Queensland is one of the busiest property markets in the country, and getting licensed is more straightforward than most people expect. The thing that trips people up is not the study. It is working out which qualification they actually need. There are two, and they do different jobs.
This guide walks through both, what each one lets you do, the order they come in, and how to get qualified online without leaving your current job.
Two qualifications, two different jobs
In Queensland, real estate work sits behind two qualifications. The first is the Salesperson Registration, which gets you in the door. The second is the Real Estate Agent Licence, which lets you run the show. You do not start with both. You start with the one that matches where you are now.
The Salesperson Registration Certificate
This is the entry point. The qualification is 12 units, and it covers the practical knowledge a new salesperson needs: how listings work, the rules around selling and leasing, dealing with buyers and tenants, and the legal and ethical side of the job.
Once you complete the qualification, you apply to the Queensland Office of Fair Trading for your registration certificate. With that certificate you can work as a registered salesperson under the supervision of a licensed agent. You will be on the floor, earning and learning, which is exactly where a new career should start. Archer Institute delivers the QLD Real Estate Salesperson course online and self-paced. Our full walkthrough of this step lives in our guide to becoming a real estate salesperson in Queensland.
The Real Estate Agent Licence
This is the step up. The qualification is 19 units, and it builds on what you learned as a salesperson with the extra knowledge needed to run an agency: trust accounting, agency practice, listing and selling in your own right, and managing a rent roll.
With the agent licence you are no longer working under someone else. You can list, sell and lease on your own account, open your own office, and employ registered salespeople. Most people reach this step after some time on the floor. We set out the move in our guide to the QLD salesperson to agent licence upgrade.
Qualification first, certificate or licence second
People often assume the course and the certificate are the same thing. They are not. You study the units and earn a nationally recognised qualification through Archer Institute. You then take that qualification to the Queensland Office of Fair Trading, who issue the registration certificate or the licence that lets you legally work. Keeping the two steps clear saves confusion later.
Which one should you start with
- New to real estate, or changing careers into it: start with the Salesperson Registration. It is the legal way in.
- Already a registered salesperson with experience: the Real Estate Agent Licence is your next step.
- Not sure where you sit: call our Australian-based team on 1800 069 273 and we will point you to the right course.
Do not forget CPD
Once you are licensed, Queensland expects ongoing continuing professional development, known as CPD. The CPD year runs for 12 months from the anniversary of your licence or registration issue date, not the calendar year, and you complete two CPD sessions in that year. From 6 June 2026, renewal applicants must declare their CPD is complete, or provide exemption details, before a renewal is processed. There is more in our QLD CPD requirements guide.
Your next step
Work out which qualification matches where you are, then get started. Enrol in the QLD Real Estate Salesperson course if you are starting out, or talk to our team about the agent licence if you are ready to step up. Either way, study at your own pace, and confirm current requirements with the Queensland Office of Fair Trading before you apply for your certificate or licence.
