NAR approves four MLS policies on listing copyright, data feeds and data use

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) approved four policies on multiple listing services (MLSs) on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, at its NAR NXT conference in New Orleans. The policies cover copyright in listing photos and descriptions, access to data feeds, and how MLS data may be used. They also update qualifications for NAR's MLS Committee.

NAR's Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee approved the recommendations on Nov. 7, and the Executive Committee gave final approval the next day, according to Real Estate News.

What the four policies do

The first policy revises Policy Statement 7.85 and adds an optional policy on copyright. An MLS may choose to require a copyright interest of up to 50% in certain listing content, subject to quarterly copyright registration, according to NAR's release. Participants must be able to opt out of assigning that interest. Brokers keep the right to use and license their own listing content independently.

The second is an optional policy on data feeds. MLSs may set local eligibility and licensing requirements for feeds, provided the criteria are reasonable, objective and applied equally to all participants. Participants keep access to listing information and feeds for their own listings.

The third is a new policy statement on permitted uses of MLS data. Use must comply with the applicable participation or data licensing agreement and be tied to brokerage services, appraisals or other valuations of real property. Real Estate News reports that any use not explicitly permitted by those agreements is prohibited.

The fourth updates qualifications for NAR's MLS Committee. Real Estate News reports that, starting next year, applicants need one to three years of local or state MLS committee or board experience, or comparable third-party experience.

What it means for brokers and tech firms

Two of the four policies are optional, so the effect depends on what each local MLS adopts. HousingWire reports that brokers, teams and technology vendors should review their participation and data-licensing agreements. Website data feeds, marketing uses and third-party integrations could be affected by local changes.

For photographers and brokers, the copyright policy bears on who controls and can enforce rights in listing images. Real Estate News reports that the California Regional MLS (CRMLS) will send 192 opted-in photographers $1,300 each as a thank-you after an infringement was resolved.

The policy allowing MLSs to copyright photos and listing descriptions comes as MLSs face AI aggregation and scrapers, according to RISMedia.

What officials and members have said

NAR chief executive Nykia Wright said the updates reflect a commitment to keeping MLS policies "relevant, effective, and responsive" to the industry's needs.

Real Estate News reports that NAR President Kevin Brown said the association's role is to support the MLS ecosystem rather than run it. Ed Zorn of CRMLS said a 50% interest is the most powerful way to protect the content brokers contribute.

Not everyone agreed. Real Estate News reports that one committee member objected that NAR was effectively force-feeding the rules into every MLS in the country. NAR Associate General Counsel Charlie Lee said the data-use policy is mandatory because it reflects principles already in MLS policies.

Cameron Paine, chief executive of MARIS MLS, told RISMedia that the rules were overdue and that MLSs can only benefit from adoption of sensible improvements to protect their data.

What happens next

Local MLSs must decide whether and how to adopt the optional copyright and data-feed policies. Only the committee-qualification change has a stated timing: it takes effect next year, per Real Estate News.

This article gives no effective dates for the other three policies. Real Estate News links the full text in NAR's 2026 policy update document.