Roominary
What counts as a digitally altered image?
California's AB 723 defines it as an image altered with photo editing software or artificial intelligence "to add, remove, or change elements in the image, including, but not limited to, fixtures, furniture, appliances, flooring, walls, paint color, hardscape, landscape, facade, floor plans, and elements outside of, or visible from, the property" (source).
Two points stand out. Virtual staging (adding furniture) clearly counts. And so do altered floor plans, so a staged floor plan needs a label too. Routine adjustments such as lighting, sharpening, white balance, color correction, straightening, cropping and exposure are excluded when they don't change how the property is represented.
The rules, source by source
| Rule | Applies to | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| NAR Code of Ethics, Article 12 and Standard of Practice 12-10 (source) | REALTORS (NAR members), nationwide | Present "a true picture" in advertising and marketing. SoP 12-10 prohibits "misleading consumers, including use of misleading images." |
| California AB 723, Business and Professions Code section 10140.8 (source) | California real estate brokers and salespeople | Any ad or promotional material with a digitally altered image must include a statement that the image was altered and a link, URL or QR code to a public page showing the original, unaltered image. On a website you control, post the unaltered versions alongside. In effect since January 1, 2026. |
| CRMLS Rule 11.5.2 (source) | Listings in CRMLS (California Regional MLS) | Label the image in the photo description with terms such as "virtually staged" or "digitally altered." The original must appear immediately before or after the altered image. A warning first, then a $250 fine if not corrected in time. |
| NorthstarMLS guidelines, July 10, 2026 (source) | Listings in NorthstarMLS | Staging may only add or remove personal property such as furniture and decor. Disclose in the photo caption or filename, or on the photo itself. Include at least one unaltered "Before" image for each staged room. No AI images of permanent features or improvements that don't exist. |
Not on this list? Search your MLS's rules for "virtual staging" or "digitally altered," or ask your MLS or broker. We add sources here only after checking the primary document.
A disclosure checklist for every staged listing
- Keep the original. Put the unaltered photo right next to each staged version. CRMLS requires it immediately before or after.
- Label it where buyers will see it. Use the photo caption or description. A small "Virtually staged" note on the image itself also works under NorthstarMLS.
- Point to the original outside the MLS. In California, flyers, social posts and your own website need the disclosure plus a link or QR code to the unaltered photo.
- Stage furniture and decor only. Don't change walls, floors, fixtures, views or anything else that conveys with the property.
- Compare each image with the original before publishing. AI can make unintended changes, such as altering a window or a floor finish. Discard any image that misrepresents the property.
- Label staged floor plans and isometric views too. California's definition names floor plans explicitly.
Example wording
Examples only. Follow your MLS's required wording where it has one.
Virtually staged: furniture and decor digitally added. The unaltered photo follows.
Some images have been digitally altered (virtual staging). See the original, unaltered photos at [link or QR code].
How Roominary fits in
Roominary adds furniture and decor to your photos and is designed to leave walls, windows, floors and doors as they are, which is exactly what MLS staging rules allow. When you upload to your MLS, add your label in the photo caption and publish your original photos alongside the staged ones.
Frequently asked questions
Is virtual staging legal?
Yes. Virtual staging is legal and widely used. What the rules target is misleading marketing: presenting an altered image as the property's real condition. That is why many MLSs, and California law, require a label and access to the original photo.
Do I need to disclose virtual staging outside California?
State law may not require it where you are, but the NAR Code of Ethics prohibits misleading images for REALTORS, and many MLSs have their own labeling rules. Labeling every staged photo and keeping the original in the listing is the safe default everywhere.
Does removing furniture count as an alteration?
Yes. California's definition covers images altered to add, remove or change elements such as furniture, and CRMLS uses the same idea. NorthstarMLS allows adding or removing personal property like furniture and decor, as long as it is disclosed.
Do simple edits like brightness or cropping need a disclosure?
Generally no. AB 723 excludes adjustments such as lighting, sharpening, white balance, color correction, angle, straightening, cropping and exposure that do not change how the property is represented, and CRMLS excludes similar minor adjustments.
What happens if I don't disclose?
It depends on your MLS and state. Under CRMLS Rule 11.5.2, a violation brings a warning first and then a $250 fine if it is not corrected in time. Misleading images can also raise Code of Ethics and licensing issues.
Sources
- California AB 723 (Business and Professions Code section 10140.8)
- CRMLS, Digitally Altered Image Guidance FAQs (Rule 11.5.2)
- NorthstarMLS, Guidelines for Virtual Staging and AI-Enhanced Listing Photos (July 10, 2026)
- National Association of REALTORS, 2026 Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice (Article 12, SoP 12-10)
Each source was checked on September 27, 2026. Spotted a rule that changed or a source we should add? Email roominary@kotak.tech.