Exam information

RES Exam FAQ: Straight Answers for Candidates

Last reviewed 12 October 2026

These are the questions candidates ask most often about the Singapore RES examination, answered from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) and NTUC LearningHub, the appointed examination administrator. Figures are as at October 2026 and several of them — fees in particular — are expressly subject to revision, so confirm anything you are budgeting or planning around on the official page before you rely on it.

Where these answers come from

Everything below is drawn from CEA’s own pages on the RES course, examination, results and salesperson registration, and from NTUC LearningHub’s published examination rules and portal. Where CEA and NTUC LearningHub do not publish something — a pass rate, a limit on re-sits, a mark weighting per competency unit — that is said plainly rather than filled in from secondhand sources. Course fees are the one area where there is no single official figure at all, because each approved course provider sets its own.

Terms to know

Modular sitting: A re-sit of only the paper you failed, available while your Certificate of RES Course Completion remains valid, at a lower fee than a full sitting.
Indication of interest: Stage 1 of examination registration: a Singpass-authenticated submission made on one announced morning, from which seats are shortlisted first-come, first-served.
Fit and proper: CEA’s suitability test for registration, which generally excludes those with convictions involving dishonesty or fraud and undischarged bankrupts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass mark for the RES exam?

The pass mark is 60 for each paper, out of 100 marks, and CEA states it is subject to review by CEA (as at October 2026). It applies per paper, so you need 60 in both Paper 1 and Paper 2. The papers are graded separately, so a high mark in one does not offset a fail in the other.

What is the RES exam pass rate?

CEA does not publish a current pass rate for the RES examination, and neither does NTUC LearningHub. Figures circulating on agency blogs and forums are not official and are often years out of date, so there is no reliable number to quote. The only published figures about the examination are its structure, pass mark, fees and schedule.

Do I need a degree, or O-Levels?

You need a minimum of four GCE O-Level passes — which may be combined from at most two examination sittings — or an equivalent qualification, or Level 5 or above in all five components of the Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN) assessment. A degree is accepted as an equivalent qualification but is not required. CEA assesses private and foreign qualifications on application.

Is there an English language test?

There is no separate English examination for the RES. The examination is set in English, and the WPLN route exists so that candidates without O-Levels can demonstrate the required literacy and numeracy level, with Level 5 or above needed in all five components including Reading and Writing.

Can I sit the exam without doing the RES course?

Not in the ordinary case. You must complete the RES course with a CEA Approved Course Provider and hold a valid Certificate of RES Course Completion to register, and certificates from other providers are not accepted. CEA does publish an exemption table under which certain real estate qualifications and professional examinations may exempt a candidate from the course, the examination, or both — check it before enrolling.

How long is my course completion certificate valid?

Two years from the date of course completion, and CEA does not extend it. You must sit the examination within that period. If the certificate expires before you have passed, you must attend and complete the whole RES course again, and attending a bridging or revision course does not extend the validity.

How many times can I re-sit?

Neither CEA nor NTUC LearningHub publishes a limit on the number of attempts. What limits you in practice is the two-year validity of your course completion certificate, combined with the examination being held three times a year — so roughly six opportunities, fewer if you delay your first attempt.

If I pass one paper, do I have to re-sit both?

No. If you passed one paper and failed the other, you re-sit only the failed paper as a modular sitting, at the lower modular fee. The pass you hold is tied to your Certificate of RES Course Completion, so you must pass the remaining paper before that certificate expires, or the earlier pass lapses with it.

How much does it all cost?

As at October 2026 the examination is $512.30 inclusive of GST for a full sitting of both papers and $283.40 for a modular sitting of one paper, both subject to revision without notice. On top of that are the course fee, which each approved course provider sets itself, and CEA’s salesperson registration fees of $60 for the application and $280 a year, which are GST exempt and paid by the estate agent you register through.

How do I register for the examination?

In two stages. Stage 1 is an indication of interest, submitted with Singpass on a single announced morning, for which you must already hold a valid course completion certificate; you choose your examination type then, and only one submission per NRIC or FIN is allowed. Eligible applicants are shortlisted first-come, first-served, and those shortlisted then complete Stage 2 — registration and payment with NTUC LearningHub by the stated deadline, or the seat goes to the waitlist.

Are seats limited?

Yes. CEA holds the examination three times a year and states that seats cannot be allocated to every applicant who indicates interest; shortlisting is by submission timestamp. The March 2026 sitting, for example, had 3,000 seats. Submitting promptly when Stage 1 opens matters, though refreshing the waiting-room page does not improve your place in the queue.

Is the exam online?

No. It is a paper-based examination sat in person under invigilation. As at October 2026, NTUC LearningHub states that it is held at Singapore Institute of Management Headquarters, 461 Clementi Road, Singapore 599491.

What can I bring into the exam hall?

A pencil, with 2B recommended, an eraser, an approved calculator, and plain water in a bottle that is kept on the floor beside your seat. You must bring physical identification — an NRIC, passport, driving licence or Employment Pass — as digital identification is not accepted. Phones, smart devices, fitness trackers, notes and other belongings go into your bag at the designated area, with phones completely powered off.

What calculators are allowed?

A calculator with no wireless communication, text-editing or programming capability and no print-out function, and with no cover, instruction leaflet or printed formulae on the lid. Calculator applications on mobile devices are not allowed. NTUC LearningHub defines the rule by capability rather than publishing a list of approved models, so if a model is borderline, check before the day.

When will I get my results, and will I see my marks?

NTUC LearningHub emails a Statement of Results within four to six weeks of the examination, showing Pass or Fail for each paper sat and an overall result. Numerical scores are not released. You may appeal in respect of a failed paper within five working days of results being released, for a non-refundable $87.20 inclusive of GST; the appeal covers a review of the marking, but answer sheets and scores are not shown and scripts are not returned.

What happens if I miss the exam?

You are marked absent and treated as having failed that examination, with no refund. Deferment is granted only for hospitalisation on the examination day, the death of a close relative within the 14 days before the examination, or National Service duties covering the day, and must be applied for through NTUC LearningHub within five working days after the examination, with a non-refundable fee of $130.80 inclusive of GST. An approved deferment moves you to the next examination, and no further deferment is allowed.

What do I have to do after I pass?

A pass is valid for two years, within which a licensed estate agent must submit your registration application to CEA. To be registered you must be at least 21, meet the academic requirement, register through one licensed estate agent only, hold professional indemnity insurance valid for at least a year from the start of registration, be up to date on MediSave contributions, not be connected with moneylending, and satisfy CEA that you are a fit and proper person.

Is the syllabus changing?

Yes, for examinations from 1 January 2027, which are set on a revised syllabus; examinations in 2025 and 2026 use the current 2017 version 5 syllabus. CEA has confirmed that the examination format and duration do not change — the same two papers of two and a half hours, with the same Section A and Section B structure. Bridging and revision courses on the revised syllabus are optional and are not a registration requirement.

Official sources

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Disclaimer: All questions on this portal are created to aid candidates in preparing for and passing the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) Examination. They are not official examination questions and are not representative of, endorsed by or affiliated with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) or NTUC LearningHub. Laws, rates and policies change — always verify against official sources.