Becoming Licensed

Hoping to Become a Real Estate Professional?Permanent link to this section

B.C. real estate professionals must hold a licence and renew it every two years. Permanent link to this section

The focus of the BCFSA licensing process is to ensure that candidates have demonstrated they possess the required entry-level competencies, in order to provide real estate services effectively and in the public interest.

Professional competence is achieved through a combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment. Before registering for a licensing course or applying for a real estate licence, we strongly recommend that candidates review the information on these pages to ensure they are familiar with the requirements for licensing as a real estate professional in B.C.

If you are licensed in another jurisdiction and wish to become licensed in B.C., review the licensing requirements in B.C.

Before You Begin Permanent link to this section

Before registering in a licensing course or applying to BCFSA for licensing, carefully review the following information to make sure you have considered all the requirements for becoming licensed as a real estate professional in B.C.

• Good Reputation, Suitability, and Fitness GuidelinesPermanent link to this section

  Make sure you’ve reviewed BCFSA’s Good Reputation, Suitability and Fitness Guidelines before applying for licensing. If you are concerned about whether you satisfy these requirements, you may wish to seek legal advice.

  Good Reputation, Suitability, and Fitness for Individual Licensees

• English Language ProficiencyPermanent link to this section

  Before you can write a licensing exam, you must meet the English language requirements. We recommend that you ensure that you satisfy these requirements before registering in a licensing course.

  English Language Proficiency

• Eligible to Work in Canada?Permanent link to this section

  To apply for licensing as a B.C. real estate professional, you must be eligible to work in Canada:

  • Are you a Canadian citizen?
  • Are you a Permanent Resident?
  • Do you have a valid work permit/visa that does not have restrictions that would preclude you from engaging in real estate?

• BudgetingPermanent link to this section

  Before applying for a licence, make sure you’ve budgeted for the costs you may encounter:

  • Licensing course and Supplemental Fees
  • Canadian English Language Proficiency Test
  • Licensing Fees
  • Criminal Record Check

  • Real Estate Board Fees

  Also take into account the costs and time to establish a practice. Make sure you have sufficient capital to support yourself if your personal goals are not met as soon as you would like.

• How to Become Licensed in B.C.Permanent link to this section

  • Real Estate Sales
  • Strata Management
  • Rental Property Management
  • Managing or Associate Brokers
  • Brokerages
  • International Candidates (will open in a new tab)