When a licence or certificate holder joins your NSW agency after 1 July, they still sit inside the current CPD year (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027 for 2026–27) unless a published Fair Trading late-commencement exemption applies. Confirm that on the official CPD page (last updated 9 July 2026). Do not assume every new licence or mid-year hire is excused.
Fair Trading says licensees-in-charge must have all CPD training detailed in the training plan for the agency. Compulsory topics must come from an approved provider, in an interactive format (face-to-face or interactive webinar), and include an assessment. The practical LIC flow is: map the starter’s licence category, area(s) of practice, and Class 1 or Class 2 (or certificate pathway) → add them to the living plan → book the matching seats → retain evidence (licence holders 3 years; certificate holders 4 years, per Fair Trading).
Keep team status visible on CPD Tracker. When you need seats, browse our real estate CPD courses. Official Fair Trading also publishes a licensee-in-charge training plan guide and template. This is a practice explainer for agencies and Licensees in Charge, not legal advice.
For buying seats for the whole roster, see enrol whole office for NSW CPD. For building the annual Fair Trading training-plan document, see LIC training plan CPD guide. For what Fair Trading says may happen if CPD is missed, see what happens if your agency misses NSW CPD. This post is about adding mid-year starters to this year’s plan.
Mid-year joiners still sit inside the CPD year
CPD year = 1 July to 30 June
Fair Trading: the CPD year for all licence and certificate holders starts on 1 July and ends on 30 June the following year. For 2026–27, required CPD must be completed by 30 June 2027.
A course intake is only a booking window. Missing an October seat does not mean you have missed NSW CPD. The hard compliance end remains 30 June 2027.
“New starter” is not a special Fair Trading pathway
Fair Trading does not publish a separate mid-year new-starter CPD process, form, or onboarding clock. Treat the joiner like any other holder of their licence or certificate type for the areas they will work in, then check published exemptions before treating them as excused.
Step 1 — Map the starter before you add seats
Before you book, map one joiner the way you would map a roster row, but for that person only:
- Name and licence or certificate number
- Licence category (Real Estate, Stock and Station, or Strata) and any dual categories held
- Area(s) of practice they will actually work in (Real Estate has several; only the areas they work in drive compulsory topics)
- Class 1 or Class 2, or certificate of registration / assistant agent pathway
- Preferred delivery (face-to-face or interactive webinar) and timing before 30 June 2027
Class 1 holders also attend a Fair Trading accredited forum of at least 5 hours on top of their core CPD. If they work in residential sales, as a buyer’s agent, in commercial, as a business broker or as a stock and station agent, they also complete AUSTRAC’s Smart real estate agent’s guide to AML/CTF. Confirm the details on Fair Trading’s live CPD page.
Residential property managers have their own compulsory topic list on the Fair Trading CPD page.
For a broader hours-and-topics overview, see NSW CPD requirements 2026–2027. For Class 1 versus Class 2 framing, see Class 1 vs Class 2 NSW CPD.
Step 2 — Update the agency training plan (living document)
What Fair Trading requires (official only)
On the CPD requirements page, Fair Trading states that licensees-in-charge must have all CPD training detailed in the training plan for the agency. Use Fair Trading’s training plan guide and template as the official minimum guideline.
This page covers the update when someone joins after July. For how to build the annual document itself, see LIC training plan CPD guide.
What to add when someone joins after July
Practical habits (not invented statute):
- Add the person and their pathway columns to the plan
- List the compulsory topics and hours that apply to their category and areas of practice from the live Fair Trading list
- Note planned provider, interactive format, and target dates before 30 June 2027
- For Class 1 holders, note the 5-hour accredited forum and, if it applies to them, the AUSTRAC course
- Update again when they complete topics or change areas of practice
CPD Tracker can help LICs keep team invites and training-plan exports current when the team is enrolled in a current CPD year EDUTIVE course. It is not a substitute for pathway-correct interactive delivery from an approved provider.
Step 3 — Book approved interactive CPD for that pathway
Compulsory topics must be delivered by a training provider approved by the Strata and Property Services Commissioner, in an interactive training environment (face-to-face, maximum 40 attendees, or interactive webinar, maximum 25 attendees), and include an assessment activity, as Fair Trading publishes.
When you need seats, our courses for salespeople and buyer’s agents include CPD Tracker. Any intake is a booking window only.
If several joiners arrive together and you prefer a corporate booking, see enrol whole office for NSW CPD. Do not treat bulk booking as a substitute for mapping each person’s pathway first.
