How to Pass the EAQE: Study Plan and Retakes
Checked against official sources: 13 Oct 2026. Rules, fees and dates change, so confirm anything time-sensitive on eaa.org.hk.
Most Estate Agents Qualifying Examination (EAQE) candidates fail. At the 22 September 2026 sitting, 1,276 people sat and 22.1% passed (EAA, Qualifying Examinations Figures, September 2026). Those results came out on 13 October 2026, and the next EAQE is on Tuesday 15 December 2026. This guide is for both groups: first-time candidates and anyone sitting again. It covers how the paper is marked, where to spend your hours, what to do in the days after a fail, and an 8-week plan that ends on exam day.
The rule that decides most results
You must pass both parts, each at 60%. A strong Part I cannot rescue a weak Part II.
| Part I | Part II | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 30 stand-alone | 20 on one or two case studies |
| Marks | 60 (2 per question) | 40 (2 per question) |
| To pass | 36 marks: 18 correct | 24 marks: 12 correct |
| Share of the paper | 60% of marks | 40% of marks |
Worked example (fictional)
Winnie gets 26 of 30 right in Part I (52/60) and 11 of 20 in Part II (22/40). Her total is 74 of 100, well above 60%. She fails, because Part II is 2 marks short of 24.
Two more marking rules matter. Any mark penalty for breaking an exam rule is deducted from your total, so you then also need 60 overall after the deduction (handbook para 4.4). And a question with two boxes filled on the answer sheet scores nothing (Instructions to Candidates, Appendix 6).
Where to spend your hours
The EAA does not publish marks per syllabus part. What it does publish is a level of expectation for each part of the EAQE syllabus, from Level 1 (awareness) to Level 4 (understanding plus applying it in practice). Use the levels as your weighting: Level 4 parts are where the exam asks you to apply rules to facts, which is what Part II cases do.
| Syllabus part | Level | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 2. Estate Agents Ordinance and estate agency practice | 4 | Highest |
| 8. Agency management and supervision of salespersons | 4 | Highest |
| 4. Land search (4.1 to 4.3) | 4 (4.4 and 4.5: Level 2) | High |
| 7. Leasing and tenancy | 4 | High |
| 1. The estate agency trade | 2 | Medium |
| 3. Law, conveyancing, mortgages and tax | 2 | Medium |
| 5. Buildings and building management | 1 | Lower |
| 6. Property valuation | 1 | Lower |
Give the four Level 4 parts about two-thirds of your time. Part 8 is EAQE-only: vicarious liability, managers in effective control of each office, notices to the EAA, client money, personal data and anti-money laundering procedures. For valuation and building topics, learn the terms and one-line definitions; the syllabus asks only for awareness.
If you failed on 13 October
1. Read your marks for each part
The PEAK Examination Centre website shows your result and your marks in Part I and Part II for one month after the release date, unless you opted out of online results (handbook para 10.2). The split tells you what to fix.
| Your result | What it usually means | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Part I passed, Part II failed | You know the rules but lose marks applying them to a long set of facts | Timed case studies from week 1; one full Part II set every week |
| Part I failed, Part II passed | Gaps in recall: figures, periods, parties and forms | Topic drills on the Level 4 parts, then Level 2 parts |
| Both failed | Coverage and technique | Follow the full 8-week plan below and add an hour a week |
2. Decide on a re-check quickly
You can apply to the PEAK Examination Centre for a re-check of your result, in person or by post, within 14 days after the result release date. The fee is HK$430 for exams held on or after 1 September 2026 (EAA Examination FAQs and EAA notice of June 2026, both checked 13 Oct 2026). Answer sheets are marked by an optical mark reader, so a re-check is worth it mainly when you are a mark or two short.
3. Register for 15 December
Failing does not stop you sitting again. The handbook bars only people who passed the EAQE in the last 12 months, who hold a valid estate agent’s licence (individual), or whose estate agent’s licence ended 24 months or less before (para 5.1). It sets no limit on attempts. There is no exemption from either part, so you sit and must pass the whole paper again.
| EAQE 15 Dec 2026 (Tue, 2:30 pm) | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens (9 am, first come, first served) | 10 Nov 2026 |
| Postal registration closes | 24 Nov 2026 |
| Online registration closes | 1 Dec 2026 |
| Results released | 6 Jan 2027 |
The steps are in how to register for the SQE or EAQE. The EAA has published no 2027 EAQE dates yet, so treat 15 December as the next sitting you can plan for.
