Agency Disclosure and the IABS Form

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IABS questions are not hard because the form is mysterious.

They are hard because candidates mix up three different ideas:

IABS notice, agency disclosure, and representation agreement.

Those are related, but they are not the same thing.

The IABS form tells a consumer about brokerage services and basic agency relationships. It does not, by itself, make the consumer your client. It does not replace a listing agreement, buyer representation agreement, property management agreement, or intermediary consent. It is a disclosure notice.

Agency disclosure is the broader duty to tell another party or another party's license holder whom you represent.

A representation agreement is the clearest way to create and document the client relationship with a broker. Agency can also arise through an oral agreement or, in some situations, through conduct. The separate 2026 rule in Section 1101.563 requires a written agreement before specified residential-buyer activity.

The exam loves to blur those lines.

Use this rule:

IABS informs. Agency disclosure identifies representation. Agreement and conduct determine agency.

That one sentence will save you from a lot of tempting answers.

What Pearson Is Testing

Pearson's Texas Sales Agent state-law outline lists Agency/Brokerage as an 11-item category.

That category includes:

• Disclosure.
• Intermediary practice.
• Duties to clients, including minimum services.
• Broker-sales agent relationships.
• Broker responsibility for acts of a sales agent.
• Appropriate use of unlicensed assistants.

IABS also connects to Standards of Conduct because the form is part of public protection and truthful disclosure.

The exam can ask a direct timing question:

When must the IABS form be provided?

It can also ask a scenario:

A buyer calls a listing agent to ask about a specific property and begins discussing the possibility of making an offer. What should the license holder provide?

That second question is testing:

• Proposed transaction.
• Specific real property.
• First substantive communication.
• Party status.
• IABS delivery.
• Representation disclosure.

Do not study IABS as a random form title.

Study it as an agency-disclosure timing rule.

The Three-Bucket Map

Keep these separate.

Example:

A listing agent gives a buyer the IABS form.

That does not automatically mean the listing agent represents the buyer.

The listing agent may still represent the seller.

The IABS form is a notice. It explains possible relationships and duties. The actual representation relationship depends on the agreement and facts.

What The IABS Form Is

IABS stands for Information About Brokerage Services.

TREC publishes the IABS notice. Rule 531.20 adopts the form by reference and explains how it must be provided.

Rule 531.20 adopts TREC No. IABS 1-2 by reference. The current version carries the date 11-03-2025 on its face, and it has six sections:

The two sections in bold are the newest. They were added for the January 1, 2026 changes, and TREC states that the changes effective that date reflect the new notice requirements. A candidate studying from a pre-2026 copy of the form will not have seen either.

For the sales-agent exam, the most durable concept is:

IABS tells the consumer how brokerage relationships work before the relationship becomes confusing.

What IABS Is Not

IABS is not:

• A buyer representation agreement.
• A listing agreement.
• An intermediary agreement.
• A compensation agreement.
• A contract to buy or sell real estate.
• A substitute for agency disclosure.
• A substitute for minimum-services duties.
• A substitute for broker supervision.
• A promise that the license holder represents the person receiving it.
• A form that authorizes a sales agent to act without a sponsoring broker.

The exam trap is treating IABS as if it does everything.

It does not.

IABS is a notice. It gives information about brokerage services.

Who Must Provide IABS

Each Texas license holder must provide the completed IABS notice, whether a broker or a sales agent acting through the sponsoring broker, at the first substantive communication with a party about a proposed transaction.

TREC Rule 531.20 says each license holder must provide the completed IABS notice at the first substantive communication as required under Texas Occupations Code Section 1101.558.

That mirrors Section 1101.558(b-1), which requires the written notice at the time of a license holder's first substantive communication with a party relating to a proposed transaction regarding specific real property, in at least a 10-point font.

Exam version:

License holder + party + proposed transaction + specific property + first substantive communication = IABS issue.

