Your website is built and the search page looks great. Then the MLS tells you your broker has to sign before a single listing shows up. That’s normal, and you can fix it. This guide covers who signs what, why the broker has to sign, and how to keep the paperwork from holding up your launch.
Does the broker of record have to sign off before our brokerage website can show MLS listings?
Yes. In nearly every US MLS, the broker of record has to sign or approve the IDX agreement before listings can show on your site. The IDX feed belongs to the broker, not to the agent or the software. Your local MLS sets the exact forms, the order of signatures, the fees and the wait.
IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange. It’s the MLS program that lets you show other brokers’ listings on your own website. Under National Association of REALTORS (NAR) rules, the member firm is the “participant,” and that’s the broker. Agents who work under the broker are “subscribers.”
- Brokerage website: The broker gets the feed, so the broker signs.
- Agent’s own website: The agent also needs the broker’s consent, and the broker stays responsible for the site.
- Every MLS: The details are different, so always start with your board’s IDX page.
Why does the broker of record have to sign for IDX?
The broker has to sign because MLS rules give IDX rights to the participant, and the participant is a licensed broker. A participant must hold a current broker’s license and be a principal, partner, corporate officer or branch office manager. Agents get IDX access through their firm, not on their own.
ARMLS in Arizona says, “IDX feeds are available only to brokers participating in the IDX program.” It also says, “All feeds must be used under broker control.”
NAR’s model IDX rules, as MLSs such as Rhode Island REALTORS repeat them, say an agent may run an IDX site only “with his or her Participant’s consent.” That site is “subject to the Participant’s oversight, supervision, and accountability.” Your broker answers for what your site shows, and keeps that responsibility for as long as the site shows listings.
NAR’s handbook pages wouldn’t open for us, so we took that wording from MLS and vendor pages that repeat it. Check the current NAR Handbook on Multiple Listing Policy and your own MLS rules for the exact text.
Who signs what before your site shows MLS listings?
Usually up to four parties sign: the broker, the agent (for an agent site), the website vendor and the MLS. The broker approves first. Then the MLS gives final approval and sends credentials, the login keys your site uses to pull the listings.
| Who | What they usually sign or approve |
|---|---|
| Broker of record (participant) | The IDX agreement for the firm, plus approval of each agent site and each vendor |
| Agent (subscriber) | Their part of the vendor paperwork, when the site is the agent’s own |
| Website vendor or data company | The vendor’s side of the agreement |
| MLS | Final approval, then the credentials |
Web4Realty’s help center lists the same four signers: agent, broker, vendor and MLS. Status screens show the order. RealScout shows “Pending Broker Approval” while it waits on the broker. At Garden State MLS, the status changes to “Pending GSMLS Approval” only after the broker clicks accept and sign.
Brokerage website vs. agent website: what changes for the broker?
On a brokerage website, the broker is the licensee and signs for the firm. On an agent’s own website, the broker gives consent for that agent and that site, then keeps watching it. Both need the broker. The agent site just adds a consent step for each agent.
- MLSListings (California): An agent “must have his/her broker’s permission to have an IDX website,” using a “Broker Authorization for Website” form. Brokers are opted in automatically.
- Houston Association of REALTORS: Rule 18.3.4 lets agents show IDX on their own sites “with their Participant’s consent and control.”
- San Diego MLS (form uploaded in 2020): The broker must tell the MLS who the agent is before publishing for that agent.
Approvals are often tied to one domain (your web address). A second site, or a move to a new domain, may need its own approval. If you’re deciding how many sites to run, see one website or one website per office and agent pages on your brokerage site or agents’ own websites. For the plugin side, see using MLSImport on more than one website.
What has to happen after the broker signs?
More work follows the signature. Under NAR’s model policy, “Participants must notify the MLS of their intention to display IDX information and give the MLS direct access for purposes of monitoring/ensuring compliance.” After that, your site has to follow the display rules for as long as it shows listings.
- Tell the MLS and let it check your site. The MLS needs to be able to see what you show.
- Keep listings fresh. NAR’s model IDX rule says listings must refresh “not less frequently than every 12 hours.” Some older local rules allowed 3 days. MLS Import checks for updates every hour by default.
- Show your brokerage clearly. MLSListings says an agent site “must clearly show the brokerage brand and must retain the broker’s branding/logo at all times.”
- Keep the required credits and disclaimers. Each MLS has its own wording. See MLS display rules: attribution, internet flags and protected data and MLS/IDX compliance rules for WordPress sites.
