# Section 3: Fees & Billing Schedule {% hint style="info" %} 🟦 = NAR-based policy provision {% endhint %} ### [3.1 – Recurring Subscription Fees](#id-3.1-recurring-subscription-fees)

Subscriber Type	Recurring Subscription Fees
Real Estate Broker or Salesperson	$600 annually (Prorated $50/month for new members) *
Real Estate Appraiser	$420 annually (Prorated $35/month for new members) *
Unlicensed Staff	Billed at the same recurring subscription rate as the affiliated licensee/Participant the staff account supports

{% hint style="danger" %} **\***** Proration:**The annual billing cycle begins on April 1st and ends on March 31st the following year. Subscription fees for new members are pro-rated monthly based on the join date. Proration is calculated by whole months remaining in the billing cycle (April–March). Example: Join October 10 → billed for Oct–Mar (6 months) at the monthly rate. {% endhint %} ### [3.2 – Administrative & One-Time Fees](#id-3.2-administrative-and-one-time-fees)

Fee Name	Amount	Policy Note
New Office Application Fee (Not applicable for office reactivations)	$2,100	Non-refundable one-time fee. Applies to both new offices and branches of an existing firm. This fee helps offset MLS infrastructure investments that new offices benefit from immediately. It also reduces “temporary access” behavior and discourages entities formed primarily to extract MLS data.
New Subscriber Application Fee	$1,000	Non-refundable one-time fee. Does not apply if an existing member is requesting a secondary account (e.g., dual license as a REALTOR & Appraiser)
Agent Reactivation Fee **	$1,000	Non-refundable. Applied each time a Subscriber is reactivated after (a) 90+ consecutive days without an active BSCMLS subscription, or (b) termination for non-compliance.
Office Transfer Fee	$100	Applied per instance.

{% hint style="danger" %} **\*\***** Agent Reactivation Fee:** The reactivation fee applies after ninety (90) or more consecutive days without an active BSCMLS subscription to prevent cyclical enrollment based primarily on seasonal market activity. Participants and Subscribers are expected to maintain continuous membership if they intend to remain actively engaged in the real estate business within the BSCMLS service area. This policy helps ensure fairness to users who maintain uninterrupted access year-round and supports the ongoing costs of system administration, compliance, and member services. {% endhint %} ### [3.3 – Billing Responsibility, Schedule & Refunds](#id-3.3-billing-responsibility-schedule-and-refunds) Pursuant to the BSCMLS Board’s authority under [**Section 1.2**](https://rulebook.bscmls.com/pages/VjRMUDfZ0Hw8G1b1J5zg#id-1.2-authority-to-amend-rules), the Board of Directors may amend any and all fees on an annual basis. Unless otherwise stated by the BSCMLS, amended fees take effect at the start of the next annual billing cycle. #### [A. Responsibility](#a.-responsibility) The Participant (Broker in Charge) is responsible for ensuring all fees, dues, and charges for every Subscriber in their office are paid by the due date (whether paid by the firm, the Subscriber, or another arrangement within the office). #### [B. Annual Billing Cycle](#b.-annual-billing-cycle) Recurring annual subscription fees are invoiced on March 1st and are due by March 31st. The billing cycle covers the period from April 1st through March 31st of the following year. #### [C. Payment Deadlines, Late Fees, and Non-Payment Consequences](#c.-payment-deadlines-late-fees-and-non-payment-consequences) Payment deadlines and consequences depend on the type of charge involved. The timelines below apply separately to: * Annual Renewal Invoices * New Member Invoices * Unpaid Fines BSCMLS may send reminders and past-due notices as a courtesy; however, applicable deadlines still apply even if a notice is missed, ignored, or deleted. #### Annual Renewal Invoices Annual subscription invoices are issued on **March 1st** and are due in full by **March 31st**. These are the only invoices subject to late fees.

