Are you keen on entering Singapore’s vibrant and dynamic property sector?
Starting a career in real estate can be immensely fulfilling!
I can personally attest to this; I've successfully established a career in property sales and team building, invested in properties in my twenties, and launched several real estate ventures! You can discover more about my journey alongside me.
That said, becoming a real estate agent is no walk in the park. Before you begin your journey as a real estate salesperson, you'll need to complete the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) course and pass the RES examinations.
Once you've fulfilled these prerequisites, you can register with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) as a licensed real estate salesperson. This comprehensive guide will help you understand what to expect on your path to obtaining your license. Be sure to check out my blog for insights on the advantages and disadvantages, necessary capital, and other critical factors to consider when starting your real estate career!
I ASSURE you that it will be incredibly beneficial for determining if this profession is the right fit for you and for steering clear of the challenges and disappointments that many of us have encountered.
Think of it as "Accelerating your wisdom!"
RES Course Fees 2024
The cost of the course ranges from $650 to $784 at various CEA Approved Course Providers (read on to find out about the list of our recommended providers).
- If you’re an NTUC member below 40, you can enjoy up to $250 UTAP subsidy for your RES Exams.
- NTUC members who are 40 and above can enjoy higher funding support of up to $500 each for their course and exams.
- Singaporeans & Permanent Residents 25 years old and above can utilise their SkillsFuture credit of up to $500.
RES Examination Fees 2026
The RES Exams consist of 2 papers which cost $512.30 (inclusive of GST).
If you are retaking the exams, it will cost you $283.40 (inclusive of GST) for each paper.
What is the RES Course about?
The RES Course is a preparatory course for aspiring property agents to learn and understand the industry concepts and agency practice standards.
Under the Estate Agents Act, it is compulsory for potential property agents to attend and complete the RES Course conducted by a CEA Approved Course Provider.
Requirement by CEA’s:
To be qualified for the RES Course, you will have to meet these requirements:
1. Must be at least 21 years old
2. Singaporean or Permanent Resident
3. Minimum 4 GCE ‘O’ Level passes or equivalent (WPLN)
4. Fulfils CEA fit and proper criteria
RES Exam Topics
Real Estate Salesperson (RES) Exams Schedule
After completing the RES Course with a minimum attendance rate of 75%, you will receive a certification that indicates that you have completed the course.
With this certification, you are then allowed to register for the RES exam at CEA's appointed examination administrator, NTUC LearningHub Pte Ltd
Exam Venue:
Singapore Institute of Management Headquarters (SIM HQ)
461 Clementi Road. Singapore 599491
Exam Format
There will be a total of 2 papers with Paper 1 and Paper 2 in the following format:
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes for each paper
Format: Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 are of the same format
Section A: 60 MCQs (60 marks)
Section B: 20 MCQs with reference to 1 or 2 Case Studies (40 marks)
- Paper 1 covers Competency Units 1 and 2, which include "Real Estate Agency Industry Overview and Basic Land Law Concepts" and "Dealings with Interests in Land," respectively.
- Paper 2 covers Competency Units 3 and 4, which include "Regulation of Real Estate Agency Industry and Real Estate Marketing" and "Property Transactions."
To obtain your license, you must pass both papers. The passing mark for each examination paper is 60%, and is subject to review by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).
RES Exams Results Notification
The Exam Administrator will notify you of your results.
When are the RES Examination results released?
- The RES Examination results will be released 4 – 6 weeks after the examinations.
Candidates who have passed one paper* are allowed to retake the examination in modular sitting.
The exams results will be in one of the following formats:
- Pass (P)
- Fail (F)
- Pass Paper 1; Fail Paper 2 (P1 F2)
- Fail Paper 1; Pass Paper 2 (F1 P2)
It is a requirement for RES Course participants to pass the RES Exams, comprising two papers, within 2 years of getting your RES Course completion certificate.
If you have a modular pass in one paper of the RES Exams, you are required to pass the remaining paper within the 2 years timeframe.
If you fail to do so, the modular pass in one paper will not be valid and you will have to retake the RES course before attempting the RES Exams (i.e. both Paper 1 and Paper 2) again. Ouch!
It is highly recommended that you join in our regular free RES Exam Revision sessions.
Find out more about our revision sessions.
Appeal of RES Exams Results
If you think you should have passed the exams but failed, you may submit an appeal to review your paper via SEAMEO Regional Language Centre (RELC), CEA's appointed examination administrator, within 5 working days from the date of the notification of examination results.
Do take note that a non-refundable fee of $87.20 (inclusive of GST) will be charged for the review of each paper.
Examination Deferment Request
All deferments, whether COVID related or due to legitimate unforeseen reasons such as NS call up, bereavement etc. are subject to approval of NTUC Learning Hub and an admin fee of $130.80 will be levied on each deferment.
