In NSW you don't collect CPD points. You complete a minimum number of hours across set compulsory topics: 7 hours for most real estate agents in the 2026–27 CPD year (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027), 6 for strata managing agents and 4 for onsite short-term property managers.
Class 1 and Class 2 do the same core hours and topics. With a Class 1 licence you add at least 5 hours at a Fair Trading accredited forum, plus AUSTRAC's AML/CTF course unless you work only in property management or strata.
This applies to every NSW property agent with a Class 1 licence, Class 2 licence or certificate of registration. Miss it and your licence or certificate can be suspended or cancelled, and you could face a court penalty of up to $11,000. Your topics depend on your licence category and the work you do; find yours in the table below or on the NSW Government CPD page.
Residential salesperson or buyer’s agent? Our real estate CPD courses cover all four of your compulsory topics.
CPD points or hours? How NSW counts it
"CPD points" is a common way to talk about it, but NSW doesn't keep a points tally. Your CPD counts when you have:
- every compulsory topic for your licence category and area of practice
- at least the minimum hours for that pathway
- interactive delivery, either face-to-face (up to 40 attendees) or an interactive webinar (up to 25)
- a provider approved by the Strata and Property Services Commissioner
- an assessment activity in each compulsory topic
If a course is sold in points, ask three things instead: which NSW compulsory topics it covers, how many interactive hours it runs, and whether the provider is on Fair Trading's approved list.
Here's how that works for a residential salesperson. On a Class 2 licence, you do at least 7 hours across the 4 salesperson topics. On a Class 1 licence, you do the same 7 hours and the same 4 topics, then add at least 5 hours at an accredited forum and complete AUSTRAC's AML/CTF course.
Doing it online? A live interactive webinar from an approved provider counts; a self-paced module on its own doesn't. Our guide to completing NSW CPD online covers what to check.
CPD hours and topics at a glance
| Pathway | Minimum interactive hours | Compulsory topics |
|---|---|---|
| Residential real estate salespeople | 7 | 4 |
| Residential property managers | 7 | 3 |
| Buyers agents | 7 | 4 |
| Commercial real estate agents | 7 | 4 |
| Business brokers | 7 | 3 |
| Onsite (short-term) residential property managers | 4 | 3 |
| Strata managing agents | 6 | 3 |
| Stock and station agents | 7 | 4 |
Hold a Class 1 licence? Add at least 5 hours at a Fair Trading accredited forum (one forum covers you if you hold a dual licence).
How your pathway is worked out
You need to complete all compulsory topics relevant to:
- each licence category you hold, and
- each area of practice you work in.
Licence category is the broad type: Real Estate, Stock and Station Agent, or Strata Managing Agent. If you hold more than one, you need to keep your knowledge current across all of them, even if you aren't actively working under each one.
Area of practice is the work you actually do. Strata and Stock and Station each have a single area of practice. Real Estate has several:
- Residential real estate salesperson
- Residential property manager
- Buyers agent
- Commercial real estate agent
- Business broker
- Onsite (short-term) residential property manager
If you hold a Real Estate licence and work in one area only, you only do that area's topics (plus the Class 1 extras if you hold a Class 1). Work across several areas and you cover the topics for each. Shared topics don't need repeating as long as all the learning outcomes are met, but you may need more than one area's minimum hours to cover everything.
Licensees in charge need all CPD training detailed in the agency's training plan. Our guide to the LIC training plan covers how to set it up.
Compulsory topics by licence and area of practice
Residential real estate salespeople
Minimum 7 hours of interactive training from an approved provider, covering 4 compulsory topics:
- Auction laws and practice
- Contracts
- Rules of Conduct refresher
- Supervision Guidelines and AML CTF in agency practice
Residential property managers
Minimum 7 hours, covering 3 compulsory topics:
- Repairs, maintenance and habitability
- Residential tenancy – revisit reforms plus common mistakes
- Domestic and Family Violence, delivered for a minimum of 4 hours
Domestic and Family Violence can only be delivered where Fair Trading has reviewed the provider's course content and assessment material. Before you enrol, check the approved provider list shows that provider for this topic. For more on each topic, see what NSW residential property managers must cover.
Buyers agents
Minimum 7 hours, covering 4 compulsory topics:
- Marketing services, scope of practice and licensing obligations
- Auction laws and practice
- Contracts
- Supervision Guidelines and AML CTF in agency practice
Commercial real estate agents
Minimum 7 hours, covering 4 compulsory topics:
- Fire safety regulations
- GST in commercial property transactions
- Rules of conduct refresher
- Supervision Guidelines and AML CTF in agency practice
Business brokers
Minimum 7 hours, covering 3 compulsory topics:
- Establishing and managing relationships and negotiation skills
- Ethical practice for business brokers
- Supervision Guidelines and AML CTF in agency practice
Onsite (short-term) residential property managers
Minimum 4 hours, covering 3 compulsory topics:
- Conflict resolution and complaint management
- Establishing and managing relationships
- Regulatory change in strata
Strata managing agents
Minimum 6 hours, covering 3 compulsory topics:
- Regulatory change in strata
- Repairs and maintenance
- Roles, authority and risk
Stock and station agents
Minimum 7 hours, covering 4 compulsory topics:
- Auction laws and practice
- Contracts
- Safety risk management
- Supervision Guidelines and AML CTF in agency practice
Dual licence holders
Hold more than one broad licence category, such as Real Estate and Strata? You complete CPD for each category and your area of practice. Shared topics don't need repeating if the learning outcomes are met for each, but where nothing is shared, each category's minimum hours still apply.
