Could Mandatory CPD Be Coming to South Australia?

Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) could become part of the conversation about real estate reform in South Australia. But a call for change is not a confirmed new requirement.

A parliamentary inquiry into the conduct of real estate professionals, alongside renewed industry advocacy for mandatory CPD, gives South Australian agencies a reason to pay attention to what happens next.

Why is CPD in the spotlight?

The Legislative Council appointed the Select Committee on the Conduct of Real Estate Professionals in South Australia on 19 August 2026.

Its inquiry covers the adequacy of existing regulations and codes of practice, approaches in other jurisdictions, consumer protections and dispute resolution. It also examines misleading, deceptive or unreasonable conduct affecting vendors, purchasers and renters.

Separately, the Real Estate Institute of South Australia (REISA) has reiterated its support for mandatory CPD, alongside stronger supervision for newly registered agents and property managers, consumer education and consistent enforcement.

Together, those developments suggest ongoing training could feature in the reform debate. They do not establish that the committee will recommend CPD or that the Government will introduce it.

What is confirmed today?

As at 7 October 2026, South Australia’s published real estate licensing guidance does not set out a universal annual CPD hours or points target. The current renewal guidance requires licences and registrations to be renewed every 12 months.

The inquiry’s terms of reference do not prescribe a CPD scheme, training target or commencement date. REISA’s advocacy is an industry position, rather than a new legal obligation.

Agencies should therefore continue meeting their existing licensing and conduct obligations, along with any training requirements set by their employer or professional association. Requirements attached to interstate licences also need to be checked separately.

For the current local position, see our South Australia compliance guide.

What would agencies need to know if a scheme is proposed?

Any future proposal would need to explain:

• Who is covered: which agents, sales representatives and property managers must participate.
• What counts: required topics, eligible providers and accepted delivery formats.
• When training is due: the CPD cycle, start date and any transition arrangements.
• What evidence is needed: completion records, retention periods and how compliance is checked.

Those are questions to watch for, rather than requirements that have already been decided. Agencies should also avoid assuming training completed now will automatically count towards a future scheme.

A practical step agencies can take now

Keeping a clear training record is useful even before an annual CPD target exists.

Record each team member’s training date, topic, provider and duration, and keep certificates or attendance evidence together. Review whether the training addresses the work they actually perform, including sales, property management and trust accounting.

TRACit helps agencies keep training records and completion evidence in one place, making it easier to see what the team has completed and where further learning would help.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the inquiry can read Parliament’s submission invitation. Written submissions and expressions of interest in giving oral evidence are invited by Friday, 23 October 2026.