How Many CPD Hours Do Queensland Real Estate Agents Need Per Year?

Your Queensland real estate licence or certificate has always required initial training to obtain. Until recently, it required nothing further to keep. That changed on 6 June 2025 — the date mandatory continuing professional development became law for the first time in Queensland’s property industry.

As of 6 June 2025, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) became a legal requirement for all real estate professionals in Queensland. If you’re searching for a precise number of CPD hours, the Queensland framework works differently from other states — and understanding the distinction matters for compliance.

The Answer: Two Approved Sessions Per CPD Year

Queensland does not measure continuing professional development in hours. Starting 6 June 2025, real estate agents in Queensland must complete approved CPD training every year to keep their real estate licence or certificate valid. Although real estate agent CPD points are compulsory in other jurisdictions, there is no requirement for them in Queensland. Instead, you’ll need to complete two CPD sessions every CPD year, each taking about 2–3 hours.

The OFT indicates that a duration of two to three hours for each compulsory CPD session is considered sufficient. In practical terms, this means your annual CPD obligation sits at approximately four to six hours of structured training — but the compliance unit is the session, not the hour count. Completing a session that satisfies the OFT’s approved criteria is what triggers compliance, regardless of whether it runs for two hours or three.

You must complete two approved CPD sessions each CPD year. If you don’t, you may not be eligible to renew your licence or registration. This is the non-negotiable baseline. There is no carry-over, no banking of excess sessions from one year to the next — each CPD year stands alone.

Who Must Complete CPD in Queensland

The obligation is broad. As of 6 June 2025, CPD became mandatory for all real estate professionals in Queensland. This includes real estate agents, salespeople (including property managers), auctioneers, and resident letting agents.

CPD is mandatory for all Queensland property professionals who hold one of the following licences or registrations, regardless of job, position, or role. That last phrase is worth noting. Whether you are a principal running a multi-office agency or a salesperson who listed their first property last month, the obligation is the same. The number of transactions you close in a year, your seniority, or whether you work in residential sales, commercial leasing, or property management — none of these factors reduce the requirement.

The Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation and Other Legislation Bill 2024 amended the Property Occupations Act 2014 to require property agents to complete annual mandatory CPD. It makes CPD mandatory for real estate agents, real estate salespeople, property auctioneers, and resident letting agents. The obligation is embedded in statute, not simply an industry-body preference.

It is also worth understanding what prompted this change. Queensland agents were previously required to undertake initial training to become registered or licensed, however there were no further training requirements to ensure they kept up with evolving consumer expectations and agent obligations. That gap — which meant an agent could theoretically have been licenced decades ago and never undertaken further structured training — is what the mandatory CPD framework directly addresses.

Type 1 and Type 2 Sessions Explained

The two required sessions are not interchangeable in every combination. The OFT distinguishes between Type 1 and Type 2 CPD, and your two sessions must be drawn from an approved combination.

You must complete two approved sessions per CPD year: one Type 1 and one Type 2, or two Type 1 sessions. Completing two Type 2 sessions alone does not satisfy the requirement.

Type 1 CPD Sessions

Type 1 sessions are condensed versions of units in the national property services training package. They’re designed to help real estate professionals build their knowledge and stay up to date with industry standards.

A Type 1 CPD session is a “condensed CPD version” of a Unit of Competency from the CPP41419 Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice qualification. The content is aligned with the Unit of Competency it is based on, but tailored to meet the needs of existing Queensland real estate professionals. As a result, a Type 1 session covers foundational concepts and is useful as a refresher or “back to basics” session.

Even though a Type 1 session is based on a Unit of Competency, you will not have to complete any assessments. For experienced agents, that distinction matters. This is a learning session, not a re-examination of your competency. The structure is designed for practising professionals, not candidates seeking initial qualification.

Type 2 CPD Sessions

A Type 2 CPD session delivers industry-relevant content aimed at improving the knowledge and core skills of real estate professionals. Type 2 sessions cover a wider variety of topics and can address themes across multiple areas. They are a useful way for real estate professionals to increase their knowledge base, stay up to date with emerging professional issues, and upskill professionally.

A Type 2 session focuses on enhancing service outcomes and consumer protection for buyers and sellers. These CPD courses aim to boost the professionalism, customer service, and ethical business practices of people in the profession, whether in sales or property management.

Type 2 sessions sit outside the formal national property training package. They are OFT-approved in their own right — covering topics such as negotiation, ethics, technology, privacy obligations, client communication, and emerging market issues. For many experienced agents, a well-constructed Type 2 session is where the most practically relevant professional development sits.

