Wisconsin Act 69: altered listing photos
Wisconsin Act 69 was signed on December 9, 2025 and starts on January 1, 2027. It asks real estate licensees to disclose listing photos that were changed with technology, including AI.
Rules checked on · A plain summary, not legal advice: check your MLS’s own rule text.
What it covers
The summaries we read list:
- Virtual staging.
- Photos made or enhanced with AI.
- Adding or removing permanent features.
- Changing landscaping or the view.
- Changing the size or layout of a room.
What to do before 2027
- Disclose every photo that changes what a buyer would see in person.
- Keep the original of every photo you edit.
- Watch for guidance from your MLS (Metro MLS, South Central Wisconsin MLS) and the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association, expected before the law starts.
What is still unclear
Summaries disagree on whether everyday edits such as brightness and color count. California’s law treats them as normal processing; one reading of Act 69 is broader. Until guidance arrives, label anything that changes what the photo shows.
See how California handles it in our AB 723 guide.
Questions and answers
When does Wisconsin Act 69 start?
On January 1, 2027. It was signed on December 9, 2025.
Do brightness and color fixes count under Act 69?
The summaries we read disagree. The MLSs and the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association expect to publish guidance before the law starts. Until then, keep your originals and label anything that changes what the photo shows.
Who enforces Act 69?
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, through license discipline, according to the summaries we read.
Sources
Edit your listing photo, keep the original.
Start with one photo. Your original always stays as you took it.