Elective CPD - real estate

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Property industry

Elective CPD activities must be completed by licensed agents, registered sales representatives and property managers by 31 December during each calendar year.

If a certificate of registration has been granted for the first time between 1 January and 30 September, sales representatives and property managers must complete three mandatory CPD activities, and at least seven points from the elective CPD activity category by 31 December in the first calendar year that their certificate of registration is granted, and each calendar year thereafter.

If a certificate of registration is granted for the first time between 1 October and 31 December, sales representatives and property managers are not required to complete CPD points in the first calendar year of their certificate of registration being granted. Their CPD obligations commence from 1 January in the following year.

If a new licensee who has had their triennial certificate granted for the first time between 1 January and 30 September, agents must complete three mandatory CPD activities, and at least seven points from the elective CPD activity category by 31 December in the first calendar year that their licence is granted, and each calendar year thereafter.

If you are a new licensee who has had their triennial certificate granted for the first time between 1 October and 31 December of a calendar year and they completed a prescribed examination for the grant of the licence in the 12 months immediately before the day on which the licence was granted, they are not required to participate in the CPD program during the year in which they are first granted a new triennial certificate. Their CPD obligations commence from 1 January in the following year.

CPD elective activities may take the form of training courses, seminars, workshops, and online courses. The participant is responsible for meeting the cost of completing elective CPD activities.

Only activities approved by Consumer Protection can attract CPD points.

What is an elective CPD activity?

An elective CPD activity is any CPD activity approved by Consumer Protection but not categorised as a mandatory CPD activity. Participants can choose a minimum of seven points from the elective category they would like to undertake by choosing topics that have a specific relevance or interest to them or their business.

What is a learning category?

When choosing an elective CPD activity, participants need to be aware that different types of activities attract points at different rates.

Each CPD activity falls into one of four learning categories which indicate the nature of an activity. Its categorisation is dependent on what type of training it is, who is providing the training and the number of CPD points that can be accrued per hour of an activity. It also prescribes the evidence required to prove attendance. 

Each approved elective CPD activity must have an educational outcome, be industry specific and be categorised as being relevant to one of the approved professional development subject areas.  It is important to note that only the activities listed on the approved elective activities page are considered to be acceptable for CPD purposes.

The listed activities have been approved by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection in accordance with regulation 4AA of the Real Estate and Business Agents Regulations 1979.

Learning Category 4 – “In-house” and similar training

In each calendar year, metropolitan and regional participants are only permitted to have three elective points from Learning Category 4 activities counted towards the seven points in the elective category deemed necessary to be compliant with the elective component of the CPD program requirements.

Remote participants are allowed to claim six elective points per year from Learning Category 4 activities.  Remote participants are those whose principal place of business lies outside a 100km radius of Perth, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Bunbury, Port Hedland, Broome, Karratha, Northam, Margaret River or Albany.

CPD Program Objectives

“To protect consumers, increase public confidence and raise industry standards.”

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for licensed agents, registered sales representatives, and property managers is a program administered by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection (Commissioner) under the Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978.

Agents, sales representatives and property managers can be awarded points to achieve their annual requirement of educational activities for courses that serve or promote the principles and aims of the broad consumer protection framework.

The purpose of the program is to increase consumer protection and increase public confidence that the real estate industry in Western Australia operates with integrity, exemplary standards of consumer protection and professionalism.

All elective CPD courses submitted for consideration are assessed in accordance with the principles set out above and on a case-by-case basis to ensure that, as mandated by the Commissioner, the courses focus on increasing agents’/sales representatives’ knowledge of:

  • relevant legislation (e.g. Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978, Australian Consumer Law, Fair Trading Act 2010, Residential Tenancies Act 1987, etc.);
  • avoiding, minimising and/or managing risk (e.g. fraud, employee dishonesty, audit qualifications);
  • industry best practice (e.g. trust accounting; identity verification; conflict of interests);
  • complaint resolution (e.g. internal practises; service standards); and/or
  • business environments that are productive, innovative, fair and safe.

To allow you to choose elective activities which are most relevant to the work you carry out, activities are listed under the relevant prescribed professional development subjects (Schedule 1A of the Regulations).

Some courses are approved under more than one professional development subject; however, you can only receive CPD points once for each approved activity.  The ‘Approved elective activities and training providers list’ link below will direct you to the training providers’ website.

Approved elective activities and training providers list

The prescribed professional development subjects set out in Schedule 1A of the Regulations are listed below. This will make it easier for participants to select subjects to increase their industry knowledge and to develop their skills based on their individual professional development needs. Click on a subject to see the courses available, the amount of points the activity attracts, and links to the training providers.

For further information about a particular CPD activity please contact the relevant training provider.

Please note additional activities are added to this list throughout the year. You can check this page periodically for new activities which may suit your needs or interests.

Claiming points

Retain your certificate of attendance in a safe place as evidence of your participation in the CPD program. You may be requested to provide evidence of completion of you CPD courses upon renewal of your triennial certificate or certificate of registration.

How do I keep track of my CPD activities attended and points accrued? 

It is your responsibility to keep track of the CPD activities you have attended. You may find it useful to keep a CPD Training Log with details of each CPD activity completed. Your Training Log may include details such as the training organisation’s details, the name and date of the activity, as well as the CPD points accrued.

You also need to obtain and retain records for your attendance at mandatory and elective CPD activities. For CPD activities that attract one CPD point per hour, you need to obtain a statement of attainment, a record of completion or a certificate of attendance. For CPD activities that attract a half point per hour, records of attendance are also required.  

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