Stage	Date	Action / Outcome
Invoice Issued	March 1st	Annual renewal invoice sent to responsible members
Payment Due	March 31st	Full annual subscription fee due
Late Fee Assessed	April 1st	Late fee added; full balance due in 30 days
Suspension	May 1st	If full balance is unpaid, MLS access is Suspended
Termination	June 1st	If full balance is still unpaid, membership is Terminated and any applicable reactivation fees will be applied

#### Late Fee Amounts for Annual Renewal Invoices

Subscriber Type	Late Fee Amount
Broker in Charge or Salesperson	$50
Primary Appraiser or Appraiser Associate	$35
Unlicensed Assistants	Same rate as the affiliated Participant/Subscriber

#### New Member Invoices New member invoices are due **30 days from the date of issuance** and must be paid in full before MLS service is activated. Because service is not activated until payment is received, new member invoices are **not** subject to late fees, suspension, or termination for non-payment. If payment is not received within 30 days, BSCMLS may follow up with the applicant to confirm whether they still intend to proceed with activation. #### Unpaid Fines Fines are due within **30 days of the violation notice**, unless BSCMLS confirms that an appeal has been accepted for Board consideration. Submitting an appeal does **not** pause the payment deadline unless such confirmation is provided. See [**Section 16.1.C – Payment & Appeals**](https://rulebook.bscmls.com/pages/lFLOsplLFKrR9CdeEU0f#c.-payment-and-appeals).

Stage	Timing	Action / Outcome
Fine Due	Day 30 from violation/fine notice	Fine must be paid in full, or an approved appeal must be pending Board review
Suspension	Day 31 (1 day past due)	If unpaid and no approved appeal is pending, MLS access is Suspended
Termination	Day 61 (31 days past due)	If still unpaid, membership is Terminated and any applicable Reactivation Fee applies

#### [D. Association Cross-Suspension](#d.-association-cross-suspension) 🟦 If BSCMLS is notified that a Subscriber has been suspended or terminated by their Primary Association, BSCMLS membership will be suspended until the Association status is resolved. If the Subscriber’s Association suspension has not been remedied within thirty (30) days, their BSCMLS membership will be terminated. This applies only to the individual Subscriber whose Primary Association status is suspended or terminated; it does not automatically suspend other Subscribers in the office. If a Subscriber remains active with their Primary Association but is suspended or terminated by BSCMLS, the individual may not access BSCMLS services or data unless and until their MLS membership is reinstated. If the individual remains affiliated with a BSCMLS Participant after suspension or termination, the Participant remains responsible for ensuring that the individual is either properly subscribed to BSCMLS or properly accounted for under any applicable Certification of Non-Use requirements in [**Section 3.4**](#id-3.4-certification-of-non-use-request-for-waiver-of-fees-nar-policies-7.43). #### [E. Refund Policy (Renewing Members Only)](#e.-refund-policy-renewing-members-only) Refunds for annual fees are strictly limited to prevent unauthorized data scraping.

Eligibility:

Refunds are only available to Subscribers who have held membership for a minimum of 90 consecutive days. * The 90-day minimum is in place to deter real estate professionals from attempting to gain access to MLS data and then cancel their membership once their compilation is complete. Some organizations refer to this as “temporary access” or “one-day access”. The BSCMLS does not offer these membership options.

Deadline:

Termination requests must be received in writing no later than April 30th. No refunds will be issued for requests made after this date.

Refund Calculation:

Full refunds may be issued ONLY if an audit confirms the Subscriber did not log in to the MLS system during the month of April. “Log in” means any authenticated access to MLS services (web or app) using the Subscriber’s credentials. “Audit” means review of system access logs and related account activity. If the Subscriber logged in during April, they are eligible only for a prorated refund covering the remaining 11 months.

