Advertising your application
Before you send your application for a new licence to the Authority you must advertise your application twice in a newspaper or newspapers approved by the Registrar. An approved newspaper is one that is published daily with a wide circulation in the area in which you intend to work. Please contact us if you are unsure whether the newspaper you are considering meets the criteria.
The advertisements must be no more than 14 (calendar) days apart, and must be worded as set out in the appropriate form.
Advertising by an indvidual for an agent's, branch manager's or salesperson's licence [PDF,112kb]
Advertising by a company for an agent's licence [PDF,114kb]
You must attach copies of the advertisements to your licence application to prove when and in what newspaper you advertised.
Anyone can object to the granting of a licence to an applicant. The requirement to advertise is intended to give potential objectors the opportunity to do so. If someone wishes to object, they can only do so on the grounds that you do not meet the eligibility criteria set out in section 36 of the Act or are prohibited from holding a licence under section 37.
Next steps
The Registrar will consider your application in terms of the requirements of the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, and will contact your referees and undertake any checks as necessary, including a Police check. For more information on what a Police check involves please refer to the New Zealand Police website.
If someone objects to your application, the Registrar must consider the objection. The Registrar will advise you of any objections, give you the opportunity to respond and provide further information about the subsequent process.
If the Registrar approves your application, the Registrar will issue a licence and record this in the register of licensees. The Registrar will send you a document headed 'Evidence of Licence' which sets out the class of licence you hold, the licence registration number, and the date of issue and expiry. This is an important document as it is your proof that you hold a licence and can legally carry out real estate agency work. You should ensure that you keep it in a safe place and that you are able to produce it if asked.
If the Registrar declines your application, the Registrar will write to you advising the reasons for the decision and of your right to seek a review, and how to do this. If your application is declined the Registrar will refund the levies that you have paid. The application fee plus GST is not refundable.