--- title: "Rhode Island real estate website and advertising rules" description: "Check Rhode Island brokerage identification, placement, approval, team names, social media, IDX, and fair housing against primary sources. 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The brokerage's name and contact information must appear on the home or landing page and every viewable page. Display those details prominently, larger than and close to the agent's or team's information. These requirements come from [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(E)(1)–(2)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2), read 2026.10.10. The state lists this regulation as active, effective 2022.02.21 to current. Social media has an additional rule for character-limited posts. Team names have required words and prohibited words. The reviewed sources leave some questions about license numbers, IDX-specific credits, and housing logos unresolved. Confirm with your broker. ## Put brokerage identification on every page All advertising must identify the brokerage or principal broker under which the licensee or team is licensed. An agent or team name cannot appear to be a brokerage name. The general rule requires the brokerage name to be **“larger”** and more prominent than an included agent or team name. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(C)(1), (a)–(c)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. For online advertising and websites, the required details include **“contact information”**. They must appear on **“every viewable page”**, including the home or landing page. The online rule also requires prominent, larger display in **“close proximity”** to the agent's or team's information. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(E)(2)(a)–(b)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. Check the biography, service pages, blog articles, campaign pages, and property pages individually. Check mobile layouts too. A shared header is a practical way to carry the details across templates. The regulation does not prescribe a header, a pixel size, or a particular contact-information format. The general rule says proximity should be maintained. The internet-specific rule makes proximity a requirement. An isolated brokerage name in the footer may fail that requirement when the agent's branding appears elsewhere. For advertising another person's property, the statute also prohibits presenting the offer as coming from a **“private party”** outside the real estate business. It prohibits a salesperson advertising that property **“under his or her own name”**. Read this with the brokerage-identification rules when reviewing personal branding. Source: [R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20.5-14(a)(29)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-20.5/5-20.5-14.htm). Read 2026.10.10. ## Separate website identification from office license display The license statute requires original broker and affiliated salesperson licenses to be prominently **“displayed in the office”**. That provision concerns the office. Source: [R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20.5-7](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-20.5/5-20.5-7.htm). Read 2026.10.10. I did not find a general agent-website license-number display requirement in Chapter 5-20.5 or 230-RICR-30-20-2. Section 2.25(E) specifies brokerage identification and contact information. This finding does not establish that a broker, another jurisdiction, or a listing service has no additional requirement. Confirm with your broker. ## Get approval for the website, team name, and logo The website rule uses the word **“approved”**. Agents and teams may maintain only websites approved by the principal broker. A team name must also have principal-broker approval and differ from the brokerage name. The principal broker's team-supervision duties include approving names and logos and monitoring advertising. Sources: [230-RICR-30-20-2 §§ 2.25(E)(1), 2.2(A)(13)(c), and 2.4(E)(8)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. Section 2.25(G)(1) permits approved **“logos”** for teams and individual licensees. The brokerage name must remain present, larger, and more prominent than the agent's or team's logo. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(G)(1)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. The DBR FAQ answers **“NO”**. when asked whether a team can have its own logo. It cites an older provision, § 2.21(I). The active regulation expressly permits broker-approved logos under § 2.25(G)(1). The FAQ also discourages additional team-name words beyond the regulation's express list. Confirm the name and logo with your broker against the active text. Source: [DBR Real Estate Section Frequently Asked Questions, team-logo and team-name questions](https://dbr.ri.gov/real-estate-and-commercial-licensing/real-estate/real-estate-section-faqs). Read 2026.10.10. Compare the active regulation cited above. ## Use an approved team name with Team or Group A team name must include **“Team”** or **“Group”** in all advertising. The prohibited-name list also covers any **“derivation”** of its listed words. The list is: Agency; Associates; Brokerage; Brokers; Company; Corporation, Corp. or Inc.; Firm; LLC, LP, LLP; Partners, Partnership; Property, Properties; and Realty. