RES Registration

Becoming a real estate salesperson (RES) starts with checking your eligibility and completing the course. This guide then covers the examination, its 2-stage registration process, dates and fees, funding, the 2027 syllabus and what to do after passing.

1. Check your eligibility

You need one of the following:

• At least 4 GCE O-Level passes or an accepted equivalent. You may combine results from up to 2 sittings.
• Level 5 or above in all 5 WPLN components: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing and Numeracy.

CEA must assess overseas and local private qualifications. Its assessment is valid for 3 years. You must also be at least 21 to register as a salesperson.

2. Complete the RES course

Take the course with a CEA Approved Course Provider and attend at least 75% of it. Your Certificate of RES Course Completion is valid for 2 years and can’t be extended.

I took Benchmark Realpro’s 8-weekday online course in 2023. It’s still an approved provider, but compare current fees and schedules before enrolling.

3. Understand the examination

The examination has 2 papers, usually held on separate days. Each paper lasts 2.5 hours:

• Section A: 60 multiple-choice questions, 60 marks
• Section B: 20 case-study questions, 40 marks

You need 60 out of 100 for each paper, subject to CEA’s review. The exam has a high failure rate, so plan for serious revision.

4. Register for the examination

Stage 1: Indicate your interest. Complete the course by the stated deadline, then use the official GovEntry link from CEA or NTUC LearningHub and sign in with Singpass.

Fresh candidates must choose Full Sitting. Modular sittings are only for candidates who have passed one paper or have a Paper 1 exemption.

You may submit only once per NRIC or FIN. Eligible candidates are shortlisted first-come, first-served by submission time, so a submission doesn’t guarantee a seat.

Stage 2: Register and pay. If shortlisted, you’ll receive an email from NTUC LearningHub. Complete registration and payment by the deadline or your seat will be released.

Prepare the documents that apply to you:

• Certificate of RES Course Completion
• Academic certificate or qualifying transcript
• CEA assessment letter for overseas or local private qualifications
• Previous result slip for a modular sitting

Files must be JPEG, PNG or PDF and below 2MB each. You have 30 minutes to complete Stage 2, and the fee isn’t refundable after payment.

5. Dates and fees

CEA holds 3 sittings a year. Check the official examination schedule for the Stage 1 and Stage 2 dates for each sitting.

For the final 2026 sitting:

• Stage 1: closed
• Stage 2: 1 to 4 October 2026, for shortlisted candidates
• Paper 1: 31 October 2026
• Paper 2: 1 November 2026

CEA hasn’t published the 2027 dates. The current examination fees, including GST, are:

• Full Sitting, 2 papers: $512.30
• Modular Sitting, 1 paper: $283.40

6. Funding

SkillsFuture Credit may cover an eligible RES course, but not the examination fee.

NTUC members may claim 50% of the unfunded cost of approved courses and assessments under UTAP, up to:

• $250 a year if you’re below 40
• $500 a year if you’re 40 or older

NTUC membership costs $117 a year, so it can be worth joining before the examination. You can use my referral code 202304272013 when signing up.

UTAP support for the RES examination is approved through 31 March 2027. Your membership must be paid up before the examination, throughout it and when you claim.

Submit the claim within 6 months with your receipt and result slip. You can claim even if you fail, as long as you sat for all required papers and meet the other UTAP conditions.

7. 2027 syllabus

A revised syllabus applies from 1 January 2027. It adds professional ethics, anti-money laundering and related financial-crime topics, plus green buildings and leases. Foreign worker housing is removed.

The format and duration stay the same. If your course certificate is valid, you don’t need to repeat the course or take a bridging course, but you must study the revised topics.

8. After passing

Results usually arrive within 4 to 6 weeks. To practise, join a licensed estate agency and have it submit your salesperson registration to CEA within 2 years of passing.

Looking for the old process? Read the historical 2023 to June 2025 registration guide.