The person providing it may be:

• A broker.
• A sales agent acting through the sponsoring broker.
• A license holder communicating with a prospective buyer.
• A license holder communicating with a prospective seller.
• A license holder communicating with a prospective tenant.
• A license holder communicating with a prospective landlord.

Do not limit IABS to residential sales only.

Unless an exception applies, the requirement reaches all proposed real estate transactions, not only residential sales. TREC's FAQ says so explicitly, and Section 1101.558(b-1) contains no limitation by property type. The exceptions matter, but the baseline is broad.

When IABS Must Be Provided

Provide the completed IABS at the first substantive communication with the party about a proposed transaction involving specific real property, unless an exception applies. It is not delayed to closing, the signed offer, or an executed representation agreement.

The key timing phrase is:

first substantive communication

Not:

• At closing.
• After the offer is signed.
• After a representation agreement is executed.
• Only if the consumer asks.
• Only after showing property.
• Only when the license holder becomes an intermediary.

The notice comes early.

Why?

Because the consumer should understand brokerage services before relying on the license holder in a meaningful way.

For exam purposes, the safest answer is usually:

Provide the completed IABS at the first substantive communication with the party about a proposed transaction involving specific real property, unless an exception applies.

First Substantive Communication

Do not make "first substantive communication" too mystical.

It means the conversation has moved beyond casual, general, or administrative contact into a real discussion of a proposed transaction involving a specific property.

Likely substantive:

• Discussing making an offer on a specific property.
• Discussing representation for a specific purchase.
• Discussing selling a specific property.
• Discussing lease terms for a specific property.
• Discussing agency options in connection with a specific property.
• Discussing transaction strategy for a specific buyer, seller, tenant, or landlord.

Less likely substantive by itself:

• Greeting someone at an open house.
• Giving directions.
• Providing a flyer.
• Answering whether a property is still open for viewing in a purely administrative way.
• Sharing general market information without a proposed transaction involving specific property.

The exam may not ask you to define the phrase. It will give a fact pattern and ask what should happen next.

Look for:

specific property + proposed transaction + meaningful brokerage conversation

Exceptions

The IABS representation disclosure is not required for a residential lease less than one year when no sale is being considered, a meeting with a party currently known to be represented by another license holder, or a communication at an open house about that same property. It is also not generally required when the license holder is acting solely as a principal.

The three exceptions are statutory. They are set out at Section 1101.558(c), and TREC's FAQ restates them. Cite the statute, not the FAQ.

The IABS representation disclosure is not required when:

1. The transaction is for a residential lease less than one year and a sale is not being considered.
2. The meeting is with a party currently known to be represented by another license holder.
3. The communication is at an open house and concerns that same property.

TREC adds a fourth situation, and it is worth knowing that it is different in kind: the FAQ states the IABS is not generally required when the license holder is acting solely as a principal in the transaction. That one is not in Section 1101.558(c). It is TREC's interpretive position, and note the hedge in "generally." Treat the first three as the statutory list and the fourth as guidance.

Exam warning:

Exceptions are not the main rule.

Start with the main rule, then ask whether the facts clearly fit an exception.

If the question says:

The buyer is known to be represented by another agent.

that can change the answer.

If the question says:

A visitor asks a basic question at an open house about that same property.

that can change the answer.

If the question says:

The lease is residential for six months and no sale is being considered.

that can change the answer.

Website Delivery

TREC Rule 531.20 requires a link to a completed IABS notice in a readily noticeable place on the homepage of each business website, labeled either "Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services" in at least 10 point font or "TREC Information About Brokerage Services" in at least 12 point font.

IABS is not only a handout issue.

TREC Rule 531.20 says each license holder must provide a link to a completed IABS notice in a readily noticeable place on the homepage of each business website.

The label must be either:

• "Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services" in at least 10 point font.
• "TREC Information About Brokerage Services" in at least 12 point font.

A business website means a public internet website that:

• Is accessible to the public.
• Contains information about the license holder's real estate brokerage services.
• Has content controlled by the license holder.

