Apply for an estate agent’s licence - individual

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Before you start your application

Eligibility

To be eligible for an estate agent's licence, you must satisfy the experience and current education requirements:

Experience requirements

You must have gained the aggregate of at least one-year full-time experience as an agent’s representative in Victoria at any time during the last three years immediately before applying for a licence.

Education requirements

The education requirements you require to be granted an estate agent’s licence depend on when you completed your prescribed course.

In order to meet the academic requirements to gain an estate agent’s licence you must have completed one of the following courses within the last 5 years:
  • the following 15 units of competency for the award of the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419):
  • 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
  • CPPREP4122 – Manage tenant relationships
  • CPPREP4123 – Manage tenancy
  • CPPREP4124 – End tenancy
  • CPPREP4125 – Transact in trust accounts

and

  • any 3 additional elective units that meet the packaging rules for the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice. In total 18 units of competency. For more information, visit My Skills.

and

  • the following 7 prescribed units of competency for the award of the Diploma of Property (Agency Management):
  • CPPREP5001 – Manage compliance in the property industry
  • CPPREP5002 – Establish and monitor property industry trust account management practices
  • CPPREP5003 – Manage ethical practice in the property industry
  • CPPREP5004 – Manage a safe workplace in the property industry
  • CPPREP5005 – Manage teams in the property industry
  • CPPREP5006 – Manage operational finances in the property industry
  • CPPREP5007 – Develop a strategic business plan in the property industry

and

  • any 5 elective units that meet the packaging rules for the Diploma of Property (Agency Management).  In total 12 units of competency. For more information, visit My Skills.

OR

  • The prescribed 24 units of the Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate) completed on or before 30 September 2021:
  • CPPDSM4001A Act as a buyer's agent
  • CPPDSM4003A Appraise property
  • CPPDSM4004A Conduct auction
  • 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
  • CPPDSM4009B 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
  • CPPDSM4016A Monitor and manage lease or tenancy agreement
  • CPPDSM4018A Prepare and present property reports
  • CPPDSM4019A Prepare for auction and complete sale
  • CPPDSM4020A Present at tribunals
  • CPPDSM4022A Sell and finalise the sale of property by private treaty
  • CPPDSM4049A Implement maintenance plan for managed properties
  • CPPDSM4056A Manage conflict and disputes in the property industry
  • CPPDSM4080A Work in the real estate industry
  • BSBSMB406 Manage small business finances
  • BSBRKG304 Maintain business records.

OR

one of the following previously available prescribed courses:

  • prescribed units of the Certificate IV in Property (Real Estate Agency Practice)
  • prescribed units of the Certificate IV in Business (Estate Agency Practice)
  • Advanced Certificate in Estate Agency
  • Advanced Certificate in Real Estate
  • Certificate in Business Studies (Real Estate)
  • Estate Agency Certificate
  • Bachelor of Business Property (Agency and Marketing Stream), started before 1 January 2000
  • prescribed units of the Certificate of Business Studies (Real Estate), started before 1 January 1987.

If you have previous experience in the real estate industry and your course was completed more than five years ago, you will meet the educational requirements to gain an estate agent’s licence if you have:

  • been licensed as an estate agent in Victoria in the last 10 years, or
  • worked as an agent’s representative for at least two years full time in the last 10 years with one of those years being within three years immediately prior to lodging your licence application.

and you have completed one of the following prescribed courses:

  • prescribed units of the Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate) completed on or before 30 September 2021 as referred to above
  • prescribed units of the Certificate IV in Property (Real Estate Agency Practice)
  • prescribed units of the Certificate IV in Business (Estate Agency Practice)
  • Bachelor of Business Property (Agency and Marketing Stream) started before 1 January 2000
  • Advanced Certificate in Estate Agency
  • Advanced Certificate in Real Estate
  • Certificate in Business Studies (Real Estate)
  • Estate Agency Certificate
  • prescribed units of the Certificate of Business Studies (Real Estate) started before 1 January 1987.

You can find further information about these prescribed education requirements in the Estate Agents (Education) Regulations 2020.

Registered training providers

Your course must be delivered by a registered training organisation in Victoria law, practice and procedure. To find real estate courses delivered by registered training organisations, visit the Australian Government's My Skills website.

Previously held estate agent's licence

You are eligible to apply for an estate agent's licence if you have previously held a Victorian estate agent's licence within the last five years.

