Guide · California · updated September 2026
AB 723 and virtual staging: what California agents must do
Since January 1, 2026, California's AB 723 requires real estate licensees who advertise digitally altered photos — virtually staged ones included — to say so next to the image and to give buyers access to the original. Here is what that means in practice, what MLSs ask for, and a checklist you can run for every listing.
What counts as a digitally altered photo
An image changed with photo-editing software or AI to add, remove or change elements: furniture, fixtures, appliances, flooring, walls, paint color, landscaping, the facade — or things taken out, such as utility poles or neighboring buildings. Virtual staging is the textbook case.
Not covered: lighting, sharpening, white balance, color correction, angle, straightening, cropping and exposure — adjustments that don't change what the property looks like.
What the law asks for
- A statement that the image has been altered, reasonably conspicuous and on or next to the image — “Virtually staged” or “Digitally altered”.
- Access to the original: on a website you control, show the unaltered version with the altered one (or link to it); everywhere else, a link, URL or QR code to a publicly accessible page with the original.
- It covers advertising and promotional materials for selling property by brokers, salespersons and anyone acting for them — portals, social posts, flyers and your own site, not just the MLS.
How MLSs apply it
Boards turned the law into listing rules, and the details differ — two examples:
- SDMLS: altered images must be clearly disclosed and paired with the unaltered original, across all MLS displays and downstream IDX, VOW and syndication feeds.
- Bay East: label altered photos “altered”, “digitally altered” or “AI altered” with the Label option, upload the original and show it immediately after the altered image.
Check your own MLS's wording before you upload; the listing agent and broker stay responsible whoever edited the photos.
The checklist
- Keep the original of every room you stage.
- MLS: label the staged photo (“virtually staged” / “digitally altered”, as your board words it) and upload the original right after it.
- Your website: show the original next to the staged photo, before or after it.
- Portals, social posts, ads: put “Virtually staged” on or right beside the image, with a link to the original.
- Print: flyers and brochures get a QR code that opens the original.
- Stage, don't renovate: add movable furniture and decor; leave walls, floors, fixtures, views and the exterior as they are.
- Keep the label on reposts — don't crop it off when a photo is reused.
How ORVIONIS handles it
Every Virtual Staging order (your first photo free, then $15 per photo; two staged versions in about two minutes) comes with a disclosure pack: a labeled copy of each version, a public page with the unaltered original, a QR code to it for print, and the line to paste next to the photo. Walls, floors, windows and fixtures are left exactly as photographed. Your first photo is free, so you can check the result on your own listing before paying anything.
Comparing providers first? See what virtual staging costs in 2026 — human editors, AI subscriptions and per-photo pricing side by side.
Questions
Does AB 723 apply to virtual staging?
Yes. The law covers images altered with photo-editing software or AI to add, remove or change elements such as furniture, fixtures, flooring, walls or landscaping — virtually staged photos are the most common case.
When did AB 723 take effect?
January 1, 2026. It applies to advertising and promotional materials for selling real property by brokers, salespersons and people acting on their behalf.
Do I have to show the original photo?
Buyers must be able to see it. On a website you control, show the unaltered version with the altered one (or link to it); elsewhere, give a link, URL or QR code to a publicly accessible page with the original. Most MLSs also want the original uploaded right after the staged photo.
Are lighting or color edits covered?
No. Lighting, sharpening, white balance, color correction, angle, straightening, cropping and exposure adjustments that don't change what the property looks like are excluded.
Sources
- AB 723 bill text (2025–2026 session)
- SDMLS — AB 723: Digitally Altered Images requirements
- Bay East — Digitally Altered MLS Photo Rule
- Pasadena-Foothills REALTORS® — what real estate pros need to know
General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by MLS and change; check with your broker or association.