REALTORS® must adhere to a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice that is put forth by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and enforced by the GKAR Professional Standards Committee. It contains duties above and in addition to those imposed by law or regulation which apply only to real estate professionals who choose to become REALTORS®.
On November 13th, 2020, the National Association of REALTORS®' Board of Directors approved the addition of Standard of Practice 10-5 to the Code of Ethics; and this change was effective immediately.
Article 10, SOP 10-5
REALTORS® must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. (adopted 11/2020)
View Code of Ethics Resource Page - Breaking Down the Changes to the Code
NAR requires all REALTORS® to complete two and a half hours of ethics training within each three-year cycle. The current Ethics Cycle 7, is January 1st, 2022 - December 31st, 2024. Important! If you complete your ethics training outside of GKAR, please forward your proof of completion to COE@gkar.com.
Failure to complete the required ethics training is considered a violation of a GKAR Membership duty which will result in suspension of Membership until the training is completed.
NAR’s C2EX Endorsement now qualifies to meet the Code of Ethics requirement. Learn more.
Difficulties between buyers and sellers*, and their REALTOR® may be the result of misunderstanding or miscommunication.
Should you have a complaint, follow these steps:*For disputes between buyers and sellers, contact the National Center for Dispute Settlement (NCDS).
