--- title: "Virginia real estate website rules" description: "Check Virginia's current website and advertising rules for brokerage disclosure, team names, broker approval, social media, IDX, and fair housing." canonical: "https://scalewithsearch.com/articles/website-rules-virginia" --- ## 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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Your principal or supervising broker specifies the contact information and additional requirements in written policies. [18VAC135-20-190 A and B 1](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section190/), read 2026.10.10. Virginia's regulator is the Real Estate Board. Its published FAQs distinguish state licensure from voluntary REALTOR® membership. This article uses Virginia statutes, current administrative rules, and official DPOR material. [Real Estate Board, overview and FAQs](https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Real-Estate), read 2026.10.10. The advertising regulation changed on April 1, 2026. The Board's final rule removed the former electronic-media disclosure provisions, including the general one-click allowance. Use the current text when reviewing an older website. [Final regulation, 18VAC135-20-190, effective 2026.04.01](https://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=12215), read 2026.10.10. ## Display the brokerage name and office contact information Section 190 A requires the firm's licensed name to be "clearly and legibly displayed" on advertising. Section 190 B 1 requires a "clear, legible, and conspicuous" disclosure. It includes the firm name and office contact information. These provisions set no font-size ratio, mandatory header position, or universal street-address field. [18VAC135-20-190 A and B 1](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section190/), read 2026.10.10. The contact definition permits the firm's or branch office's telephone number, email address, or web address. Digital advertising can use "a digital link thereto" for that information. This permission concerns contact information; it does not move the required brokerage name off the advertisement. [18VAC135-20-10, definition of contact information](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section10/), read 2026.10.10. For your design check, open each advertising page directly on a phone. Inspect the homepage, agent bio, landing pages, and property pages. Check contrast, text size, and whether overlays hide the disclosure. A header or footer is a layout choice. Confirm with your broker whether the actual placement is conspicuous. ## Check license numbers against the actual requirement The current advertising rule does not specify an individual or firm license-number field. Its required disclosure fields are the firm name and office contact information. Your broker can specify additional information. [18VAC135-20-190 B 1](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section190/), read 2026.10.10. A separate rule requires licenses to be "readily available to the public" at the primary place of business. Branch offices must make their license and assigned-licensee roster available. That provision does not state a website license-number requirement. [18VAC135-20-160 A and B](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section160/), read 2026.10.10. Keep any broker-required number accurate. Do not label a field as mandatory under Virginia's advertising rule without the supporting provision. ## Verify the team identity before using it online Virginia defines a real estate team through three conditions. Members work within the same brokerage, present themselves as one unit, and "designate themselves by a fictitious name". The definition covers two or more individuals, including at least one salesperson or broker. [Code of Virginia § 54.1-2100, real estate team](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter21/section54.1-2100/), read 2026.10.10. Such a team must obtain "a business entity salesperson's license" before acting as a team. A team brand therefore requires more than a domain registration or logo. [Code of Virginia § 54.1-2106.1 D](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter21/section54.1-2106.1/), read 2026.10.10. Business-entity applicants must register "any trade or fictitious names" with the State Corporation Commission. Participating owners or officers need individual licenses when they actively participate in the real estate business. The entity license does not replace those licenses. [18VAC135-20-45 1 and 2](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section45/), read 2026.10.10. Compare the website's team name with the licensed entity and registered trade name. Keep the brokerage identity visible beside the team branding. Confirm with your broker before changing that identity. The current rules reviewed here contain no team-specific list of prohibited words or team-to-brokerage font-size ratio. Section 300 10 prohibits "Knowingly making any material misrepresentation". Presenting a team as an independent brokerage can misrepresent its identity. That is an application of the general rule, rather than a quoted team-name prohibition. [18VAC135-20-300 10](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section300/), read 2026.10.10. ## Put advertising through broker review The advertising rule requires "direct supervision" and work "under the policies" of the principal or supervising broker. [18VAC135-20-190 A and B 2](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section190/), read 2026.10.10. The supervising-broker statute includes availability to "review and approve all documents," including advertising affecting the firm's clients and business. It also requires written procedures covering brokerage, team, and business-entity advertising. [Code of Virginia § 54.1-2110.1 B 1 and B 2 c](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter21/section54.1-2110.1/), read 2026.10.10. An unlicensed person or entity may prepare promotional materials "for approval of the licensee and supervising broker". This includes the work a website