No refunds will be made.
Examination Exemptions
Students who have completed the Bachelor of Science (Real Estate) course and Diploma in Real Estate Business course offered by the National University of Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnic respectively on or after 1 April 2020 are exempted from Paper 1 of the RES examination.
They will be required to attend and complete the partial RES course for Paper 2 to be eligible to sit for RES examination Paper 2. Course completers will be issued with the Certificate of Completion for Real Estate Salesperson Course (Papers 2) that allows them to register for the exams.
For more information about these two qualifications, refer to the List of Recognized Equivalent Qualifications.
Important Note for Aspiring Real Estate Agents and Foreigners
Attending the RES Course and passing the exams does not automatically qualify you to be a real estate agent.
It is only part of the criteria.
You still have to fulfil other prevailing registration criteria, which include approaching a registered estate agency to submit a salesperson registration application to CEA.
You can refer to CEA’s website (www.CEA.gov.sg) for the list of registration criteria before you register yourself for the RES Course.
For foreigners exploring a career in property sales, you will need to have a valid Employment Pass (EP) issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) before you can register with CEA as a real estate salesperson.
You will need to produce a letter of sponsorship issued by your real estate agency when you register for the RES Course.
Hence, you should start by first searching for an established real estate agency which is willing to hire you, to support you in your registration application and guide you through the process.
RECOMMENDED LIST OF
RES COURSE PROVIDERS
2026 Recommended CEA Approved Course Providers for the RES Course
There are many training centres and in case you are wondering which RES course provider to go for, this list will be helpful as I have heard good reviews from the new property agents who have joined us.
If you stay near to central areas, Hastor Property (Reputed high passing rate) and Real Centre Network are the best choices!
If you stay in the west, head to Pioneer Training & Consultancy.
If you are an East sider, head to Singapore Estate Agents Association.
Each real estate school has different RES course schedules to suit busy working adults or parents alike with courses such as weekends only, Saturdays only, specific weekday nights and express classes.
Details here:
Hastor Property Services (Great trainers Celeste Ng and Daryl Ou)
Website: www.hastor.com.sg
Tel: 6252 2802
Email: Training@hastor.sg
Venue: 190 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh #02-514, Toa Payoh Central,
Singapore 310190
(Located above KFC, please use the stairs beside KFC and go up to Level 2)
Pioneer Training & Consultancy Pte Ltd
Website: www.pioneertraining.org
Tel No: 6462 6093 / 9424 3483
Email: pioneertc@gmail.com
Venue: Blk 134 Jurong Gateway Road #03-309P Singapore 600134
Singapore Estate Agents Association
Website: www.seaa.org.sg
Tel No: 6702 1602
Email: edu@seaa.org.sg
Venue: 60 Paya Lebar Road #13-23 Paya Lebar Square Singapore 409051 (Office Lift Lobby 1)
RES Course Types Comparison
Wondering which RES Course and Training Centre to go for?
Is the express course or the 9 weeks course more suitable for you?
Check out this article about my review of the 5 major course providers programmes that can suit you whether you are a full-time working mum or a self-employed with flexibility in your day to day appointments.
You will learn about the costs, duration and intensity of each course type and who it is most suitable for.
You're welcome!
What happens after I pass my RES Exams?
Congratulations! You deserve a pat on your back for enduring through the intensive training lessons and exams.
By now, you should have done your research on which agency you should join. If you are still looking around, here’s a guide on which real estate agency you should join after passing your exams.
There are several real estate agencies in the market and it can be a tough decision to select one.
For your reference, the current Top 4 real estate agencies in the market are Huttons, OrangeTee & Tie, ERA and Propnex.
These are the biggest real estate agencies in Singapore that have established systems in place to help you accelerate in your real estate career.
Last but not least …
Submitting a Salesperson Registration
Get an application form from your agency and submit your application to CEA for the ‘In-Principle Approval’ (IPA).
Approval of CEA Registration
Within 4 to 6 weeks, you should receive a notification of CEA’s approval and this means you are ready to start on your exciting and rewarding real estate career!
Welcome to the club!
Looking for great career mentorship to shorten your learning curve?
Get a 1-time free 30 min career consultation. Schedule one right now.
Or drop me a WhatsApp if you would like to start your career with our team or attend our upcoming Huttons recruitment seminar!
Enjoy our 100% RES joining fee subsidies for brand new/experienced agents. Limited slots available.
Andrew Lim is a prominent leader in the real estate industry.
Professionally, Andrew is a licensed real estate agent, a believer in real estate investment, a team leader and speaker. Throughout his career, Andrew has helped many clients grow their wealth through smart property investments and active portfolio management.
Andrew has also coached many New and Experienced RES producing agents from various real estate agencies in Singapore.
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