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In Singapore, businesses involved in property sales or leasing must hold a valid "estate license" from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA), and salespersons must be individually registered.
Applicants must be financially sound, meet the required educational qualifications, and pass the necessary exams.
Licenses can be applied through the CEA’s online platform, with fees that vary depending on the size of the agency.
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:
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.
Warning: It is an offence for anyone to carry out estate agency work without valid license or registration. An unlicensed estate agent may be fined up to SGD 75,000, face imprisonment for up to 3 years, or both. Salespersons without a registration may be fined up to SGD 25,000, face imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.
According to the Estate Agents Act, the definition of estate agent and salesperson is the following:
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:
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
Companies and Partnerships
Professional Indemnity Insurance is a policy that protects professionals from legal and financial liability arising from mistakes, negligence, or breaches of duty in the course of their work.
Good to Know: Not only is the agency prohibited from holding a moneylender license, but regulations also forbid them from directing their clients to moneylenders.
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.
Note: If you have an existing estate agent license but you want to change your business structure (for example, from a sole proprietorship to a company), you must submit an application for a new estate agent license.
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 submits the application.
To be eligible for appointment as a KEO of a real estate agency, the person must:
The REA exam is required for anyone wanting to become a Key Executive Officer (KEO) of a licensed real estate agency in Singapore. The exam covers local laws, rules, and regulations related to estate agency work.
Refer to our Real Estate Exam in Singapore section for more information.
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:
| Type of Agency | Minimum Indemnity Limit Needed (SGD) |
|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship with 1 salesperson | 100,000 |
| Non-sole-proprietorship with 1–10 salespersons or sole-proprietorship with 2–10 salespersons | 200,000 |
| Estate agent with 11–30 salespersons | 300,000 |
| Estate agent with 31–50 salespersons | 400,000 |
| Estate agent with 51–500 salespersons | 600,000 |
| Estate agent with more than 500 salespersons | 1,000,000 |
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:
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:
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:
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.
The RES exam is required for all new entrants who wish to become registered real estate salespersons in Singapore. It tests the knowledge of real estate laws, ethics, and practical sales procedures to qualify for registration as a salesperson.
Refer to our Real Estate Exam in Singapore section for more information.
In Singapore, there are two main types of real estate examinations that are mandatory.
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
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.
Subsidies may be available through the UTAP program (Union Training Assistance Programme) for NTUC members (National Trades Union Congress), or through SkillsFuture Credits for SCTP members (SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme). Both programs are government initiatives open to all Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents.
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:
| Size of Real Estate Agency (Number of Real Estate Salesperson) | Annual License Fee (GST exempt) |
|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | SGD 330 |
| 11 to 30 | SGD 660 |
| 31 to 50 | SGD 1,100 |
| 51 to 500 | SGD 2,200 |
| 501 to 1000 | SGD 5,000 |
| 1,001 to 2,000 | SGD 10,000 |
| 2,001 to 3,000 | SGD 15,000 |
| 3,001 to 4,000 | SGD 20,000 |
| 4,001 to 5,000 | SGD 25,000 |
| 5,001 to 6,000 | SGD 30,000 |
| 6,001 to 7,000 | SGD 35,000 |
| 7,001 to 8,000 | SGD 40,000 |
| Every additional 1,000 salespersons (or part of 1,000 salespersons) | SGD 5,000 |
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 for 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:
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.
