All States · CPD

Last-Minute CPD: How to Get It Done Before Your Renewal

6 May 2025·6 min read·National·Reviewed by Anthony Lang, CEO
Real estate professionals completing CPD training on laptops in a small workshop
TL;DR

If your licence renewal is close and your CPD is not done, you can still get it finished quickly. Archer Institute delivers QLD and ACT CPD online and self-paced, with most agents finishing a unit in a few hours, and NSW CPD as live online sessions you book by licence category, so the earlier you enrol the more dates you have to choose from. Find your state, start now, and save the completion certificate before you renew.

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Your renewal is almost here. Your CPD is not done. Your stomach drops a little every time you think about it.

Take a breath. This is fixable, and for most agents it is fixable fast. Here is how to get your CPD done before your renewal, then how to make sure you never feel this way again.

First, the good news

Queensland and ACT CPD with Archer Institute is online and self-paced. NSW CPD runs as live online sessions you book by category. That means you are not waiting for a scheduled class or a venue. You can start now, today, from wherever you are.

Most agents finish a unit in a few hours. So even if your renewal is days away, there is a real chance you can have your CPD done before the deadline. Victoria is the exception, since Victorian professional development is enquiry-based, so if you are in Victoria the first step is to contact our team.

Get your CPD done fast: step by step

  • Find your state and your requirement. NSW, Queensland and the ACT each set their own. If you are not sure what applies, our state-by-state CPD guide lays it out.
  • Enrol and start straight away. Online CPD opens the moment you are in, so there is no waiting around.
  • Block out the time. Clear an afternoon, close your inbox, and work through the units and assessments in one go.
  • Use support if you stall. If a unit trips you up, reach out. A real person will help you keep moving.
  • Download and save your completion certificate. You will need it for your renewal, so keep it somewhere easy to find.

For most agents that sequence takes a couple of sittings from start to finish. The key is to begin now rather than tomorrow.

Real support when the clock is ticking

The thing that derails last-minute CPD is getting stuck and having no one to ask. A confusing question, a fiddly assessment, and suddenly the tab is closed and the day is gone.

Archer has a real, Australian-based human support team. Not a chatbot. Not a ticket queue you wait on for two days. When you are racing a deadline, that matters more than anything, because the help arrives while you still have time to use it.

One note for Queensland agents

If you are in Queensland, the stakes around timing have gone up. From 6 June 2026, you must declare your CPD is complete before your renewal can even be processed. So leaving it late is no longer just stressful, it can stop your renewal in its tracks. Our guide to the new QLD CPD declaration rule explains exactly what that means.

Never again: the two-minute fix

Once you are through this renewal, give yourself a gift. Put your CPD or renewal date in your calendar with a reminder set a couple of months ahead. In Queensland, base that reminder on your licence anniversary, not the calendar year.

That single reminder turns CPD from an annual panic into a quiet task you knock over with time to spare. To understand why early really is better, read what happens if you miss your CPD deadline. And if you work in NSW, our NSW CPD requirements guide covers the categories in full.

Get started now

The fastest way out of a last-minute scramble is to begin. Browse CPD options for your state, or call our Australian-based team and we will tell you exactly what you need and roughly how long it will take. As always, confirm your current requirement with your state authority, since the training is ours and the licence is theirs.

Frequently asked

Questions, answered

How quickly can I finish my CPD?+

For Queensland and the ACT, most agents finish a unit in a few hours. That CPD is online and self-paced, and you download your completion certificate as soon as each unit is done. NSW CPD runs as live online sessions you book by licence category, so it depends on the next available session dates, and the safest move is to enrol before the deadline pressure starts. Victorian professional development is enquiry-based, so contact us and we will confirm the options there.

My renewal is in a few days. Is it too late?+

Usually not. Online CPD can be completed quickly, so even with days to go you can finish in time. Start straight away, work through it without stopping if you can, and keep your certificate ready for your renewal.

What if I get stuck on a unit?+

Archer has a real, Australian-based human support team, not a chatbot or a ticket queue. If you get stuck, a person answers and helps you keep moving, which is the difference between finishing today and giving up halfway.

Does last-minute CPD count the same as doing it early?+

Yes. The completion is what matters for your renewal, whether you finish months ahead or the day before. The only difference is the stress. Doing it early removes the risk entirely.

How do I make sure I never leave it late again?+

Note your renewal or CPD date in your calendar with a reminder a couple of months ahead. In Queensland, that means your licence anniversary rather than the calendar year. Treat CPD as a small annual task you finish early, not a deadline you race.

Reviewed by

Anthony Lang · Chief Executive Officer, Archer Institute

Anthony leads Archer Institute (RTO 45020), the specialist real estate training provider delivering licensing courses and CPD across NSW, QLD, VIC and the ACT. With more than 20 years in the real estate industry, he has owned and operated both franchise and independent real estate brands and worked with some of Australia's leading commercial agencies. Guides on ArcherEd are reviewed against the current requirements of each state regulator.

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