Assistant agent - certificate of registration
When you need a certificate of registration, eligibility requirements, and how to apply.
Key information
- In NSW, you need a certificate of registration to start working as an assistant agent in real estate, stock and station, or strata management.
- A certificate of registration is issued for 4 years and is not renewable.
- Assistant agents must be employed by a licence holder and supervised by a licensee in charge who holds a class 1 licence in the same category of work being performed.
When a certificate of registration is needed
You need a certificate of registration if you want to work as an assistant agent in:
- real estate
- stock and station, or
- strata management.
Assistant agent is the title given to all certificate of registration holders. This is an entry level position with limited functions, to allow you to get the experience and knowledge needed to become a licensed agent in the real estate and property industry.
A certificate of registration is issued for a 4-year term and is not renewable.
Within the 4-year period, you must complete your qualifications and progress to a Class 2 licence. If not, you must stop working as an assistant agent and cannot apply for a new certificate of registration for 12 months after the expiry of your certificate.
As an assistant agent, you must be employed by a licence holder and supervised by a licensee in charge who holds a class 1 licence in the same category of work you need to do.
Assistant agents can generally conduct any functions related to their certificate type. However, as an assistant agent, you cannot:
- enter into a contract for the sale of land
- enter into an agency agreement, including sales agreements and property management agreements (except for agency agreements that relate only to the sale or purchase of livestock)
- enter into a franchising agreement
- act as agent for the purchase, sale, exchange, lease, assignment or other disposal of rural land or livestock, whether or not an auction is involved
- affix the seal of the owner’s corporation (if you are an assistant agent in strata management)
- authorise the withdrawal of money from a trust account.
Eligibility
There are certain requirements you must meet to get an assistant agent certificate of registration.
Who can apply
To be eligible for a certificate of registration, you must:
- be at least 16 years of age
- be a fit and proper person to hold a certificate of registration
- have the right qualifications for the type of certificate you are applying for
- not be a disqualified person.
NSW Fair Trading will perform checks (including financial and police checks) to determine whether you are a fit and proper person.
You must:
- have not been found guilty of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty in the last 10 years, and are not currently involved in court proceedings for such an offence
- have not been convicted of an offence under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002, the regulations, or another Act administered by the Minister for Fair Trading
- not be a member of or regularly associate with members of a declared criminal organisation.
Who is a disqualified person?
Licensees cannot employ people who are disqualified from holding a licence or certificate of registration, or who have had their application refused because they are not a ‘fit and proper’ person.
There are several reasons why you might be disqualified under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 (the Act).
You can be disqualified if, for example, you:
- have a conviction involving dishonesty that was recorded in the last 10 years, or
- have a conviction that was recorded in the last 5 years for lending or transferring a licence or certificate of registration to another person.
You can also be disqualified if you have been suspended or disqualified from holding a licence, permit or other authority under another Act administered by the Minister for Fair Trading.
The Secretary may choose to ignore these factors in deciding whether a person should be disqualified, if considered appropriate to do so.
You can view the full disqualified persons list in the Act.
How to apply
What you need
Before you start your application, make sure you have:
- a MyServiceNSW account
- personal and business details
- 2 forms of identification, such as an Australian driver licence or passport
- evidence of your qualifications from a registered training organisation (RTO)
- the details of your previous licence or certificate of registration (if applicable)
- employment details (if applicable)
- payment for the certificate fee. See our fees page for details.
Certificates are issued for 4 years and are non-renewable. If you have held a certificate in the last 12 months you may not be eligible to apply again.
Apply now
You can apply for a new certificate of registration online at the Service NSW website.
The button below will take you to the online application form on the Service NSW website.
Your application will take about 20 minutes to complete.
If you need help with your application or have a question, please call 13 32 20.
What happens after you apply
Your application will be reviewed and assessed to check it meets eligibility requirements.
Learn more about application processing times.
We might contact you (by email or post) if we need more information.
We will send an email to advise you if your application has been successful.
If your application is successful, the email will include a copy of your licence and your details will be added to the public register.
If your application is unsuccessful, you’ll be advised of the reasons in writing and be provided with your options.
Add or remove a category on your certificate of registration
You can add categories to your licence if you have completed the required qualifications.
You can also remove any categories you no longer need.
Before you apply to add or remove a category, make sure you have:
- evidence of the relevant qualifications for the category you’re applying for
- payment for the fee if you’re adding a category.
Find out if you're eligible to add or remove a category online
To apply in-person, download and complete the application form to add or remove a category and submit it with supporting documents at your nearest Service NSW Centre, or by email to propertylicensing@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
You will be advised of the outcome via email or mail.
Renew a certificate of registration
A certificate of registration is issued for a 4-year term and is generally not renewable.
There are special arrangements in place for some certificate holders, primarily those with certificates expiring from 22 March 2024.
