For the 2026–2027 NSW CPD year (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027), Contracts is a published compulsory topic for several property pathways — including residential real estate salespeople, buyers agents, and stock and station agents. Inside that topic, conjunction and co-agency arrangements are a practical mid-year pressure point: multi-agency sales move quickly, commission splits are easy to leave verbal, and authority disputes are harder to unwind after exchange.
This article is a public explainer of how conjunction / co-agency CPD themes show up in day-to-day NSW agency practice — authority, commission sharing, contractor risk, and records. It summarises published Fair Trading CPD guidance and common practice principles drawn from approved Contracts learning themes. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace reading the official rules or completing your compulsory training.
According to the NSW Government CPD page (last updated 9 July 2026 at the time of writing), compulsory topics must be delivered by an approved provider in an interactive environment (face-to-face, maximum 40 attendees, or interactive webinar, maximum 25 attendees) and must include an assessment activity.
Who needs Contracts CPD in 2026–2027
Fair Trading lists Contracts among the compulsory topics for:
- Residential real estate salespeople — minimum 7 hours covering 4 compulsory topics
- Buyers agents — minimum 7 hours covering 4 compulsory topics
- Stock and station agents — minimum 7 hours covering 4 compulsory topics
Other Real Estate areas of practice (for example commercial agents or business brokers) have different published topic lists. Always match training to each licence category you hold and each area of practice in which you operate.
Compulsory Contracts learning must still come from a training provider approved by the Strata and Property Services Commissioner. EDUTIVE (Edutive Pty Ltd) is listed among the organisations approved to deliver compulsory learning topics between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.
For the wider pathway table, see our 2026–2027 NSW CPD requirements overview. For buyers-agent pathway context, see Buyers agents in NSW: CPD and practice-area considerations.
What a conjunction arrangement is (and is not)
A conjunction (sometimes called co-agency) is typically an arrangement between two or more licensed agents to co-operate on a transaction and share commission. Commonly, one agent holds the agency agreement with the client (the listing or appointing agent) and another agent introduces a buyer or otherwise contributes to completing the sale.
The defining practice point: the client’s agency agreement stays with the appointing agent. A conjunction agent does not automatically acquire authority to act for that client. Their entitlement flows from the arrangement with the appointing agent — not from a direct appointment by the vendor or principal.
Buyers agents are not conjunctions
A buyers agent is appointed by the purchaser under a separate agency agreement. That is not a conjunction. Co-operation between a buyers agent and a selling agent — each representing their own client — is ordinary marketplace interaction, not commission-sharing between licensees on the vendor’s appointment.
Keep the relationships distinct:
| Arrangement | Who is the client? | Core documents |
|---|---|---|
| Conjunction / co-agency | Usually the vendor (via the listing agent) | Client agency agreement + written licensee-to-licensee commission-sharing arrangement |
| Buyers agent + selling agent | Purchaser and vendor separately | Two separate agency agreements |
Three CPD themes that show up in multi-agency work
Public explainers commonly group conjunction learning around authority, commission sharing and people risk, and supervision / records. These are practice themes, not a substitute for the full compulsory Contracts course.
1. Authority does not multiply just because a second agent arrives
Authority is the foundation of any agency work:
- The appointing agent holds authority under a valid agency agreement signed by the client.
- A conjunction agent acts within the scope permitted by that arrangement — not beyond it. They cannot, for example, vary price instructions, accept an offer, or amend a contract unless the appointing agent (acting within the client’s authority) permits it.
- A buyers agent has authority from the purchaser, not the vendor. When a buyers agent deals with a selling agent, each represents a different party — boundaries must stay clear to avoid conflicts.
Confusion about who holds authority is a frequent source of disputes. Record which agent holds the client relationship and what each party is authorised to do before marketing heat rises.
2. Commission sharing and contractor risk
Commission sharing is the practical heart of a conjunction:
- The total commission payable by the client is fixed by the agency agreement with the appointing agent. A conjunction arrangement does not increase what the client pays — it divides the existing commission between co-operating agents.
- The split should be agreed and documented between the licensees before the transaction completes (where written commission-sharing requirements apply).
