To enable the Commissioner to consider whether an applicant is of good character and repute, and a fit and proper person to hold a licence, an Australian police check must be provided. The police check must not be more than three months old at the time the application is lodged with the Commissioner. 

Please see the Police checks for occupational licensing purposes page for a list of accepted Australian police checks. 

Applicants must also provide two business references. The business references must be in the pro forma.

A person who gives false or misleading information to the Commissioner or chief executive officer under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978, including in relation to an application for a real estate agent or business agent licence, commits an offence and is liable for a penalty of up to $20,000. 

To apply for a real estate and business agent licence you must have one of the following prescribed qualifications from a registered training organisation:

• Diploma of Property Services (Agency Management) CPP50307
• Diploma of Property (Agency Management) CPP51122 
• Diploma of Property (Agency Management) CPP51119 

or one of the following prescribed qualifications from Curtin University of Technology:

• Bachelor of Commerce (Property and Marketing)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Property) 
• Bachelor of Commerce (Property and Finance)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Property Development and Valuation)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Property Development and Valuation Extension Major)
• Bachelor of Commerce (Property Valuation)
• Master of Property
• Graduate Diploma in Property

Applicants for a real estate and business agent licence will also be required to complete units of competency from the CPP41419 Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice based on type of sales representative registration held or qualification attained to meet previous registration requirements. Applicants who have completed one of the prescribed qualifications from Curtin University degrees are exempt from this requirement. See the FAQs and flowcharts on the Pathways to real estate and business agent licensing and registration page for more information about how this may apply to you. 

Detailed information about real estate and business agents licence qualifications can be found in the Real Estate and Business Agents (General) Regulations 1979.

Applicants must satisfy the Commissioner that they have sufficient practical experience in negotiating transactions to enable them to carry on the business of an agent satisfactorily. To assist with this assessment, applicants must provide details of their real estate activities and transactions. This information should include:

• A current resume which details employment history for a minimum of two years preceding the application. The resume should include the various job titles, names of employers and tasks involved; and
• A transaction list detailing:
  • sales transaction details, such as the date of sale, address of property, value/price, and whether or not it was a conjunctional sale; and/or
  • property management transaction details, such as a description of properties managed (e.g. house, flat or shop), whether you managed them alone or were part of a team, and the period you managed them; and/or
  • leasing transaction details, such as a description of properties leased (e.g. retail, commercial or residential), whether you managed them alone or were part of a team, and the period you managed them. 
  • A sample spreadsheet of information that is required is available for download. 

Applicants must demonstrate that they have had a direct involvement in negotiating the actual transactions end to end; it is not sufficient to only have observational or theoretical experience, or experience that is somewhat relevant to negotiating transactions. Consideration will be given to the volume, nature, type and complexity of transactions that have been negotiated as well as the period of time over which they were negotiated and how recent the experience is.

For reference, section 4 of the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 defines the terms ‘transaction’, ‘business transaction’ and ‘real estate transaction’ (refer https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a672.html ).

Applicants will also need to provide a confidential statement of their assets and liabilities. In addition, an independent registered auditor must be appointed to audit the agent’s trust account(s).