In short
BC realtors using social media for business must (a) include their related brokerage name on each profile screen, (b) use their BCFSA-registered licensee name (or Personal Real Estate Corporation name) in advertising, (c) keep all property facts current, accurate, and verifiable, and (d) get written consent before sharing another brokerage's listing. The Real Estate Services Act (RESA) governs all of this — penalties start at $1,000 for a first contravention and can reach $250,000 at a Notice of Discipline Hearing.
- Brokerage name MUST appear on the profile (it does NOT need to appear in every individual post)
- Use the exact licensee name registered with BCFSA — or your PREC name if you operate one — never a nickname or unregistered alias
- BCFSA actively monitors social media for false or misleading claims (square footage, awards, GST inclusion, zoning use)
- Sharing another agent's listing requires their consent; sponsored content needs #Ad or #Sponsored disclosure (CREA REALTOR® Code)
- Once a residential property is publicly marketed, CREA's MLS rule requires it to be on MLS®
Who this applies to in BC
Anyone licensed to trade in real estate, rental property management, or strata management in British Columbia is governed by the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and overseen by the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA). BCFSA replaced the Real Estate Council of BC (RECBC) in August 2021 and is now the sole regulator for the profession in BC.
If you are a REALTOR®, you are also bound by the CREA REALTOR® Code — a national code of ethics maintained by the Canadian Real Estate Association — and your local board's rules (in Greater Vancouver, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver / REBGV).
Social media compliance therefore stacks across three layers — RESA / BCFSA at the provincial level, CREA's REALTOR® Code at the national level, and your specific brokerage's policies on top. This guide focuses on BCFSA and CREA rules; your brokerage may impose stricter requirements that you must also follow.
Three rule layers — all enforceable
Required disclosures on every social profile
The single most-violated rule in BC real estate social media is also the simplest: your brokerage name must appear on your business-use profile.
Per BCFSA's social media guidance, the requirement is satisfied when the brokerage name appears on the profile screen (your bio, profile description, or — where character limits don't allow text — as a clearly legible graphic in your cover photo). The brokerage name does not need to appear on every individual post or tweet.
| Platform | Where to put brokerage name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bio (text) or cover graphic in profile | Bio character limit is 150; brokerage often goes in bio + reinforced as graphic | |
| Facebook (page) | About section + bio | Page bios have plenty of space — easy compliance |
| Facebook (personal used for biz) | Profile + intro field | If you mix personal + business posts, brokerage must still be discoverable |
| Twitter / X | Bio (text) | 160 character limit — brokerage name must fit |
| Headline or About section | Use 'Realtor at [Brokerage]' format in headline | |
| TikTok | Bio + linked profile | Bio is short — brokerage often abbreviated in bio with link to fuller info |
| YouTube | Channel description (About tab) | About tab is the canonical disclosure location |
Profile-level brokerage disclosure satisfies BCFSA's requirement on each major platform.
Verbatim from BCFSA
What name to use — licensee, PREC, team
When your name appears on any advertising — including social media bios, post captions, and digital business cards — it must match the name registered with BCFSA. There are three valid forms:
| Your situation | What name you must use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Individual licensee, no PREC | Your BCFSA-registered legal name (or recognizable short form approved by BCFSA) | "Sarah J. Smith" or "Sarah Smith" if approved |
| Operating a Personal Real Estate Corporation (PREC) | The PREC's licensee name — NOT your individual name | "Sarah Smith Personal Real Estate Corporation" |
| Operating as a team | Your team's BCFSA-approved name + your individual licensee name | "Smith & Co Real Estate Team — Sarah Smith" |
Common PREC mistake
Content standards — true, current, verifiable
RESA requires every piece of advertising to be current, accurate, and verifiable. BCFSA actively monitors social media (yes, including Instagram Reels and TikTok) and issues penalties for contraventions. The two most common violation categories are:
Property facts you can't stretch
Square footage, lot size, GST inclusion in price, allowable use, zoning permission for additions or extra suites, age, and condition. If you publish "1,500 sqft" when the survey says 1,420, that's a contravention. If you say "GST included" but the contract says GST is in addition, that's a contravention.
Credentials and awards
"Top 1% nationally" only if it's verifiable and current. Awards from prior years should be dated. Affiliations that no longer exist must come down. False or unsupportable credentials are one of BCFSA's most-pursued violations because they directly mislead consumers about the licensee's qualifications.