Late-commencement exemptions (high level — confirm on Fair Trading)
Fair Trading may, by written notice, exempt a licence or certificate holder from the CPD requirements.
Separately, Fair Trading publishes that licence or certificate of registration holders are exempt from completing CPD if their licence or certificate commenced less than 90 days before the end of the CPD year and they applied for and received it, or restored or reactivated a licence or certificate that has been expired since the commencement of the allocated CPD period. For 2026–27, Fair Trading’s example is: commenced on or after 1 April 2027 → automatically exempt for that CPD year (while still responsible for keeping knowledge and skills up to date).
Fair Trading also notes that this exemption does not apply where a licence or certificate recommences after suspension or cancellation with a condition requiring specified CPD.
For a certificate of registration commencing within 3 to 9 months of the expiry of the CPD period, Fair Trading states certificate holders are required to complete a minimum of 1 unit of competency from that year in the published cases (from a valid Certificate IV qualification required for a Class 2 Agent licence). Confirm the live wording and eligibility on Fair Trading. The late-commencement case Fair Trading describes as automatic is applied under those published conditions; written-notice exemptions are a separate Fair Trading power.
Evidence and records
Fair Trading: keep your own records of compulsory topics completed and provide them if requested. Class 1 and Class 2 licence holders must keep records for 3 years. Certificate of registration holders must keep all records for 4 years (including statements of attainment for Certificate IV units, as Fair Trading publishes).
The agency training plan is the LIC supervision document. It is not a substitute for each holder’s personal completion records.
How this differs from bulk enrol, annual plan, and miss-CPD posts
Bulk enrol answers “how do we buy and assign seats for the whole roster?” See enrol whole office for NSW CPD.
LIC training plan answers “what does Fair Trading expect in the annual agency training-plan document?” See LIC training plan CPD guide.
Miss CPD answers “what does Fair Trading say may happen if CPD is not completed?” See what happens if your agency misses NSW CPD.
This URL answers: someone joined after July — how do we map their pathway, update this year’s living plan, book approved interactive CPD, and keep evidence visible?
Frequently asked questions
Do mid-year starters still need NSW CPD this year?
Usually yes. When a licence or certificate holder joins after 1 July, they still sit inside the current CPD year (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027 for 2026–27) unless a published Fair Trading late-commencement exemption applies. Confirm eligibility on Fair Trading. Do not assume every new licence or mid-year hire is excused.
What must an LIC add to the training plan for a new hire?
Fair Trading says licensees-in-charge must have all CPD training detailed in the training plan for the agency. Practically, add the person, their licence or certificate pathway, the compulsory topics that apply to the areas they will work in, and planned provider, format, and target dates. Update again when they complete topics or change areas of practice.
Is there a Fair Trading “new starter CPD” process?
No. Fair Trading does not publish a separate mid-year new-starter CPD process. Treat the joiner like any other holder of their licence or certificate type for the areas they work in, then check published exemptions before treating them as excused.
What about licences that commence late in the CPD year?
Fair Trading publishes that holders are exempt from completing CPD if their licence or certificate commenced less than 90 days before the end of the CPD year and they applied for and received it, or restored or reactivated it after expiry since the CPD period started. For 2026–27, commencement on or after 1 April 2027 is the published automatic exemption example. Certificate holders commencing within 3 to 9 months of year end have a separate published minimum of 1 unit of competency in the cases Fair Trading lists. Confirm live wording on Fair Trading.
Is October the CPD deadline?
No. An October course intake is only a practical booking window. The hard compliance deadline for 2026–27 is 30 June 2027.
How is this different from enrolling the whole office?
This post is about adding one or a few joiners after July to this year’s living plan. Bulk booking for the whole roster is covered in the enrol whole office guide. Building the annual Fair Trading training-plan document is covered in the LIC training plan guide.
Where can we track the joiner’s progress with EDUTIVE?
Use CPD Tracker for team visibility when unlocked with enrolment in a current CPD year EDUTIVE course. Browse pathway packages on the CPD course catalogue when you need seats. Always re-check Fair Trading before changing office compliance scripts.
Soft next steps
- Map the joiner’s category, areas of practice, and Class 1 / Class 2 or certificate pathway against the live Fair Trading list.
- Add them to the living agency training plan (and keep Fair Trading’s template as your minimum guideline).
- Set them up on CPD Tracker so invites and completions stay visible when unlocked with enrolment.
- Book matching seats in time to finish before 30 June 2027.
- Re-check Fair Trading before you change office compliance scripts.
Optional related reading: finish NSW CPD in a two-day intake.
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.
