Recently the California department of Real Estate issued a new regulation regarding your license number to be posted on your marketing materials. We have received numerous calls and questions so here is the best clarification we have for the new law. For more detailed information on the new regulation please got to http://www.car.org/legal/2009-new-laws/
The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) has recently adopted a new regulation clarifying the law that requires DRE license numbers on business cards and all other solicitation materials intended to be the first point of contact with consumers. The licensing law came into effect on July 1, 2009.
What this means to you as a REALTOR®
You must list your license number on all marketing correspondence.
- Business cards;
- Stationery;
- Websites owned, controlled, and/or maintained by the soliciting real estate license; and
- Promotional and advertising flyers, brochures, email and regular mail, leaflets, and any other marketing or promotional materials designed to solicit the creation of a professional relationship between the licensee and a consumer, or intended to induce a consumer to contact the licensee about any licensed services.
DRE’s new regulation also states that the following items are not solicitation materials under the license number requirement:
- Advertisements in electronic media, including radio, cinema, and television ads, and the opening section of streaming video and audio;
- Print advertising in any newspaper or periodical; and
- “For Sale” signs placed on or around a property intended to alert the public the property is available for purchase or lease.
If you have a real estate website you need to have your DRE License number displayed on it and it must not be any smaller than the smallest type on your page. You may also want to consider adding it to your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. accounts as well since you never know how someone will first find you on the web.
Some clients have questioned if they should have their DRE number in their email signature that is sent from your IDX solution. I don’t believe this is necessary since it is not technically a first point of contact. The person is receiving your emails because they have already been to your site. You may want to verify this by visiting the CAR website.
Sources: California Business & Professions Code section 10140.6 (filed September 25, 2008); Section 2773 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulation (filing with the Secretary of State still pending).
