Real estate, business and conveyancing agents

Introduction

You need a licence to run a real estate business or work as a conveyancing agent in the Northern Territory.

This section has information for individuals and organisations that want to apply or renew an agent licence.

You can also read about licence fees.

Training for real estate and business agents

If you want to become a real estate agent or business agent in the Northern Territory (NT), you need to do a training course.

Training can only be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO).

To be a qualified real estate agent or business agent, you must complete the following:

  • CPP51122 Diploma of Property (Agency Management)
  • CPP41419 Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice or
    • have an NT unrestricted registration as an agent's representative.

Read below for more information.

Complete the units of the diploma

You will need to complete the following units of the Diploma of Property (Agency Management):

  • manage compliance in the property industry (CPPREP5001)
  • establish and monitor property industry trust account management practices (CPPREP5002)
  • manage ethical practice in the property industry (CPPREP5003)
  • manage a safe workplace in the property industry (CPPREP5004)
  • manage teams in the property industry (CPPREP5005)
  • manage operational finances in the property industry (CPPREP5006)
  • develop a strategic business plan in the property industry (CPPREP5007)
  • develop a marketing and service strategy in real estate (CPPREP5009)
  • manage customer service activities in the property Industry (CPPREP5010)
  • manage business operational plans (BSBLDR502)
  • provide leadership across the organisation (BSBPOPS602)
  • contribute to the development of employee and industrial relation strategies (BSBHRM612).

If you don't have an NT unrestricted registration, you will need to complete the following units of the Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice:

  • prepare for professional practice in real estate (CPPREP4001)
  • access and interpret ethical practice in real estate (CPPREP4002)
  • access and interpret legislation in real estate (CPPREP4003)
  • establish marketing and communication profiles in real estate (CPPREP4004)
  • prepare to work with real estate trust accounts (CPPREP4005)
  • appraise residential property for sale or lease (CPPREP4101)
  • market property (CPPREP4102)
  • establish vendor relationships (CPPREP4103)
  • establish buyer relationships (CPPREP4104)
  • sell property (CPPREP4105)
  • establish landlord relationships (CPPREP4121)
  • manage tenant relationships (CPPREP4122)
  • manage tenancy (CPPREP4123)
  • end tenancy (CPPREP4124)
  • transact in trust accounts (CPPREP4125)
  • complete commercial property sale (CPPREP4203)
  • establish commercial property lease (CPPREP4204)
  • present at hearings in real estate (CPPREP4503).

If you have statements of attainment for the old CPP51119 Diploma of Property Services (Agency Management), you can get this recognised.

You must have completed all of the following units:

  • Manage compliance in the property industry (CPPREP5001)
  • Establish and monitor property industry trust account management practices (CPPREP5002)
  • Manage ethical practice in the property industry (CPPREP5003)
  • Manage a safe workplace in the property industry (CPPREP5004)
  • Manage teams in the property industry (CPPREP5005)
  • Manage operational finances in the property industry (CPPREP5006)
  • Develop a strategic business plan in the property industry (CPPREP5007)
  • Develop a marketing and service strategy in real estate (CPPREP5009)
  • Manage customer service activities in the property industry (CPPREP5010)
  • Manage employee relations (BSBHRM604)
  • Manage operational plan (BSBMGT517)
  • Provide leadership across the organisation (BSBMGT605)

You can have a real estate agent or business agent licence restricted to the sales or property management functions.

To get a restricted licence, you must have completed the following:

  • the same units of competency that make up the CPP51119 Diploma of Property (Agency Management)
  • the units of competency relevant to the function within the CPP41419 Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice or
    • have an NT restricted registration as an agent’s representative in sales or property management.

Read below for more information.

Units of the diploma

You must have completed the same units of competency that make up the CPP51119 Diploma of Property (Agency Management):

  • manage compliance in the property industry (CPPREP5001)
  • establish and monitor property industry trust account management practices (CPPREP5002)
  • manage ethical practice in the property industry (CPPREP5003)
  • manage a safe workplace in the property industry (CPPREP5004)
  • manage teams in the property industry (CPPREP5005)
  • manage operational finances in the property industry (CPPREP5006)
  • develop a strategic business plan in the property industry (CPPREP5007)
  • any five electives.

Read below for more information.

