Quick facts
| Set by | Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). NTUC LearningHub runs the exam on CEA’s behalf. |
|---|---|
| Papers | 2 papers, 2½ hours each, taken on consecutive days |
| Questions | 80 multiple-choice questions per paper (100 marks) |
| Pass mark | 60 marks in each paper |
| Sittings | 3 a year (March, July and October/November in 2026) |
| Fee | $512.30 for both papers; $283.40 for one paper (modular), both including GST |
| Results | Pass or fail for each paper, emailed within 4–6 weeks. Marks are not released. |
Who can sit the RES exam
- Finish the RES course first. You must complete the RES course with a CEA-approved course provider, with at least 75% attendance, and hold the Certificate of RES Course Completion.
- Sit the exam within 2 years. The certificate is valid for 2 years from course completion, with no extensions. After that you must redo the course.
- Education. At least 4 GCE O-Level passes (from no more than 2 sittings) or an equivalent qualification, or WPLN Level 5 or above in all five components. Overseas or private qualifications need an assessment letter from CEA.
- Exemptions. Some local qualifications (from NUS, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Polytechnic) give a full exemption or a Paper 1 exemption. Check CEA’s list before you sign up for the course.
After you pass, you must be at least 21 to register as a salesperson.
Exam format
Both papers have the same structure and each carries 100 marks:
| Section A | 60 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each (60 marks) |
|---|---|
| Section B | 20 multiple-choice questions based on one or two case studies, 2 marks each (40 marks) |
| Time | 2½ hours per paper (9.30am to 12pm in 2026) |
| How you answer | On the answer sheet provided, in pencil (2B recommended) |
| Calculators | Allowed only if they have no wireless, text-editing, programming or printing function, no cover and no printed formulae. Phone calculators are not allowed. |
Reference materials must stay in your bag during the exam, so plan to rely on what you know. Section B is worth 40% of the paper, so practising long case studies matters as much as learning facts. See our study guide for how to pace yourself.
Syllabus, and what changes in 2027
The syllabus is split into four competency units (CUs), two per paper.
| Paper 1 | CU1: Real estate agency industry overview and basic land law concepts CU2: Dealings with interests in land |
|---|---|
| Paper 2 | CU3: Regulation of the real estate agency industry and real estate marketing CU4: Property transactions |
Exams in 2026 follow the current syllabus. From 1 January 2027 a revised syllabus applies. The four units keep their titles, but new topics are added, including professional practice, ethics and conduct; preventing money laundering, proliferation financing and terrorism financing; and green buildings and leases. Foreign worker housing is removed. If you will sit the exam in 2027, check the 2027 syllabus.
Policy changes announced or put in place within one month before an exam are not tested in that exam.
Practise by chapter: free RES exam questions across our 16 chapters, which cover all four units.
How to register, and the 2026 dates
Registration has two stages:
- Indicate interest on GovEntry with your Singpass during the registration window. Seats are limited (3,000 for the Oct/Nov 2026 sitting) and go on a first-come, first-served basis, one submission per person, so registering interest does not guarantee a seat. Pick the right exam type: Full sitting, Modular Paper 1, Modular Paper 2, or Modular Paper 2 with exemption from Paper 1. First-time candidates choose Full sitting. Mistakes cannot be changed and can disqualify the submission.
- Pay on the NTUC LearningHub RES exam site if you are shortlisted. You will be emailed.
| March 2026 | Paper 1: 14 March · Paper 2: 15 March |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | Paper 1: 18 July · Paper 2: 19 July |
| Oct/Nov 2026 | Paper 1: 31 October · Paper 2: 1 November |
For the Oct/Nov 2026 sitting, candidates had to finish the course by 16 September, register interest on 17 September and pay between 1 and 4 October. Dates for 2027 had not been published when we checked on 27 September 2026; watch CEA’s exam application page.
Pass mark, results and retakes
- Pass mark: 60 in each paper (CEA says this is subject to review).
- Results: a Statement of Results is emailed within 4–6 weeks, showing pass or fail for each paper and overall. Marks are not given.
- Passing one paper: you only need to retake the paper you failed (a modular sitting), as long as your course certificate is still valid.
- If your certificate expires before you pass the other paper, the paper you passed no longer counts. You must redo the course and both papers.
- Missing the exam counts as absent, which is treated as a fail.
Resitting just one paper? Option to Pass sells Paper 1 only or Paper 2 only.
Fees
| Full sitting (both papers) | $512.30 including GST |
|---|---|
| Modular sitting (one paper) | $283.40 including GST |
| Deferment | $130.80 including GST. CEA may allow it only for hospitalisation on the exam day, the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent or grandchild up to 14 days before, or NS duties covering the exam day. Apply within 5 working days after the exam; approval is not automatic. |
| Appeal against results | $87.20 including GST, within 5 working days of the results |
Exam fees are not refundable. The course fee is separate and set by each course provider.
After you pass
You must apply to register as a salesperson through a licensed estate agency within 2 years of passing. After that, you would need to redo the course and the exam. The agency submits your application after you create a profile on CEA’s ACEAS system, and CEA takes about 2–3 weeks. You can only be with one agency at a time.
To register you must, among other things, be at least 21, have 4 O-Level passes or equivalent, have passed the RES exam, be covered by professional indemnity insurance, be up to date with MediSave contributions, and be “fit and proper” under the Estate Agents Act. The agency pays CEA a $60 application fee and a registration fee of $280 (or $140 if your registration year starts after 30 June).
Official sources
- CEA: Apply for the RES exam
- CEA: Prepare for the RES exam
- CEA: Results and appeals
- CEA: Apply for salesperson registration
- NTUC LearningHub: RES exam and exam rules (Oct 2026)
- RES examination syllabus 2027 (PDF)
Facts checked against these pages on 27 September 2026. Rules and fees can change, so always confirm on CEA’s website before you register.
Want the full set?
Option to Pass has 1,850+ original questions across all 16 chapters at three levels, 80+ case studies and two full mock papers in the real exam format. Lesson 1A is free, with no sign-up.