The 8-week plan to 15 December
About 8 hours a week: four weekday evenings of 75 minutes and one 3-hour block at the weekend. If you have never studied the Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511) and the Practice Regulation (Cap. 511C), 8 weeks is tight: add 3 to 4 hours in each of weeks 1 and 2.
| Week (from) | Study | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (19 Oct) | Estate Agents Ordinance: licensing, s.38 managers, s.39 unlicensed staff, s.40 notices, s.42 directors, s.43 client money | 30 Part I questions a day; review every wrong answer |
| 2 (26 Oct) | Practice Regulation sections and Forms 1 to 6; Code of Ethics; key Practice Circulars | One Part II case under time (about 45 minutes for 10 questions) |
| 3 (2 Nov) | Part 8: vicarious liability, management systems, client accounts, personal data, anti-money laundering | Two agency-management cases |
| 4 (9 Nov) | Land search: owners, capacity, incumbrances, deeds pending registration; priority under Cap. 128 | Register on 10 Nov. Two land search cases |
| 5 (16 Nov) | Leasing and tenancy: Forms 2, 5 and 6, lease stamp duty, subdivided units | First full timed mock (3 hours) |
| 6 (23 Nov) | Law of agency, contract and misrepresentation; conveyancing, mortgages and tax; first-hand sales | Redo every case question you got wrong |
| 7 (30 Nov) | Valuation methods and building terms (Level 1 only); weak topics from your mock | Second full timed mock |
| 8 (7 Dec) | Weak topics only; the deadlines and figures list | Third full mock early in the week; light review on 14 Dec |
Aim for 70% or more in each part of your timed mocks before the exam. A 60% mock score is not enough margin, because a long real case can cost you a few marks you would not drop in practice.
Timing on the day
Three hours for 50 questions. You cannot leave in the first 90 minutes or the last 30, and rough work goes only in the question book (Instructions to Candidates, Appendix 6).
| Block | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Part I (30 questions) | About 75 minutes | About 2.5 minutes a question |
| Part II (reading plus 20 questions) | About 85 minutes | 10 to 15 minutes reading, then about 3.5 minutes a question |
| Check the answer sheet | About 20 minutes | One box per question; flagged questions last |
- No calculators. A stamp duty rate table is printed in the question book, so keep sums simple and work them by hand.
- For “which of (i) to (iv)” items, mark each statement true or false first, then strike out every option containing a statement you know is false.
- Answer every question. The handbook describes deductions only for breaking exam rules, not for wrong answers.
What to study from
The EAA publishes no study materials and accredits no courses. It points candidates to its Code of Ethics, its Practice Circulars and its free A Study Guide to Estate Agency Law and Practice, all eight parts of which fall within the EAQE syllabus. It also says those materials reflect the law when each was published, so check figures against current law (EAA, Preparing for qualifying examinations, checked 13 Oct 2026). The EAA’s online mock has a standard EAQE mock in the 30 + 20 format and 40 sample questions with explanations. Use it once to learn the style.
For volume, start with our free EAQE mock for a baseline, then drill by topic in EAQE questions by topic. The study notes listed below cover each Level 4 part, and the EAQE study notes index has the rest. If Part II let you down, read the EAQE Part II case study guide next.
After you pass
Takeaway
Related guides
- EAA EAQE exam guide 2026: format, fee, syllabus and dates
- EAQE Part II case studies: a method and a worked case
- EAA SQE and EAQE pass rates: every sitting since 2022
Sources
- EAA, Examination Handbook (Paper-based Examination), August 2026: paras 2.2, 4.3, 4.4, 5.1, 7.2, 10.2; Appendices 1, 4 and 6. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- EAA, Schedule for Estate Agents Qualifying Examination, Sep–Dec 2026. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- EAA, Qualifying Examinations Figures (to September 2026). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- EAA, Qualifying Examinations FAQs (re-checking of results) and EAA notice on PEAK administrative fees, June 2026. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the EAQE?
60% in each part, in the same sitting: at least 36 of 60 marks in Part I (18 of 30 questions) and 24 of 40 in Part II (12 of 20 questions) (EAA Examination Handbook, August 2026).
I failed the EAQE. When can I sit it again?
At the next sitting. As at Oct 2026 that is 15 Dec 2026: registration opens at 9 am on 10 Nov 2026 and closes on 24 Nov (post) or 1 Dec (online), earlier if seats fill. Failing does not bar you and there is no limit on attempts (EAA 2026 EAQE schedule; handbook para 5.1).
Can I get my EAQE result re-checked?
Yes. Apply to the PEAK Examination Centre, in person or by post, within 14 days after the result release date. The fee is HK$430 for exams held on or after 1 Sep 2026 (EAA Examination FAQs, as at Oct 2026).
What is the EAQE pass rate?
22.1% of 1,276 candidates passed the 22 Sep 2026 sitting, and 28.8% passed across 2025 (EAA Qualifying Examinations Figures, checked 13 Oct 2026).
Study notes for this guide
Put it into practice
Exam-style questions for the EAA SQE and EAQE, with worked explanations and timed mocks in the real Part I and Part II format.
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. This guide is general information for exam preparation, not legal advice.