Do
- +Verify square footage against the registered survey or strata plan before publishing
- +Date awards (e.g., '2025 Top Producer — Sutton Vancouver') so vintage is clear
- +Update profile claims when status changes (no longer with a brokerage, award expired, etc.)
- +Cite the source of any market statistic you publish (REBGV, BC Assessment, CREA)
- +Include realistic disclosures alongside aspirational language
Don't
- −Don't publish 'GST included' on a price unless the listing contract confirms it
- −Don't claim suite potential, secondary dwelling, or zoning rights without confirming with the municipality
- −Don't use generic 'award-winning' language without naming the specific, verifiable award
- −Don't post old listings as current without removing 'just listed' or comparable timing language
- −Don't use stock photos that imply the property's view, finish, or condition without disclosing they're stock
The 'I didn't know' defence doesn't work
Common violations and BCFSA penalty schedule
The financial consequences for non-compliance are not theoretical. BCFSA publishes its administrative penalty schedule, and the formal discipline process can result in dramatically larger fines.
| Stage | Penalty |
|---|---|
| First contravention (administrative) | $1,000 |
| Subsequent contravention (administrative) | $2,000 |
| Continued non-compliance after warning period | $250 per day |
| Maximum administrative penalty | Up to $100,000 |
| Notice of Discipline Hearing — individual licensee | Up to $250,000 |
| Notice of Discipline Hearing — corporation | Up to $500,000 |
Source: BCFSA published penalty schedule. Penalties accumulate per contravention — multiple posts can each constitute a separate contravention.
Real disciplinary examples
Sponsored content, paid promotion, and #Ad rules
The CREA REALTOR® Code (and federal Competition Act guidance from the Competition Bureau) requires that paid or sponsored content be clearly disclosed to viewers. This is on top of platform-specific disclosure tools.
What counts as "sponsored"
- You paid an influencer or media personality to promote your service or listing
- An influencer received free product, services, or discounts in exchange for posting
- You're paid to feature a developer's project, builder's home, or staging service
- You're a paid brand ambassador for any service or product appearing in your content
How to disclose properly
- Use #Ad, #Sponsored, or #PaidPartnership at the start of the caption (not buried at the end)
- On Instagram, also use the platform's "Paid Partnership" tag when applicable
- For video content, include a verbal or on-screen disclosure within the first few seconds
- Disclosure language must be in the same language as the content
Sharing other brokerages' listings
Posting another brokerage's listing on your social media — even with proper credit — is governed by both the REALTOR® Code and provincial advertising rules.
The default rule
What's typically okay without explicit consent
- Sharing publicly available MLS listing links via the platform's link-share function
- Posting market commentary that references aggregated data (not specific other-brokerage listings)
- Re-sharing the listing brokerage's own social posts using the platform's native share functions, with attribution
What requires explicit written consent
- Reposting another brokerage's listing photos or videos as your own content
- Creating reels or videos featuring another brokerage's listings
- "Open house tour" content for properties you're not co-listing
- Any content that implies you represent the listing
Pre-publish compliance checklist
Run every business-related social media post through these eight checks before hitting publish. Most BCFSA violations would have been caught here.
Profile compliance check
Brokerage name visible on the profile screen (bio text or cover graphic)? Licensee name matches BCFSA registration (or PREC name)?
Property facts verifiable
Square footage, lot size, taxes, GST treatment, zoning use — all sourced from a verifiable document (survey, strata plan, BC Assessment, contract, or municipal records)?
Awards and credentials current
Any 'top producer', 'award-winning', or affiliation language is dated, current, and supported by the issuing authority?
Other brokerage's listing? Consent on file?
If your post features another brokerage's listing photos/video — written consent from the listing brokerage on file?
Sponsored or paid content disclosed?
Anything paid for, gifted, or in exchange — #Ad / #Sponsored / Paid Partnership at the START of the caption?
Stock or representative photos disclosed?
Generic interior shots, neighbourhood photography, or staged 'representative' images clearly labelled as not the actual property?
Commenter compliance
Comments you make on others' posts (including replying to your own audience) also subject to the Code — keep them factual and non-misleading?
Brokerage policy check
Specific brokerage rules (some require pre-approval for video content, restrict competitor mentions, etc.) — followed?
Official resources to bookmark
These are the canonical official sources. When in doubt, go to these — not to industry blogs or third-party interpretations.
Companion resources
For realtors with high-end clients who need property management
If you're a Greater Vancouver realtor whose clients have furnished luxury rentals or commercial properties they need managed, David Siccia Properties is a referral-friendly partner. We protect your client relationship and don't compete on listings.