--- title: "Maine real estate website rules" description: "Check Maine agency-name placement, designated-broker consent, team branding, social advertising, and listing permission against current primary sources." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/website-rules-maine" --- ## 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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Use the agency's licensed trade name, or its legal name when it has no licensed trade name. Online, the agency name must appear prominently or be readily accessible. Team branding and social advertising remain subject to these agency rules. Start with the agency name on its license and your designated broker's approved website scope. Then review the public pages, social advertisements, and listing displays. Keep unresolved display requirements in the review before publishing changes. The primary sources below were read on **2026.10.10**. Chapter 410 citations use the Secretary of State's replacement effective **2026.09.13**. Confirm with your broker before publishing the revised site. ## Use the agency name that Maine licenses Maine permits an agency to operate under a trade name when its license is issued under that name. The statute requires that name in “all real estate brokerage related advertising”. The duty applies to the agency, employees, and independent contractors. [32 M.R.S. §13176, read 2026.10.10](https://www.mainelegislature.org/LEGIS/STATUTES/32/title32sec13176.html). The advertising rule requires the agency's licensed “trade name”. If the agency has no licensed trade name, use its legal name. Agent and team branding operate within that agency identification. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(2), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). Check the proposed name against the agency license before changing the header, footer, or listing template. A franchise symbol or personal logo should not displace the required agency name. ## Check placement without inventing a font ratio The rule defines prominent through visibility: the name must be “seen easily”, conspicuous, and particularly noticeable. For internet advertising, it must prominently appear or be “readily accessible”. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(1)(B), §1(2), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). The cited provision does not specify a universal header location, pixel size, or agency-to-agent font ratio. Preserve its express online accessibility alternative when reviewing a design. As a practical layout choice, display the approved agency name clearly in the site header and in independent advertisements. Inspect the mobile menu, landing pages, and embedded listing views. If you rely on accessibility through another location, confirm with your broker that the actual design meets the rule. ## Obtain designated-broker consent for the website An affiliated licensee cannot develop and upload a brokerage-promoting internet site without the “consent of the designated broker”. The restriction covers work performed directly, indirectly, independently, or through others. The site must also comply with the advertising section. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §13(3), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). Hiring a designer does not remove that consent requirement. The rule also says the designated broker “may authorize” advertising that includes an affiliated licensee's or team's identifying material. That material can include a name, phone number, slogan, logo, or photo. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(2), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). Obtain the broker's consent before uploading the site. Include proposed landing pages, listing templates, and team branding in the review. Retain the approved version as a practical record. These cited provisions do not establish a separate Commission filing requirement for each website advertisement. ## Keep the team inside the licensed agency The Commission's team FAQ says a team within an agency is not licensed to provide brokerage services. The designated broker may authorize licensees to work together and use a team name in advertising. The FAQ treats the team name as a service mark that must be “owned, operated and controlled” by the agency. [Maine Real Estate Commission, Teams FAQ, team formation question, read 2026.10.10](https://www11.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/real-estate-commission/frequently-asked-questions/teams). The FAQ says a tax-purpose entity's name “may not be used” as the team name offering brokerage services on the agency's behalf. Its example concerns an LLC formed to receive commissions for tax purposes. Keep that distinction in the branding review. [Maine Real Estate Commission, Teams FAQ, LLC team-name question, read 2026.10.10](https://www11.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/real-estate-commission/frequently-asked-questions/teams). The underlying statute prohibits brokerage without a “current real estate brokerage agency license” or a license authorizing activity on an agency's behalf. [32 M.R.S. §13003, read 2026.10.10](https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec13003.html). Confirm with your broker that the proposed team name, ownership, and website presentation fit the agency arrangement. These sources do not supply a universal list of banned team words. ## Distinguish agency identification from license-number display Chapter 410's advertising section specifies the licensed agency name and its presentation. Its website-consent provision directs the site to comply with that section. Neither cited provision states a universal personal license-number display requirement. