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Can I post this? Social media rules for real estate agents

Pick the kind of post and your state. See what it needs to include, what not to say and what to check first, drawn from license law, federal rules and the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.

Your details

Free to use. We don’t store what you enter.

Just sold or under contract Yes, if you took part in the sale and it has closed Before closing, say “under contract” or “pending”. And ask your client before you show their name, their faces or their price.

Include

  • Your role: you listed it, or you represented the buyer.
  • Your brokerage’s name.
  • Your client’s permission for photos, names and anything not yet public.

Don’t

  • Say “sold” before it closes.
  • Claim, or seem to claim, a sale you had no part in.
  • Show sales you made at a former brokerage as if you made them at your current one. Say where they happened.
  • Reveal how the negotiation went, what the other side would have accepted, or why anyone moved.

Check first

  • If you represented the buyer and want to post a “sold” sign before closing, you need the listing broker’s consent.
  • Whether the buyers want their new address tied to their names and faces online.
  • Your MLS’s rules for showing sold data, which usually call for the source and the brokers involved.

Your state’s rules

  • Choose your state above for its rule on naming your brokerage.
  • Nearly every state requires your brokerage’s name on advertising, and several add a license number or a size rule. Read your real estate commission’s advertising rule and your broker’s policy; we show state details only for California, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

Where the rule comes from

  • Standard of Practice 12-7: only the listing broker or the cooperating (selling) broker may claim to have “sold” a property.

On every post

  • Make it clear the post comes from a real estate licensee, and show your brokerage’s name the way your state requires.
  • Say only what is true and what you can back up. If a fact changes, such as a price or a status, fix or remove the post.
  • Describe the property and the market, never the kind of person who lives in, or should move to, a home or an area.
  • Keep client details private unless the client has said yes: their name, their reasons for moving, and prices or terms that aren’t public yet.
  • Use only photos, video and music you have the right to use. Listing photos usually belong to the photographer, and business accounts are generally limited to licensed or commercial music libraries.

General information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Three layers apply: federal law covers everyone, state license law covers every licensee, and the REALTOR® Code of Ethics covers NAR members. MLS rules, platform rules and your broker’s policy can be stricter than all three.

When a post is close to a line, send it to your broker first. That’s what they’re there for, and it’s your best protection.

Next stepReal estate advertising rulesThe full guideNext stepFair housing words to avoidGuideNext stepAdvertise in your ZIP codesSpotlight from $10 a month per ZIP

Three sets of rules apply to every post

An agent’s social media post is advertising, and advertising by a licensee is regulated. The rules come from three places, and you’re answerable to each.

  • Federal law applies to everyone: fair housing, truth in lending, RESPA, the FTC’s rules on reviews and endorsements, and FAA rules for drones.
  • State license law applies to every licensee and differs by state. Most states require your brokerage’s name on every ad, and several set size rules or require a license number.
  • The REALTOR® Code of Ethics applies to members of the National Association of REALTORS®. Article 12 requires a “true picture” in all advertising.

On top of those sit MLS rules, each platform’s rules and your broker’s policy, any of which can be stricter.

How to use this tool

Pick the kind of post and your state. You get what to include, what not to say and what to check first, with the source. We show state specifics for five states only: California, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Texas. For every other state you get the general rule and a pointer to your commission’s advertising rule.

What it can’t do

It doesn’t read or approve your post, and it isn’t legal advice. A list with every item ticked is not a clearance. It was checked in October 2026, and rules change. When a post is close to a line, send it to your broker first. The full guides: advertising rules, fair housing words to avoid, co-marketing with lenders and texting and calling rules.

General information for real estate professionals, not legal advice. Rules vary by state, MLS and brokerage, so check with your broker or an attorney.

Questions agents ask

What can’t real estate agents post on social media?

Anything untrue or misleading, anything that states a preference for or against people in a protected class, clients’ confidential details, loan terms without the required disclosures, and listings they have no authority to advertise.

Do I have to include my brokerage name on social media posts?

In most states, yes. Some let the details sit on your profile if it is one click away, and some set size rules. Check your state’s advertising rule.

Can a real estate agent post “just sold” before closing?

It is safer to say “under contract” or “pending” until the sale closes. New Jersey requires it, and under the REALTOR® Code only agents who took part in the sale may claim it.

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