Your CPD Year: When It Starts and When It Ends

This is the aspect of Queensland’s CPD framework that causes the most confusion, particularly for agents who assume there is a universal annual cut-off date. There isn’t.

You must complete two approved CPD sessions each year. Each session is approximately two to three hours. The CPD year aligns with the anniversary of your licence or registration issue date. This means every licensed agent in Queensland has their own individual CPD year, tied directly to the date printed on their licence or registration certificate.

Any CPD completed before your first CPD year starts will not count towards your mandatory requirements. For example: if your licence or certificate issue date was 6 June 2024, your CPD year commences on 6 June 2025 and you must have your CPD completed by 5 June 2026; if your issue date was 25 September 2020, your CPD year commences on 25 September 2025 and you must have it completed by 24 September 2026.

If you upgrade or change your licence or registration, your CPD year will align with the new issue date. If you hold multiple licences or registrations, your CPD year will change to the earliest issue date.

The Queensland Government provides a CPD calculator at qld.gov.au to help agents determine their exact CPD year. For principals managing teams, keeping track of every team member’s individual CPD anniversary date is a compliance management task worth building into agency processes.

Who Is Exempt from Queensland CPD Requirements

The obligation is broad, but there are defined exemptions. You do not need to complete CPD if: your current licence or registration was first issued less than 12 months ago — you only need to start CPD 12 months after your current licence or registration was first issued; your licence was deactivated for most of your CPD year; you hold a limited real estate agent licence for affordable housing or for business letting; or you represent public sector agencies or you’re an official with a licence under the Property Occupations Act 2014, provided you don’t hold an individual licence or registration.

You can apply for an exemption for any given CPD year if you can’t complete your CPD due to exceptional circumstances. The OFT does not publish a rigid definition of what constitutes exceptional circumstances, but the intent is clearly for genuine, evidenced situations — prolonged illness, family emergency — rather than time management issues. Think medical emergencies, not bad time management. Any exemption application must be supported by evidence lodged at the time of licence renewal or restoration.

Agents who are newly licenced have automatic protection for their first year. If your licence was first issued less than 12 months ago, you only need to start CPD 12 months after your licence was issued. This means a salesperson who registered in, say, March 2025 does not need to start counting CPD sessions until March 2026.

Approved Providers and How to Identify Compliant Sessions

Not every training product on the market counts. Only OFT-approved CPD sessions can count towards your mandatory annual CPD requirements. An approved CPD session will have a CPD code next to its title — for example, QLDCPD20250183.

Any CPD sessions completed from other states or territories, even if approved there, won’t be accepted. To ensure sessions are approved in Queensland, look for session codes beginning with ‘QLDCPD20’. This is a critical practical point for agents who operate across state borders or who attend national conferences and industry events. A session that satisfies NSW Fair Trading’s CPD requirements carries no weight with Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading. The two frameworks are entirely separate.

CPD sessions can only be facilitated by approved providers in their approved topic areas. The OFT publishes a regularly updated list of approved Type 1 and Type 2 sessions on the Queensland Government website. Eligible providers include registered training organisations (RTOs), industry bodies, and government departments that have been specifically approved by the OFT to deliver CPD content. If you are browsing a provider’s website and cannot see a QLDCPD20 session code, assume it does not count.

For agents with REIQ membership, the REIQ is an OFT-approved provider across both session types. Multiple other RTOs and training organisations have also received OFT approval. The diversity of providers means cost and scheduling flexibility are genuine considerations — agents are not locked into a single source.

Record-Keeping Obligations

Completing your sessions is necessary but not sufficient. You must be able to prove it.

Once you complete a session, the CPD provider must supply you with proof of completion, such as a certificate or statement of attainment. You must keep the proof-of-completion document for five years and produce it to the OFT on request.

Proof of completion takes the form of a Statement of Attainment for a Type 1a session or a CPD Certificate of Completion for all other sessions. Keep these documents in a secure, accessible location. Cloud storage with clear file naming and folder structure is sensible — paper certificates have a way of disappearing.

You do not need to notify the Office of Fair Trading when you’ve completed your CPD. From 6 June 2026, you’ll only need to confirm your CPD status when renewing or restoring your licence or registration. The OFT’s approach is self-declaration at renewal time, backed by the obligation to hold evidence for audit if ever requested. The compliance is your responsibility to manage and document — the OFT does not chase certificates proactively.

