VIDP-Verified™
A formal certification program for real estate media platforms, MLS systems, and SaaS vendors that integrate the Verified Image Disclosure Protocol.
What VIDP-Verified will be
The VIDP standard is freely implementable under CC BY 4.0 — anyone can build VIDP support into their product or service without permission or payment. The standard's openness is fundamental to its value.
VIDP-Verified is something different: a certification mark and program that signals a platform has been independently reviewed for conformance with the standard. When the program launches, certified platforms will be able to display the VIDP-Verified™ trustmark on their products, marketing, and integrations — telling agents, brokerages, MLS operators, and consumers that their VIDP implementation has been verified, not just claimed.
The program is being developed thoughtfully. We're taking the time to design conformance criteria that reflect what the standard actually requires and what platforms can reasonably demonstrate, rather than rushing to launch a program that doesn't serve its purpose.
VIDP-Verified does not change the licensing or accessibility of the standard itself. Anyone can implement VIDP without certification — the spec, the pill catalog, the audit format, all remain open under CC BY 4.0. The certification program is an additional, optional layer for platforms that want independent verification of their conformance.
Why a certification program
An open standard creates a question for the people relying on disclosed media: how do I know this implementation actually conforms? A photographer using the free VIDP Web Tool produces compliant deliveries because the tool's behavior is observable. But when a platform claims to support VIDP across thousands of listings, agents, brokerages, MLS systems, and regulators have no easy way to verify the claim.
VIDP-Verified solves that gap. The certification mark answers four questions for everyone downstream of a platform's implementation:
- For consumers: Is this listing's disclosure being handled by a system that actually meets the standard?
- For agents and brokerages: Does this platform protect us from compliance liability if disclosure regulations apply to our markets?
- For MLS operators: Can we recommend or require this platform to our member brokerages with confidence?
- For regulators and trade groups: Is there a credible certification path we can reference in policy or guidance?
Without a certification mark, every platform's "VIDP support" claim has to be evaluated individually. With one, the trustmark itself does that work.
Who it's for
VIDP-Verified is designed for organizations that integrate VIDP into their products or services. It is not designed for individual producers — solo photographers and small operations don't need certification because the free VIDP Web Tool is itself the reference implementation.
Real estate media platforms
SaaS vendors providing photography delivery, editing, and management to agents and brokerages.
MLS systems
Multiple Listing Services that ingest, display, or syndicate listing media and want to certify their VIDP handling.
Listing portals
Public-facing listing sites that surface verification galleries to consumers.
Brokerage tech stacks
Large brokerages running their own internal media production and delivery infrastructure.
Editing services
Post-production services that want to certify the disclosure handling they deliver to photographer clients.
Camera manufacturers
Future scope: device-level VIDP integration for cameras with in-body editing or processing pipelines.
If you're a working photographer using the free VIDP Web Tool to disclose your edits, you do not need certification. The tool is the reference implementation — your deliveries are conformant by virtue of using it correctly. The certification program is for platforms that integrate VIDP into their own systems where independent verification is meaningful.
How it will work
The full program structure is in development. The general shape:
Conformance criteria
Certified platforms will demonstrate conformance with the published VIDP specification, including correct pill catalog implementation, base/delivered image handling, audit record format, QR generation, retention policies, and the other normative elements of the standard. The specific criteria will be published as a conformance checklist.
Application and review
Applicants will submit documentation describing their VIDP implementation, sample outputs, and operational practices. Review involves verifying that the implementation produces conforming output across representative test cases. The review depth will scale with the applicant's size and integration complexity.
Mark grant and renewal
Certified platforms receive the right to display VIDP-Verified™ marks in their marketing, UI, and platform documentation. Certification will be renewed annually to ensure ongoing conformance as the standard evolves.
Revocation
The program will include defined criteria for mark revocation if a certified platform falls out of conformance, materially misrepresents its implementation, or otherwise violates program rules. The process will be transparent and include a remediation pathway.
Specific timelines, conformance checklist details, application materials, and program fees will be published when the program launches.
Register your interest
If your organization is considering or already implementing VIDP and would benefit from certification when the program launches, let us know. Early-interest contacts will receive program updates as the launch approaches and will have the opportunity to shape the program's evolution through feedback.
This is a soft contact, not an application. The program isn't accepting formal applications yet.
verified@vidp.orgFrequently asked
Is VIDP still free to implement?
Yes. The standard is published under CC BY 4.0 and remains permanently free to implement. The certification program is a separate, optional layer for platforms that want independent verification of their implementation.
Can I implement VIDP without certification?
Yes. Implementation requires no permission, no fee, and no certification. Many adopters will implement VIDP without ever pursuing certification, and that's fine. Certification adds an independent verification claim that may matter for marketing, regulatory positioning, or institutional credibility — but it's not required for conformance.
Why won't you publish pricing yet?
The program is still in design. Pricing will reflect the actual cost and value of certification for different organization sizes, and we want to set those numbers based on real conversations with prospective applicants rather than guessing in advance. When the program launches, pricing will be published transparently.
Will the certification mark be required to display VIDP support?
No. Anyone implementing the standard can describe their product as supporting or implementing VIDP — that's a factual claim about a published standard. Only the specific protected marks (the VIDP-Verified™ trustmark and its associated logos) require certification. The distinction is between describing what your product does versus claiming an independent endorsement of how well it does it.
Will solo photographers be eligible for certification?
The program is structured for platforms and SaaS vendors, not individual producers. Solo photographers using the free VIDP Web Tool are already producing conformant deliveries — there's no additional certification value the program would provide them. A separate "VIDP Producer" recognition for individual photographers may be considered in the future based on demand.
What's the timeline for launch?
The program is being developed throughout 2026. We're prioritizing getting the program structure right over hitting a specific launch date. Interested parties who register via the contact above will receive launch announcements directly.
Who runs the certification program?
The certification program is administered by VIDP LLC, the entity that maintains the VIDP standard. Specific operational details — including the application process, review procedures, and how disputes are handled — will be published as the program is finalized.