How to Get a Real Estate License in Singapore - 2025 Guide

Are you looking to start a real estate business in Singapore? The property market in Singapore is growing—valued at about USD 53.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 67.22 billion by 2030.

But to tap into this growth, you need the right credentials. A real estate license allows you to legally operate in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. This guide breaks down exactly what you need to do to become a licensed agent and start your real estate career confidently.

This guide provides: 

✅ Real estate licensing requirements

✅ Step-by-step application process

✅ Information on the real estate exams

✅ Fees involved 

In Singapore, licensing in the real estate industry is managed by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA), a government board under the Ministry of National Development. Licensing requirements are set out in the “Estate Agents Act 2010”. This Act applies to all works in respect of property situated in Singapore and outside of Singapore, and all agencies, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, or a private limited company

A valid real estate license authorises activities such as buying, selling, and leasing residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Holding this license is a mandatory requirement for anyone who wishes to operate within Singapore’s regulated property market.

According to the Estate Agents Act, businesses must be licensed to engage in real estate activities, including

Additionally, salespersons who work for a licensed property agency must be registered with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). Only registered salespersons can carry out real estate activities on behalf of a licensed estate agent. These activities include:

• Work for a licensed estate agent to help buy, sell, or rent property
• Call yourself a property salesperson
• Accept a job to do property deals for a licensed estate agent

Salespersons can only work for licensed estate agents.  

Once registered, each licensed agent and registered salesperson is issued a unique CEA license or registration number. Consumers can check CEA’s Public Register to verify whether an agent or salesperson holds a valid license or registration.

To be able to apply for a license, one must meet specific criteria set by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).

While meeting them does not automatically guarantee approval, failing to meet these requirements will result in an application being rejected. Let’s take a closer look at each of these requirements.

Everyone involved in the real estate agency industry—agents, salespersons, and agencies—must meet the Council’s “fit and proper” standard. This ensures they are honest, responsible, and capable of handling estate agency work. For companies, all directors, partners, or managers must meet the fit and proper standards.

The entity and the person working for it must meet all of these conditions to be considered fit and proper:

1. No Criminal Convictions: They have never been convicted of dishonesty, fraud, money laundering, terrorism financing, or offences under the Estate Agents Act.
2. No Problematic Civil Judgments: They have never had a civil judgment against them for fraud, dishonesty, or breach of fiduciary duties.
3. Good Financial Standing:

• They are not an undischarged bankrupt and have not made arrangements with creditors.
• For companies: they are not in liquidation, under winding-up, have no receiver, and have not made arrangements with creditors.
• All directors or partners of the estate agency must have paid all Medisave contributions to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board. You can go to Medisave liabilities to check if you are in arrears with the CPF board.

Applicants must declare all prior convictions, including those in Singapore, other countries, or military courts. The Council may also consider any other relevant facts to decide if a person is fit and proper. 

Sole Proprietorship 

• Be at least 21 years old.
• Have the qualifications, training, or practical experience approved by the Council.
• Not be a salesperson for another licensed estate agent.
• Not work for, own, or be a partner or director of a licensed moneylender.
• Be considered by the Council as a fit and proper person to hold a license.

Companies and Partnerships

• Be a Singapore-registered business entity with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
• The agency, its key executive officer (KEO), and associated parties must not own, hold, or have any involvement with licensed moneylenders.
• The agency must have written procedures for training staff, handling complaints, advertising, protecting client information, and maintaining service standards, following the official CEA practice guidelines.
• The real estate agency must have a valid Professional Indemnity Insurance policy covering the estate agent and all its salespersons. If applicable, partners should also be covered by this insurance policy.
• The agency, KEO, and all directors must be fit and proper, meaning they are not bankrupt, have no serious convictions, and have no civil judgments involving dishonesty or fraud.

To apply for a real estate agent license in Singapore, follow these steps.

1. Register Your Business – Make sure your entity is registered with ACRA.

2. Appoint a Key Executive Officer (KEO), who meets CEA’s qualifications.

3. Get Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) that covers the agency and all salespersons.

4. Prepare Documents – Business profile, insurance, KEO details, past transactions.

5. Submit Application on ACEAS – the KEO submits forms and pays fees online.

6. Register Salespersons (RES) – Ensure all salespersons are qualified and registered.

If you have not already done so, you must first register your business with ACRA as a private limited company, sole proprietorship, or partnership. A private limited company is the most common choice due to its limited liability and corporate structure.

A qualified Key Executive Officer (KEO), such as the CEO, COO, or MD must be appointed to oversee the agency’s compliance with CEA regulations. The KEO also needs to be the one who submit the application. 

To be eligible for appointment as a KEO of a real estate agency, the person must:

• Be a sole proprietor, director, or partner of the estate agent and not of another licensed agency.
• Not have previously been a sole proprietor, KEO, director, or partner of an estate agent whose license was revoked.
• Not hold, work for, or be connected to a licensed moneylender.
• Have at least 3 years of estate agency experience (for example, as a registered salesperson, KEO, practising director, or practising partner).
• Completed at least 30 property transactions in the past 3 years, or have at least 3 years’ experience managing a licensed real estate agency at a senior level.
• Hold a minimum of 4 GCE 'O' Levels passes or an equivalent qualification.
• Pass the Real Estate Agency (REA) examination within the last 2 years, or hold an equivalent qualification.

The next step is to get a valid Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) policy for your agency that will remain active for at least one year from your application date. This insurance is mandatory to obtain your license. 

The policy must cover both the agency and all its salespersons. CEA’s PII coverage requirements are as follows:

Larger agencies need higher total insurance. Each salesperson must also have at least SGD 100,000 coverage. Deductibles are usually at least SGD 5,000, but for very large agencies, the agency’s deductible is higher.