- Commission for agency work is generally shared agent to agent under compliant arrangements — not paid to unlicensed third parties for licensed agency work outside recognised carve-outs (for example employees in the licensee’s business, subject to published rules).
Related people-risk themes that sit beside multi-agency work:
- Assistant agents (certificate of registration holders) must be employees, not independent contractors performing regulated agency functions.
- Licensed functions must be performed by appropriately licensed and supervised people.
- Third parties (marketers, referral partners, auctioneers, co-agents) can create confusion about authority, disclosure, and representations if roles are left informal.
3. Supervision and record keeping
Supervision and records are the everyday controls that make multi-agency work defensible:
- Supervision (led by the Licensee in Charge) reduces the chance that someone acts outside authority or without a compliant engagement model.
- Records prove what was agreed when a commission or authority dispute appears later.
Files that commonly matter for conjunction work include:
- The client’s agency agreement and any variations
- A written conjunction / commission-sharing arrangement between the co-operating licensees (where required)
- Evidence of introduction, role scope, and how/when the split is payable
- Client disclosure that the property or stock is being marketed in conjunction, consistent with disclosure duties already expected on appointments
- Contemporaneous file notes of key conversations
For CPD evidence retention more broadly, Fair Trading publishes that Class 1 and Class 2 licence holders should keep CPD records for 3 years, and certificate of registration holders for 4 years. Transaction files sit alongside that habit — organise both so you can produce what is requested. See Keeping CPD evidence audit-ready for NSW Fair Trading.
Practical checkpoints before you share a campaign
A simple mid-year routine for multi-agency sales:
- Confirm a valid client agency agreement sits with the appointing agent before marketing.
- Agree roles and the commission split in writing between the co-operating licensees (where required) — before the introduction becomes contested.
- Tell the client clearly that the campaign is being marketed in conjunction, consistent with disclosure expectations.
- Keep authority boundaries tight: who may negotiate, who may accept, who may amend.
- Keep a coherent file: agreements, disclosures, introductions, and dated notes — not reconstructed memory after settlement.
Completing Contracts CPD does not replace those habits. It refreshes the framework you apply when commercial pressure pushes toward handshake splits and unclear introductions.
How this fits your CPD plan
Conjunction themes sit inside the broader Contracts compulsory topic for the pathways listed above. Residential salespeople and buyers agents still need their other compulsory topics and minimum interactive hours for the year. Dual-licence and multi-area practitioners must cover every applicable pathway; shared topics generally do not need to be repeated if all required learning outcomes are met.
A practical mid-year approach:
- Confirm which area of practice pathways apply to you on the official CPD page
- Enrol in approved interactive Contracts training early enough that you can apply the themes on live multi-agency files
- Keep evidence organised as you go — do not leave statements of attainment and records to June
Browse EDUTIVE’s interactive CPD Course catalogue when you are ready to enrol in compulsory topics with an approved provider.
FAQ
Is Contracts a compulsory CPD topic in 2026–2027?
Yes for several pathways. Fair Trading lists Contracts among the compulsory topics for residential real estate salespeople, buyers agents, and stock and station agents for the 2026–2027 CPD year. Always confirm against your licence category and area of practice.
Is a buyers agent the same as a conjunction agent?
No. A buyers agent is appointed by the purchaser under a separate agency agreement. A conjunction (co-agency) arrangement is typically licensed agents co-operating on a vendor/listing appointment and sharing commission — while the client’s agency agreement stays with the appointing agent.
Does completing Contracts CPD replace written conjunction paperwork?
No. Compulsory training refreshes the learning outcomes, but day-to-day practice still needs clear authority, compliant commission-sharing documentation between licensees where required, and a coherent file.
Who needs this if I only work residential sales?
If you operate as a residential real estate salesperson, Fair Trading publishes a minimum of 7 hours of interactive training covering four compulsory topics, including Contracts. Conjunction and co-agency themes commonly sit inside that Contracts pathway.
Sources
- NSW Government — Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for property professionals (last updated 9 July 2026)
Sources
Next step
Complete your NSW CPD with EDUTIVE
EDUTIVE is an approved NSW Fair Trading CPD provider. Browse compulsory topics for your licence category, or track your hours with CPD Tracker.
