: Real estate - [Check your real estate website in 30 minutes](/articles/real-estate-website-audit) - [Test the seller inquiry path on your real estate website](/articles/seller-inquiry-path-agent-website) - [Own your real estate website: domain, hosting, editing, and leads](/articles/own-your-site) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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