TREC IABS Notice, Consumer Protection Notice & Texas Advertising Rules
Purpose. This article sets out Relive Realty's policy for complying with TREC's rules on the Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) Notice, the Consumer Protection Notice, and advertising by license holders.
It implements 22 TAC §535.2(g), which requires the broker to maintain — and every sponsored license holder to follow — written policies ensuring compliance with TREC's rules.
Every agent is required to sign the separate onboarding acknowledgment for this policy. This article is the reference version and controls if anything ever conflicts.
1. Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) Notice
You must give the current TREC-promulgated IABS Notice (currently Form IABS 1-2, effective 1/1/2026) in writing to a party at the time of the first substantive communication with that party about a specific property. This comes from Texas Occupations Code §1101.558(b-1) and TREC Rule 22 TAC §531.20.
Written notice is not required when:
- the matter is a residential lease of one year or less and no sale is being considered
- the other party is already known to be represented by another license holder
- or the communication happens at an open house and relates only to that property (Occ. Code §1101.558(c))
You may only fill in your own contact information on the form — the text, spacing, and layout must stay exactly as TREC promulgated it. (Posting/linking requirements are covered in Section 3 below.)
2. TREC Consumer Protection Notice
The Consumer Protection Notice (currently Form CN 1-5, adopted by reference in 22 TAC §531.18) tells consumers how to file a complaint against a license holder with TREC.
It must also be physically posted in a readily noticeable location at every office location, including branch offices. (Posting/linking requirements online are covered in Section 3 below.)
3. Where These Notices Must Be Posted — Website, Social Media & Email
Websites
Every agent's and the brokerage's website must carry a link on the homepage, in a readily noticeable place, to both the IABS Notice and the Consumer Protection Notice, labeled either "Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services" / "Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice" (minimum 10-point font) or the shorter "TREC" versions (minimum 12-point font).
Relive Realty's current, ready-to-link notices are here: Relive Realty LLC – Brokerage Information.
Social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.)
Satisfy the "one-click-away" rule by keeping @ReliveRealty visible in your bio at all times — not just tagged in an occasional post — so both notices stay reachable through Relive Realty's own profile/website.
Above and beyond
Publish your own individual IABS Notice and Consumer Protection Notice to a public Google Drive link and put that link directly in your bio.
The IABS Notice link must go above your signature block, in the body of the email — it may not be placed inside your signature block or footer. This is required by TREC rule 22 TAC §531.20(d).
4. Texas Advertising Rules
These rules apply to every advertisement — print, signage, business cards, websites, email, text messages, and social media — under 22 TAC §535.154 (name registration) and §535.155 (advertisements):
- Every ad must show the name of the license holder or team placing it, and the broker's name must appear at least half as large as the largest piece of contact information shown for any agent, associated broker, or team.
- Team names, assumed business names (DBAs), and alternate/nickname names must be registered with TREC before use — the broker registers team names and DBAs; individual agents register their own alternate names. Team names must end in "Team" or "Group" and may not contain "brokerage," "company," "associates," or similar words implying an independent brokerage.
- Ads may never create the impression that a sales agent is the one responsible for or operating the brokerage — for example, a name like "[Agent Name]'s Realty Group" used without equally prominent broker identification is a violation.
- Any CMA, BPO, or other estimate of property value that's advertised must carry the disclosure required by 22 TAC §535.17.
Enforcement
Both the agent and the sponsoring broker can be disciplined for advertising violations (22 TAC §535.2), and false or misleading advertising can separately violate Occ. Code §1101.652(b)(23).
5. Where to Find Current Notices and Forms
Relive Realty's own current notices, ready to link: Relive Realty LLC – Brokerage Information.
TREC's originals and full rule text: TREC Rules and Laws index · IABS form · Consumer Protection Notice · TREC's advertising rule quick-reference.
6. Onboarding Requirement
Every sponsored agent must read this article and sign the "TREC Consumer Notice & Advertising Compliance Acknowledgment" as part of onboarding, before conducting brokerage activity.