Will the Hong Kong personal real estate license expire?

How much longer is your Hong Kong individual real estate license valid for?

In Hong Kong, once you have successfully applied for an individual real estate license, you do not need to retake the real estate license qualification exam as long as the license has not been terminated or revoked.

However, maintaining a license is not a one-time effort, and the following conditions must be met:

1.License fees

Individual license holders, whether salespersons or estate agents, need to pay annual or biennial fees to the EAA. Paying for two years at once is slightly cheaper.

License Category	One-year License Fee	Two-year License Fee
Estate Agent	HKD $2,010	HKD $3,930 (average HKD $1,965 per year)
Salesperson	HKD $1,280	HKD $2,510 (average HKD $1,255 per year)

The application fee can be paid using the following methods:

Application Method	Payment Method	Address
In-person or by a representative at the EAA office	Easy Pay System (EPS) or Cheque	Room 2601, 26/F, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
By mail	Cheque	7/F, East Trade Centre, 24 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Online submission (only applicable for individual license holders or former license holders submitting license renewal applications or reapplication for licenses)	Credit Card or Payment by Phone System (PPS)	Not Applicable

2.Continue to comply with the Estate Agents Authority’s Fit and Proper Person guidelines

In addition to meeting the requirements of these guidelines before applying for a license, license holders must continue to meet the fit and proper person standards, such as not being bankrupt and having the appropriate abilities and skills.

3.License renewal period

Estate agent (individual) licenses or salesperson licenses expire on the date specified on the license. To continue working as a real estate agent, you must submit a license renewal application 1 to 3 months before the license expiration date.

4.Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

In the securities and insurance industries, CPD is mandatory, and failure to comply may result in suspension or revocation of the license. However, in the real estate industry, CPD is not mandatory!

To enhance the professional competence of real estate practitioners and keep abreast of the latest industry knowledge, the EAA introduced a voluntary Continuing Professional Development Program in May 2005, encouraging practitioners to continuously learn, enrich themselves, and promote career development while cultivating good professional ethics and enhancing public confidence in the industry and strengthening consumer protection.

Regardless of the length or expiration date of the license, the CPD period for all license holders begins on October 1 each year and ends on September 30 of the following year, lasting 12 months. The credit requirement for each CPD period is 12 credits.

Does not completing CPD affect the effectiveness of the license?

There is no legal liability for not completing the Continuing Professional Development Program, nor will there be any penalties or consequences.

However, if the EAA’s set goals are met, the practitioner will receive a certificate of commendation and a medal, and those who continuously meet the goals can receive a silver or gold medal for excellence.

How long after the license expires do I need to retake the exam?

In the real estate industry, as long as the guidelines are met and the license is renewed, an individual license holder’s license will not expire.

However, if the license expires or is temporarily suspended, and you reapply within 2 years, you can be exempted from the requirements for education and qualification exams.

If the license has been expired for more than 2 years, you will need to retake the qualification exam.

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