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SQESalespersons Qualifying Examination✓EAQEEstate Agents Qualifying ExaminationThe figures the SQE tests most, on one page: the prescribed forms, statutory periods, first-hand sales, stamp duty, tenancy and penalties. Every block shows the date it is correct to and the official source. Items marked EAQE only are outside the SQE syllabus; you can skip them.
Independent exam practice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Estate Agents Authority (EAA) or the examination administrator. Checked 11 Oct 2026. Confirm figures against the current EAA Examination Handbook and the law before your sitting.
Know the rules? Now test yourself.
The SQE rewards applying these rules to land searches and cases under time pressure.
| Part | Questions | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Part I · Stand-alone questions | 40 | At least 60% |
| Part II · Land search & case studies | 10 | At least 60% |
50 MCQs in 2 hours 30 min, 2 marks each. You must pass both parts in the same sitting. Fee HK$650. Paper-based or computer-based; English or Chinese.
Which form, between whom, and when it must be signed.
Forms 1 to 6 apply to residential property in Hong Kong. Section 6 of the Practice Regulation sets when the estate agency agreement must be signed.
| Form | What it is | Between / for | When to sign or supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Property Information Form | Sale and purchase. Part 1 by the agent; Part 2 (Vendor's Statement) by the vendor or agent | Vendor gets a copy before the estate agency agreement or before the agreement for sale and purchase, at the vendor's option. Purchaser gets a copy unless they specifically waive it |
| 2 | Leasing Information Form | Leasing | An information form, not an agreement: the s.6 signing deadlines do not apply |
| 3 | Estate Agency Agreement for Sale | Agent and vendor | Within 7 working days |
The numbers examiners swap around: working days, calendar days, months and years.
| Rule | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sign the vendor or landlord agreement (Form 3 or 5) | 7 working days after accepting instructions (or earlier, see Forms) | Cap. 511C s.6 |
| Notices of certain events to the EAA (cessation of business, salesperson or manager appointed or ended, director or partner changes) | Within 31 days | Cap. 511 s.40 |
| Keep listing records, estate agency agreements, receipts, deposit slips, commission receipts and invoices | At least 3 years | Cap. 511C ss.8, 12, 14 |
| Representations before the EAA suspends or revokes a licence | 21 days after written notice | Cap. 511 s.27 |
| Appeal against an EAA decision to the appeal tribunal |
The Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance commenced 29 Apr 2013. Regulator: the Sales of First-hand Residential Properties Authority (SRPA).
| Rule | Figure | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Sales brochure available free before sale | At least 7 days before; printed or revised within the previous 3 months | s.25 |
| Price list available before sale | At least 3 days before | s.32 |
| Sale at a revised price | Only 3 days after the revised price list is issued | ss.32, 35 |
| Sales arrangements published | At least 3 days before sale | s.47 |
| Preliminary deposit on signing the PASP |
Ad valorem stamp duty (AVD) on sale and lease stamp duty, with the dates the scale changed.
Exam warning: The examination paper prints its own stamp duty table, and the sample in the Aug 2026 handbook still shows an older scale (HK$100 up to HK$3,000,000; top rate 4.25%). In the exam, use the table printed in the paper.
Applies to residential instruments (Scale 2 and Part 1 of Scale 1 have identical rates). Duty is on the consideration or value, whichever is higher, and is rounded up to the nearest HK$1.
| Consideration or value | Duty |
|---|---|
| Up to HK$4,000,000 | HK$100 |
| HK$4,000,001 – HK$4,323,780 | HK$100 + 20% of the excess over HK$4,000,000 |
| HK$4,323,781 – HK$4,500,000 | 1.5% |
| HK$4,500,001 – HK$4,935,480 | HK$67,500 + 10% of the excess over HK$4,500,000 |
| HK$4,935,481 – HK$6,000,000 |
Form CR109 for every domestic letting, and the Part IVA rules for subdivided units (SDUs).
Sources: RVD, A Summary Guide on the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance; RVD tenancy FAQ.
Criminal penalties under s.55 and the EAA's disciplinary powers under s.30. Level 5 = HK$50,000; level 6 = HK$100,000.
| Offence | On indictment | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying on estate agency business without an estate agent's licence (s.55(1)(a)) | HK$500,000 + 2 years | Level 6 + 6 months |
| Acting as an unlicensed salesperson (s.55(1)(b)) | HK$200,000 + 1 year | Level 6 + 6 months |
| Estate agent failing to account for client money (s.43)EAQE only | HK$200,000 + 1 year | Level 6 + 6 months |
| Salesperson not paying client money over forthwith (s.43(2)) | HK$150,000 + 6 months | Level 5 + 3 months |
In the EAQE syllabus but not the SQE. SQE candidates can skip this block.
Sources: EAA, EAQE syllabus; EAA, SQE syllabus; Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511), e-Legislation; .
From the SQE study notes.
The general law behind agency practice: where Hong Kong law comes from, how an agency is created and ended and what an agent owes the principal, how contracts (including land contracts) are formed, broken and remedied, and liability for misrepresentation and negligent advice. Syllabus 3.1 to 3.6 is Level 1 (awareness), so questions test definitions and short fact patterns rather than case law.