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(C)(1)(d)–(e)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. The FAQ additionally discourages Advisors, Consultants, and Real Estate. Those terms are not expressly listed in § 2.25(C)(1)(e). The separate prohibition on presenting a team name as a brokerage name still applies. Confirm your proposed name with your broker. Sources: [DBR FAQ, Best Practices for Team Names](https://dbr.ri.gov/real-estate-and-commercial-licensing/real-estate/real-estate-section-faqs) and [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(C)(1)(c)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. ## Check social profiles, short posts, and video separately On a social profile or landing/home page, the brokerage name must appear prominently, larger than and close to the agent's or team's information. For a character-limited post, section, or page, the larger brokerage name must be accessible within one **“click”** or one **“tap”**. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(E)(3)(a)–(b)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. Test the route from the post to the identification. Apply the general online requirements alongside this character-limited provision. It does not provide a one-click exception for every page of an agent website. Live or recorded television, video, or radio advertising, including internet broadcasts, must disclose the brokerage name. The disclosure must be **“conspicuous”**, discernible, and easy for the public to identify. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(F)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. ## Keep brokerage details on IDX and property pages The every-page website rule applies to property-search and listing-detail pages within the agent's site. Check any IDX component against the site's larger, prominent, nearby brokerage identification. This is an application of § 2.25(E)(2). When advertising generally refers to membership in a multiple listing service, it must specify that service's **“complete”** name. The exceptions concern on-property for-sale signs, small spot classified ads, business cards, and business signs. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(H)(5)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. I did not find an IDX-specific listing-broker credit line, logo, or refresh interval in the reviewed state licensing sources. The membership-name requirement does not establish the contents of an IDX agreement. Confirm your feed's required credits and notices with your broker. Residential sale, exchange, or rental advertisements must identify the property's **“municipality”**. The stated exception is for magazine or newspaper advertisements published under municipality headings. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(H)(3)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. If you advertise a franchisor's trade name, conspicuously include the operating name of the brokerage that owns the franchise. Also include **“Each office independently owned and operated”**. The stated exceptions are on-property for-sale signs and small spot classified ads by one franchised licensee. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.25(H)(4)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. ## Review fair-housing language and unresolved logo requirements The Fair Housing Practices Act prohibits housing advertisements indicating a **“preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination”** based on its protected grounds. These include lawful source of income and familial status. The statute contains the full list and domestic-abuse protections. Source: [R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(a), advertising paragraph](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-37/34-37-4.htm). Read 2026.10.10. The licensing regulation separately prohibits advertising, applications, and inquiries that express a protected-class **“limitation”** or discrimination, directly or indirectly. Review property descriptions and inquiry forms together. Source: [230-RICR-30-20-2 § 2.14(C)](https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-30-20-2). Read 2026.10.10. I did not find a universal agent-website Equal Housing Opportunity logo or fixed statement requirement in the reviewed state licensing regulation or Chapter 34-37. Requirements for a particular property, program, brokerage, or listing feed remain unresolved here. Confirm with your broker. The license statute also makes **“misleading or untruthful advertising”** grounds for discipline. Check claims about listings, services, and qualifications as well as required disclosures. Source: [R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20.5-14(a)(4)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-20.5/5-20.5-14.htm). Read 2026.10.10. ## A short checklist for your site This checklist applies the identification and disclosure rules above. The template checks are practical review steps. 1. Confirm principal-broker approval of the website, team name, and any agent or team logo. 2. Check brokerage name and contact information on every page, including IDX pages, on desktop and mobile. 3. Compare size, prominence, and proximity against the agent's or team's information and logo. 4. Check the team name for Team or Group, prohibited words, and any suggestion that it is an independent brokerage. 5. Test social-profile identification and the one-click or one-tap route from character-limited posts. Check video brokerage disclosure. 6. Check property municipality, applicable franchise wording, and any general MLS-membership reference. 7. Review housing descriptions and forms for discriminatory language. Confirm unresolved license-number, feed-credit, and housing-logo requirements with your broker. If the site needs these changes across its templates, start with the [real estate website fix](/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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