Certificate holders who work as an assistant agent in stock and station but are subject to a restriction condition to carry out livestock-related activities only, can renew their certificate online. This restricted certificate was only available to holders of a stock and station certificate of registration immediately before 23 March 2020 and is no longer being offered.
How to renew
Assistant stock and station agents who have a restriction condition to carry out livestock-related activities only, can renew their certificates online.
To renew, you will need:
- your certificate of registration number
- your renewal number (from your renewal notice), or full personal details.
If your certificate of registration isn't renewed by the due date or is not restored, you will no longer be authorised to carry out livestock-related activities as an assistant stock and station agent in NSW.
Working interstate, AMR and mutual recognition
There are different ways to make it easier for many licensed or registered professionals to work interstate.
Qualifications from overseas are not approved for licensing in NSW.
Automatic mutual recognition
Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) allows individuals who hold equivalent licences issued in other Australian States and Territories to work in NSW under that licence. Recognised interstate licensees will not need an NSW licence unless they relocate from their primary place of residence to NSW (please note: Queensland is not a participating state).
Interstate licence holders are required to notify NSW Fair Trading of their intention to work in NSW under AMR.
While working in NSW, a recognised interstate licensee must follow the same laws as NSW licence holders. NSW Fair Trading can take disciplinary and enforcement action if these obligations are not met.
The AMR scheme does not apply to New Zealand licences. However, existing processes under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangements continue to apply.
If not eligible, other licence holders may still be able to apply under mutual recognition to have their licence recognised in NSW.
Mutual recognition
Mutual recognition (MR) arrangements enable a licensed professional to work in another state or territory by having their qualifications recognised in NSW, and vice versa. Currently, the participating states/territories are NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
If you hold a current and equivalent interstate licence, you may be eligible to apply for an NSW licence under mutual recognition if the activities you're authorised to carry out are substantially the same.
Apply for mutual recognition online or in person at Service NSW.
Qualification and training requirements
You need to hold certain qualifications and complete work experience to be an assistant agent in NSW.
You must also complete work experience training under the supervision of a licensee in charge to be able to progress to a class 2 licence.
NSW Fair Trading can suspend your certificate of registration if you do not comply with the qualification and training requirements outlined below.
Qualifications
To apply for a certificate of registration in real estate or stock and station categories, you must have completed the following 5 core units from the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (CPP41419):
- Prepare for professional practice in real estate (CPPREP4001).
- Access and interpret ethical practice in real estate (CPREP4002).
- Access and interpret legislation in real estate (CPPREP4003).
- Establish marketing and communication profiles in real estate (CPPREP4004).
- Prepare to work with real estate trust accounts (CPPREP4005).
To apply for a certificate of registration in strata management, you must have completed one of the pathways below.
Pathway 1
The following 7 units from the Certificate IV in Strata Community Management (CPP40516):
- Manage conflicts and disputes in the property industry (CPPDSM4056).
- Work in the property industry (CPPDSM3016).
- Implement customer service strategies in the property industry (CPPDSM4048).
- Identify and analyse risk and opportunities in the property industry (CPPDSM4028).
- Work in the strata community management sector (CPPDSM3017).
- Monitor a safe workplace in the property industry (CPPDSM4057).
- Communicate effectively to support customer service in real estate (CPPREP3002), or Communicate with clients in the property industry (CPPDSM3019).
Pathway 2
The following 4 units from the Certificate IV in Strata Community Management (CPP40521), and 1 independent unit from the property services training package as listed below:
- Identify and analyse risks in strata community management (CPPSCM4028).
- Apply knowledge of WHS laws in the workplace (BSBWHS307).
- Access and interpret legislation in strata community management (CPPSCM4009).
- Source and extract information from strata plans (CPPSCM3020).
and
- Work effectively in strata community management (CPPSCM3017) - from the property services training package.
Training must be provided by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) like TAFE NSW.
Existing qualifications from an RTO or university (prior learning) can count towards any new qualification. Ask your RTO if this applies to you.
Work experience
You must complete a range of work experience tasks to be able to progress to a class 2 property agent licence.
Use the Evidence of work experience logbook to keep track of the tasks as you complete them.
Work experience needed to become a class 2 agent
To be eligible for a class 2 real estate agent licence, you must complete:
- a minimum of 9 tasks from Part 1 of the logbook, and
- a minimum of 5 tasks from Part 2.
You need to complete the listed activities under the supervision of a licensee in charge. They must verify your ability by signing each task in your logbook as they are achieved.
Once you have finished your work experience tasks, you must keep the logbook as evidence for your licence application if requested.
Contact us
Need help applying?
If you need help with your application or have a question, please call 13 32 20.
Unsuccessful applications
If your application is unsuccessful, you can ask for a review.
A review involves another officer from NSW Fair Trading, who was not involved in the original decision, reviewing the decision on your application.
For more information about the process see reviews of NSW Fair Trading decisions.