If you leave your CPD until the end of your CPD year, the OFT cannot process your renewal application until your CPD is complete. To avoid delays, complete your CPD before lodging your renewal application. Practically, this means agents who cut it close face the possibility of a licence renewal delay — which has direct business consequences if they are in the middle of an active listing or management portfolio.

Queensland CPD vs Other States: Why the Difference Matters

Agents who have worked in New South Wales, Victoria, or the ACT will find the Queensland framework noticeably different — and simpler. Queensland measures completion by session, not by hours or points accumulated over a year. NSW operates on a five-hour compulsory requirement with additional hours for Class 1 licence holders. Victoria uses a CPD points system with minimum annual point thresholds by licence category.

These new rules bring Queensland in line with other jurisdictions like New South Wales, where CPD requirements have long been enforced. But the specific mechanics of Queensland’s framework — two sessions, session-based compliance, individualised CPD year tied to licence issue date — are unique to this state. Agents relocating from interstate or agencies with staff who trained under another state’s regime need to reset their assumptions.

The absence of a points system is deliberate. Queensland chose a session-based model that is structurally simple and easy to administer, while still ensuring that every practitioner engages with formal, OFT-approved learning at least twice per year. Whether that minimum is sufficient professional development for a high-performing agent is a separate question — but it is the legal floor.

Common Questions From Agents

Can I complete both sessions early in my CPD year?

Yes. There is no restriction on completing your two sessions back-to-back at the start of your CPD year. Some agents prefer to get CPD done quickly rather than let it accumulate. Any CPD completed before your first CPD year starts will not count towards your mandatory requirements — but sessions completed after your CPD year commences count immediately, regardless of how early in the year they are undertaken.

Does in-house agency training count?

Not unless it has been formally approved by the OFT and carries a QLDCPD20 session code. Internal team training, vendor workshops, franchise-delivered professional development, and third-party sales training courses — however valuable they may be — do not satisfy the CPD obligation unless they have OFT approval and the correct session identifier. CPD training is separate to other training you may have completed when applying for your licence or registration.

What if I hold both a licence and a registration certificate?

If you hold multiple licences or if you hold both a licence and a registration, use the one with the earliest issue date to determine your CPD year. You complete your two sessions against that earlier date.

Does my CPD need to be relevant to my specific practice area?

The OFT does not prescribe that you must choose sessions directly matching your practice area (e.g., residential sales vs. property management). However, the practical guidance from approved providers — and common sense — suggests choosing sessions with direct relevance to your day-to-day role. If you are a Licensee-in-Charge, your CPD training must be detailed in your agency training plan. The topics included should be those most relevant to your role and responsibilities.

What happens if I genuinely cannot complete CPD in time?

You can apply for an exemption for any given CPD year if you can’t complete your CPD due to exceptional circumstances. The application must include evidence supporting the claim and is lodged when you renew or restore your licence. The OFT assesses each application individually. Approval is not automatic. Agents who anticipate difficulty completing CPD due to extended leave or health circumstances should contact the OFT proactively rather than waiting until renewal time.

What This Means for Queensland Agents

The minimum CPD requirement in Queensland is two approved sessions per year — approximately four to six hours of structured, OFT-approved training. The unit of compliance is the session, not the hour. Your CPD year begins on the anniversary of your licence or registration issue date, not a universal industry calendar date. You must hold proof of completion for five years.

For agents who have been attending REIQ events, conferences, and industry training throughout their careers, the new framework largely formalises what many were already doing. The significant practical change, as the OFT itself has noted, is the need to keep relevant evidence of the courses you’ve undertaken. If you don’t retain your certificates, you have no CPD — regardless of whether you attended the session.

For principals managing teams, CPD compliance is now an agency administration responsibility alongside licence renewals and trust account obligations. Each team member has their own individual CPD year. Building a simple tracking system — even a spreadsheet logging each person’s licence issue date, CPD year start, session codes completed, and certificate storage location — significantly reduces the risk of someone reaching renewal with an incomplete record.

The broader shift is institutional. Queensland was the last jurisdiction in Australia without mandatory ongoing training requirements for property agents. Queensland agents were previously required to undertake initial training to become registered or licensed, however there were no further training requirements to make sure they kept up with evolving consumer expectations and agent obligations. That model is now closed. Annual CPD is part of the professional infrastructure of holding a Queensland property licence — as fundamental to maintaining your registration as paying your renewal fee.

CPD requirements are set and administered by the Queensland Office of Fair Trading under the Property Occupations Act 2014. The approved list of CPD sessions is updated regularly at qld.gov.au. Confirm your specific CPD year and approved session options directly with the OFT or an approved training provider.