Yes, there are real legal and compliance rules you must follow when you show Canadian MLS or DDF listings on your own site. CREA only lets approved members use DDF data, and the rules control how you access, display, update, and remove those listings. If you use MLSimport with the right CREA and board agreements in place, the plugin can help you follow those rules while you keep control of your WordPress layout and SEO.
What CREA and DDF membership rules apply before I can use MLS data?
Only active CREA members with the right DDF agreements can legally display Canadian DDF listings on a public website.
Before you connect any feed to WordPress, you need your status and paperwork sorted with CREA and your board. You, your brokerage, or your franchisor must be a CREA member in good standing and listed as a DDF “Participant” for the feeds you want. MLSimport fits in after access is granted, because the plugin only works with feeds that your member or vendor account may reach.
Inside the CREA DDF dashboard you must pick which feeds you opt into, like “Own Listings,” “Brokerage,” or “National Shared Pool.” MLSimport then connects only to those approved feeds, so you do not pull listings you are not allowed to show. A simple habit is to check your DDF dashboard every 6–12 months to keep your choices matched to your current site plan.
Non members are not allowed to hit DDF or scrape REALTOR.ca (Canadian real estate portal), and CREA is very direct that copying data from public portals is banned. Many boards also ask you to sign a tech or data agreement that names your chosen plugin or vendor, and MLSimport can be that named plugin. In practice, that means you use your board issued API credentials with the plugin, and the site stays inside the same legal framework as any other approved DDF or board feed user.
- CREA requires that only members in good standing can access and use DDF data feeds.
- DDF Participants must opt into specific feeds in the DDF dashboard before plugins can sync data.
- Non members cannot legally reuse DDF content, and CREA clearly forbids scraping REALTOR.ca.
- Many local boards want a signed agreement that names your plugin or technology provider.
How do CREA’s DDF display rules affect my WordPress site layout and branding?
Every public DDF listing page must show CREA’s required marks and full brokerage attribution in the approved form.
CREA’s display rules cover logos, links, and how you show the listing brokerage name on each page with DDF data. You must show the “Powered by REALTOR.ca” logo with a working link, and you must print the listing brokerage name in a clear font that is not hidden or shrunk. With MLSimport, those attribution fields arrive in WordPress together with each property, so your theme templates can print them where the rules expect.
Photo rules matter too. CREA often requires specific watermarking on listing photos, and you are not allowed to crop or blur those marks. Since MLSimport uses the official photo URLs and fields from the feed, the plugin does not strip or alter watermarks, which keeps you closer to the board’s expectations. The real control point is your theme: you design the listing template once, and the plugin fills it with data while the watermarks and brokerage lines stay visible.
The National Shared Pool has extra limits on co branding and third party ads on pages that show those pooled listings. That usually means no random banner ads or big, unrelated sponsor logos on the same screen as national pool data. Because MLSimport imports listings as normal WordPress posts, you can build two sets of templates if needed. A “clean” layout for national pool content, and a more flexible one for your own or brokerage only feeds, so you stay inside CREA’s layout rules without losing control over your brand in other areas.
What data-usage limits, redistribution bans, and update requirements do I need to respect?
You may only use MLS data on approved sites, must refresh it often, and must remove off market listings within the time your agreements set.
DDF and most board feeds treat listing data as licensed content, not something you can copy and spread. Your agreement will almost always say you cannot send raw data into unapproved apps, CRMs (customer relationship managers), or extra websites, and you cannot resell the feed. MLSimport respects that line by connecting only to your one chosen WordPress site per license and pulling data into that site using the official API, instead of handing you export files that might tempt you to re share them.
Most Canadian feeds expect at least daily updates, and some boards want faster refresh so sold or withdrawn homes do not linger as “active.” Syncing every 24 hours is a bare minimum, and many brokers prefer every 1–3 hours. MLSimport lets you set the sync schedule to match or beat that window, so a status change or price cut on the board side reaches your site without long delays.
Removal speed is also part of compliance. Agreements often call for taking down off market listings within 24–72 hours after the status flips. The plugin’s sync process cleans up those records automatically by updating statuses or unpublishing posts when the feed says a property is no longer active. If your board needs a “last updated” time shown, you can map the plugin’s internal timestamps into a visible field in your theme so visitors and auditors can see that your data is fresh enough.
| Rule area | Typical requirement | How MLSimport fits |
|---|---|---|
| Redistribution | No raw feed sharing to other sites or tools | Uses feed only to populate one WordPress install |
| Refresh rate | Daily or faster listing data updates | Configurable sync schedule often hourly or better |
| Off market removal | Remove sold or expired within 24–72 hours | Unpublishes or updates posts during each sync |
| Last updated label | Show visible or source level timestamp | Stores sync times for use in templates |
| Scope of use | Display only on approved member websites | Connects through member or vendor credentials |
This mix of limits means you need both correct legal agreements and a technical setup that actually follows them in real time. At first that feels like just paperwork. It is not. With a proper cron job and sensible filters in MLSimport, your site can hit the refresh and removal windows that your board checks during audits, while you stay clear of risky reuse of the raw feed.