How broker sign-off works at different MLSs
Every MLS needs the broker, but each board does it its own way. Some use an online portal. Some send an e-signature by email. Some need a signed form before a vendor gets a feed. Here’s how a few boards handle it.
- Garden State MLS (New Jersey): “Your Application now REQUIRES your BROKER OF RECORD to APPROVE.” The broker logs into the GSMLS portal, opens the IDX agreements page and clicks accept and sign.
- Triad MLS (North Carolina): The broker-in-charge has to log into the contract tool in Matrix first (it’s called Bridge Data Contract Management). Until then, no agent in that office can open it. Agent, broker, vendor and Triad MLS all sign, in a set order. See our Triad MLS guide.
- Cape Cod & Islands MLS: You need a signed Participant Data License. Only the participant or a full-rights office manager can sign the brokerage section. Staff approve or deny within one to two business days. See our Cape Cod & Islands MLS guide.
- Houston Association of REALTORS: The broker and the vendor sign the Broker Data Access Authorization Agreement. HAR’s data company signs last, after the fee is paid. See our HAR guide.
- MLS Now (Ohio): The broker approves by email through Authentisign.
- Canopy MLS (North Carolina): The participant and the agent both sign digitally.
- ARMLS (Arizona): Feeds can run on brokerage sites, or on agent sites with broker approval. Each request must be tied to an active subscriber. See our Arizona Regional MLS guide.
- CRMLS (California): DMR Media says CRMLS issues feeds “through the broker of record.” See our CRMLS guide.
- Stellar MLS (Florida): Stellar’s old FAQ said a participant must sign the Stellar MLS IDX Agreement before listings appear, and that agents need their broker’s approval. That page now returns an error, so check Stellar’s current rules. See our Stellar MLS guide.
Before you send anything, call or email your MLS and ask three things: which form is current, who has to sign it, and which web address goes on it. Forms and screen names change. A five-minute question can save you two weeks. Our MLS integration guides list what we know for each board.
How long does MLS approval take after the broker signs?
Most MLSs approve within about 3 to 7 business days once every signature is in, though some boards take 2 to 6 weeks. Under NAR’s model policy, the MLS must act on an IDX feed request within five business days. Checking whether you qualify as a participant, or vetting a vendor, can stretch that.
In this rule, “act on” means respond. Inman (2015) read the rule as meaning the MLS has to communicate with the broker in that window. Our own MLS website guide describes it as approve, deny or give an estimated date. Either way, the rule doesn’t promise you’ll go live in five days.
| Source | Typical wait |
|---|---|
| Web4Realty | 3 to 5 business days |
| IDX Broker | 3 to 7 days at most boards |
| Cape Cod & Islands MLS | 1 to 2 business days after the form is sent |
| CRMLS, per DMR Media | A few business days to a couple of weeks after your broker signs |
| BAREIS | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Some 2026 agent guides | 2 to 6 weeks |
The most common hold-up is the broker. Web4Realty says a common delay is that “your broker does not e-sign the contract immediately.” If an agent tells you “its been 2 weeks trying to get MLS access,” check the status screen first. Read more in MLS approval processes that take time.
How much does IDX approval cost?
Many MLSs give each brokerage a few IDX feeds free, then charge for extra feeds or websites. Vendors often pay their own MLS fees on top of that. Prices vary a lot by board, so treat these as examples and confirm with your MLS.
- ARMLS: 5 free IDX or back-office feeds per brokerage. Each extra feed is $150 a month.
- CRMLS: $7 a month per website, with the first 2 websites free. Developers also pay an $85 monthly service fee to the data platform CRMLS uses, and brokers get 2 free feeds from it. This page wasn’t dated, so check the current numbers.
- MLSListings: As of January 2012, raw feeds cost brokers nothing, and vendors pay roughly “$100 a month on up.” That’s an old figure, so confirm it.
- BAREIS: A $50 non-refundable vendor application fee.
- MLS Import: $49 a month, or $504 a year, after a 30-day free trial. This is separate from any MLS fee. See MLS Import pricing and what an IDX setup actually costs.
Do other brokers have to consent to us showing their listings?
Usually no, not one by one. Under NAR’s model IDX policy, a listing broker’s consent is presumed unless that broker tells the MLS otherwise, or unless state law requires written consent. That’s a separate thing from your own broker’s sign-off, which you always need.
- Written consent: Some MLSs require it. Realcomp in Michigan says consent “must be established in writing.”
- Opting out: A broker who withholds consent across the board “may not download, frame or display the aggregated MLS data of other participants.”
- Sellers: A seller can opt out of internet display one listing at a time. See the listings you are not allowed to show.
