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Council for Estate Agencies

Apply for practising director/ partner registration

Find out what practising directors/ partners are and how you can apply to be a practising director/ partner.

Last updated 5 March 2026

Real estate salespersons (RESs) who are appointed as a director or partner of an estate agent (EA), and who will be performing estate agency work under the same EA are deemed to be practising directors or partners of the EA. Similarly, when a currently non-practising director or partner of the EA wishes to apply for an RES registration and perform estate agency work under the same EA, they are deemed to be practising directors or partners of the EA.

Applications for RESs to become practising directors or partners must be submitted by the EA’s Key Executive Officer (KEO). The KEO can submit a “Add Director/Partner” application through the Council of Estate Agencies’ (CEA) Advanced CEA Estate Agencies System (ACEAS).

No application is required if the person is already an existing director or partner of the EA. Assessment will be conducted when an application for RES registration is submitted.

Registration criteria for new practising directors/ partners

The registration criteria for new practising directors/ partners are as follows: 

  • Have a minimum of four GCE O-Levels passes or equivalent 

  • Be listed as a director or partner of the estate agent in Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)’s records.  

  • Not currently be a sole-proprietor, practising director or partner, KEO, or salesperson of another licensed estate agent

  • Not been previously a sole-proprietor, KEO, director or partner of an estate agent whose licence was revoked

  • Must not be an un-discharged bankrupt or have entered into a composition or scheme of arrangement with their creditors

  • Must be up-to-date with your MediSave contributions under the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB)’s Self-Employed Scheme – either paid in full or have an active GIRO plan with CPF Board. To check your MediSave payment status or make payment arrangements for any outstanding MediSave payable, please visit the Self-employment dashboard via your Singpass login.

    • Note: GIRO deductions for any outstanding MediSave Contributions will be made on the 25th of the month (or the next working day if the 25th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday).

  • Fulfil the fit and proper criteria under the Estate Agents Act 

CEA will determine if a person is fit and proper for registration after considering all relevant facts or matters. Applicants are required to declare all prior convictions in a court of law (including a military court), in Singapore or in any other country, regardless of when the convictions occurred.

In the circumstances listed below, a person shall not be fit and proper for registration, unless we determine otherwise: 

  • Where the person has been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or fraud

  • Where the person has had a judgment entered against him/ her in civil proceedings that involve fraud, dishonesty or breach of fiduciary duties

  • Where the person has been convicted of an offence involving money laundering, proliferation financing or terrorism financing (whether in Singapore or elsewhere)

  • Where the person has been convicted of any offence under the Estate Agents Act 2010 (EAA)

  • Where the person is an undischarged bankrupt or has made a composition or arrangement with his/ her creditors

  • Where CEA takes the view that a person is not fit and proper after considering any other relevant facts or matters

Example

A person who was previously detained under the Misuse of Drugs Act or served with a detention/ police supervision order under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act would generally be deemed to be not fit and proper for registration, unless CEA determines otherwise after considering all facts or matters (including circumstances of the prior detention/ supervision).

Note

For applications involving foreigners, EAs should first check with CEA on the type of employment pass they should possess for a preliminary assessment of the applicant’s registration eligibility. This is done by submitting the required supporting documents e.g., a copy of the employment contract or the work pass held by the applicant. If an employment contract has not been signed, the EA may submit a draft employment contract to CEA instead.

If the applicant does not possess a work pass in Singapore yet, the EA may do a preliminary self-assessment on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s website using the “Employment/S Pass Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)” to check the type of work pass that the applicant would qualify for if an application for work pass is submitted to the MOM on the applicant’s behalf.

Processing your application 

We will take approximately two to three weeks to process your application and will reply as soon as possible. You can check your application status through ACEAS.