Exam version:

If the license holder controls a public business website about brokerage services, look for a readily noticeable completed IABS link on the homepage.

Do not bury it.

Do not label it vaguely.

Do not put only an incomplete form.

Email And Electronic Delivery

Rule 531.20 allows the completed IABS notice by personal delivery, first class mail, overnight delivery, in the body of an email, as an email attachment, or as a link in the body of an email with a specific reference to the notice. The link may not be in a footnote or signature block.

Rule 531.20 allows the completed IABS notice to be provided:

• By personal delivery.
• By first class mail.
• By overnight common carrier delivery service.
• In the body of an email.
• As an attachment to an email.
• As a link within the body of an email, with a specific reference to the IABS notice in the body of the email.

The rule also says the link to a completed IABS notice may not be in a footnote or signature block in an email.

This is very testable.

Wrong answer:

The agent's email signature has an IABS link, so that always satisfies delivery.

Safe answer:

The IABS link must be in the body of the email with a specific reference, not buried in the signature block or footnote.

Social Media Delivery

Rule 531.20 says, for providing the homepage IABS link on a social media platform, the link may be located:

• On the account holder profile.
• On a separate page or website through a direct link from the social media platform or account holder profile.

The exam may blend this with advertising rules.

For IABS, ask:

Is the completed IABS link readily available through the business website or social platform route?

For advertising, ask:

Does the ad identify the license holder or team and broker correctly and avoid misleading the public?

Those can overlap, but they are not the same rule.

First-Contact Agency Disclosure

Do not confuse IABS with the separate representation disclosure rule.

Section 1101.558(b) requires a license holder who represents a party in a proposed transaction to disclose that representation at the time of first contact with another party to the transaction, or with another license holder who represents another party. The statute permits the disclosure to be made orally or in writing, which is the detail candidates most often get wrong.

Example:

Listing agent calls buyer's agent to schedule a showing.

The duty runs both ways, and TREC's FAQ confirms it: if a buyer's agent discloses buyer-agent status when setting up a showing, the listing broker must also disclose to the buyer's agent that the listing broker represents the seller, on first contact. Section 1101.558(b)(2) is the basis, because it names first contact with "another license holder who represents another party."

Exam version:

First contact asks: whom do you represent?
First substantive communication asks: should IABS be provided?

The timing words are close, but not identical.

IABS And Intermediary

IABS is a foundation for intermediary questions, but it is not the whole intermediary process.

Before a broker can represent both buyer and seller, the parties must be presented with IABS at first substantive communication, and the broker must satisfy Section 1101.559.

Section 1101.559(a) requires written consent from each party, and requires that consent to state the source of any expected compensation to the broker. Section 1101.559(b) then provides the practical route: a written listing agreement or buyer representation agreement authorizing intermediary is sufficient to establish that party's consent if it specifies in conspicuous bold or underlined print the conduct prohibited under Section 1101.651(d).

So the FAQ's three-step formation sequence is a restatement of the statute. Cite Section 1101.559.

For this evergreen page, keep the durable concept:

IABS helps explain possible brokerage relationships, but intermediary still requires its own written consent and statutory structure.

Do not answer:

The broker can act as intermediary just because IABS was provided.

That is incomplete.

IABS And Open Houses After January 1, 2026

Direct answer: the phrase "open house" no longer decides the whole answer. Section 1101.558(c)(3) still says the ordinary communication at a property held open for viewing, concerning that property, is an IABS exception. Sections 1101.562 and 1101.563 now add separate pre-showing duties. The decisive fact is whether the host's broker represents the owner.

TREC states that the outside host must provide IABS and enter the written agreement even when the visitor already has a written representation agreement with another broker. If the visitor refuses to sign, the outside host cannot show the property.

The exam habit is:

Open house -> identify the host's broker -> apply IABS and the written-agreement rule separately.