Units of the certificate: sales functions

If you want to restrict your licence for sales functions, you must have completed the following units:

  • prepare for professional practice in real estate (CPPREP4001)
  • access and interpret ethical practice in real estate (CPPREP4002)
  • access and interpret legislation in real estate (CPPREP4003)
  • establish marketing and communication profiles in real estate (CPPREP4004)
  • prepare to work with real estate trust accounts (CPPREP4005)
  • appraise residential property for sale or lease (CPPREP4101)
  • market property (CPPREP4102)
  • establish vendor relationships (CPPREP4103)
  • establish buyer relationships (CPPREP4104)
  • sell property (CPPREP4105)
  • complete commercial property sale (CPPREP4203)

Units of the certificate: property management functions

If you want to restrict your licences for property management function, you must have completed the following units:

  • prepare for professional practice in real estate (CPPREP4001)
  • access and interpret ethical practice in real estate (CPPREP4002)
  • access and interpret legislation in real estate (CPPREP4003)
  • establish marketing and communication profiles in real estate (CPPREP4004)
  • prepare to work with real estate trust accounts (CPPREP4005)
  • appraise residential property for sale or lease (CPPREP4101)
  • market property (CPPREP4102)
  • establish landlord relationships (CPPREP4121)
  • manage tenant relationships (CPPREP4122)
  • manage tenancy (CPPREP4123)
  • end tenancy (CPPREP4124)
  • transact in trust accounts (CPPREP4125)
  • establish commercial property lease (CPPREP4204)
  • present at hearings in real estate (CPPREP4503).

You can use a unit of equivalent value to replace any of the above.

To find out more, go to the Australian Government's training website.

You can reapply for the same category of licence with no evidence of training.

To be eligible, you must have had one of the following NT licences in the last three years:

  • real estate agent
  • business agent
  • both real estate and business agent
  • restricted real estate agent (sales)
  • restricted business agent (sales)
  • restricted both real estate and business agent (sales)
  • restricted real estate agent (property management)
  • restricted business agent (property management)
  • restricted both real estate and business agent (property management).

For more information, contact Licensing NT or a registered training organisation.

You can complete your real estate and business training through one of the following RTOs.

The Australian Real Estate Training College
trainnt@realestatetraining.com.au
Phone: 02 9987 2322
www.realestatetraining.com.au

Real Estate Institute of the Northern Territory (REINT)
training@reint.com.au
Phone: 08 8981 8905
www.reint.com.au

Connect Skills Institute
admin@connectskillsinstitute.edu.au
Phone: 1300 206 632
https://connectskillsinstitute.edu.au/

RTOs can request to have their details added or updated.

Contact

For more information, contact Occupational Licensing by emailing propertyagents.licensing@nt.gov.au.

Training for conveyancing agents

If you want to become a conveyancing agent in the Northern Territory (NT), you need to do a training course.

Training can only be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO).

To be a qualified conveyancing agent, you must complete the following units of the Advanced Diploma of Conveyancing (BSB61115):

  • take instructions in relation to a transaction (BSBCNV501)
  • read and interpret a legal document and provide advice (BSBCNV502)
  • analyse and interpret legal requirements for a transaction (BSBCNV503)
  • prepare legal documents (BSBCNV504)
  • finalise the conveyancing transaction (BSBCNV505)
  • establish and manage a trust account (BSBCNV506)
  • identify and conduct searches (BSBCNV601)
  • apply the principles of contract law (BSBLEG415)
  • apply the principles of the law of torts (BSBLEG416)
  • apply legal principles in property law matters (BSBLEG512)
  • apply legal principles in corporation law matters (BSBLEG513)
  • manage risk (BSBRSK501)
  • make decisions in a legal context (FNSACC413)
  • develop and nurture relationships with clients, other professionals and third party referrers (FNSCUS501)
  • apply principles of professional practice to work in the financial services industry (FNSINC401).

You can use a unit of equivalent value to replace any of the above.

Find out more about the course on the Australian Government's training website.

You can re-apply for a conveyancing agent licence with no evidence of training if you have had an NT conveyancing agent licence in the last three years.

For more information contact Licensing NT or a registered training organisation.

You can complete your conveyancing agent training through one of the following RTOs.

Academic Pavilion
Phone: 02 6766 1713
academicpavilion@gmail.com

The Malka Group
Phone: 03 9890 3350
debra@tmg.edu.au
www.tmg.edu.au

Melbourne Polytechnic
Phone: 03 9269 8400
courses@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au
www.melbournepolytechnic.edu.au

National Business Institute of Australia
Phone: 03 9499 7872
peter@nbi.com.au
www.nbi.com.au

RMIT University
Phone: 03 9925 2260
study@rmit.edu.au
www.rmit.edu.au

TAFE SA
Phone: 08 8207 3643
tafesa.regulation@tafesa.edu.au
www.tafesa.edu.au

TAFE NSW
Phone: 02 9942 0612
Brenda.Cleaver@tafensw.edu.au
www.tafensw.edu.au

RTOs can request to have their details added or updated.

Contact

For more information, contact Licensing NT by emailing agd.licensingnt@nt.gov.au.

