Resources for Professional Standards Administrators

Resources useful to associations for handling ethics complaints and arbitration requests. These resources were developed primarily for association Professional Standards Administrators and for REALTORS® serving on PS tribunals.

New! Professional Standards Educational Resources
- An all-in-one hub for Professional Standards educational materials. Resources include videos, presentations, links to related NAR content & more.
Virtual Professional Standards Hearings Resources
- The following best practices, templates and supporting resources were approved by NAR's Professional Standards Committee in 2021 and are available to assist associations in administering virtual hearings.
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  Chairperson's Procedural Guide: Conduct of an Ethics Complaint and a Counter-Complaintdocx (40.23 KB)
  
  Document
  
  Chairperson's Procedural Guide: Conduct of an Arbitration Request and a Counter-Arbitration Requestdocx (40.47 KB)
  
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  Chairperson's Procedural Guide: Conduct of a Virtual Ethics Hearingdocx (43.97 KB)
  
  Chairperson's Procedural Guide: Conduct of a Virtual Appeal Hearing (Ethics)docx (51.42 KB)
  
  Chairperson’s Procedural Guide: Conduct of a Virtual Procedural Review Hearing (Arbitration)docx (46.62 KB)
  
  Chairperson’s Procedural Guide: Conduct of a Virtual Arbitration Hearingdocx (46.84 KB)
  
  Best Practices for Virtual Hearingsdocx (33.71 KB)
Code of Ethics & Professional Standards Policies
- Information on the policy changes approved by the Board of Directors at its November 13, 2020 meeting, as well as frequently asked questions and other resources.
FAQs for Professional Standards Enforcement During COVID-19
- Assistance for associations to safely enforce the Code of Ethics, including the duty to arbitrate.
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.
Areas of the Code of Ethics & Arbitration Manual Requiring Board/Association Action
- Resource to assist associations when considering and adopting optional provisions on pages i, ii, and iii of the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual.
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  Download the Areas of the Code of Ethics & Arbitration Manual Requiring Board/Association Actiondocx (98.73 KB)
Ethics Enforcement Toolkit Sample Forms and Letters
- A guide to the ethics complaint process.
Time Frames and Best Practices for Processing Ethics Complaints and Arbitration Requests
- This document outlines timeframes and best practices for PS administrators when processing ethics and arbitration issues.
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  Download Time Frames & Best Practices for Processing Ethics Complaints & Arbitration Requestsdocx (32.7 KB)

Hearing Officers: Arbitration
- Four options that may be adopted locally to supplement the arbitration hearing procedures established in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual.
Hearing Officers: Ethics
- Four options that may be adopted locally to supplement the ethics hearing procedures established in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual.
Procuring Cause Arbitration Worksheetpdf
- This worksheet is for use at local association hearing panels when identifying relevant issues and facts in determining questions of entitlement to disputed funds.
The Five E's of Due Process
- The right of a private organization to discipline members and to conduct dispute resolution is conditioned by law on ensuring due process to all parties as recognized by the five elements explained in this article.
Fast Track Supplement to CEAM
- An optional fast track process for receipt, consideration, and resolution of ethics complaints is now available to associations interested in further expediting the processing of an ethics complaint.
REALTOR® Magazine
- See Code of Ethics-related articles from REALTOR® Magazine.

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Code of Ethics & Professional Standards

Use this page to access NAR's Code of Ethics, professional standards, and mediation resources.