With the DRE changing to the Bureau of Real Estate (BRE), REALTORS® are encouraged but not required to use, starting July 1, 2013, the acronym “BRE” rather than “DRE” when referencing your license number on business cards and other advertising materials. According to a new DRE advisory, “the Bureau of Real Estate will not be citing licensees solely based on the use of solicitation materials that reference DRE.”

The Department of Real Estate (DRE) will become the Bureau of Real Estate (BRE) under the California Department of Consumer Affairs on July 1, as part of Governor Brown’s reorganization plan for consolidating governmental entities. To avoid wasting advertising materials you currently have that mention the DRE, you can use up your existing supplies in the upcoming months. You should, however, make every reasonable effort to exhaust your existing stock and change over to “BRE” when re-ordering or creating new solicitation materials.

As a reminder, solicitation materials intended to be the first point of contact with consumers must generally include your real estate license number. Examples include, but are not limited to, business cards, stationery, flyers, brochures, emails, websites, purchase agreements, and other marketing or promotional materials designed to solicit the creation of a professional relationship with a consumer. For more information, please refer to our legal Q&A on Advertising.