Code of Ethics and Professional Standards

Committees and Work Groups:

• Changes to Options for Publishing Names of Code of Ethics Violators
  Information and resources on the recently expanded options available to associations for publishing the names of Code of Ethics violators.

• Read Agendas and Minutes from NAR's professional standards committees and work groups.

• Report and Recommendations of the Joint Work Group
  In 2005, a group of NAR leaders analyzed key issues and concerns related to the Code of Ethics and MLS usage in the context of REALTORS®' use of the Internet as a transactional and marketing tool.

• Professional Standards Committee and Its Role
  The duty of NAR's Professional Standards Committee is to interpret the Code of Ethics, to recommend amendments to it, and to recommend appropriate action concerning its enforcement.

• Report & Conclusions of the Joint Work Group on Cooperation Issues
  A working group was convened to consider issues and concerns that cooperation between REALTORS® as historically mandated in the Code of Ethics was in decline, including the practices informally referred to as "pocket listings" and "coming soon" marketing techniques.

Resources:

• Code of Ethics & Professional Standards Policies
  The Board of Directors approved changes to the Code of Ethics regarding discriminatory speech & conduct at its November 13, 2020 meeting. Get information on the policy changes approved by the Board of Directors, as well as frequently asked questions and other resources.
• 2025 Summary of Key Professional Standards Changes
  This summary highlights substantive issues and changes in 2024 to NAR's Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual and Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
• NAR Model Citation Policy and Schedule of Fines
  These models will assist state and local associations in developing citation policies, including fines, for receiving and resolving ethics complaints.
• A Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Multiple Offers
  This consumer-focused brochure is designed for use by REALTORS® to inform buyers and sellers of the potential consequences of multiple offer situations.
• Association Legal Counsel's Role in Professional Standards Enforcement
  This report from the Legal Counsel Work Group provides guidance on the role of association counsel during ethics and arbitration hearings.
• Buyer-Seller Dispute Resolution System (DRS)
  Designed to resolve disputes between buyers, sellers, and real estate brokers/salespeople not otherwise covered under Article 17 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
• Pathways to Professionalism
  This list of professional courtesies, for use by REALTORS® on a voluntary basis, supplements NAR's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
• Who Knows How New Your "New" Listing Really Is?
  To a broker, a “new listing” may mean a new contract. But to buyers, “new listing” suggests a house that’s just come onto the market. What are the implications for truth in advertising?
• REALTOR® Magazine
  See Code of Ethics-related articles from REALTOR® Magazine.