This is why the three Section 1101.558(c) exceptions are still worth knowing, but not enough by themselves for a 2026 showing question.

IABS And Principals

TREC's FAQ says IABS is not generally required when the license holder is acting solely as a principal in the transaction.

But another rule still matters.

Rule 535.144 says a license holder acting on the license holder's own behalf, or on behalf of certain related parties or controlled entities, must disclose in writing that the license holder is licensed before entering into a contract of sale or rental agreement.

That is not the IABS rule.

It is a license-status disclosure rule.

Exam version:

Acting solely as principal may avoid IABS, but licensed-status disclosure can still be required.

Do not mix the forms.

IABS Form Reproduction

TREC Rule 531.20 says license holders may reproduce the IABS notice published by TREC if the text is copied verbatim and the spacing, borders, and placement of text appear identical to the published version, except the Broker Contact Information section may be prefilled.

Exam trap:

The agent rewrites IABS in their own words to make it friendlier.

That is not the safe answer.

The safe answer is to use the official notice properly, with the allowed prefill area.

Decision Tree

Use this for IABS questions.

Step 1: Is the person a Texas real estate license holder?
If yes, continue.

Step 2: Is the communication with a party about a proposed transaction involving specific real property?
If yes, continue.

Step 3: Is this the first substantive communication?
If yes, IABS is likely required unless an exception applies.

Step 4: Does an exception clearly fit?
The three statutory exceptions in 1101.558(c): residential lease under one year with no sale considered, party known to be represented by another license holder, or open house communication about that same property.
Separately, TREC's guidance treats acting solely as principal as generally outside the requirement. That one is guidance, not statute.

Step 5: How is IABS being delivered?
Personal delivery, mail, overnight delivery, email body, email attachment, or body-link with specific reference.

Step 6: If email is used, is the link only in a signature block or footnote?
If yes, that is a red flag.

Step 7: Is there a business website or social platform?
Check for a completed IABS link in the required readily noticeable place.

Step 8: Is the question really about agency disclosure or representation agreement instead?
Separate the buckets before answering.

Mini Scenarios

Case 1: The Specific Buyer Call

A buyer calls a listing agent about a specific property and begins discussing whether to make an offer.

What is being tested?

First substantive communication.

The license holder should provide the completed IABS unless an exception applies. The listing agent also must be clear about whom the agent represents.

Case 2: The Email Signature

A sales agent sends an email to a prospective buyer about a specific property. The only IABS link is in the agent's email signature block.

What is being tested?

Electronic delivery.

Rule 531.20 says the IABS link may not be in a footnote or signature block in an email. A body link with a specific reference is different.

Case 3: Two Open House Hosts

Agent A hosts an open house for the listing held by Agent A's own brokerage. Agent B hosts another broker's listing and does not represent the owner.

What is being tested?

The 2026 host-relationship test.

Agent A discloses owner representation but does not provide IABS or enter a buyer agreement with visitors. Agent B provides IABS and enters the Section 1101.563 written agreement before showing a prospective residential buyer. If the visitor refuses, Agent B cannot show the home.

Case 4: The Buyer Already Has An Agent

A buyer known to be represented by another license holder meets with the listing agent.

What is being tested?

Known represented party exception and representation disclosure.

IABS may not be required under the exception, but license holders still need to be clear about representation.

Case 5: The Website Link

A broker's public website markets brokerage services. The homepage has no IABS link.

What is being tested?

Business website delivery.

Rule 531.20 requires a completed IABS link in a readily noticeable place on the homepage of each business website.

Case 6: The Principal Sale

A licensed sales agent sells the agent's own property as owner and is acting solely as principal.

What is being tested?

IABS versus license-status disclosure.

IABS is not generally required when the license holder is acting solely as a principal. But written disclosure that the person is licensed can still be required before contract under Rule 535.144.

Case 7: The Intermediary Confusion

A broker provides IABS to both parties and then says that alone authorizes intermediary.

