The RES exam is the test you must pass to register as a property agent in Singapore. It has two papers, each 2.5 hours long with 80 multiple-choice questions, and the pass mark is 60 per paper. Before you can sit it you must complete the RES course with a provider approved by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA).
Everything below is from CEA’s pages as at November 2026. Check them again before you pay for anything, because the syllabus changes on 1 January 2027.
The RES Course: Who Can Teach It
Only certificates from a CEA Approved Course Provider count. CEA says it does not endorse other revision or coaching classes.
CEA’s list in November 2026 names seven providers:
- Benchmark Realpro Pte Ltd
- Hastor Property Services Pte Ltd
- Life Mastery Academy Pte Ltd
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic
- Pioneer Training & Consultancy Pte Ltd
- Realty International Associates Pte Ltd
- Singapore Institute of Estate Agents
The list changes. CEA notes that one further provider is suspended from running accredited courses, and another stopped being an approved provider on 1 January 2026. Check the list on the day you enrol.
Entry requirement. Four GCE O-Level passes or the equivalent, or Level 5 and above in all five Workplace Literacy and Numeracy components. If you hold private or overseas qualifications, CEA assesses them and says this takes about 15 working days.
Hours, timetable and fees. CEA’s page does not publish the course length or price. Each provider sets its own schedule and fee, so ask at least two for the total cost, including materials and any revision classes, and whether any subsidy applies to you.
Validity. The Certificate of RES Course Completion is valid for two years from the completion date and cannot be extended. If you have not sat the exam by then, you must take the course again.
RES Exam Format and Papers
Both papers share the same format, according to CEA.
| Paper 1 | Paper 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Industry overview and basic land law; dealings with interests in land (contract, agency, landlord and tenant, co-ownership, planning and more) | Regulation of the industry and real estate marketing; property transactions (private, HDB, leasing, taxes, property finance) |
| Section A | 60 multiple-choice questions, 60 marks | Same |
| Section B | 20 multiple-choice questions on one or two case studies, 40 marks | Same |
| Duration | 2.5 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Pass mark | 60, subject to review by CEA | 60, subject to review by CEA |
Paper 1 is the law paper. Paper 2 is closer to the daily job: the rules agents work under, and the sums and procedures behind real transactions.
Results are released four to six weeks after the exam.
The syllabus changes in 2027
A revised syllabus applies to exams from 1 January 2027. CEA says the format and duration stay the same. New topics include professional practice, ethics and conduct; anti-money-laundering obligations; and green buildings and leases.
If you took the course under the old syllabus, you do not have to retake it as long as your exam falls within the two-year validity of your certificate. Bridging classes offered by providers are optional. CEA also says policy changes announced or implemented within a month before an exam are not tested.
RES Exam Fees
These are CEA’s published fees in 2026, including GST.
- Full sitting (both papers): S$512.30
- Modular sitting (one paper): $283.40, only for candidates who have already passed one paper
- Deferment fee: $130.80, non-refundable, and deferment is considered only for limited reasons such as hospitalisation on the exam day, a recent death in the immediate family, or National Service duty
If you do not turn up, you are marked absent and treated as having failed.
Exam fees are only part of the bill. Our guide to the costs of starting as a property agent adds the course, registration and running costs.
2027 Exam Dates and How to Get a Seat
CEA’s schedule for 2027, which it says is subject to change:
| Sitting | Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Indication of interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2027 | Sat 13 Mar | Sun 14 Mar | Wed 20 Jan |
| July 2027 | Sat 17 Jul | Sun 18 Jul | Wed 19 May |
| October 2027 | Sat 30 Oct | Sun 31 Oct | Wed 15 Sep |
Each sitting also has a course completion cut-off the day before the indication of interest. Confirm all dates on CEA’s page before you plan around them.
Registration runs in two stages:
- Indicate interest online with Singpass during a short morning window. You must already hold a valid course certificate. Applicants are shortlisted first come, first served.
- Register and pay through NTUC LearningHub, which CEA has appointed to run the exam, after you receive its email. Unconfirmed seats go to the waitlist.
CEA warns that seats are limited and not every applicant will get one. That matters for your timeline: missing a sitting can push you back about four months.
The short version: Pass both papers, at 60 marks each, within two years of finishing the course. Count the months honestly: course, the wait for a seat, four to six weeks for results, then registration. Many people budget for a second attempt at one paper.
Who Is Exempt
Some qualifications replace part or all of the course and exam. CEA lists certain real estate degrees and diplomas from NUS, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Polytechnic, with the exemption depending on the qualification and when you enrolled. Holders who enrolled on or after 1 April 2020 are generally exempt from Paper 1 only.
If you think you qualify, confirm with CEA in writing before skipping anything.
After You Pass
A pass does not make you an agent. You still need a licensed agency to submit your registration, and you must meet the other criteria in our guide to CEA registration requirements.
CEA’s pages do not state how long an exam pass stays valid before you must register, so ask CEA if you plan to wait. For agents whose registration has lapsed for more than two years, CEA requires a fresh pass in the RES exam.
Paper 2 topics are also your working knowledge. The stamp duty calculator and home affordability calculator are useful for practising the sums, and the property rules every new agent must know summarises the current figures.
What To Do Next
- Check you meet the education requirement, and send any private qualifications to CEA for assessment early.
- Compare at least two approved providers on total cost, class timing and how close the course end date is to an exam sitting.
- Put the indication-of-interest date in your calendar. The window is a few hours long.
- Read the overall path in our guide to becoming a property agent in Singapore.
