September 2024
From a consumer protection standpoint, team or group names are secondary to registered business names. The Oregon Real Estate Agency regulates individual licensees and registered businesses, not "teams" or "groups." This is a business practice that companies may or may not allow.
If you are a broker or principal broker who has formed a team, transparency is key. If your team is part of a registered business name, don't imply it's a stand-alone business. You may use your team or group name in marketing, but, as with all other advertising, the registered business name must be immediately noticeable.
When advertising as a team or group, the following rules apply:
- Only the terms “Team" or “Group" may be used as descriptors. Other descriptors such as “and Associates" or “and Company" do not comply with the relevant rule.
- Your team or group name can't be an unlawful use of trade name.
- It cannot be deceptively similar to another business name.
- It must include at least one real estate licensee.
- All team members must be supervised by the same principal broker.
- If you have non-licensed team members, make it clear who's licensed and who's not in your advertising
Note: While not required by Oregon Real Estate License Law, consider
registering your team or group name with the Secretary of State. This protects your rights to the name and prevents others from accidentally using it.
For more information, see
Oregon Administrative Rules 863-015-0125.