Prepare the following documents and information:

• A copy of the company's Business Profile, which can be obtained from ACRA for a nominal fee.
• A copy of the cover note or policy schedule for the real estate agency's Professional Indemnity Insurance, with the insurance certificate pending issuance. This insurance should be valid for at least 1 year from the date of application.
• The real estate agency's registered name and registration number with ACRA.
• Personal particulars of the Key Executive Officers (KEOs), directors, sole proprietors, or partners, as applicable.
• Details of 30 sale/lease transactions concluded in the last three years.

The application must be submitted by the appointed Key Executive Officer (KEO) through CEA’s online e-services (ACEAS). 

Go to www.cea.gov.sg and navigate to “e-Services”.

You will need to log in using your Singpass.

The KEO must then:

• Fill out the application form with all required information.
• Upload all necessary supporting documents.
• Pay the application fee of SGD 120 (GST exempt).

Once the KEO submits all the necessary documents and, assuming everything is in order, an email notification will be sent to confirm the approval of the application. The license will not be issued as a hard copy; instead, a soft copy can be downloaded and printed by logging into the CEA website.

The processing timeframe to obtain the license is approximately 4-6 weeks

Once an agency’s license is approved, the agency must ensure that all real estate salespersons—sometimes referred to as property agents—working under the agency are registered with CEA through the agency. The registration of salespersons comes with its own set of requirements, including:

• Be at least 21 years old.
• Be employed, or intend to be employed, by a licensed real estate agent as a salesperson. Proof of employment may include an employment contract.
• Not have any association with individuals holding a moneylender’s license, whether as an employee, director, or partner.
• Possess the required educational qualifications or relevant work experience, such as a minimum of 4 GCE 'O' Levels passes 
• Be deemed by the Council to be a fit and proper person to serve as a salesperson.
• Successfully passed the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination.

If you are not a Singaporean or have not been a Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) for at least 10 years, you must also submit a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction. In addition, you must hold a valid Employment Pass (EP) issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

The salesperson registration fee is SGD 50, with a validity period until 31 December 2025. After this date, the fee will increase to SGD 60.

In Singapore, there are two main types of real estate examinations that are mandatory.

• Real Estate Agency (REA) Examination: Required for individuals who wish to become a Key Executive Officer (KEO) of an estate agency.
• Real Estate Salesperson (RES) Examination: Required for aspiring salespersons. 

The format is typically a written paper.

Eligibility Criteria 

Applicants must have a minimum of 4 GCE O-Level passes or an equivalent qualification, including GCE A-Level certificate with at least 4 passes, diploma from local polytechnics, Higher Nitec (a technical certification in Singapore) and relevant local university degree, such as from Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

Depending on existing education qualifications, some applicants may be required to take the Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN) assessment and achieve at least Level 5 to be eligible for the RES/REA exam.

Steps to Take Exam

1. New entrants must first complete a preparatory REA or RES course from CEA Approved Course Providers such as Singapore Estate Agents Association (SEAA) and Real Centre Network Pte Ltd . Note that seats for the exam are limited, and course participants are not guaranteed a slot. 
2. Fill out the application form.
3. The CEA reviews the application. Shortlisted candidates will be notified to complete their registration online using Singpass. 
4. Upload the supporting documents, provide proof of educational qualifications, and make payment to secure the exam slot.
5. Once registration is confirmed, candidates will be informed of the exam schedule. This includes the official date and time of the exam, and the  venue. 

Fees: From SGD 500 to SGD 700+, depending on the course and number of exam papers.  Course fees are non-refundable, regardless of whether you take or pass the exam.

The exam is divided into parts. After receiving your examination results, you may retake the failed paper within two years. If you do not retake it within this timeframe, you will also need to retake the entire course. 

The application fee for a new real estate license or for renewing an existing license is SGD 120.

In addition, licensees are required to pay an annual license fee, which is calculated as follows:

Do note that for every practicing partner in a General Partnership or Limited Partnership agency, there will be an additional SGD 230. For licenses valid from 1 January 2026, the fee will increase to SGD 280 per practising partner.

After obtaining a real estate agent license, the licensee must promptly inform the Council of Estate Agencies (CEA) about any changes to the provided information. This notification should be made within 7 working days of the change and can be done through CEA's E-services for the following updates:

• Changes in EA Information, like business address or email address modifications.
• Changes in KEO Information. If a KEO vacancy arises due to death, resignation, or revocation of appointment, the EA must appoint a new KEO within one month.
• Changes in existing practicing Directors/Partners Information. For new appointments, specific criteria apply.
• Cessation of a salesperson's authority to act for the EA, such as canceling a RES registration.

The property market in Singapore continues to present significant opportunities, but entering it requires more than ambition, you need to comply with strict licensing rules and maintain ongoing regulatory standards set by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). It’s best to keep yourself updated with the latest property news and regulations imposed by the CEA. With proper planning and adherence to regulation, success is possible in this industry.

If you’re just at the beginning of your journey, one of the very first steps is setting up a compliant business entity with ACRA. That’s where Statrys can help. 

We support entrepreneurs and professionals, both local and international, in registering their Singapore companies. Our package offer

• Company registration: We help you handle the paperwork needed to ensure your entity is properly registered.
• Registered address, local director and company secretary: All mandatory for Singapore companies and included in our service, so you stay compliant from day one.
• 100% Fully remote process: Incorporate your company without needing to visit Singapore.
• One pricing: No hidden add-on fees—you know exactly what it costs to get started.
• Dedicated support: Our team guides you through requirements and answers questions through phone, email, live chat, WhatsApp and WeChat.

With Statrys, you can establish your business foundation, providing a path for you to later acquire the licenses you need for your business in Singapore.