Rule: treat MLS data access as a contract (DLA / AUA / VOW Terms / IDX policy), not just a login
Rule
Rule. Every MLS-data ingress path — IDX, VOW, back-office feed, RESO Web API, CREA DDF — is governed by a contract (DLA, AUA, VOW Terms of Use, IDX policy) on top of the trademark+By-Law layer. Frame the architecture against those contracts, not against the URL or login screen.
Why. RESO provides NO data — only standards; data requests go to local MLSs — RESO compliance implies nothing about data access; the local MLS DLA controls. CREA Data Distribution Facility (DDF®) — created 2012, opt-in via REALTOR Link®; multiple channels; feeds are consumer-grade (REALTOR.ca-level), NOT the deep layer — DDF carries consumer-grade only. VOW (Virtual Office Website) — password-protected, requires established broker-consumer relationship, carries the deeper historical/sold/off-market layer + AVP (Affiliated VOW Partner) — rights are derivative of the member's and scoped to operating that member's VOW (PropTx Rules Art. 8; NAR VOW; CVR MLS) — VOW + AVP rights are contractual scopes.
How to apply. When writing about MLS data, date-stamp the rule version cited (e.g., "PropTx MLS Rules effective Dec 2 2024 — PropTx MLS Rules — operative version effective Dec 2 2024 (primary PDF)"). When prototyping, ask "what feed tier am I in and what does its DLA/AUA actually say?" before assuming the data is available for the use.
Related entries
Depends on
- research-notes Research notes (capture-layer): inside the MLS box — what an Ontario member agent's account exposes, what goes unused, and what they're licensed to do with it (June 2026)
- reference RESO provides NO data — only standards; data requests go to local MLSs
- reference CREA Data Distribution Facility (DDF®) — created 2012, opt-in via REALTOR Link®; multiple channels; feeds are consumer-grade (REALTOR.ca-level), NOT the deep layer
- reference VOW (Virtual Office Website) — password-protected, requires established broker-consumer relationship, carries the deeper historical/sold/off-market layer
- reference PropTx MLS Rules — operative version effective Dec 2 2024 (primary PDF)
- reference AVP (Affiliated VOW Partner) — rights are *derivative* of the member's and scoped to operating that member's VOW (PropTx Rules Art. 8; NAR VOW; CVR MLS)