CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® STANDARD FORMS COPYRIGHT POLICY

In order to provide ease and convenience for California REALTORS®, C.A.R. has made its standard real estate forms available in certain licensed real estate forms-filling platforms.  While C.A.R. encourages members to use the standard forms to facilitate their real estate transactions, such usage must adhere to C.A.R.’s standard forms copyright policy.

C.A.R. standard forms are for your individual use in your real estate transactions only.  C.A.R. standard forms are protected by U.S. copyright laws which expressly forbid the unauthorized reproduction, display, or other use of any portion of copyrighted material by any means, including electronic formats.  

Prohibited, unauthorized uses of C.A.R. standard forms include:

• Sharing your forms-filling account and/or C.A.R. standard forms with another individual, such as sharing your account log-in credentials or using your account to prepare forms for another individual’s transactions, including by serving as a transaction coordinator for others not authorized to use C.A.R. standard forms.
• Printing or other otherwise exporting blank C.A.R. standard forms from a forms-filling platform. (If a member needs to view a form that is not filled out, forms with the water mark “Sample” are available for printing but are not to be used in transactions.)  
• Placing C.A.R. standard forms in unauthorized software programs for use in those programs (other than a completed C.A.R. form in locked .pdf format and saved in connection with a real estate transaction).
• Modifying the pre-printed text of C.A.R.’s standard forms, such as removing the agent-identifying information box at the bottom of the forms.
• Posting blank or partially blank C.A.R. standard forms online or in intranets or other shared document repositories, even if access is limited to licensed users of C.A.R. forms.
• Selling C.A.R. standard forms.
• Placing logos or watermarks on C.A.R. standard forms, other than those that have been authorized by C.A.R.

Engaging in unauthorized use of C.A.R. standard forms is a violation of C.A.R.’s copyrights in its forms and could result in substantial liability to you for copyright infringement under federal law, as well as termination of your forms-filling account.  

The C.A.R. copyright policy benefits our members in numerous ways.  C.A.R. forms receive valuable protection under the C.A.R. User Protection Agreement; however, the C.A.R. User Protection Agreement will not apply to any unauthorized use, including if the C.A.R. forms are used or modified in a way that violates C.A.R.’s copyrights in the forms.  Additionally, the C.A.R. User Protection Agreement will not apply if your forms-filling account credentials are being shared among multiple users, even if the other users are C.A.R. members.

C.A.R. makes the most current version of its standard forms available to authorized forms-filling platforms, who are contractually obligated to make the latest version of the forms available to C.A.R. members in a timely manner.  C.A.R. forms in unauthorized forms-filling or other platforms may be outdated versions, which are not protected by the C.A.R. User Protection Agreement and may put you and/or your clients at risk. Proper use of C.A.R.’s standard forms ensures that members are using the most current, up-to-date versions of the forms.  

Finally, proper use of C.A.R. standard forms helps to ensure that your membership dues do not subsidize the use of C.A.R. forms obtained by individuals who have not purchased a license to use the forms or otherwise are not entitled to such use.

Please help C.A.R. keep the benefits that you, our valued members and authorized users, have paid for in the REALTOR® family by respecting C.A.R.’s copyrights in its standard forms and abiding by C.A.R.’s copyright policy.  If you become aware of any improper or unauthorized use of C.A.R.’s standard forms, please notify us immediately at [email protected].

If you are a member of a brokerage or team and need to share transactions with team member(s), zipForm® Team Edition and zipForm® Broker Edition are available to meet your demands without violating C.A.R.’s copyright policy and affecting the C.A.R. User Protection Agreement.

Thank you for your continued membership in C.A.R. and your use of C.A.R’s products and services.  If you have any questions or comments about C.A.R.’s standard forms or C.A.R.’s copyright policy, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] .