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1, §13(3), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). The license-display statute requires the designated broker to display the agency license in the “broker's place of business”. It also assigns custody of individual licenses to the designated broker. It does not expressly prescribe a website license-number footer. [32 M.R.S. §13181, read 2026.10.10](https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/32/title32sec13181.html). **UNRESOLVED:** Any additional license-number display condition for your agency, property program, or website arrangement has not been established by the reviewed sources. Confirm with your broker which numbers the site should display. Keep the mandatory agency identification in place regardless of that decision. ## Apply the advertising rule to social media and IDX Maine's advertising definition covers representations, promotions, and solicitations related to brokerage activity across communication methods. It expressly includes internet, email, and “social media”. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(1)(A), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). Review a post promoting brokerage as an advertisement under that definition. Check its agency identification in the form a visitor receives. Evaluate a profile reference against the rule's prominence or accessibility standard before relying on it. Property advertising has permission requirements too. Before advertising real estate for sale, obtain “written permission” from the owner or authorized representative. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(3), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). For property exclusively listed by another agency, obtain “prior written consent” from its designated broker who has owner authorization to give consent. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(4), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). For an IDX display, verify how the authorized feed arrangement supplies the required permissions. Check the listing cards, detail pages, and embedded views before approval. The presence of a working feed alone does not document those permissions. **UNRESOLVED:** The reviewed Commission sources do not prescribe the exact attribution text, refresh interval, or disclosure layout for your particular IDX feed. Confirm with your broker before changing feed disclosures. Preserve the approved attribution and distinguish the listing agency from your site's agency. The Commission's FAQ says website “listing information must be current”. It directs removal when a listing expires or the property is sold. [Maine Real Estate Commission, Teams FAQ, individual website question, read 2026.10.10](https://www11.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/real-estate-commission/frequently-asked-questions/teams). Advertising must be “free from deception”. It must avoid misrepresenting property condition, transaction terms, agency policies, or brokerage services. [02-039 C.M.R. ch. 410, §1(5), read 2026.10.10](https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/039c410-2026-203-RPR.docx). Assign someone to check listing status and remove availability claims for expired listings or sold properties. Have your broker review any separately presented transaction history before retaining it. ## Review fair housing content and any logo or statement requirement Maine's housing statute prohibits advertisements indicating a protected “preference, limitation or discrimination”, including an intention to make one. The provision names race or color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, and familial status. It also covers the protection-order history specified in the statute. [5 M.R.S. §4581-A(1)(C), read 2026.10.10](https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/5/title5sec4581-A.html). The statute also addresses a broker's or salesperson's prohibited inquiries and records concerning applicants or intended occupants. Its language includes an “oral inquiry or record”. [5 M.R.S. §4581-A(2)(D), read 2026.10.10](https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/5/title5sec4581-A.html). Review the proposed property descriptions, inquiry forms, and advertising settings with your broker. Keep the check focused on access to housing and the actual published message. A housing logo does not replace this review. **UNRESOLVED:** The reviewed Maine advertising provisions, team FAQ, and housing advertising statute do not establish a universal Equal Housing Opportunity logo or statement requirement. They do not resolve requirements attached to a particular property program or other arrangement. Confirm with your broker which logo or statement applies before changing or removing it. ## Apply this checklist to your own site 1. Verify the agency's licensed trade name, or its legal name when no trade name is licensed. 2. Inspect agency-name prominence or ready accessibility on desktop, mobile, landing pages, and independent advertisements. 3. Obtain designated-broker consent for the website and follow the agency's advertising review procedure. 4. Confirm that team branding remains authorized and controlled by the agency. 5. Resolve any additional license-number display conditions with your broker. 6. Verify owner permission, other-agency listing consent, and applicable IDX attribution terms. 7. Review housing descriptions and forms. Confirm any required housing logo or statement with your broker. 8. Assign responsibility for current listing information and removal when listings expire or properties sell. Bring the reviewed pages, broker requirements, and unresolved display questions to [the real estate website page](/for/real-estate). Use them to define the whole website fix and its acceptance checks. ## 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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