provider prepares for review. [18VAC135-20-335 B 13](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section335/), read 2026.10.10. Request the current advertising policy before approving a redesign. Use its approval process for pages, paid ads, and social material. A developer's acceptance check does not establish broker approval. ## Apply the disclosure to social media advertising Advertising includes "all communication disseminated through any medium" for purposes related to licensed real estate activity. Applying that definition, a promotional social post or paid digital ad falls within the advertising rules. [18VAC135-20-10, definition of advertising](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter20/section10/), read 2026.10.10. Review the actual ad as people receive it. A profile biography or landing page alone does not establish that the ad contains its required disclosure. The current rule requires disclosure on all advertising. The permitted digital link for office contact information remains distinct from the deleted general one-click allowance. [Final regulation, 18VAC135-20-190 B 1 and deleted C 2](https://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=12215), read 2026.10.10. Inspect captions, image crops, and video treatments before release. Confirm with your broker how the disclosure will appear in each format. ## Keep IDX pages accurate and separate feed terms from state rules The current advertising rule requires controlled property information to match the property's condition and "current contract status". Material listing changes require timely updates. When a third party controls the advertising, make a "timely written request" for corrections. [Final regulation, 18VAC135-20-190 B 3 and B 4](https://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=12215), read 2026.10.10. An IDX property display still needs the applicable advertising disclosure. The cited Virginia advertising rule does not prescribe a universal IDX disclaimer, listing-broker credit format, or numerical refresh interval. [Final regulation, 18VAC135-20-190](https://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=12215), read 2026.10.10. Treat MLS attribution, feed permissions, and refresh specifications as a separate broker-confirmed check. This article does not establish those contractual requirements. Inspect the complete property page and embedded display. Save correction requests when the vendor controls inaccurate information. ## Use fair housing wording with the correct force Virginia prohibits housing advertisements indicating "any preference, limitation, or discrimination" based on protected characteristics. These include race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, and disability. A general disclaimer cannot overcome the specified religious, national-origin, sex, or race preference evidence. [Code of Virginia § 36-96.3 A 3](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title36/chapter5.1/section36-96.3/), read 2026.10.10. For an equal housing mark, section 290 1 says advertising "should contain an equal housing opportunity logotype, statement, or slogan". This covers residential sale, rental, or financing advertising. The regulation treats these practices as evidence of compliance during complaint investigations. Preserve its use of should. It does not make a logo the only permitted choice. [18VAC135-50-290, opening and subdivision 1](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter50/section290/), read 2026.10.10. DPOR's published advertising guidance also recommends the fair housing logo and explains alternatives in its general guidelines. It advises advertisers to "describe the property" rather than the prospective tenant. [DPOR, Fair Housing Advertising, general guidelines 1](https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/FairHousingAdvertising), read 2026.10.10. There is also a mandatory publisher's notice provision: "All publishers shall publish" a notice at the beginning of the real estate advertising section. It must address Virginia and federal fair housing laws. Whether an agent's website or IDX section falls within that publisher role is an application question. Confirm with your broker. [18VAC135-50-110 D](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter50/section110/), read 2026.10.10. The same section separately requires covered persons to "post and maintain a HUD approved fair housing poster" at specified physical locations. A website mark does not establish compliance with those premises requirements. [18VAC135-50-110 E 1 and E 4](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter50/section110/), read 2026.10.10. Review housing copy, photographs, and campaign selection together. The regulations identify "Selective use of equal opportunity slogan or logo" across properties or geographic areas as potentially discriminatory. Apply the approved treatment consistently. [18VAC135-50-280, opening and subdivision 2](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency135/chapter50/section280/), read 2026.10.10. ## Check your own website Use this implementation checklist alongside the cited rules. Layout tests and saved screenshots are editorial recommendations. 1. Obtain your broker's current advertising policy and required disclosure wording. 2. Check brokerage disclosure on each page and standalone ad, including phone layouts. 3. Test the office contact information or permitted digital link. 4. Verify team licensing, registered names, and accurate brokerage affiliation. 5. Confirm any license-number field your broker requires. 6. Route new website and social material through the broker's approval process. 7. Compare IDX details with current property information and record needed corrections. 8. Review fair housing content, the approved mark, and any applicable publisher's notice. Confirm with your broker before releasing the changes. Bring the approved wording and page examples to the [real estate website scope](https://scalewithsearch.com/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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