The SQE tests whether you can apply the rules to land searches and cases.
Build a daily practice habit : a few exam-style questions a day, with worked answers. Free to start.
Start practising →Independent exam practice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Estate Agents Authority (EAA) or the examination administrator.
| 4 | Estate Agency Agreement for Purchase | Agent and purchaser | Before arranging an inspection, or before signing the agreement for sale and purchase, whichever is earlier |
| 5 | Estate Agency Agreement for Leasing | Agent and landlord | Within 7 working days after accepting instructions, or before advertising, or before signing the lease, whichever is earliest |
| 6 | Estate Agency Agreement for Leasing | Agent and tenant | Before arranging an inspection, or before signing the lease, whichever is earlier |
Sources: Practice Regulation (Cap. 511C) and Schedule (Forms), e-Legislation; EAA, A Study Guide to Estate Agency Law and Practice, Part 2.
Sources: Cap. 511, section 45, e-Legislation; EAA, A Study Guide to Estate Agency Law and Practice, Part 2.
| Within 21 days; tribunal of at least 3; decision final |
| Cap. 511 ss.31–33 |
| Licence renewal application | Not more than 3 months and not less than 1 month before expiry | Cap. 511A s.13 |
| Licence validity | 12 or 24 months | EAA licence fees |
| Commission dispute: appeal against the adjudicator's determination to the District CourtEAQE only | Within 14 days | Cap. 511D |
| Commission dispute: statement of claim; defenceEAQE only | 7 working days each | Cap. 511D |
Sources: Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511), e-Legislation; Licensing Regulation (Cap. 511A), e-Legislation; Practice Regulation (Cap. 511C) and Schedule (Forms), e-Legislation; Commission Disputes Regulation (Cap. 511D), e-Legislation; EAA, Licence fees; EAA, A Study Guide to Estate Agency Law and Practice, Part 2.
| 5% of the price |
| s.52 |
| Purchaser signs the agreement for sale and purchase (ASP) | Within 5 working days after the PASP, or the PASP ends and the 5% is forfeited | s.53 |
| Owner signs the ASP | Within 8 working days after the PASP (offence; fine HK$1,000,000) | s.53 |
| Register of transactions | PASP within 24 hours; ASP within 1 working day | ss.58–61 |
| Maximum penalty under the Ordinance | HK$5,000,000 and 7 years' imprisonment | Cap. 621 |
Minimum units on each price list (s.30)
| Units in the development | Each price list must cover |
|---|---|
| 30 or fewer | All units |
| 31 to 99 | At least 30 units |
| 100 or more | First list: at least the greater of 20% or 50 units. Each later list: at least 10% |
Sources: Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance (Cap. 621), e-Legislation; SRPA pamphlet (2/2023).
| 2.25% |
| HK$6,000,001 – HK$6,642,860 | HK$135,000 + 10% of the excess over HK$6,000,000 |
| HK$6,642,861 – HK$9,000,000 | 3% |
| HK$9,000,001 – HK$10,080,000 | HK$270,000 + 10% of the excess over HK$9,000,000 |
| HK$10,080,001 – HK$20,000,000 | 3.75% |
| HK$20,000,001 – HK$21,739,120 | HK$750,000 + 10% of the excess over HK$20,000,000 |
| HK$21,739,121 – HK$100,000,000 | 4.25% |
| HK$100,000,001 – HK$109,574,470 | HK$4,250,000 + 30% of the excess over HK$100,000,000 |
| Over HK$109,574,470 | 6.5% |
Key dates (instruments executed on or after)
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 28 Feb 2024 | All demand-side measures abolished: no SSD, BSD or NRSD on residential instruments |
| 26 Feb 2025 | HK$100 band raised from HK$3,000,000 to HK$4,000,000 (residential and non-residential) |
| 26 Feb 2026 | Residential over HK$100,000,000: 4.25% to 6.5%. Non-residential moves to Scale 3, which has no 6.5% band |
Sources: IRD Stamp Duty Rates Table IRSD123 (5/2026); Government press release, 28 Feb 2024; IRD press release, 26 Feb 2025; IRD press release, 4 Mar 2026.
| Lease term | Rate |
|---|---|
| Not defined or uncertain | 0.25% of the yearly or average yearly rent |
| Up to 1 year | 0.25% of the total rent for the term |
| Over 1 year, up to 3 years | 0.5% of the yearly or average yearly rent |
| Over 3 years | 1% of the yearly or average yearly rent |
| Key money, construction fee etc. in the lease | 4.25% of the consideration if rent is also payable |
Sources: IRD Stamp Duty Rates Table IRSD123 (5/2026); RVD tenancy FAQ.
Sources: IRD Stamp Office Interpretation & Practice Notes No. 1 (Nov 2018); IRD FAQ, Stamping of Tenancy Agreement.
