Register as a real estate salesperson
You must register to work as a salesperson for a real estate agent. You must meet all criteria before we can issue a certificate of registration.
To register you must submit an application for a real estate salesperson registration certificate.
You can also apply online with the Fair Trading – New Individual Application form.
Please note: you may only register to work as an employee. A contractor must have a full licence.
Authorised activities
A real estate salesperson registration certificate allows you to:
- buy, sell, exchange or rent houses, businesses, land or any interest in these
- manage their place of business (except the principal place of business), unless you are registered with conditions
- negotiate on behalf of a buyer, seller, landlord or exchange or rent houses, businesses or land
- show property to potential buyers
- inspect and assess property for sale or rent
- advertise a property for rent or sale (includes setting up signs)
- open up a property for inspection for sale or rent.
You may not:
- conduct auctions
- operate trust accounts.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a real estate salesperson certificate, you must:
- be 18 or older
- pass the required training courses.
Suitability
You are not suitable to hold a real estate salesperson registration if you:
- are currently disqualified from holding a licence or registration certificate
- have been convicted of a serious offence within the past 5 years.
We also consider if you:
- have a criminal history
- were the subject of a successful claim fund action
- have had your licence or registration certificate cancelled or have been suspended from holding one
- have been previously disqualified from holding a licence or registration certificate
- are disqualified from being a company director
- are an insolvent under administration
- are incapable of satisfactorily doing the job of a registration certificate holder
- are unsuitable because of your character
- are allowed to work in Australia.
Serious offences
A serious offence is anything punishable by 3 or more years in prison, including:
- violent offences (including threats to use violence)
- fraud and dishonesty
- drug trafficking
- extortion
- arson
- unlawful stalking, intimidation, harassment or abuse
- offences of a sexual nature.
Insolvent under administration
If you are an insolvent under administration, you must give us written details of the following:
- how you became an insolvent under administration (if this was your business, also advise the type of business)
- what steps you took to avoid going into insolvency
- how much you owe to each creditor (list them all by name and amount)
- whether you faced any charges relating to the insolvency.
You will also need to include a letter from your current employer that:
- is on their company letterhead
- outlines your role within the company
- tells us if you will be in a position to influence how they manage their business.
Non-citizens
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, you need to:
- give us a certified copy of your passport
- have a visa that allows you to work in Australia.
Lodgement
When you lodge the form, you will need to attach formal identification. These documents must be original or certified copies.
Your identification must be a certified copy of any of the following documents:
- Birth certificate or extract
- Driver licence
- Passport
- Citizenship certificate
You will need to the required fees when you lodge your application.
You will also need to attach proof of your qualifications.
Criminal history check
To confirm your suitability, we will submit your application for a criminal history check. This will be thorough and may be time consuming.
If you were born in New Zealand or have a New Zealand passport, you need to get a copy of your criminal history or a letter indicating you have no criminal history from New Zealand. For more information, visit the New Zealand Ministry of Justice website.
We can only accept original documents dated within one month of the date you send them to us. Please note, it can take up to 20 working days to process a request for a New Zealand criminal history check. There is no fee payable for you to get a New Zealand criminal history check.
Processing time
The processing time is 4–6 weeks. This can take longer if your application is not complete. This might be because of:
- missing information
- unpaid fees.
We will contact you if you submitted an incomplete application. You will need to complete the application before we can proceed. Otherwise, we may withdraw your application.
Refunds
Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to a partial refund if:
- you withdraw your application
- we refuse your application.
You may also get a refund on the fee for your criminal history check if it hasn’t been started yet.
Training
You must pass these training subjects from a recognised provider. The only exception is if you’ve held an equivalent certificate within the past 2 years.
You must have successfully completed or been assessed as competent in the required subjects. These subjects are taken from the following industry-recognised training package:
- Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419).
Find a training provider in Queensland.
You will need to give us evidence that you have successfully completed the following units from this training package:
| Course code | Name of course |
|---|---|
| CPPREP4001 | Prepare for professional practice in real estate |
| CPPREP4002 | Access and interpret ethical practice in real estate |
| CPPREP4003 | Access and interpret legislation in real estate |
| CPPREP4004 | Establish marketing and communication profiles in real estate |
| CPPREP4005 | Prepare to work with real estate trust accounts |
| CPPREP4101 | Appraise property for sale or lease |
| CPPREP4102 | Market property |
| CPPREP4103 | Establish vendor relationships |
| CPPREP4104 | Establish buyer relationships |
| CPPREP4105 | Sell property |
| CPPREP4121 | Establish landlord relationships |
| CPPREP4123 | Manage tenancy |
Note: Training completed from the superseded Property Services training package (CPP07) will no longer be accepted for licensing purposes.
Student visa holders
It is an offence under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for a registered training organisation to provide training to an international student on a student visa, unless the training organisation holds registration on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
Therefore, if you are in Australia on a student visa, you must make sure that the training organisation where you complete your training holds CRICOS registration.
Please note, training for each specified unit of competency must be completed through the CRICOS registered training provider. We will not accept a training certificate issued by a CRICOS registered training provider as a result of a credit transfer.