### [3.4 – Certification of Non-Use (Request for Waiver of Fees)](#id-3.4-certification-of-non-use-request-for-waiver-of-fees) 🟦 NAR Policies 7.43 **MLS of Choice / Authorized Use:** Recurring MLS fees, dues, and charges are based upon the total number of real estate brokers, sales licensees, and licensed or certified real estate appraisers affiliated with or employed by an MLS participant. BSCMLS provides participants the option of a no-cost waiver of MLS fees, dues and charges for any licensee or licensed or certified appraiser who can demonstrate subscription to a different MLS where the principal broker participates. The BSCMLS requires broker participants to sign a certification for nonuse of its MLS services by their licensees, which can include penalties and termination of the waiver if violated. At a minimum, each affiliated licensee must subscribe to at least one MLS where the principal broker participates. Licensees are authorized to access and use MLS data only from the service(s) where they subscribe. Unauthorized access/use of MLS data where a licensee does not subscribe may result in sanctions against the Participant and termination of any MLS subscription waiver. #### **A. Eligibility (all must be true)** A waiver may be granted only if: * [x] The licensee is subscribed to another MLS, and * [x] The principal Broker/Credentialed Participant also participates in that same MLS, and * [x] The Participant signs an annual Certification of Non-Use confirming the licensee will not access or use BSCMLS services or data. #### **B. What “Non-Use” Means (required)** A waived licensee may **not** access or use BSCMLS data or services in any form, including (but not limited to): ❌ Logging into BSCMLS/Matrix or any BSCMLS-provided system ❌ Accessing BSCMLS data through any vendor product, data feed, back-office tool, or shared office system ❌ Receiving MLS data through another person’s credentials or “shared login” behavior ❌ Using BSCMLS data for CMAs, valuations, prospecting, marketing, showing activity, or any business workflow #### **C. Changes in office status / affiliation** If a licensee who is under a non-use certification is later placed into a role where BSCMLS access would be required, the Participant must, within ten (10) calendar days, either: * Remove the licensee from the office’s BSCMLS roster (transfer/separate in MLS records), **or** * Ensure the licensee subscribes to BSCMLS and completes any required onboarding steps. #### **D. Violation of Non-Use Certification (waiver termination + retroactive fees)** If a licensee is found to have accessed or used BSCMLS services or data while covered by a non-use certification: {% stepper %} {% step %} The waiver will be immediately terminated, and {% endstep %} {% step %} All waived MLS subscription fees become immediately due, retroactive to the date of the certification, and {% endstep %} {% step %} Payment is due within five (5) business days of notice. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} Unauthorized access/use may also result in MLS sanctions against the Participant and termination of any future subscription waivers. #### E. Omitted or Undisclosed Affiliated Licensees Participants must accurately account for all affiliated licensees and licensed or certified appraisers for purposes of MLS subscription, billing, and any Certification of Non-Use. If BSCMLS determines that a Participant failed to disclose an affiliated licensee or appraiser who should have been either subscribed or properly covered by a valid Certification of Non-Use, BSCMLS may: {% stepper %} {% step %} require the Participant to submit corrected records or certifications within a stated deadline; {% endstep %} {% step %} assess all unpaid subscription fees retroactively to the date the individual became affiliated with the office, or to the date the inaccurate certification took effect, as applicable; {% endstep %} {% step %} terminate any waiver or Certification of Non-Use that was based on incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading information; and {% endstep %} {% step %} pursue any additional sanctions authorized under these Rules for false certification, unauthorized access, or other related violations. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ### [3.5 – SentriLock Subscription Fees](#id-3.5-sentrilock-subscription-fees) Lockbox participation is voluntary and may be enabled by contacting BSCMLS staff. However, the BSCMLS does NOT handle the collection of fees for SentriLock. Payment is made through the SentriLock website or the mobile app. Fees are prorated by the quarter in which the Subscriber enrolls in SentriLock during the current annual billing cycle. The fee schedule shown is the current schedule as of the date of publication and may change.

Fee Schedule	Start Date	End Date	SentriLock Fee
Full Year	September 4th	December 3rd	$156.00
9-month proration	December 4th	March 3rd	$117.00
6-month proration	March 4th	June 3rd	$78.00
3-month proration	June 4th	September 3rd	$39.00

### [3.6 – Lockbox Sales](#id-3.6-lockbox-sales) Anyone who chooses to subscribe to SentriLock through the BSCMLS can purchase lockboxes directly from the BSCMLS for $130 each, payable to “Big Sky Country MLS”. All sales are final and returns are not accepted. Any lockbox that is lost or stolen is the responsibility of the lockbox owner and will not be covered under warranty. Defective lockboxes will be replaced at no charge. If a defective box must be removed or a key tray is jammed, SentriLock will coordinate dispatch. Locksmith costs are covered only when the issue is confirmed as a product defect; otherwise costs may be billed to the lockbox owner. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://rulebook.bscmls.com/section-3-fees-and-billing-schedule.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.