SOURCE MLS Listing Guidelines

Council of Multiple Listing Services, a Washington nonprofit corporation (CMLS), offers a program that allows multiple listing services, brokers, agents, and others to license from CMLS the use of the trademark sourceMLS™ (WITH DESIGN)™ on electronically displayed listings of real estate for sale, rent, or lease (Listings).  This program has been developed to help consumers know that when viewing sourceMLS™ listings, or visiting sourceMLS™ websites, they are accessing and using timely listing information provided by multiple listing services who are Qualified Content Publishers.  The criteria for publishers of Listings to obtain a license, and the criteria for displaying the trademark on an individual Listing or website that includes several Listings (Website) are set forth below.

Content Publishers Eligible to License SOURCE MLS

Participation in sourceMLS™ is available to organizations with an active membership in CMLS, and other organizations approved by CMLS as content publishers, that meet all of the other following criteria (Qualified Content Publisher):

  • • The publisher is actively engaged in providing electronic real estate information, including Listings, to consumers and the general public, or the publisher is an MLS, as defined below.
  • • The publisher has entered into a Trademark License Agreement with CMLS, or has entered into a Trademark Sublicense Agreement  with an active sourceMLS™ Licensee, for a license to use sourceMLS™ in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Trademark License Agreement
  • • The publisher is not in default under the terms of the Trademark License Agreement.  
  • • The publisher meets all of the criteria set forth in the Trademark License Agreement for participation in the CMLS sourceMLS™ program.  
  • • The form of Trademark License Agreement is provided by CMLS.

SOURCE MLS Listing Guidelines

sourceMLS™ may be displayed by Qualified Content Publishers on an individual Listing that is electronically displayed if the Listing meets the following criteria (sourceMLS™ Listing):

  • • The Listing displayed was obtained or sourced directly from (a) a multiple listing service (MLS) that is a Qualified Content Publisher, or (b) a source that received the Listing directly from an MLS that is a Qualified Content Publisher and that otherwise complies with these sourceMLS™ Listing Guidelines (Approved Content Provider), and (c) has not been modified subsequent to delivery of the Listing by the Qualified Content Publisher. 
    • o MLS means (a) a facility for the orderly correlation and dissemination of listing information so participants may better serve their clients and customers and the public, (b) a means by which authorized participants make enforceable blanket unilateral offers of compensation to other participants, and (c) a means of enhancing cooperation among participants.
    • • The Listing database is refreshed, which may or may not include changes in the information included in the Listing, a MINIMUM of every twenty four (24) hours, and the date and time of the last refresh of the database from which the Listing is obtained, such as “all listings are current as of [date and time], must be conspicuously displayed.
    • • If the Listing has been removed from active status, all listing content including but not limited to images, video and property descriptions have been removed from display within twenty four (24) hours of the Listing being removed from active status. If such Listing continues to be displayed, the listing broker name is displayed with the Listing.
    • • The Listing is displayed on or through a real estate information site or service that is reasonably acceptable to CMLS.
    • • The sourceMLS™ trademark is displayed through a dynamic link directly in association with the Listing, and the display of the sourceMLS™ trademark links to www.sourcemls.org where CMLS will provide information on the sourceMLS™.
    • • The Listing displays in a reasonably conspicuous manner the identity of the listing firm. 

Electronic Display SOURCE MLS Guidelines

sourceMLS™ may be displayed through a dynamic link on an electronic display of Listings, and not associated with any specific Listing on the electronic display, if all Listings qualify as sourceMLS™ Listings.

Technical Resources

Additional technical resources can be found in the sourceMLS FAQ and sourceMLS Implementation Guide. For additional questions related to implementation or issues of a technical nature, please contact sourceMLS technical advisor, Chris Lambreau at the Midwest Real Estate Data.