What is being tested?

IABS versus intermediary written consent.

IABS explains brokerage services. Intermediary requires separate written authorization and statutory conditions.

Common Traps

How To Study This Topic

Study IABS with three timing labels.

First contact: disclose representation.
First substantive communication: provide IABS.
Agreement and conduct: determine agency.

Then attach the delivery rules:

• Personal delivery.
• Mail or overnight delivery.
• Email body.
• Email attachment.
• Email body link with specific reference.
• Not only signature block or footnote.
• Website homepage link.
• Social media profile or direct-link route when applicable.

Finally, memorize the exceptions:

• Residential lease less than one year with no sale being considered. 1101.558(c)(1)
• Meeting with a party known to be represented by another license holder. 1101.558(c)(2)
• Open house communication about that same property. 1101.558(c)(3)

Then add the 2026 showing overlay. A listing-side host discloses owner representation and does not give visitors IABS or a buyer agreement. An outside host who does not represent the owner provides IABS and obtains the required written agreement before showing. Separately, as TREC guidance rather than statute, acting solely as principal is generally outside the IABS requirement, though Rule 535.144 can still require a licensed-status disclosure.

This is not a huge topic once you stop mixing the buckets.

Practice Questions 1 to 6

These are original practice questions written to teach the rule. They are not copied from the Texas exam.

Question 1

What is the IABS form?

A. A purchase contract.
B. A notice about brokerage services and possible agency relationships.
C. A deed.
D. A commission disbursement authorization.

Answer: B.

IABS means Information About Brokerage Services. It is a notice, not a purchase contract or representation agreement.

Question 2

When is IABS generally required?

A. At closing only.
B. At the first substantive communication with a party about a proposed transaction involving specific real property, unless an exception applies.
C. Only after the buyer signs an offer.
D. Only when the broker is paid.

Answer: B.

The key timing phrase is first substantive communication.

Question 3

A buyer asks a listing agent a substantive question about making an offer on a specific property. What should the agent think about?

A. IABS delivery and representation disclosure.
B. Property tax exemption only.
C. Commission math only.
D. Homestead protection only.

Answer: A.

The question involves a party, a proposed transaction, and specific property.

Question 4

An agent emails a prospective buyer about a specific property. The only IABS link is in the email signature block. What is the issue?

A. Signature block delivery is not enough under Rule 531.20.
B. IABS can never be sent by email.
C. Email is always illegal.
D. The buyer must print the form first.

Answer: A.

The IABS link may not be only in a footnote or signature block.

Question 5

A public business website controlled by a license holder markets real estate brokerage services. What IABS issue should you check?

A. Whether a completed IABS link appears in a readily noticeable place on the homepage.
B. Whether the website has a mortgage calculator.
C. Whether the website has exactly three photos.
D. Whether the license holder's license number appears in every sentence.

Answer: A.

Rule 531.20 requires the completed IABS homepage link for business websites.

Question 6

A license holder outside the listing brokerage hosts an open house and does not represent the owner. A visitor already has a written representation agreement with another broker. What must the host do before showing the home?

A. Nothing, because the visitor is already represented.

B. Provide IABS and enter the written agreement required by Section 1101.563.

C. Provide IABS only after the visitor finishes viewing the home.

D. Become the visitor's exclusive buyer agent.

Answer: B.

Sections 1101.562 and 1101.563 add pre-showing duties. TREC states that the outside host provides IABS and enters the written agreement even when the visitor already has another broker.

Practice Questions 7 to 12

Question 7

A license holder meets with a party known to be represented by another license holder. What should you remember?

A. This is one of the IABS exception categories.
B. IABS is always required no matter what.
C. Representation disclosure never matters.
D. The license holder becomes an intermediary.

Answer: A.

Meeting with a party currently known to be represented by another license holder is listed as an exception.

Question 8

What is the best distinction between IABS and a buyer representation agreement?