Interstate and New Zealand licences - mutual recognition

To apply under mutual recognition to work as an estate agent in Victoria, you must hold a current equivalent interstate or New Zealand estate agent’s licence. For more information, go to Apply for mutual recognition of an interstate or New Zealand estate agent's licence.

Overseas licences - recognition

You may be eligible to apply for a Victorian estate agent's licence if you hold or have previously held an equivalent licence overseas. For more information, go to Apply for recognition of an overseas estate agent’s licence.

Ineligibility

You are automatically ineligible to be licensed if you are:

  • under 18 years of age; or
  • a represented person under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (where a guardian or administrator has been appointed); or
  • as an individual or as a director or officer of a company, currently disqualified from holding an estate agent's licence (or equivalent) anywhere in Australia or elsewhere, or the subject of an order by any regulatory body disqualifying you or the company from acting as an estate agent or equivalent.

You may also be ineligible if:

  • you are currently insolvent under administration (bankrupt, debt agreements under Part IX or Part X)
  • within the last 10 years, you have been convicted or found guilty of a disqualifying offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence punishable by 3 months or more in prison. For information about spent convictions, go to Spent convictions
  • you have ever had a claim admitted against you from the Victorian Property Fund or Estate Agents' Guarantee Fund.

Permission

For bankruptcy, disqualifying criminal offences and claims against the Victorian Property Fund or Estate Agents' Guarantee Fund you may still be granted a licence if you apply for permission. For more information, go to: 

Fees

The application fee for 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 is $426.40.

The application fee must be paid at the time of application. The fee is non-refundable.

Records checks

You must provide proof of your identity as part of your application.  

You may be able to do this by verifying your identity online. For more information, go to Identity verification.  
 
If you can’t complete online identity verification, you must submit certified copies of four identity documents and a signed consent form with your myCAV application. The correct documents, properly certified, will help your application avoid delays. For more information, got to Records checks.  

The Business Licensing Authority (BLA) will conduct checks with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), and other agencies to verify the information provided in the application. Any disputes about the accuracy of the results of the checks will be referred to ACIC.   

Providing incorrect information

It is a serious offence for a person to knowingly make a false or misleading statement in relation to a licence application. Significant fines apply.

Unlicensed trading

Unlicensed estate agents are liable for significant fines.

If you intend to operate through a company, that company must also be licensed. Go to Apply for an estate agent’s licence - company.

How to apply

You must use our online myCAV system to apply for an estate agent’s individual licence.

To start using myCAV, you will need to create your own myCAV account, using a personal email address to verify your identity and sign in to your account.

Complete and lodge your application in myCAV:

Start application

For more information, go to About myCAV.

Additional documents required with the application

You must attach the following documents to your application in myCAV: 

  • A copy of the relevant Victorian education qualifications: 
    • For the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice and the Diploma of Property (Agency Management) – the certificate and/or a letter of completion from the registered training provider. This documentation must state the name of the course, the units completed and the completion date; or 
    • For all other courses completed – the certificate and/or a letter of the completion from the registered training provider that states the name of the course and the completion date. 

After you lodge your application

Processing time

To avoid delays, please complete the form correctly and attach all necessary documents. The average processing time last quarter was 23 days.

You must not conduct business as an estate agent unless the BLA grants you a licence.

Additional information

When considering your application, the BLA may require you to provide further information. The BLA may refuse your application if you do not provide this within a reasonable timeframe.

Change of information

If any change occurs in the information you have provided in your licence application, you must notify the BLA in writing within 14 days of becoming aware of the change.

Sharing your information

The BLA gives your information to:

  • Consumer Affairs Victoria
  • other law enforcement and regulatory bodies.

These organisations may report any relevant information to the BLA.

For privacy information, go to Information and privacy - Business Licensing Authority.

Withdrawing your application

You can withdraw your application in writing at any time before it has been determined by the BLA. Please note that the fee is non-refundable.

Refusal of application

If your application is not successful, you will be notified in writing. You can appeal the decision by applying to VCAT within 28 days of the decision.

Successful application

If your application is successful, you will receive an estate agent's licence which is ongoing unless surrendered, suspended, disqualified or cancelled. Once you are licensed, you should familiarise yourself with your ongoing obligations and licensing requirements.

Conditions on a licence

The BLA may impose conditions:

  • which must be complied with before the BLA grants a licence
  • on granting a licence
  • at any time after a licence is granted.

The BLA may also vary or revoke any conditions or restrictions imposed on a licence at any time.