Rules and Regulations

Modified on Tue, 21 Apr at 4:44 PM

San Diego MLS Rules and Regulations Document – PDF
Rules and Policy Change Summary 2026 – PDF
San Diego MLS Data Use Policy – PDF
San Diego MLS Rules Every User Should Know – PDF
Rules and Department Policies – PDF
Formal Rules Violation Report – PDF
Appendix A – Citation Enforcement Policy – PDF
Appendix B – Schedule of Fines – PDF
San Diego MLS Listing Refresh – PDF

Listing Exclusion

Listing Exclusion – Online Submission

7.6 Exempted/Excluded Listings.

If the seller refuses to permit the listing to be disseminated by the service on any exclusive right to sell or seller reserved listing agreement for the sale of one to four unit residential property and vacant lots located within the service area of the MLS, the listing broker may take the listing and such listing will be filed with the service but not disseminated to other participants (“Office Exclusive Listing”). The listing broker shall submit to the service within 1 business day after all necessary signatures of the seller(s) have been obtained on the listing agreement or at the beginning date of the listing as specified in the contract, whichever is later, a certification signed by the seller stating that seller refuses to authorize the listing to be disseminated by the service and that the seller instructs that the listing broker is not permitted to perform any public marketing or advertising (as public marketing or advertising is defined in Section 7.5) of the listing, that the only scope of permissible promotion of the property will occur internally within the brokerage and consist of direct one-on-one communication between the listing broker and licensees affiliated with the listing brokerage, other individual MLS participants or subscribers and their respective clients.

One-to-one communication between the listing broker (or their affiliated licensees) and other individual MLS participants or subscribers is permitted for Office Exclusive Listings, provided such communication:

• Is conducted privately and not distributed broadly (e.g., not via email blasts, social media, group networks, or public platforms),
• Is not any of the actions described in Section 7.5 as public marketing or advertising,
• Aligns with the seller’s express written instructions, and
• Complies with all applicable state laws and MLS rules.

C.A.R. Standard Form MLSA or SDMLS Appendix E may be used for this certification…

Clear Cooperation Policy

San Diego MLS Clear Cooperation Policy Violation
Clear Cooperation FAQ – PDF

7.5 Mandatory Submission.

Within (1) business day of marketing or advertising a property to the public, or within 48 hours after all necessary signatures of the seller(s) have been obtained on the listing agreement or at the beginning date of the listing as specified in the agreement, whichever is later, on any exclusive right to sell or seller reserved listing agreement for the sale of one to four unit residential property and vacant lots located within the service area of the MLS, the listing broker must submit the listing to the MLS for cooperation with other MLS participants.
Public marketing or advertising includes, but is not limited to, conveying or displaying any information about the property or its availability for sale through or on any: windows, signs, public facing websites, social media, brokerage or franchise operated websites (including IDX and VOW), digital communications marketing (e.g. email, text or phone blasts, social media messaging), multi-brokerage or franchise listing sharing networks, flyers or written material or on any applications available to the public or through conducting an open house. The public would include anyone outside the broker(s) and agent(s) licensed within a single listing brokerage and their clients, as further described in Section 7.6).
Only those listings that are within the service area of the MLS must be input. Open listings, rental listings or listings of property located outside the MLS’s service area (see Section 7.7) are not required by the service but may be input at the Broker Participant’s option.

Resources

Appendix D – Electronic KeyCard Usage Agreement – PDF
Proof of Submission – PDF
San Diego MLS PIA – PDF
DMCA Policy – PDF
ADU – Accessory Dwelling Unit – LINK
Beware of I.D. Theft Scammers Trying to Rent Housing They Do Not Own or Legally Control – PDF
Advisory – Vacant Land Scams – PDF
SDMLS Bylaws – PDF

Need Local Assistance

If you have any problems or questions please call SDMLS Rules (858) 373-4011

or email - Rules@sdmls.com