Apply or renew real estate, business, conveyancing licence

You need a licence to carry on business as a real estate, business or conveyancing agent in the Northern Territory (NT).

This is required under the Agents Licensing Act 1979.

You can apply for a licence period of one, 3 or 5 years.

A licence will expire on the anniversary of the date it was granted.

Before you apply

Before you apply, you must:

How to apply

You can apply or renew online or by mail, email, fax, or in person.

You will need to pay a fee.

Online

To apply and pay for your licence online, go to Licensing NT Online.

By mail, email, fax, or in person

To apply by mail, email, fax, or in person, follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the application that applies to you:

You can also get these applications at a Territory Business Centre.

Step 2. Pay the fee and submit the application at your nearest Territory Business Centre.

Online

To renew and pay your renewal online, go to Licensing NT Online.

By mail, email, fax, or in person

To renew by mail, email, fax, or in person, follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the application that applies to you:

You can also get these applications at a Territory Business Centre.

Step 2. Pay the fee and submit the application at your nearest Territory Business Centre.

If you have a licence in another state/territory or in New Zealand, you can apply for mutual recognition.

To apply for mutual recognition, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the application for mutual recognition.

Application for mutual recognition PDF (177.3 KB)
Application for mutual recognition DOCX (71.8 KB)

Step 2. Pay the fee and submit the application at your nearest Territory Business Centre.

After you apply

Your application will be assessed and you will be notified of the decision.

If your application is rejected, you can request a copy of the reasons.

If you're successful, you must open and maintain a trust account as required under the Act.

Contact

For more information, contact your local Territory Business Centre.

Property agent licence fees

You need to pay a fee to apply or renew a real estate, business or conveyancing agent licence in the Northern Territory.

All fees are free from GST.

Real estate agent licence

Item​Fee​
1 year $835
3 years $2,255
5 years $3,759
Restricted - 1 year $837
Restricted - 3 years $2,259
Restricted - 5 years $3,766

Business agent licence

Item​Fee​
1 year $835
3 years $2,255
5 years $3,759
Restricted - 1 year $837
Restricted - 3 years $2,259
Restricted - 5 years $3,766

Real estate and business agent licence

Item​Fee​
1 year $965
3 years $2,605
5 years $4,342

Conveyancing agent licence

Item​Fee​
1 year $965
3 years $2,605
5 years $4,342

Opening and maintaining a trust account

If you are a licensed agent, you must hold all money you receive in a trust account.

This includes sales deposits, rent and security deposits (also known as bonds).

Under the Agents Licensing Act 1979 and the Agents Licensing Regulations 1979, this applies to you if you have a:

  • real estate
  • business or
  • conveyancing licence.

If you have just been granted one of these licences, you must open a trust account within 7 days.

Find out what the account must include and how you must manage it below.

If you’re employed by a company

You are exempt from opening and maintaining an account if:

  • you’re employed by another licensed agent e.g. a real estate company and
  • monies received are held in an account by them.

Setting up an account

You must open an account in the Northern Territory at one of the following approved deposit taking institutions:

  • Macquarie Bank
  • Commonwealth Bank
  • Bendigo Bank
  • ANZ Bank
  • Westpac Bank
  • National Australia Bank
  • BankSA.

It must have a BSB that reflects this and also have a title that includes:

  • your name or your business name (if you do business under a registered business name)
  • the words ‘trust account’ and
  • ‘security deposits’ - if it only holds security deposits (as defined in section 63 of the Business Tenancies (Fair Dealings) Act 2003 and section 4 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1999) and any interest on them.

If you meet these requirements under the Act, you can open and hold multiple accounts.

When you open an account

You must notify the department within 7 days when you open an account.

If you plan to have multiple, you must do this for each one.

You can notify the department by filling in the notification form and emailing it to boardservices.ditt@nt.gov.au.

Notification of opening a statutory trust account PDF (171.1 KB)
Notification of opening a statutory trust account DOCX (85.9 KB)

Failure to do so is an offence under the Act and may result in penalties or disciplinary action.

Auditing your account

Under the Act, your trust account must be audited:

  • by a qualified auditor
  • within 3 months of the end of a prescribed period.

For most agents, the prescribed period is the financial year - e.g. 1 July to 30 June.

This means you must have your trust account audited by 30 September each year.

Failure to comply is an offence under the Act and may lead to penalties.

Exemption

If you did not receive or hold any monies within the prescribed period, you can be exempt from auditing your account.

To be exempt, you must lodge a statutory declaration by email to boardservices.ditt@nt.gov.au.

You must do this within 2 months of the prescribed period.

If you stop being an agent

Within 2 months of stopping your business as a licensed agent, you must have your account audited.