Who needs to apply for a licence
Any individuals, partnerships or companies wishing to operate as real estate settlement or business settlement agents in Western Australia are required, under the Settlement Agents Act 1981, to be licensed and hold a current triennial certificate.
What do I need to do to lodge a complete application
To apply for a licence and triennial certificate you must lodge a complete application. This means you must:
Individuals
- complete all of the relevant sections of the appropriate application form.
- attach/pay the correct fee. This is payable at the time of lodging the application.
- provide the relevant police check/s, which are not more than three (3) months old at the time of lodgement. Only police checks issued by our list of approved providers will be accepted.
- ensure that the two business references have been completed for the individual using the pro forma (see Business Reference section below).
- provide a current copy of your Professional Indemnity and Fidelity Insurance Coverage from the Professional Indemnity and Fidelity Master Policy (if applicable).
- provide evidence of your successful completion of a prescribed qualification (see Prescribed qualification requirements section below).
Body Corporate and Partnership
- complete all of the relevant sections of the Body corporate or partnership application form.
- attach/pay the correct fee. This is payable at the time of lodging the application.
- provide the relevant police check/s, which are not more than three (3) months old at the time of lodgement, for all partners/directors. Only police checks issued by our list of approved providers will be accepted.
- Two business references for each partner/director using the pro forma (see Business Reference section below).
- provide a current copy of your Professional Indemnity and Fidelity Insurance Coverage from the Professional Indemnity and Fidelity Master Policy.
How to submit your application
Once you have completed the application form and have all of your supporting documents ready, you can lodge your application in one of three ways:
| Online | By Post | In person (including payments) |
Lodge and pay for your applications for: | If you are submitting your application by post and are making payment by credit card, you must also complete the Application Payment Form and attach it to your application. Applications received without payment cannot be accepted. Post to: Licensing Services | Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 4:30pm Customer Service |
Unlicensed trading
Unlicensed real estate and business settlement agents who falsely claim to be, or imply they are, a licensed real estate and business settlement agent are liable for a $100,000 penalty.
Real estate and business settlement agents who permit or are willing to permit others to use their licence and triennial certificate are liable for a $100,000 penalty.
Business reference
Show moreApplicants must provide two business references completed using the individual or partnership/body corporate pro forma.
- References from relatives/domestic partner, subordinates, business partners or co-directors will not generally be accepted.
- At least one reference must be from a person external to the applicant’s current place of employment.
- References should be as detailed as possible but include only information that is relevant to the applicant’s suitability to hold a real estate agent’s licence. Any additional relevant information should be attached.
- Applicants must have a minimum of two years’ full-time relevant experience in the preceding five years. References should outline the applicant’s relevant experience within this period.
- Where Consumer Protection is unable to determine the applicant’s suitability to hold a real estate agent’s licence due to insufficient information being provided in support of the application, the reference will not be accepted.
- The answers provided should be limited to the person’s character and repute and fitness to hold a licence.
Prescribed qualification requirements
Show moreApplicants for a real estate or business settlement agent's licence must have passed the examinations which are required by a public training provider or registered training provider in order to complete an Advanced Diploma of Conveyancing.
Individuals that have completed the superseded Diploma of Conveyancing must lodge an application for a real estate or business settlement agent’s licence on or before 31 December 2024 for the qualification to be accepted. From 1 January 2025, only the Advanced Diploma of Conveyancing can be accepted in support of an application.
To locate a registered training organisation that is approved to deliver the Diploma you can search the National Vocational Education and Training Register at the Australian Training Sector website.