How to get your broker’s sign-off done without delays
The fastest launches start with the broker. Line up your broker early, use your real web address, and build the site while the MLS reviews your paperwork.
- Find your board’s IDX page. Download the current forms and rules.
- Pick your vendor and check that your MLS accepts it. Use our IDX vendor support checklist before you trust a vendor with your brokerage site.
- Warn your broker before the email lands. Tell them what they’ll sign, where it will come from and why it matters.
- Put your live domain on the form. Don’t use a test address.
- Watch the status. “Pending Broker Approval” means it’s on your broker. “Pending MLS approval” means it’s on the board.
- Build while you wait. MLS Import has a Test MLS you can use during approval, and the 30-day free trial gives you time to set up pages. See the free trial and what limits actually exist.
- Enter your credentials when they arrive. Follow connecting your MLS in the wizard.
What MLS Import does and what your brokerage does
MLS Import pulls the listings your MLS approved into your WordPress site and checks for updates every hour. It doesn’t replace MLS approval, and it can’t sign agreements or apply for you. Your broker signs, your MLS sends the credentials, and you enter them in the plugin.
| Step | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Signing the IDX agreement and agent site approvals | Your broker of record |
| Applying to the MLS and paying MLS fees | Your brokerage (or vendor, where your MLS allows it) |
| Telling you which platform your MLS uses and what to ask for | MLS Import support |
| Opening a ticket for MLSs that need activation by ticket | You, from your MLS Import dashboard |
| Pulling listings, broker and agent credits, and disclaimer fields | MLS Import |
| Hourly update checks | MLS Import |
| Keeping the site within MLS rules | Your broker, who stays responsible |
MLS Import works with more than 800 MLSs in the US and Canada. Our home page says, “MLSimport doesn’t replace that approval.” To see whose name the credentials go under, read who needs to hold the credentials. For the full path, see how to connect your website to your MLS and direct MLS feed or IDX vendor.
Frequently asked questions about broker sign-off for IDX
Can an agent get an IDX feed without the broker?
No, not on most boards. IDX feeds belong to the broker as the MLS participant. An agent can run an IDX site only with the broker’s consent, and the broker stays responsible for it. Even where the agent starts the application, the broker usually has to sign or approve it.
Can my team leader sign instead of the broker?
Usually not, unless your MLS counts them as a signer. MLS participants are principals, partners, corporate officers or branch office managers. Cape Cod & Islands MLS, for example, lets only the participant or a full-rights office manager sign the brokerage section. Ask your MLS who it accepts.
Does the broker have to sign again for an agent’s own website?
Often, yes. Many MLSs track approval by agent and by domain. MLSListings uses a Broker Authorization for Website form, and HAR Rule 18.3.4 requires the participant’s consent and control for agent sites.
Does the broker have to sign again if we switch vendors or domains?
Often, yes. The vendor is usually one of the signers, so a new vendor means a new agreement. Approvals are also often tied to a specific domain, so a new web address may need its own approval. Check with your MLS before you switch.
What happens to my IDX site if I change brokerages?
Expect to need a new approval. Your feed runs under your broker’s consent and oversight, so when you move, your new broker has to sign off for your site. Ask your MLS how it handles the switch before you change brokerages so your listings don’t go dark.
Why is my MLS approval stuck in pending?
Most of the time, the broker hasn’t signed yet. Web4Realty lists a broker who doesn’t e-sign the contract right away as a common delay. Look at the status: Pending Broker Approval means your broker, and Pending MLS approval means the board is reviewing it.
Do I have to be a licensed agent to use IDX on my site?
Yes, in practice. IDX feeds go to MLS participants, who must hold a current broker’s license. Agents use IDX through their broker. If you’re not licensed, you’d need a licensed broker’s IDX approval behind the site.
If our whole office uses one site, does only the managing broker approve?
Usually yes. On a brokerage site, the broker is the licensee and signs for the firm. Agent pages on that one site don’t need separate agent sites approved. Your MLS may still ask for its own forms, so confirm.
Does MLS Import get the broker’s signature for us?
No. MLS Import can’t sign agreements or apply for you. Your broker signs with your MLS. MLS Import support can tell you which platform your MLS uses and what to ask for, and you enter the credentials once they arrive.
Can I build the site while I wait for approval?
Yes. MLS Import has a Test MLS you can use while your approval is pending, and the 30-day free trial gives you time to set up pages. When your real credentials arrive, you connect your MLS and import your listings.
Has your broker sign-off gone fast, or did it sit in pending for weeks? Tell fellow agents which MLS you’re in and what worked. Your story could save someone else a month of waiting.
