How to File an Ethics Complaint

Step 1: Determine if the real estate licensee is a Realtor® member

Search our Member Directory to determine if the real estate licensee is a Realtor® member. 

Why does it matter if the Licensee is a Realtor®?

Ethics complaints can only be filed against real estate professionals who are fully licensed Realtors®. As members of Minnesota Realtors® and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), they must abide by NAR’s Code of Ethics. The Code imposes duties beyond those enforced by laws and regulations. Learn more by visiting NAR’s Code of Ethics and Professional Standards web page.

Step 2: Before filing, try working it out with the Realtor® or their broker

Many difficulties between Realtors® and their clients result from misunderstanding or lack of adequate communication. If you have not done so already, express your concerns to the Realtor® or contact the principal broker or office manager.

Step 3: Consider using an Ombuds to facilitate the dispute

An Ombuds can facilitate your disagreement through constructive communication, problem solving, and advocating for consensus and understanding. Download the Ombuds Program PDF to learn more about how an Ombuds can help resolve your dispute.

Ombuds Program

Step 4: If you can’t work it out, file a complaint

When negotiations break down, if you have determined that you would like to file an ethics complaint, you can learn more about that process on the How to File page.

1. Consult the Code of Ethics (COE) to define which Articles may have been violated
2. Write a detailed narrative providing specific reasons for each violation
3. Gather supporting documentation, including listing agreements, purchase agreements, representation contracts, or disclosure forms
4. Complete the Minnesota Realtors® online Ethics Complaint form

You must file your complaint within 180 days of the date you discovered the facts constituting the violation or closing of the transaction, whichever is later.

Incomplete Ethics Forms Will Be Delayed or Discarded

You must complete all the information requested in the form. This includes:

• Filling in your name and contact information
• Citing each specific COE Article that may have been violated
• Providing specific details about each violation
• Attaching supporting documents that help explain the case

If a request is not properly filed, the 180-day filing timeline continues running until it is resubmitted correctly. Anonymous complaints will not be processed. 

The Ethics Complaint process is designed to provide a due process hearing for alleged ethical violations by Realtors®. Help all parties resolve their differences peacefully and amicably without the time and expense of going to court. To help you get the most from this process, please review the specifics of what Minnesota Realtors® can and cannot do for complainants.

What We Can Do

Minnesota Realtors® can determine whether the COE has been violated and discipline Realtors® by sanctions commensurate with the offense. Learn More in the Sanctioning Guidelines.

Learn More

What We Can’t Do

Minnesota Realtors® cannot:

• Determine if the law or real estate regulations have been broken
• Require Realtors® to pay money to parties filing ethics complaints
• Award “punitive damages” for violations of the COE
• Suspend or revoke a real estate professional’s license to practice real estate