Printed . This content is updated regularly, please refer back to https://bcfsa.ca to ensure that you are relying on the most up-to-date resources.

Frequently Asked Questions – Trading Services Applied Practice Courses

Frequently Asked Questions – Trading Services Applied Practice Courses

squircle icon

Select the section you’d like to navigate to.

Accordion items

After successfully completing the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course and Examination, learners may register for the Applied Practice Course – the next step to becoming a licensed real estate professional.

To help you get the information you need about the Applied Practice Courses, we’ve collected some of the most commonly-asked questions about the courses.

About the Course

  • You are eligible to register for the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course or the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice course once you have successfully completed the licensing examination.

    Visit the course page for more information on the schedule of course offerings and for details on registering.

  • BCFSA requires students to complete the Applied Practice Course to help ensure that new real estate professionals are fully prepared, and to protect consumers.

    The Applied Practice Courses accomplish this in two ways:

    1. By focusing on real estate practice issues within the framework of regulatory requirements, new professionals learn how to comply with the regulations to reduce the likelihood of complaints.
    2. By getting hands-on, practical experience before licensing, new professionals are prepared to provide competent, professional real estate services to consumers.

  • The Applied Practice course includes online components, face-to-face classroom time, and field assignments that learners complete while working in their brokerage. Learners have up to six months to complete the course.

    Learners must complete the initial components of the new course before they can receive their licence. Once learners have received their licence, they may begin conducting real estate services and can proceed to complete the remaining portions of the course.

    Real estate professionals who are completing components 3 and 4 of the Applied Practice Course are able to provide all the real estate services for which they are licensed.

    To learn more about the services real estate professionals provide, see Representative/Associate Broker Responsibilities.

  • The cost for either the Residential or the Commercial Applied Practice Course is $875.00.

  • Learners who have successfully completed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course and examination must complete the first two components of the new Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course before they can receive their licence.

    After successfully completing Components 1 and 2 of the course you are eligible to apply for licensing.

    Once you have received your licence, you will proceed to Component 3 of the course. As part of this component, you will complete field assignments under the supervision of your managing broker.

    If you do not successfully complete all components of the Applied Practice Course within the required timeframe, your licence will be revoked.

    Pre-Licensing Requirements

    Component 1

    Online learning completed over 14 days. Learners should expect to complete assignments, participate in discussion groups, and use industry reference materials and forms.

    Component 2

    Two days of in-class sessions. Focus is on role play to practice working with a buyer and seller using appropriate forms and licensee resources.

    Post-Licensing Requirements

    Component 3

    Learners complete practical field assignments which are submitted online over 4.5 months. Each assignment has clearly stated learning outcomes related to real estate services. Learners must have received their temporary licence, as they are required to be actively practising real estate in order to complete the assignments.

    There is no instructor in this component as learners complete the assignments while working in a brokerage and under the supervision of their managing broker.

    Component 4

    Final in-class day to review Agency, Disclosure and Contracts. Learners will address future professional development to strengthen their skills.

  • Learners who have successfully completed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Course and examination begin the new Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course before becoming licensed.

    After successfully completing Component 1 of the course you are eligible to apply for licensing.

    Once you have received your licence, you will proceed to Components 2, 3 and 4 of the course. During Component 3, you will complete field assignments under the supervision of your managing broker.

    If you do not successfully complete all components of the Applied Practice Course within the required timeframe, your licence will be revoked.

    Pre-Licensing Requirements

    Component 1

    Online learning completed over 14 days. Learners should expect to complete assignments, participate in discussion groups, and use industry reference materials and forms. This pre-licensing component consists of online modules on agency, disclosures and contracts from a commercial perspective.

    Post-Licensing Requirements

    Component 2

    Two days of in-class sessions focusing on case studies and writing contracts.

    Component 3

    Learners complete practical field assignments which are submitted online over 4.5 months. Each assignment has clearly stated learning outcomes related to real estate services. Learners must have received their temporary licence, as they are required to be actively practising real estate in order to complete the assignments.

    There is no instructor in this component as learners complete the assignments while working in a brokerage and under the supervision of their managing broker.

    Component 4

    During this final in-class day learners attend the Commercial Legal Update Course.

For Learners

  • To be eligible for licensing to provide trading services you must have:

    1. Passed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Examination in the past twelve months, and
    2. Successfully completed Components 1 and 2 of the Residential Trading Services Applied Practice Course.

