TREC Advertising Rules for New Agents: What Must Be on Your Marketing

The short answer

New Texas agents often ask what has to be on a business card, sign, post or website. TREC publishes a rule review page for this. It says all ads must follow Texas Occupations Code section 1101.652(b)(23) and TREC Rules 535.154 and 535.155.

This guide turns that page into plain steps. Facts come from TREC pages, checked October 16, 2026. Rule text can change, so read the current rule before you print anything.

What counts as an ad

A TREC FAQ says that under Rules 535.154 and 535.155 an advertisement is "any form of communication by or on behalf of a license holder designed to attract the public." TREC says this includes electronic media, signs and business cards.

So a social post, a yard sign, a flyer and a business card can all count. When in doubt, treat it as an ad.

What TREC says must be in an ad

This table follows the TREC advertising rule review page. Quotes are short and exact.

What your ad cannot imply

TREC says an ad cannot in any way imply that a sales agent is the person responsible for the operation of the brokerage. If your last name matches the brokerage name, the ad should clearly show you are not the broker.

TREC also says a URL or email address violates the rule if it includes a title that implies responsibility for a brokerage. And a license holder may not create a misleading impression in an ad.

Team names and "Group"

A sales agent may use "Team" or "Group" in a name only if the ad also includes the broker's name, per TREC. Our team brokerage guide explains how team structures work. Team names must be registered with TREC before use in ads, and the broker registers them.

Associated brokers may not call themselves "broker" in ads. TREC suggests "associated broker," "broker associate" or "associate broker."

Money and disclosure rules

TREC lists two disclosure points on its page. If you expect pay from a service provider you promote, the ad must disclose that you may receive compensation. If an ad offers a rebate, TREC says to disclose that payment is subject to the consent of the seller when that applies.

We did not find a plain TREC summary for every case, such as sold claims. Read the full rule for those.

Who is responsible for a new agent's ads

TREC says it does not review a sales agent's advertising. It says sponsoring brokers are responsible for making sure their agents' ads follow the rules. That means your broker can ask you to change an ad, and it is wise to ask first.

TREC also says each broker and sales agent must put a link to the IABS form on the homepage of their website, in at least 10 point type. Our IABS guide covers the form itself.

Examples of how to read the half-size rule

Say your phone number is the largest contact detail on a card. TREC says the broker's name must be at least half the size of that detail. If your phone number is in 20 point type, the broker's name needs to be at least 10 point. This example is our math, not a TREC example.

If the broker's name is built into a logo, TREC says the size of the broker's name itself counts, not the size of the whole logo. Measure the words, not the box around them.

For a sign, the same idea applies. The broker's name should be easy to read from where a person would stand to look at the sign.

Where to read the full rule

TREC links its rules from the Rules and Laws page. The advertising rules are 22 Texas Administrative Code sections 535.154 and 535.155, and the TREC FAQ lists their effective date as May 15, 2018. Read the current text, and ask your sponsoring broker how the office applies it. Our questions to ask a brokerage guide includes support and marketing topics.

A quick check before you post

This checklist is our general guidance based on the TREC page. It is not a rule.

• Is my name or my team name on it?
• Is the broker's name on it, at least half the size of the biggest contact detail?
• Is the broker's name easy to see, not hidden in small print?
• Does anything suggest I own or run the brokerage?
• Is my team name registered with TREC, and does it avoid words like "brokerage" or "company"?
• Do I disclose pay from any service provider or a rebate offer?
• Did I show the ad to my sponsoring broker?

Common mistakes

These are our view of likely mistakes, not a TREC list.

• Printing cards with the agent name big and the broker name tiny.
• Using a logo where the broker name is too small to read.
• Choosing a website name with a title like "broker" or "realty" that implies you run the firm.
• Making a team name before the broker registers it.
• Assuming TREC reviewed your ad. It says it does not.

If you are thinking about DFW

If you are licensed, or close to it, and looking at the Dallas and Fort Worth area, you can start a conversation with us on our site. Ask every brokerage how it reviews ads and what it expects.

Rules can change

Education only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm licensing rules with TREC.