SOVE7GN
Real estate team advertising rules: team names, brokerage size and reels in 4 states and BC
Updated 27 October 2026 · Written by Reyansh Juneja and Naman Dhiman, the co-founders of SOVE7GN, who run the campaigns and review the clips
Real estate team advertising rules say three things in most places: the team name must not sound like a separate brokerage, the brokerage name must appear alongside it at a set prominence, and the name often has to be registered or approved before you use it. The details differ enough by state that a team name legal in California can be banned in New York and Florida, so check yours against the table below before it goes on a reel, a handle or an end card.
Short answer: Use your surname plus "Team" ("Team" is the only word New York allows, and it works in Texas, California and Florida). Keep "Realty", "Associates", "Brokerage" and "Company" out of it. Show the brokerage name on every ad at least as prominently as your state requires: half the size of the largest team contact information in Texas, as prominent as the team name in California, never smaller than the team name in Florida. Register or get the name approved where required, and label unlicensed team members who appear on camera.
General information, not legal advice. Checked October 2026. Your broker and your regulator have the final say.
What are the team advertising rules, state by state?
| Where | Team name rules | Brokerage name in the ad | Registration or approval | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Must end with "team" or "group". No terms that suggest a brokerage independent of the sponsoring broker, such as "brokerage", "company" or "associates" | At least half the size of the largest agent, associated broker or team contact information in the ad. On social media it may sit on a profile page reached by a direct link | The broker registers the team name with TREC before it is used in ads | 22 TAC 535.154, 535.155 |
| California | The surname of at least one member plus "associates", "group" or "team". No "broker", "brokerage" or other terms suggesting an entity independent of the responsible broker | Ads with a team name show the team name and the name and license number of at least one licensed member, conspicuously. The responsible broker's identity must be as prominent and conspicuous as the team name | No separate license if the name meets the definition | DRE RE 559 (B&P 10159.6, 10159.7) |
| New York | Must use "team"; "associate", "realty" and "group" are prohibited. The name either includes the full licensed names of the members or is followed by "at" or "of" and the full broker name. No unlicensed person's name in it | The broker or brokerage name must be printed in any ad that names a team | Listing ads placed by a team need the broker's approval | 19 NYCRR 175.25 |
| Florida | May include "team" or "group". Banned: agency, associates, brokerage, brokers, company, corporation, corp., inc., LLC, LP, LLP, partnership, properties, property, real estate, realty, or similar words | The team name may not be in larger print than the brokerage name | Each team files a designated licensee with the broker; the broker keeps a monthly written record of members | Rule 61J2-10.026 |
| British Columbia | All team names used in advertising must be approved by BCFSA, with the names of all members | Prominently displayed and easily readable relative to the rest of the ad | BCFSA approval before use | BCFSA advertising guidelines |
Is your team name allowed? A quick checker
These verdicts are our cautious reading of the rule text above, for a team led by an agent called Rivera. Ask your broker before you print anything.
| Team name | Texas | California | New York | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Rivera Team | Yes | Yes | Only as "The Rivera Team at [full broker name]", unless it lists every member's full licensed name | Yes |
| Rivera Group | Yes | Yes | No: "group" is prohibited | Yes |
| Rivera & Associates | No: "associates" is named as misleading, and the name must end in team or group | Yes: surname plus "associates" fits the definition | No: "associate" is prohibited | No: "associates" is banned |
| Rivera Realty Team | Likely no: "realty" suggests a separate brokerage | Likely no, for the same reason | No: "realty" is prohibited | No: "realty" is banned |
| Lakefront Luxury Team | Yes, if registered | No surname, so it does not meet the team name definition | Only with "at [full broker name]" | Yes |
"The [Surname] Team" is the only pattern that works in all four states, and New York still wants the broker's full name attached.
What do these rules mean for a reel, a handle and a bio?
- The end card. Put the team name and the brokerage name on the same card, with the brokerage at the size your state requires. In Texas that is a ratio, so tell your editor "brokerage at least half the height of the team name", not "add the logo". California also needs a licensed member's name and license number with the team name.
- The caption. Repeat the brokerage name in the caption. It costs nothing and covers states, such as North Carolina, that want the firm name in the post content itself (state table in our realtor social media rules).
- The handle. Texas counts a social media handle as contact information (535.155(b)(4)). Our cautious reading: a team handle is part of the team's advertising, so it must follow the team name rules, and in New York "@riveragroup" would carry a prohibited word.
- The bio. Your profile is where Texas lets the broker name sit for social posts, so make it readable. Our realtor Instagram bio guide covers the rest of the profile.
- Who is on camera. Texas treats an ad with an unlicensed person's name or likeness as misleading unless it clearly discloses that the person is not licensed (535.155(d)(9)). New York and BC also require unlicensed team members named in ads to be identified. If your assistant or transaction coordinator appears in a clip, add a line such as "Maria, unlicensed assistant".
What changes when a team posts clips every day?
Volume multiplies small mistakes. A team posting 2 clips a day puts out about 60 ads a month (2 times 30), each needing the right end card and caption. Build both into a template once, have the broker approve the template, and check that every new member's name is covered by the registration or approval your state requires before they appear.
For what a team should post, see luxury real estate Instagram for a weekly mix and real estate TikTok ideas for TikTok.
When we cut clips for agents and teams, the agent and their broker approve every clip before it posts; we do not check clips for legal compliance, so give us your approved end card and caption line and we use them on every clip. We make 2 example clips for your approval first and go live within 48 hours. Growth, at $4,000 a month for 4 clips a day, suits a team with several agents on camera. See how we work with founder-led businesses or book a 30-minute call.
Questions people ask
Can a real estate team name include "Realty"?
Not in New York or Florida, where the rules prohibit it by name. In Texas and California it would very likely be read as suggesting a brokerage independent of your broker, which both states forbid.
Does a real estate team name have to be registered?
In Texas the broker registers it with TREC before it appears in ads, and in British Columbia BCFSA must approve it. Florida requires a designated licensee filed with the broker and a monthly member record. Check your own state.
How big does the brokerage name have to be on a team ad?
In Texas, at least half the size of the largest agent or team contact information. In California, as prominent and conspicuous as the team name. In Florida, the team name may not be larger than the brokerage name.
Can a real estate team have its own logo?
In New York, yes, as long as the broker's or brokerage's name or logo is also printed in the ad. Elsewhere, the brokerage prominence rules above still apply to anything the logo appears on.
Want a straight answer for your videos?
Book a 30-minute call. Send us a link first and we'll tell you which plan fits and how many clips we can make.
Book a call See plans and pricing- Realtor social media rulesFair housing, brokerage name rules by state and a checklist for every listing reel.
- Realtor Instagram bioBio examples for luxury agents, the profile rules by state and a link-in-bio that books calls.
- Luxury real estate InstagramWhat luxury agents' reels get in our 31-agent study, and a weekly content mix.