Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee

(Where the term Association is used in this procedure, it shall be deemed to include member boards and associations.)

Below are the Requirements for Change of Jurisdictional Territory by a Member Association of the National Association of REALTORS®, including the required application form that must be filed with the Member Experience team.

Questions concerning the jurisdiction change procedure can be directed to NAR’s Member Experience team at 1-800-874-6500, x8399, or NARpolicyQuestions@nar.realtor.

Requirements for Change of Jurisdictional Territory by a Member Association of the National Association of REALTORS®

General Information: There are a number of reasons why an Association of REALTORS® may wish to seek approval from the National Association for a change of its assigned jurisdiction. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Expansion of Association: The Association may have originally had a city or county assigned as its territorial jurisdiction and the natural growth of the Association may have created a desire for additional territory (e.g. the entire county if presently unassigned, an adjacent county if unassigned, or other adjacent unassigned territory).
  • Diminished Territory: The Association may have been assigned a territory too large for proper service and desires to release a portion of its jurisdiction.
  • City Annexation of Adjoining Property: An Association having jurisdiction of a town or city may wish to seek approval for its jurisdiction of additional territory annexed by the town or city.
  • Voluntary Release of Territory to Neighboring Association: The Association may wish to release a portion of its territory to a neighboring Association requesting it, or the Association may wish to dissolve, in which case the territory would become "unassigned" until such time as it is reassigned (in whole or in part) to another existing association or associations.
  • Involuntary Release of Territory by Reason of Application of Other Existing Association or Applicant Group: Although objecting to a certain application by another group, a change of jurisdiction of an Association will result if the decision for reassignment is ultimately made by the National Association in its hearing and consideration of a dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read the answers to the most frequently asked questions about association jurisdiction changes.

Local Association Checklist

  • Complete the Application for Change of Jurisdiction form online.
  • Copy of letters to all associations that are contiguous to the requested territory and all Designated REALTORS® (principals) with offices in the requested territory who are at-large members of the state association, advising of the proposed jurisdiction change, and copies of any replies must be uploaded to the application form. (This requirement applies only to applications involving "unassigned" territory). NOTE: the letters to associations and Designated REALTORS® must include at least a forty-five (45) day period for objections to be filed (see Sample Notification Letter).
  • All written materials related to a dispute regarding unassigned territory or a "contested" application for change of jurisdiction must be received by the National Association of REALTORS® at least forty-five (45) days prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee.

Revised: 11/21/2019

Sample Notification Letter

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