In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
Every page and listing must show your CEA-registered name, registration number and contact number, plus your agency's name and licence number. Social media profiles used for agency work must show both numbers. Avoid titles like 'King of' or 'Expert', and check the DNC Registry before calling or texting leads.
Does CEA regulate property agent websites?
Yes. CEA's Practice Guidelines on Ethical Advertising (PG 2/2011) cover promotional publicity of all kinds, including website and internet postings, online advertising, SMS and social media. Section 7 states that, as a general principle, all advertising rules apply equally to the internet.
The guidelines also put a duty on agencies: estate agents must vet their salespersons' advertising before publication, and Key Executive Officers must have an approval process. So check your agency's process before launching a personal site. This guide is general information, not legal advice; the CEA guidelines and your agency's compliance team have the final word.
What must appear on your website and listings
Section 2.1 of the guidelines lists five particulars for flyers, banners and online advertising, and section 7.1 repeats them for agency websites, portals and other marketing sites.
| Particular | Example | Where to put it on a website |
|---|---|---|
| Your name as in CEA's Public Register | Tan Mei Ling | Footer and every listing |
| Salesperson registration number | CEA Registration Number R123456A | Footer and every listing |
| Your contact number registered with CEA | 9123 4567 | Header or contact section |
| Estate agent (agency) name | XYZ Realty Pte Ltd | Footer |
| Estate agent licence number | CEA Licence Number L3000000X | Footer |
For social media, section 7.3 says any account used for estate agency work must show the agency licence number and your registration number in the account profile. Newspaper classifieds and SMS ads are the only formats allowed to omit the numbers.
Banned claims and content rules for property ads
Section 3 of the guidelines sets content rules that affect how you write your site and listings:
- No dubious titles such as 'King of [location]', 'Mr [location]', 'Specialist' or 'Expert'. Any claim of expertise or success rate must be backed by verifiable records.
- Yields, returns or capital gains must state the basis, a credible source, definitions and the period covered.
- Photos must be of the actual unit and its view, not a similar unit or a higher floor, unless clearly marked as illustrations.
- No guarantees of selling above valuation or 'Cash Over Valuation' claims.
- No preference for any race or religion, except to comply with HDB's Ethnic Integration Policy.
- No phrases like 'no agents' or 'already co-broke'.
- No dummy or copied listings; you need the owner's prior consent, in writing, SMS or another verifiable form, from all owners.
- Remove listings as soon as practicable once the property is no longer available or your agreement ends.
Section 6 adds that you must not publish specific unit numbers or floor levels of transacted properties, and URA REALIS data is for personal research, not marketing.
Lead forms, PDPA and the Do Not Call Registry
A lead form collects personal data, so the PDPA applies: say what you collect it for, keep it secure and only use it for that purpose. Avoid asking for NRIC numbers on a website form; our guide to NRIC collection rules explains why.
Calling or texting leads about properties is marketing under the PDPA's Do Not Call provisions. According to the PDPC's Advisory Guidelines on the DNC Provisions, you must check the number against the DNC Registry within 21 days before sending, unless the person gave clear and unambiguous consent that you can show later.
Add a consent tick box to your form
Unticked by default, with wording such as 'I agree to be contacted by call, SMS or WhatsApp about properties'. Silence or a pre-ticked box does not count.
Record the evidence
Keep the date and time, the form wording and the person's choice. The PDPC lists these as the records to retain for electronic consent.
Check the DNC Registry for other numbers
For contacts without that consent, check the registry; results are valid for 21 days.
Respect opt-outs and quiet hours
Stop when someone asks. CEA's guidelines also bar SMS advertising and cold calls between 10 pm and 9 am, and SMS ads must offer a number to text for unsubscribing.
Label email marketing
Email ads must show your names and numbers, start the subject with '<ADV>' and include an unsubscribe option.
Your own website vs property portals
Your own site or landing page
- Leads come straight to you, not shared with other agents
- You build a brand that moves with you if you change agency
- Works with Google Ads, social ads and your Google Business Profile
- One-off build cost, then low running costs
Property portals
- Where most buyers and tenants search for listings
- Listing tools and enquiry handling are built in
- Ongoing subscription or credit costs
- Your profile sits beside competitors on the same page
A practical setup uses both: portals for listings, and their own site for seller leads, valuations and project pages. Whatever you publish there, including Google Business Profile posts, is advertising under CEA's rules. If you set up a profile, see our Google Business Profile guide.
Do it yourself or get help?
Before launch, run through this checklist with your agency's compliance contact.
CEA and PDPA website checklist
If you want it built, our Landing Page (S$690) suits a single campaign or valuation offer, and our Business Website (S$1,490) gives you up to 6 pages on your own accounts. WhatsApp Notifications (S$590) sends instant replies through the official API with opt-in handling. See website costs in Singapore and our privacy policy and cookie consent guide for the rest of the setup. We do not provide legal or CEA compliance advice; your agency vets the content.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. CEA's Practice Guidelines on Ethical Advertising require your name and contact number as registered with CEA, your registration number, and your agency's name and licence number in all advertisements on agency websites, property portals and other marketing websites. Only newspaper classifieds and SMS ads may omit the numbers.
Section 7.3 of CEA's guidelines says any social networking account used for estate agency work must clearly state the estate agent licence number and the salesperson registration number in the account profile. Posts promoting properties are advertisements, so the content rules on accuracy, photos and banned claims apply too.
If your form clearly asked for consent to be contacted by call or message and the person actively ticked the box, and you keep a record of it, you can contact them for that purpose without a DNC check. Otherwise, check the number against the DNC Registry first; results are valid for 21 days.
No. CEA's guidelines say there shall not be any use of misleading words such as 'King of' an area, 'Mr' an area, 'Specialist' or 'Expert'. Any claim of expertise, specialisation or success rate must be substantiated by verifiable facts and records, such as transaction records you can show.
Not to represent a unit as if they were its own photos. CEA says interior photos must be of the actual unit, and views must be from the advertised unit's viewpoint. Copied advertisements are not allowed. If you use photos for illustration, label them clearly, and follow URA rules and intellectual property law for developers' images.