    As soon as you have started the Applied Practice Course, you may submit your completed licence application, along with all required documents and the appropriate fee, to BCFSA. Your licence application will be considered once you have completed the pre-licensing components of the Applied Practice Course.

    There is a two- to three-week break in the Applied Practice course before the post-licensing components begin, to allow sufficient time for applicants to receive their licences. In order to complete the assignments in the post-licensing components, you must be licensed to conduct real estate services.

    To avoid unnecessary delays in licensing you are encouraged to obtain a criminal record check and make arrangements with a brokerage for employment before beginning the Applied Practice Course.

    Please review the Step by Step Licensing Guide for full details on applying for licensing.

  • In order to be eligible for licensing to provide trading services you must have:

    • passed the Real Estate Trading Services Licensing Examination in the past twelve months, and
    • successfully completed Component 1 of the Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Course.

    As soon as you have started the Applied Practice Course, you may submit your completed licence application, along with all required documents and the appropriate fee, to BCFSA. Your licence application will be considered once you have completed the pre-licensing components of the Applied Practice Course.

    There is a two-to-three-week break in the Applied Practice course before the post-licensing components begin, to allow sufficient time for prospective licensees to receive their licences. In order to complete the assignments in the post-licensing components, you must be licensed to conduct real estate services.

    To avoid unnecessary delays in licensing you are encouraged to obtain a criminal record check and make arrangements with a brokerage for employment before beginning the Applied Practice Course. Please review the Step by Step Licensing Guide for full details on applying for licensing.

  • Contact our Education department at [email protected]

For Managing Brokers

  • As a managing broker, you are responsible for the supervision and conduct of related licensees as required under Section 6(2) of the Real Estate Services Act and section 28 of the Real Estate Services Rules. How a managing broker chooses to supervise a new licensee is not defined by the Act and is left to the discretion of each individual managing broker.

    New licensees must complete the self-paced practical field assignments required in the Residential and Commercial Trading Services Applied Practice Courses within the first six months of licensing. Managing brokers are responsible for ensuring that new licensees with their brokerage complete the assignments competently and in accordance with the Act, Regulations and Real Estate Services Rules.

    The practical field assignments are designed to assist new licensees in developing the appropriate competencies to complete a real estate transaction in accordance with the Real Estate Services Act, regulations and Real Estate Services Rules:

    Residential Applied Practice Course – Practical Field Assignments

    • Assignment 1: Listing a Property for Sale – Representing a Seller
    • Assignment 2: Establishing Agency and Providing Trading Services to or on behalf of a Buyer
    • Assignment 3: Holding an Open House – Your Agency Responsibilities
    • Assignment 4: Researching Properties
    • Assignment 5: Presenting an Offer and Negotiating a Counter-Offer
    • Assignment 6: Drafting an Enforceable Contract of Purchase and Sale

    Commercial Applied Practice Course – Practical Field Assignments

    • Assignment 1: Listing a Property for Sale – Representing a Seller
    • Assignment 2: Establishing Agency and Providing Trading Services to or on behalf of a Buyer
    • Assignment 3: Showing a Property – Your Agency Responsibilities
    • Assignment 4: Researching Properties
    • Assignment 5: Drafting an Enforceable Commercial Contract of Purchase and Sale or an Offer to lease – either for a client or unrepresented party
    • Assignment 6: Presenting an Offer and Negotiating a Counter-Offer

    By completing the practical field assignments, licensees will review and develop skills related to the core concepts of agency, disclosure and contracts. They’ll become familiar with using appropriate forms, conducting research and using industry resources including the Knowledge Base.

    To assist the managing broker in fulfilling their responsibilities, Component 3 of the Applied Course provides detailed instructions and resources relating to the practical field assignments.

  • After completing the initial components of the Applied Practice Course, students in the course receive a temporary licence which enables them to conduct real estate services while they are completing the post-licensing components of the course.

    New professionals may conduct the full range of trading services activities with their temporary licence. However, they must complete the post-licensing components of the course within six months of receiving their licence, or it may be revoked.

    To learn more about the services real estate professionals provide, see Representative/Associate Broker Responsibilities.

  • Instructors in the Applied Practice Course are experienced and knowledgeable industry professionals. BCFSA requires all instructors to prepare for teaching the Applied Practice Course by completing:

    1. A one-month online facilitation course: Instructional Skills Workshop Online through Royal Roads University,
    2. An Instructor Dry Run,
    3. Hands-on training sessions with RECBC, and
    4. An audit of the Applied Practice Course.

  • Contact our Education department at [email protected].