For example, a residential salesperson who also holds a strata licence does 7 hours of salesperson topics and 6 hours of strata topics. The official page lists every combination, and our guide to multiple areas and dual licences works through the common ones.
Additional requirements for Class 1 agents
On top of your core CPD hours, a Class 1 licence means spending at least 5 hours at a NSW Fair Trading accredited forum relevant to your licence category. Choose one that suits your area of practice and responsibilities. If you hold a dual licence, one forum in the CPD year is enough.
Fair Trading will run several forums during 2026–27 and sends session details by email, so check the email address on your licence is up to date. Some approved providers also run accredited forums, which may come with a fee; they're shown on Fair Trading's approved provider list. Our guide to the Class 1 accredited forum walks through how to complete it.
Class 1 holders working as residential salespeople, buyers agents, commercial agents, business brokers or stock and station agents must also complete AUSTRAC's "Smart real estate agent's guide to AML/CTF" course. It isn't part of the forum, and it doesn't replace the compulsory Supervision Guidelines and AML CTF in agency practice topic, so you need both.
You can do it through AUSTRAC's self-paced online program or its train-the-trainer model. Keep your completion certificate if you go self-paced, or records confirming completion if you did it through train-the-trainer. Our Class 1 AUSTRAC training guide has more detail.
Certificate of registration (assistant agents)
Assistant agents in real estate, strata or stock and station must complete at least 3 units each CPD year from a valid Certificate IV qualification required for a Class 2 Agent licence in their pathway. Any units from that Certificate IV count.
The exception is assistant stock and station agents restricted to livestock-only sales. Under that condition there are no CPD requirements.
Carry-over, records and exemptions
Carry-over
For most licences, CPD can't be carried from one year to the next. Assistant agents are the exception: extra Certificate IV units completed during the CPD year can be carried forward.
Records you must keep
- Licence and certificate holders keep their own records of the compulsory topics they've completed and provide them to NSW Fair Trading if asked.
- Certificate of registration holders keep the statement of attainment for each Certificate IV unit and provide it if asked.
- Class 1 and Class 2 licence holders: keep records for 3 years.
- Certificate of registration holders: keep records for 4 years.
Keeping records for a whole office? See what CPD evidence LICs should keep.
Exemptions
Fair Trading may exempt a licence or certificate holder by written notice. There are also two automatic rules for late starters:
- If your licence or certificate is new, or you restored or reactivated one that had expired since the CPD period began, and it commenced less than 90 days before the end of the CPD year, you're exempt for that year. For 2026/27, that means commencing on or after 1 April 2027. You can still do the training, and you're responsible for keeping your knowledge up to date.
- Certificate of registration holders commencing within 3 to 9 months of the end of the CPD period need at least 1 unit from a valid Certificate IV instead of the full 3.
The 90-day exemption doesn't apply if your licence or certificate recommenced after a suspension or cancellation with a condition requiring specified CPD.
How EDUTIVE can help
EDUTIVE is listed among the organisations approved by the Strata and Property Services Commissioner to deliver compulsory CPD topics for the 2026–27 year (see the approved providers section on the NSW CPD page).
- Residential salespeople and buyer’s agents can book a live interactive course with EDUTIVE.
- CPD Tracker comes with enrolment in a current CPD year course. Use it to record your hours and see what's left for your compulsory topics.
This article is a summary of published requirements, not legal advice. Check your own licence categories and areas of practice against the latest Fair Trading guidance.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026–2027 NSW CPD year run?
The CPD year for all NSW licence and certificate holders starts on 1 July 2026 and ends on 30 June 2027.
Who must complete NSW CPD?
Property agents who hold a Class 1 licence, Class 2 licence or certificate of registration must complete the CPD specified for their licence or certificate category each year.
How many CPD points do I need for real estate in NSW?
NSW doesn't use points. You need a minimum number of hours across compulsory topics: 7 hours for most real estate agents in 2026–27, 6 for strata managing agents and 4 for onsite short-term property managers. Class 1 holders add at least 5 hours at a Fair Trading accredited forum and, unless they work only in property management or strata, AUSTRAC's AML/CTF course.
How many CPD hours do NSW real estate agents need in 2026–27?
It depends on your licence category and area of practice. Residential salespeople, residential property managers, buyers agents, commercial agents, business brokers and stock and station agents need at least 7 hours. Strata managing agents need 6 and onsite short-term property managers need 4. Class 1 holders add at least 5 hours at a Fair Trading accredited forum.
What are the CPD requirements for Class 2 agents?
The same core as Class 1: every compulsory topic and the minimum hours for your licence category and area of practice. For a residential salesperson, that's 4 topics over at least 7 hours. The accredited forum and AUSTRAC's course are extra requirements for Class 1 holders only. Our Class 1 vs Class 2 guide explains how the two licences differ.
Can I carry unused CPD hours into the next year?
No for most licences. Carry-over is not available except for assistant agents, who can carry forward extra Certificate IV units completed during the CPD year.
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.
