California Assembly Bill 723 · Pellerin
Digitally Altered
Image Disclosure
What every listing agent and real estate media company must know · Effective January 1, 2026
The law does not ban editing. It requires disclosure when changes affect a buyer's perception of the property.
Scope: MLS, websites, social media, print, QR galleries — every advertising channel.
A willful violation is a crime under California Real Estate Law.
For Realtors
Your Responsibility
Under the Law
What every listing agent must know about AB 723 — your liability, your disclosure obligations, and every platform it applies to
Compliance
Your Legal Responsibility
Willful Violation = Crime
- You — the listing agent and broker — are fully responsible for all listing content, regardless of who shot or edited the media
- You cannot transfer liability to your photographer or media vendor
- Applies to all active, Pending, and Hold listings — not only new listings going forward
- Extends to anyone acting on your behalf when ordering or publishing media
Process
How to Disclose Correctly
Required on All Channels
- MLS: Label altered images "Digitally Altered" or "Virtually Staged" — place the original immediately adjacent in the listing view
- Websites: Display original and altered side-by-side, or provide a linked or QR path to the original
- Print & Social: Label must appear on or near the image — "Virtually Staged" or "Digitally Altered"
- Uncertainty: When in doubt, treat it as altered and disclose
The Rule: If the photo shows something a buyer wouldn't see walking through the door — it requires disclosure.
Classification
Altered Image vs. Standard Enhancement
Disclosure Required — Digitally Altered
- Virtual staging — furniture, décor, or appliances added or removed
- Virtual twilight or dusk sky replacement
- Changing wall colors, flooring, or countertops
- Removing or adding landscaping, fencing, or exterior features
- Altering views, neighboring structures, or backgrounds
- Adding digital fire to a fireplace
- Any AI-generated change to physical property elements
No Disclosure — Standard Enhancement
- Adjusting brightness, exposure, or contrast
- Color balancing or white balance correction
- Cropping or straightening the image
- Sharpening or resizing
- Lens distortion correction
- Minor spot removal — dust or lens smudges only
Make it look better — not different.
MLS & Syndication
Platform Compliance
CRMLS · SDMLS · Bay East
- CRMLS Rule 11.5.2, SDMLS, Bay East, and other boards have updated rules to align with AB 723
- Altered photos must be labeled and paired with originals directly in the listing view
- Compliance carries through to IDX, VOW, API feeds, and syndication
- Your broker is co-responsible — include them in your disclosure workflow
Action Items
Compliance Checklist
Before You Publish
- Received originals and altered images from your media vendor?
- Altered photos labeled in the MLS listing?
- Original paired adjacent to each altered image?
- Website, social media, and print materials reviewed?
- All existing active listings audited and updated?
Bravari Internal Reference
How We Keep Your Agents Covered
Delivery standards · Edit classifications · What we flag
For Bravari
Our Delivery
Standards
Every Bravari delivery is structured so agents have everything they need to disclose correctly — no guesswork, no scrambling
Process
Delivery Standards
- Every altered image is delivered paired with its original unedited file — no exceptions
- Originals are always included even when an agent requested only the edited version
- Altered files carry systematic label suffixes so agents instantly know what requires disclosure
- AI-generated alterations are flagged and treated identically to manual edits
- Deliveries are organized into clearly named folders: Originals / Edited / Virtually Staged
File System
Naming Convention
| _original | Unedited capture | Clear |
| _enhanced | Color & exposure only | Clear |
| _virtually_staged | Furniture or décor added / removed | Disclose |
| _virtual_twilight | Sky or lighting replaced | Disclose |
| _sky_replaced | Background sky swapped | Disclose |
| _fire_added | Digital flame in fireplace | Disclose |
| _decluttered | Items digitally removed | Disclose |
Service Classification
Bravari Services — AB 723 at a Glance
Requires Disclosure
- Virtual Staging — furniture, décor, or appliances added or removed
- Virtual Twilight / Dusk — sky and exterior lighting replaced
- Sky Replacement — plain sky swapped for dramatic sky
- Digital Declutter — personal items or clutter digitally erased
- Digital Fire — flame added to fireplace
- Virtual Renovation — finishes, colors, or fixtures digitally updated
No Disclosure Required
- Standard Photography — professional color correction and exposure
- HDR Processing — exposure blending, no structural changes
- Lens Correction — distortion, straightening, perspective
- Video Walkthroughs — color graded, structurally unaltered footage
- 3D Matterport Tours — captured as-is, no virtual elements added
- Drone / Aerial Photography — standard editing only
Evolving Guidance
3D Tours & Video
- AB 723 is currently scoped to photos in advertising — video and 3D rules from MLS/CAR are still evolving
- Virtual staging inside a 3D Matterport tour is labeled and flagged in all Bravari deliveries
- We do not alter structural features, views, or finishes in video without explicit agent discussion and flagging
- Monitor your MLS board for updated guidance as this area continues to develop
Value Proposition
Why This Is Our Edge
- Agents are ultimately liable — our delivery removes their compliance burden entirely
- Paired originals and clear naming means agents can upload and disclose in minutes
- Proactive education builds trust and long-term loyalty
- Vendors who cannot provide originals or clear labels are a direct liability risk agents will want to avoid
Our Promise: Every Bravari delivery gives agents everything they need to comply — no guesswork, no scrambling.