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Real estate agent

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The real estate agent licence allows you to:

own or manage a real estate agency
buy, sell, exchange or rent houses, businesses, land or any interest in these
negotiate for the buying, selling, exchanging or renting of 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
manage an apartment complex and sell any units independently, without having to work through an established agency
operate a trust account on behalf of sellers and buyers
buy, sell or exchange livestock or an interest in livestock.

You cannot:

auction property.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a real estate agent licence, you must:

be 18 years or over
be a suitable person
have at least one place of business in Queensland
have completed the required training units through a registered training organisation.

An individual is considered suitable if they have not been:

bankrupt
convicted in the previous five years of a serious offence which is punishable by 3 or more years imprisonment, such as:
- fraud and dishonesty
- drug trafficking
- extortion
- arson
- unlawful stalking
- violence or the threat of using violence
- any offence of a sexual nature
disqualified from holding a licence or registration certificate
recorded in the register of disqualified company directors under the Corporations Act 2001.

If you are not an Australian citizen, you need to provide an international passport to complete the check on your working visa. Your visa must state that you can work in Australia. You must also provide written advice from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to explain any conditions on your visa.

Training requirements

Note: If you have held a comparable real estate agent licence within two years of applying for the licence, you do not need to complete the training requirements.

To qualify for this licence you must complete these subjects from the industry-recognised Property Development and Management Training Package:

PRDRE09A Implement and monitor financial systems
PRDRE10A Manage agency risk
PRDRE11A Provide property appraisal
PRDRE12A Establish and expand client base
PRDRE13A Obtain property listings
PRDRE14A Market property
PRDRE15A Undertake property sale by private treaty
PRDRE16A Monitor sales process
PRDRE18A Lease property
PRDRE19A Provide property management services
PRDRE22A Present and explain property reports
PRDRE26A Conduct property sale by auction
PRDRE28A Maintain trust account
PRDRE30A Implement personal marketing plan
PRDRE37A Perform and record property management activities and transactions
PRDRE39A Prepare and execute documentation
PRDPOD62A Clarify and confirm property information requirements.

Alternatively, you can complete these units from the Property Services Training Package endorsed by the National Quality Council:

BSBSBM406A Manage finances
CPPDSM4003A Appraise property
CPPDSM4005A Establish and build client-agency relationships
CPPDSM4006A Establish and manage agency trust accounts
CPPDSM4007A Identify legal and ethical requirements of property management to complete agency work
CPPDSM4008A Identify legal and ethical requirements of property sales to complete agency work
CPPDSM4009A Interpret legislation to complete agency work
CPPDSM4010A Lease property
CPPDSM4011A List property for lease
CPPDSM4012A List property for sale
CPPDSM4013A Market property for lease
CPPDSM4014A Market property for sale
CPPDSM4015A Minimise agency and consumer risk
CPPDSM4016A Monitor and manage lease or tenancy agreement
CPPDSM4018A Prepare and present property reports
CPPDSM4019A Prepare for auction and complete sale
CPPDSM4022A Sell and finalise the sale of property by private treaty
CPPDSM4046A Manage tenancy disputes
CPPDSM4080A Work in the real estate industry.

Registered training organisations

For information on courses and training providers in Queensland, contact the National Training Information Service.

Applying for a licence

To apply for a real estate agent licence:

meet the eligibility criteria
complete the training requirements and attach proof of qualifications
complete PAMD Form 1-1 and notes - Application for individual licence (PDF, 624 KB)
provide originals or certified copies of your birth certificate, birth extract, passport, Australian citizenship certificate or drivers licence (see below for advice on getting certified copies)
provide certified, passport-quality photos of yourself
pay the licence fee of $1060 for one year or $1985 for three years
pay the criminal history check fee of $35.50 lodge the application (see the application form for lodgement details).

Criminal history checks

Applicants must undergo a criminal history check to confirm their suitability.

The criminal history check costs $35.50 (which includes $1.13 GST) for each person who appears on the application form. The fee applies to all applications and renewal notices.

Processing time

Processing time is 4-6 weeks. However, it can take longer if we need to contact you for missing information or fees.

The processing time may be up to six weeks because the criminal history check process, handled by Queensland Police, is thorough and time consuming.

Making the process quicker

Send certified documents

Take the original document and a copy to a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declarations, solicitor, barrister or a Notary Public. They will stamp and/or sign the copy and write ‘This is a true copy of the original document’.

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General has a list of JPs in your area. Otherwise, contact your local post office, courthouse, bank, shopping centre manager or pharmacy.

We will send your original documents to you after we assess your application. Please note that a photocopy is not a certified document.

Pay all criminal history check fees

Remember to pay a separate fee for yourself and each person on the application form.

Refunds for unsuccessful applications

If your application is unsuccessful or it is withdrawn, you will receive a partial refund. Your application fee is non-refundable, but we will refund your licence fee and any unused criminal history check fees.