Virtual staging rules in Ontario (RECO, PropTx)

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RECO, Ontario's real estate regulator, says in its guidance on artificial intelligence that virtual staging and AI modifications should accurately reflect a property's permanent features, and that digitally altered images should be clearly labelled. It sets no label wording. PropTx's MLS rules are a separate layer. This page is not legal advice. Your brokerage has the last word.

What RECO, the Act and its regulation say

  • RECO Guidance: Use of Artificial Intelligence (the page's data gives 22 October 2026). RECO says brokerages and agents are to make sure virtual staging or AI modifications accurately reflect permanent features, and to clearly label any digitally altered images. It says AI-made posts, descriptions and enhanced visuals fall under the advertising obligations of the Act, brokerage identification among them.
  • Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002, section 37 (consolidation from 1 December 2023). The Act says no registrant shall make false, misleading or deceptive statements in any advertisement relating to trading in real estate.
  • Ontario Regulation 567/05, section 12.1 (consolidation from 1 December 2023). An advertisement clearly and prominently shows the name the registrant is registered under, and identifies the brokerage by its registered name.
  • RECO Bulletin 5.1, Advertising requirements (the page's data gives 23 October 2026 as last changed). RECO asks whether every statement is factually correct, accurate and verifiable.

What is not settled

  • Label wording. RECO says to clearly label a digitally altered image. It sets no words, no size and no place.
  • Remarks wording. We found no remarks sentence about staging in RECO's pages or in PropTx's MLS rules. The line the studio writes is modelled on Toronto listings it read in September 2026. No board has confirmed it.
  • Your board's MLS photo rules. These are a separate layer from RECO. The PropTx MLS Rules (effective 2 December 2024) list in rule 5.01, among the images a listing cannot include, digitally altered images, AI-made or enhanced images and digital staging named with them, “that do not accurately depict the listed real estate”. How far those last words reach is the board's to say. The same rule lists images of advertising or marketing messages. We have not asked a board how it reads that against a disclosure label on a photo. Ask your board or your broker of record.
  • Boards outside Toronto. The studio writes the same line for the Toronto Regional, Ottawa, Cornerstone, London and St. Thomas, Niagara and Kingston boards. Only Toronto listings were read.

What the studio does

  • Label. The words "Virtually staged" are burned into each staged photo in the MLS export, and in the photo posts, carousels and designs you make with it.
  • Original. The original is kept beside every staged version. The export holds both as a named pair, and on an Ontario board it asks you to upload each original right after its staged photo.
  • Remarks line. A line written for your board ships in the export as a text file, marked as not yet confirmed with the board. For the six Ontario boards it reads: "Some photos have been virtually staged."
  • Video. A video's shots carry no label. A video that uses a staged photo discloses it on its closing card.
  • The room. Staging adds furniture to an empty room. It is told to move no wall, window, door, floor or ceiling, and each result is checked against the original. A version that fails the check is shown to you with the reason.

Questions

Is virtual staging allowed in Ontario?

RECO's guidance speaks of virtual staging as something agents do, and says it should accurately reflect a property's permanent features. PropTx's rule 5.01 is about digitally altered images that do not accurately depict the home. Neither is a ruling on your listing.

How do I disclose virtually staged photos in Ontario?

RECO says to clearly label digitally altered images, and gives no wording. The studio puts the label in the photo, writes one sentence for the public remarks, and asks for each original beside its staged photo. No board has confirmed that sentence, so check it with your brokerage.

Do the public remarks have to mention staging?

We found nothing in RECO's pages or PropTx's MLS rules that sets a remarks sentence. The two Toronto listings the studio read in September 2026 said it in one plain sentence all the same.

Can I remove furniture or fix the lawn in a listing photo?

RECO's guidance says virtual staging or AI modifications should accurately reflect permanent features. Where a given edit falls is a question for your broker of record. The studio's staging adds furniture and does not remove it.

Who has the last word on my listing's wording?

Your brokerage. RECO's guidance says brokerages and agents stay accountable for anything an AI tool helps make. This page reports what has been published and is not legal advice.

Sources

  1. RECO Guidance: Use of Artificial Intelligence. No date shown; the page's data gives 22 October 2026. Read .
  2. Ontario e-Laws, Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002. Consolidation from 1 December 2023. Read .
  3. Ontario e-Laws, O. Reg. 567/05, General. Consolidation from 1 December 2023. Read .
  4. RECO Bulletin 5.1, Advertising requirements. No date shown; the page's data gives 23 October 2026 as last changed. Read .
  5. PropTx MLS Rules. Effective 2 December 2024. Read .

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