Quick-Reference for Agents — Aligned with Revised Rules & Regulations
⚠️ Key Terminology Change
The revised Rules use "two business days" (Mon–Fri, excluding federal & Ohio state holidays) as the standard deadline for listing entry and status changes — not "48 hours." Plan accordingly: a Friday listing means Tuesday is your deadline, not Sunday.
Section 1: Entering a New Listing
Follow this path when you have a new property to list.
| Decision | YES → | NO → |
|---|---|---|
| Do you have a valid, fully signed exclusive listing agreement? | Proceed to the next question below. | Cannot enter in MLS as Active. You may save as a "Draft" until signed. (Note: net listings, open listings, wholesale, and one party listings are not accepted — Rule 2.4.4.) |
| Does the seller want the listing in the MLS? | Proceed to the next question below. | This is an Office Exclusive listing (Rule 12.16). Submit the Seller MLS Opt-Out form and the listing agreement within two business days. The listing may not be publicly marketed — if it is, it must be entered in the MLS within one business day after marketing begins (Rule 2.2.1). Failing to do so is a Clear Cooperation violation ($1,000+ fine). |
| Does the seller want a pre-market period before the listing goes Active? | Enter as PREP (Pre-Release Entry Property — Rule 4.2.1). The seller must complete the Seller PREP Authorization form, and the form and the listing agreement must be submitted to the MLS within two business days of the list date (Rule 2.2.3). Showings and IDX feeds to public portals are optional, public marketing such as yard signs and social media posts is permitted, and price history and days on market are suppressed during the 7-business-day PREP period (Rule 12.19). Then proceed to the internet syndication question. | Enter as ACTIVE (see entry requirements below), or as Temporarily Off Market (TOM) if the property is not yet being shown at all (Rule 2.2.1). Then proceed to the internet syndication question. |
| Does the seller want the listing syndicated to the internet via IDX? | No additional forms needed — listing will be syndicated by default. | The listing must still be submitted to MLS Now by the normal deadlines and marked "Internet No." Have the seller(s) complete the Seller Opt-Out of Internet Authorization Waiver form (Rule 2.2.2) and submit it to DataIntegrity@MLSNow.com within two business days. |
Mandatory Submission Deadlines (Rules §2.2.1)
A listing must be filed by the earlier of:
- Two business days after a fully signed exclusive listing agreement, OR
- One business day after marketing the property to the public (yard signs, digital marketing, social media, multi-brokerage sharing networks, etc.)
Whichever comes FIRST. If the listing is not yet being shown at all, enter with "Temporarily Off Market" status.
PREP listings: the Seller PREP Authorization form and the listing agreement must be submitted to the MLS within two business days of the list date (Rule 2.2.3).
Before submitting any listing, verify that the same property is not already listed in MLS Now by another listing broker (Rule 2.2.4).
Optional property types: commercial and rental listings are optional. See Property Types for which property types require mandatory submission.
ACTIVE Listing Requirements
- Property is available for showings and offers on equal terms for all subscribers.
- All required fields must be complete. Any offer deadlines or showing restrictions must be disclosed in remarks.
- Paperwork: Listing agreement must be available on request (within one business day of MLS Now's request).
- Primary photo must be uploaded within 48 hours ($100 fine if missing). The primary image must be an unaltered current exterior photo, except for new construction, where an architectural rendering is permitted (Rule 3.2).
- If the listing is not yet being shown, enter with "Temporarily Off Market" (TOM) status instead.
Entered incorrect information? Submit a listing correction form to DataIntegrity@MLSNow.com to have MLS staff correct it. Correct known errors promptly — $25 fine for incorrect required fields if not corrected within one business day of notice (Rule 2.7.3).
Section 2: Changing a Listing Status
All status changes must be reported within two business days of the change (Rules §4.1.1). Documentation must be available within one business day of MLS Now's request.