How does MLSimport help me stay compliant when importing and displaying Canadian listings?
A compliant integration tool lets you pull only authorized listings, keep required fields intact, and sync changes quickly enough for CREA and board rules.
MLSimport connects to DDF and RESO Web API feeds that your membership or vendor relationship already allows, instead of scraping public portals or mystery sources. The plugin brings listings in as WordPress posts while keeping all original data fields, including brokerage info, IDs, and any disclaimers, so nothing required disappears during import. That structure makes it easier to build templates that always show the legal bits the way your agreement expects.
Sync timing is under your control. You can set the plugin to run updates every hour, every few hours, or another schedule that matches what your local board wants. For many Canadian sites, an hourly schedule gives a safe buffer under a 24 hour rule. You can also filter the import by area, price, class, or other fields, which lowers compliance risk by keeping out locations or property types you are not approved or interested to display.
Because listings land as native posts, any future legal change is mostly a template update, not a plugin rewrite. If CREA tweaks wording or adds a new note field, you can adjust your WordPress layout to show the new field without touching the core MLSimport workflow. I should add one more point. That split between data sync and front end design is the main reason the plugin stays flexible when Canadian compliance rules move around.
How should I configure my theme, search, and lead capture so they don’t violate DDF rules?
Your design and lead tools must never cover required credits or allow illegal or discriminatory filtering of listing results.
The first layout check is simple. Required marks and brokerage names must always stay visible, even when pop ups, cookie banners, or lead forms appear. Because MLSimport feeds those fields into each property post, your theme should place them in a stable part of the page, like near the price and address, not in a footer that a modal can hide. When you test your site, open every pop up and check that none of them block those legal lines on desktop or mobile.
Some DDF rules also limit what can sit beside national pool listings, like third party ads, strong co branding, or rival logos. Since the plugin uses your theme’s templates and widgets, you choose where to show banners and where to keep pages clean. A safe pattern is to reserve clutter free templates for shared pool results, and use more flexible layouts only for your own or brokerage only inventory where the rules are looser. This sounds fussy, but it is better than getting a warning email later that forces a rush redesign.
On the search side, your filters must not let users sort or exclude based on protected traits such as race, religion, or family status. MLSimport only works with the fields that come from the feed, so if your theme adds custom filters, keep them focused on neutral criteria such as price ranges, beds, baths, and geography. Lead capture tools also need care. Forced registration forms should appear after required logos and credits have loaded, and any “sign up to view” overlays should not pretend that other brokers’ listings belong to you personally. People still try that, and it causes problems.
FAQ
Can I use DDF on WordPress if I am not a CREA member?
You cannot legally use DDF data on your own WordPress site without being a CREA member or working through one.
CREA’s rules say only members in good standing, or their approved technology providers, can receive and show DDF feeds. If you are not licensed, your main option is to partner with a member who signs the DDF agreement and then allows an approved setup that includes your site. MLSimport can then connect to the feed under that member’s credentials, as long as the board and CREA agreements allow it.
What is the difference between showing only my listings and using the National Shared Pool?
Showing only your own listings has fewer branding limits, while using the National Shared Pool adds stricter display and advertising rules.
With an “Own Listings” or brokerage only feed, you mostly need correct brokerage credit and CREA marks, and you have more freedom with page ads and co branding. The National Shared Pool lets you show many other brokers’ listings, but it comes with tighter rules on layout, third party advertising, and how you present your name next to those properties. MLSimport can map either feed into WordPress, so you can run different templates for each case.
Am I allowed to change listing text, photos, or prices that come from DDF?
You are generally not allowed to change core listing content from DDF beyond basic formatting and clearly allowed additions.
CREA and most boards expect you to show the data “as provided,” which means you do not rewrite the description, swap photos, or adjust prices from what the brokerage and seller set. You can format text for your theme and add your own extra, clearly separate notes if rules allow. MLSimport keeps the original fields intact in the database so there is a clear line between official MLS data and any extra content you add.
Can a non-agent run a Canadian property site using a partner’s feed and MLSimport?
A non agent can only run such a site if the CREA member’s DDF and board agreements explicitly permit that setup.
In practice, the licensed member or brokerage must remain the official DDF Participant and be the party responsible for rule compliance. If their agreements and board policies allow a vendor or partner site, they can authorize MLSimport to feed listings into that WordPress install using their credentials. Before you launch, the member should check with their board or lawyer to confirm that this setup fits the written DDF and local board rules.
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