Sources: EAA Practice Circular No. 22-01 (CR); EAA Practice Circular No. 26-01 (CR); RVD tenancy FAQ.
| False statement in a licence application or renewal |
| Level 6 + 1 year |
| Level 5 + 6 months |
| Employing an unlicensed salesperson (s.39)EAQE only | Level 6 + 6 months | Level 5 + 6 months |
| Acting as a s.38 office manager without an estate agent's licenceEAQE only | HK$150,000 + 6 months | Level 5 + 3 months |
Sources: Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511), e-Legislation; EAA, A Study Guide to Estate Agency Law and Practice, Part 2.
Sources: Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511), e-Legislation; EAA, A Study Guide to Estate Agency Law and Practice, Part 2.
Forms 1 to 6 under the Practice Regulation: which form goes with which party, when each estate agency agreement must be signed, what it must say about validity, agency relationship, commission and interests, and how the Property and Leasing Information Forms work. Section 45 of the Estate Agents Ordinance makes these forms the price of a commission claim, so the exam tests them in detail.
The building-related law an agent needs to describe a property accurately: Government lease conditions, the Buildings Ordinance and unauthorised building works, alterations and change of use, Deeds of Mutual Covenant, and owners' corporations under the Building Management Ordinance. The SQE tests this at awareness level, mostly as 'what does this term mean' and 'what should the agent tell the buyer'.
The EAA Code of Ethics: its seven heads, from obeying the law to fair competition, and how a breach leads to discipline through the fit-and-proper test. Exam questions describe a licensee's conduct and ask which paragraph it breaches, or what the licensee should have done, so you need each paragraph's core idea and one typical breach.
What happens between the provisional agreement and completion, how mortgages work and how much a bank may lend, and the taxes on property: stamp duty, property tax, Government rent, rates and profits tax. Expect stamp duty and property tax sums that you must do by hand, because calculators are not allowed in the exam.
First-sale cases test the Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance (Cap. 621) and the EAA's first-sale circulars from the salesperson's side of the sales office: what you may say, what documents must exist and when, and what happens after a preliminary agreement is signed.
Part II of the SQE gives you one or two land search records or case studies and asks 10 linked questions. You need 12 of the 20 Part II marks to pass, separately from Part I, so reading a land register quickly and accurately is worth practising on its own.
Leasing cases mix the estate agency rules (Forms 2, 5 and 6, client money, advertising) with tenancy law (stamp duty, Form CR109, forfeiture) and, increasingly, the subdivided-unit and Basic Housing Units regimes. Most marks go to candidates who first identify what kind of letting it is.
Many SQE Part II scenarios follow one second-hand flat from listing to completion. The questions test whether you can apply the prescribed forms, the Practice Regulation, deposit handling, commission and stamp duty to one set of facts without losing track of who acts for whom.
What the Estate Agents Authority is and does, who must hold a licence, the requirements for a salesperson's licence, and the rules on the register, registered address, renewal, conditions, suspension and revocation. Syllabus 2.1 to 2.3.7 is tested at Level 3, so expect scenario questions with dates and named people as well as straight recall of numbers.
The duties the Estate Agents Ordinance puts on agents and salespersons (property information, offers, interests, dual agency, notices, client money and advertising), how a complaint becomes an investigation, an inquiry and a sanction, how appeals work, and the criminal offences a salesperson can commit. Syllabus 2.3.8 and 2.3.10 to 2.3.12 are tested at Level 3, with many numbers: 31 days, 21 days, 2 years, HK$300,000.
The Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance (Cap. 621) controls how developers sell new flats: saleable area, sales brochures, price lists, show flats, sales arrangements, the 5% preliminary deposit and the 5-working-day rule, the register of transactions and advertisements. The SQE syllabus lists over 30 of its sections, and EAA Circulars 13-04 and 18-03 add the rules for agents at first-sale sites.
How Hong Kong's land register is laid out, what each entry on a land search means, the difference between a current and a historical search, how to search through IRIS, and where else to find property information. Part 4 of the SQE syllabus sets searching and analysis at Level 3, and the same skills carry the Part II land search questions.
The day-to-day rules for residential agency work under the Practice Regulation (Cap. 511C), section by section from first contact to after the sale, plus the EAA Practice Circulars the exam draws on most: advertisements, land searches, provisional agreements, vendor identity, commission and anti-money laundering. This is the largest Part 2 topic and it is tested at Level 3, mostly through short scenarios.
Seven ordinances outside the Estate Agents Ordinance that shape everyday agency work: land contracts in writing, registration of instruments, HOS resale limits, personal data and direct marketing, unconscionable contracts, misrepresentation and bribery. The SQE tests them at awareness level, so most marks come from knowing the one rule each listed section sets, and its penalty.
Domestic and commercial tenancies under the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance, the rights and duties of landlord and tenant, how tenancies end and are renewed, stamp duty on leases, Form CR109, and the subdivided-unit rules under Part IVA and the Basic Housing Units Ordinance (Cap. 658). Part 6 of the SQE syllabus is set at Level 3, and leasing is the bread-and-butter work of most new salespersons.
How Hong Kong's property market and estate agency trade grew, what moves property prices, which public bodies hold which information, and why the Estate Agents Ordinance was passed. It is Level 1 (awareness) in the syllabus, so the questions are short recall items: learn the timeline, the two groups of price factors and the department map and these are quick marks.