A. IABS is a notice; a buyer representation agreement can create a client relationship with the broker.
B. IABS is the same as a deed.
C. IABS replaces all agency agreements.
D. IABS creates automatic intermediary status.

Answer: A.

This is the central bucket distinction.

Question 9

At first contact with another party, a license holder must disclose:

A. That the license holder represents a party, if the license holder does.
B. The license holder's personal tax return.
C. Every commission split in the brokerage.
D. The buyer's credit score.

Answer: A.

Agency disclosure at first contact is separate from IABS timing.

Question 10

A broker provides IABS to both parties. Does that alone authorize intermediary?

A. No. Intermediary requires separate written authorization and statutory requirements.
B. Yes. IABS alone creates intermediary.
C. Yes, if the property is residential.
D. Yes, if the broker has a website.

Answer: A.

IABS explains brokerage services. It does not replace intermediary consent.

Question 11

A license holder is acting solely as a principal in a transaction. What is the best exam answer?

A. IABS is not generally required, but licensed-status disclosure rules may still apply.
B. IABS is always required because the person has a license.
C. The license holder never has to disclose anything.
D. The license holder becomes a broker automatically.

Answer: A.

Do not confuse IABS with licensed-status disclosure when acting as principal.

Question 12

What is the best short rule for this topic?

A. IABS informs, agency disclosure identifies representation, and agreements or conduct determine whether agency exists.

B. IABS creates all agency relationships.

C. IABS is only for commercial deals.

D. IABS is never tested.

Answer: A.

That keeps the exam buckets separate. Section 1101.563 then adds a distinct written-agreement requirement before specified residential-buyer showing or offer activity.

Final Checklist

Before you move on, make sure you can explain these:

• IABS means Information About Brokerage Services.
• IABS is a notice, not a representation agreement.
• IABS does not automatically create agency.
• IABS does not automatically authorize intermediary.
• Agency disclosure at first contact is separate from IABS delivery.
• IABS is generally provided at the first substantive communication with a party about a proposed transaction involving specific property.
• IABS exceptions include short residential leases with no sale considered, known represented parties, and open-house communication about that same property.
• For a 2026 open house, identify whether the host's broker represents the owner before stopping at the exception.
• Acting solely as principal is generally outside the IABS requirement, but licensed-status disclosure can still apply.
• Business websites need a completed IABS link in a readily noticeable place on the homepage.
• Email delivery can use body text, attachment, or body link with specific reference.
• An email signature or footnote link alone is not enough.
• Social media delivery can use profile or direct-link routes when applicable.
• The official IABS notice should be reproduced verbatim except the Broker Contact Information section may be prefilled.
• For the exact current form wording, always check the official TREC IABS notice.

How This Connects To Other Texas Topics

IABS connects to:

• Standards of conduct and grounds for discipline, because disclosure protects the public.
• Texas intermediary practice, because IABS is part of understanding brokerage relationships, but intermediary requires separate written consent.
• Duties to clients and minimum services, because IABS introduces basic broker duties but does not replace client duties.
• Broker-sales agent relationships and supervision, because sales agents act through sponsoring brokers.
• Promulgated forms and addenda, because IABS is a TREC notice and exam candidates need form-recognition discipline.

The other notice: Consumer Protection, not IABS

Direct answer: TREC adopts two separate notices, and items test whether you can tell them apart. Rule 531.20 adopts the Information About Brokerage Services notice, TREC No. IABS 1-2. Rule 531.18 adopts the Consumer Protection Notice, TREC No. CN 1-5. They have parallel website rules and one important difference.

The tested distinction: the IABS notice is delivered to a party at first substantive communication. The Consumer Protection Notice is posted, both physically in each place of business and as a homepage link. A stem asking which notice must be displayed at the brokerage is asking about CN 1-5, not IABS.

The 10-point and 12-point font sizes are identical across both notices, so memorize the pair once and apply it to either.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is IABS on the Texas real estate exam?

