5 steps to getting started in real estate in WA | West Coast Property Training
Getting started in WA

5 steps to getting started in real estate in Western Australia

Thinking about a career in real estate? Getting started in WA is simpler than you might think. Here are the five steps that take you from "I'm interested" to registered and ready to work.

W
West Coast Property TrainingUpdated October 2026 · 5 min read

The five steps at a glance

  1. Know what you're aiming for (rep, not agent)
  2. Choose your pathway
  3. Complete your registration course
  4. Check you meet the other requirements
  5. Apply to LGIRS and pay the fee

Step 1Know what you're aiming for

Before you pick a course, it helps to know which job title you're actually going for. Most people say they want to be a "real estate agent", but in WA that word means something more specific than you might expect.

Step 2Choose your pathway

There are three pathways to becoming a real estate rep in WA. The right one depends on what you want to do once you're working in real estate.

Each one has a short video below. Have a watch and see which one sounds like you.

Property management only

Restricted property management registration

For people who know they only want to do property management. It's largely an office job, with occasional trips out of the office. Property managers are great problem solvers with excellent attention to detail.

Sales only

Restricted sales registration

Salespeople spend their life on the road. They love people and making connections. If you know for sure you'll only ever want to do sales, this is the course for you.

Sales and property management

Unrestricted registration

This is the CPP41419 Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice, for people who want to keep their options open. It covers both sales and property management, so you can work in either (or both) and move between them as your career grows. A great choice if you're not sure yet which side suits you.

Picked a restricted pathway and changed your mind later? You can do an upskill course to remove the restriction.

Step 3Complete your registration course

Once you've picked your pathway, it's time to do the course. Finishing it gives you the educational requirement you need to apply for your registration.

Don't stress too much about getting the pathway choice perfect. If you start with a restricted pathway and later want to do both sales and property management, an upskill course will get you there without starting from scratch.

Step 4Check you meet the other requirements

Your course is only one part of what you need. Before you apply, make sure you can tick off these two as well:

  1. Be over 18So you can legally sign contracts.
  2. Show good "character and repute"In plain terms, this means providing a police check. In most cases you can get a police history check online, but check with LGIRS first to make sure they'll accept the one you're planning to get. Your police check must be less than 3 months old when you apply, so time it well.

Step 5Apply for your registration

With your course done and your police check in hand, you're ready to apply to the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS, previously DMIRS and DEMIRS). They're the government department in charge of real estate in WA.

You'll also need to pay the registration fee, which at the time of writing is $342, paid to LGIRS.

For the full list of requirements, check out the LGIRS registration page.

And that's it! Once you've done all five steps, and assuming nothing is wrong with your application, you should receive your registration and be ready to start your real estate career.

Ready for step 2? See exactly which units are in each pathway.

Compare pathways