When does Wisconsin's altered-photo disclosure law take effect?
January 1, 2027. Section 9 of 2025 Wisconsin Act 69 sets the effective date. The act was enacted December 9, 2025.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin — 2025 Act 69 (Wis. Stat. § 452.136(1m))
What Wisconsin's 2025 Act 69 (Wis. Stat. § 452.136(1m)) actually requires: disclosure in ALL advertising when technology or AI alters a property's appearance — effective January 1, 2027. Verbatim statute text and what it does NOT require.
Answer first
Starting January 1, 2027, Wisconsin licensees must disclose — in ALL advertising, not just the MLS — when a listing ad has been altered using technology, including AI, to add, remove, or change elements of the property in a way that creates a false or misleading impression. That's the whole statutory duty: Wisconsin's 2025 Act 69 prescribes no watermark wording, no placement, no listing-description sentence, and no original-photo access requirement. The disclosure format is currently left to the licensee.
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Wisconsin
What Wisconsin — 2025 Act 69 (Wis. Stat. § 452.136(1m)) requires
| Disclosure required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Required label wording | NONE mandated. § 452.136(1m) requires the licensee to "disclose" in all advertising but prescribes NO specific wording, watermark, label format, or placement. Exact verbatim duty: "A licensee shall in all advertising disclose if the advertising has been altered or modified using technology, including artificial intelligence, to add, remove, or change elements of the property that creates a false or misleading impression of the property." Format is left to the licensee pending any DSPS/REB guidance. |
| Label placement | Not specified. The duty attaches to "all advertising" — broader than MLS. No on-photo vs. description placement is prescribed. |
| Listing description must disclose | No |
| Original photo required | No |
Alterations this rule covers:
- any advertising altered or modified using technology, including artificial intelligence, to ADD, REMOVE, or CHANGE elements of the property — WHEN it creates a false or misleading impression of the property (the duty is conditioned on the false/misleading impression, unlike CA AB 723's broader trigger)
- applies to ALL advertising by a licensee — not only MLS listings (social media, flyers, portals included)
- NOT addressed by the statute: watermark wording, placement, listing-description text, or original-photo access
That’s the Wisconsin — 2025 Act 69 (Wis. Stat. § 452.136(1m)) rule. SEAREI applies it to your photos automatically — the disclosure, the description text, and a certificate that proves it — in about 2 minutes. Your first listing is free.
The rule
2025 Wisconsin Act 69, Section 4, creating Wis. Stat. § 452.136(1m) — "Advertising enhanced by technology" (enacted December 9, 2025; published December 10, 2025)
Effective 2027-01-01.
Penalty
Not specified in § 452.136(1m). Violations fall under general Wisconsin real-estate licensee discipline (Wis. Stat. ch. 452, DSPS Real Estate Examining Board). Do NOT publish a dollar figure — none exists in the statute.
FAQ
Does Wisconsin require a watermark on virtually staged photos?
No. Wis. Stat. § 452.136(1m) requires disclosure "in all advertising" but prescribes no watermark, wording, or placement. The trigger is technology-altered advertising that creates a false or misleading impression of the property.
Is Wisconsin's rule the same as California's AB 723?
No. California requires a disclosure plus access to the original unaltered photo, with enumerated alteration categories. Wisconsin's duty is narrower in trigger (alterations creating a false or misleading impression) but broader in reach — it covers ALL advertising by a licensee, not only MLS listings, and requires no original-photo access.
Sources
- 2025 Wisconsin Act 69 — full act text (official Wisconsin Legislature site; read in full)
- Wisconsin DSPS Real Estate Examining Board — January 2026 WRA memo & materials (PDF; secondary, not yet read in full)
- HousingWire — 'Could Wisconsin's new law set a national standard for real estate transparency?' (context/press)
Last verified 2026-08-17.
This page summarizes publicly available rules for general information and is not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the cited source or your broker or legal counsel before relying on it.