From ACTIVE to Another Status
| Status Change | Deadline | Documentation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active → Under Contract (Contingent/Pending) | Two business days of signed purchase agreement | Purchase agreement must be available on request. Not submitted unless audited. | Indicate contingencies and show/no-show per field options (Rules §4.2, Under Contract). |
| Active → Temporarily Off Market (TOM) | Two business days of seller's authorization | Seller's written authorization must be available on request. | Marketing and showings are suspended. Showing a TOM listing = $500 fine. Listing agreement remains in effect. |
| Active → Withdrawn | Two business days of seller's written authorization | Seller's written authorization required. Must obtain Participant's written authorization to release. | Listing agreement remains in effect but listing is removed from MLS. Withdrawn with release CANNOT be reactivated. |
| Active → Canceled | Two business days of agreement termination | Termination documentation must be available on request. | Used when the listing agreement is terminated before its stated expiration date (Rules §4.2.5). |
From UNDER CONTRACT Back to Other Statuses
| Status Change | Deadline | Documentation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under Contract → Active (deal fell through) | Two business days of mutual release | Must have mutual release. Available on request. | Reinstate listing if a valid listing agreement remains (Rules §4.1.3). |
| Under Contract → Closed/Sold | 14 calendar days of the final closing date | Sale price and closing info required. $50 processing fee if late. | Must go Under Contract FIRST, then Sold. If you miss the 14-day window, the system won't allow it — enter today's date and send a listing correction form. |
Reactivating OFF-MARKET Listings
| Status Change | Deadline | Documentation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withdrawn (no release) → Active | Submit listing correction form to MLS | Listing correction form required. MLS staff must process. | WITHDRAWN WITH RELEASE CANNOT BE REACTIVATED. |
| Expired → Active | Must extend BEFORE the expiration date | Written extension from seller required. | You cannot extend or reactivate something that has already expired. Listings auto-expire on their termination date (Rules §4.1.2). |
Other Common Changes
| Action | Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price change or term modification | Must be authorized in writing by the seller and updated in MLS within two business days of the effective date (Rules §2.8). | Copies of seller instructions must be provided within one business day of MLS Now's request (Rules §2.8). |
| Extend a listing | Must be done BEFORE the expiration date. Requires seller's written extension. | Once expired, it cannot be extended — you would need a new listing agreement. |
| Correct a sold price | Submit a listing correction form to MLS. | If already marked Sold, only MLS staff can change the sold price. |
| Sold Before Processing (SBP) | Purchase agreement must NOT predate the fully executed listing agreement (same day is OK). Enter within two business days of list date. | Rules §4.3.2. A valid option when listing and sale happen simultaneously. |
Section 3: Where to Submit Paperwork
| Document Type | Submit To |
|---|---|
| All paperwork (listing corrections, seller opt-out forms, internet waivers, etc.) | DataIntegrity@MLSNow.com |
Section 4: Automatic Fines — Quick Reference
These fines are automatic and apply to all members with access to MLS Now Systems.
| Offense | Fine |
|---|---|
| Late entry of listing | $100 |
| Late status change (Contingent, Pending, Withdrawn) | $100 |
| Late in sending Opt-Out (Office Exclusive) | $100 |
| Incorrect status (e.g., Active but no showings allowed) | $100 |
| Primary photo not uploaded within 48 hours | $100 |
| Showings when listing is in TOM status | $500 |
| Falsification of listing (with 30-day suspension) | $1,000 |
| Clear Cooperation violation (Non-Waivable) — 1st / 2nd / 3rd | $1K / $2.5K / $5K |
| Late status change to Sold (processing fee, non-waivable) | $50 |
| Incorrect info in required fields (after notice, 1 business day to correct) | $25 |
Section 5: Documentation Checklist
Always have these ready. MLS Now can request any of them within one business day (Rules §2.1.2).
| When | Have Ready |
|---|---|
| New listing (Active) | Signed exclusive listing agreement, primary exterior photo |
| PREP (pre-market period) | Seller PREP Authorization form, listing agreement |
| Office Exclusive (seller opts out of MLS) | Seller MLS Opt-Out form, listing agreement |
| Seller opts out of internet/IDX syndication | Seller Opt-Out of Internet Authorization Waiver form |
| Status change to Under Contract | Signed purchase agreement |
| Deal falls through (back to Active) | Mutual release document |
| Withdrawn | Seller's written authorization, Participant release authorization |
| TOM (Temporarily Off Market) | Seller's written authorization to suspend marketing |
| Closed/Sold | Sale price, closing date, settlement statement, seller-paid concessions (if applicable) |
| Price change or extension | Seller's written authorization for the change/extension |
Section 6: Official Status Definitions (Rules §4.2)
The definitions below are quoted from Rule 4.2 of the MLS Now Rules and Regulations (effective 08/03/2026). See MLS Now Rules: Section 4 for the full section.
| Status | Definition |
|---|---|
| PREP (Pre-Release Entry Property) | A property that is in a pre-marketing status, entered into the MLS system and visible to all participants and subscribers. The pre-marketing status follows all MLS and NAR entry rules. (Added 05/26) |
| Active | Property is available for showings and offers, with showings available on the same terms for all subscribers. All required fields are complete. Any offer deadlines or showing restrictions must be disclosed in remarks. |
| Under Contract | An offer has been accepted. If there are contingencies, indicate “contingencies” and “show”/“no show” per field options. |
| Temporarily Off Market (TOM) | Marketing and showings are suspended at the seller’s direction while the listing agreement remains in effect. |
| Withdrawn | The listing agreement remains in effect, but the listing is withdrawn from the MLS compilation at the seller’s direction. A listing may be withdrawn before expiration with the seller’s written authorization (with or without release). Sellers do not have a unilateral right to require MLS Now to cancel a listing; MLS Now may remove or cancel a listing upon documented termination or invalidity of the listing agreement. Listings that are withdrawn must obtain the Participant’s written authorization to release the listing. |
| Expired | The listing agreement’s termination date has passed without renewal/extension. |
| Canceled | The listing agreement has been terminated before its stated expiration. |
| Closed/Sold | The transaction has closed. Sale price and other required closing information must be reported within the prescribed timeframe. |
| Rented/Leased | A lease has been executed for the rental listing. |