Yes. IABS sits inside the Texas agency and brokerage world. Pearson's Texas Sales Agent state-law outline includes Agency/Brokerage as an 11-item category, and IABS is also part of disclosure and public-protection reasoning.

What does IABS stand for?

IABS stands for Information About Brokerage Services.

Does IABS create agency?

No. IABS is a notice that explains brokerage services and possible relationships. A client relationship is created by the agreement and facts, not by handing someone IABS.

When must IABS be provided?

The evergreen exam rule is that IABS is provided at the first substantive communication with a party about a proposed transaction involving specific real property, unless an exception applies.

What are the common IABS exceptions?

TREC's FAQ lists exceptions for a residential lease less than one year when a sale is not being considered, a meeting with a party currently known to be represented by another license holder, and communication at an open house about that same property. IABS is also not generally required when the license holder is acting solely as principal.

Can IABS be sent by email?

Yes. Rule 531.20 allows delivery in the body of an email, as an attachment, or as a link in the body of an email with a specific reference to IABS. The link cannot be only in a footnote or signature block.

Does a business website need an IABS link?

Yes. Rule 531.20 requires a completed IABS link in a readily noticeable place on the homepage of each business website, using the required label and font-size rule.

Is IABS required at an open house?

It depends on the host's relationship to the owner. A host from the listing broker's office discloses owner representation but does not provide IABS or enter a buyer agreement with visitors. An outside host who does not represent the owner must provide IABS and enter the required written agreement before showing a prospective residential buyer, even if that visitor already has another broker.

Is IABS the same as agency disclosure?

No. IABS is the written information about brokerage services. Agency disclosure is the duty to disclose whom the license holder represents upon first contact with another party or another party's license holder.

Does this guide cover the latest IABS form wording?

This guide focuses on the durable IABS timing, delivery, and disclosure rules that stay stable from year to year. For the exact current form wording and recent legislative changes, check the official TREC IABS form and current TREC guidance before relying on specifics.

Can the Texas real estate exam prep app help me practice this?

Yes. The Texas real estate exam prep app can help you practice IABS timing, agency disclosure, first substantive communication, open-house exceptions, website and email delivery, intermediary setup, and representation-agreement traps with original Texas-focused explanations. Native Texas exam prep. Original questions. No copied exam questions. Not affiliated with TREC or Pearson VUE. Not a 180-hour pre-license course or a pass guarantee.

Is this article legal or brokerage advice?

No. This is educational exam prep. For real-world IABS delivery, agency disclosure, representation agreements, intermediary practice, website compliance, email delivery, social media disclosure, form versions, or SB 1968 compliance, verify current official sources and consult your sponsoring broker, attorney, compliance professional, or other qualified professional.

Primary-source verification (2026-07-29): This article was verified against the Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Content Outlines #094401, rev. 01/2026; 22 TAC Rules 531.18, 531.20, and 535.144; Texas Occupations Code Sections 1101.558, 1101.559, 1101.562, and 1101.563; TREC No. IABS 1-2 dated 11-03-2025; and TREC's January 7, 2026 guidance on buyer and tenant representation, including both open-house host outcomes. Statutes, rules, forms, and guidance can change. Verify current details with TREC before relying on them.

This post is educational exam-preparation content for Texas real estate sales agent candidates. It is not legal, brokerage, agency, or compliance advice. For real-world IABS delivery, website compliance, representation agreements, or current form wording, check the official TREC IABS form and consult your sponsoring broker or a qualified professional.

Sources and Methodology

• Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Content Outlines
• TREC Rules
• TREC Information About Brokerage Services form page
• TREC IABS form PDF
• TREC: What Changes in 2026 About Buyer/Tenant Representation in Texas
• TREC Frequently Asked Questions

This article focuses on the durable, tested agency-disclosure concepts. The method was to separate IABS from representation agreements and first-contact agency disclosure, then convert the official timing and delivery rules into original practice questions.