SQE vs EAQE: Which EAA Exam Should You Take?
Checked against official sources: 11 Oct 2026. Rules, fees and dates change, so confirm anything time-sensitive on eaa.org.hk.
Hong Kong has two estate agency qualifying exams, both set by the Estate Agents Authority (EAA). The Salespersons Qualifying Examination (SQE) leads to a salesperson’s licence. The Estate Agents Qualifying Examination (EAQE) leads to an estate agent’s licence (individual) or a salesperson’s licence. Pick the wrong one and you either sit a second exam later or spend weeks on valuation and agency management you do not need yet.
The short answer
- Take the SQE if you want to start work as a salesperson for an agency and have no plans to run an office in the next year or two.
- Take the EAQE if you want to open your own agency, become a partner or a director of an agency company, or manage a branch. Each office must be under the effective and separate control of a manager holding an estate agent’s licence (individual) (Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511), section 38).
Not sure which fits? Answer three questions in the SQE or EAQE chooser.
What each licence lets you do
| Salesperson’s licence | Estate agent’s licence (individual) | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam route | SQE or EAQE | EAQE only |
| Work as a salesperson of a licensed agent | Yes | Yes |
| Sole proprietor or partner of an agency | No | Yes |
| Director of a licensed agency company | No | Yes |
| Manager in effective control of an office (s.38) | No | Yes |
| Licence fee, 12 months / 24 months | HK$1,280 / HK$2,510 | HK$2,010 / HK$3,930 |
Format side by side
| SQE | EAQE | |
|---|---|---|
| Part I | 40 stand-alone questions (80 marks) | 30 stand-alone questions (60 marks) |
| Part II | 10 questions on one or two land searches and/or case studies (20 marks) | 20 questions on one or two case studies (40 marks) |
| Time | 2 hours 30 minutes | 3 hours |
| To pass (60% in each part) | 48/80 and 12/20 | 36/60 and 24/40 |
| Formats | Paper and computer-based | Paper only |
| Fee | HK$650 | HK$900 |
| Results | Paper: 14th working day; CBE: 7th | 14th working day |
| Sittings | Paper about 3–5 a year, plus CBE sessions | About 3–5 a year |
Both exams have 50 questions and both require 60% in each part separately. The EAQE puts far more weight on case studies: 40% of its marks against 20% in the SQE.
Syllabus: what the EAQE adds
The SQE has six syllabus parts and the EAQE has eight. The two extra parts, and several extra topics inside shared parts, are EAQE-only.
| Topic | SQE | EAQE |
|---|---|---|
| Estate Agents Ordinance, Practice Regulation, Code of Ethics, Circulars | Yes (level 3) | Yes (level 4) |
| Statement of Particulars of Business, accounts, effective control of offices, prohibited employment, directors’ liability | No | Yes |
| Determination of commission disputes (s.49, Cap. 511D) | Outline only | In detail |
| Agency, contract, negligence; other ordinances; conveyancing; tax | Yes (level 1) | Yes (level 2) |
| Priority of registered interests (Land Registration Ordinance, Cap. 128) | No | Yes |
| Land search analysis | Level 3 | Level 4 |
| Town Planning Ordinance (Cap. 131); new sites and redevelopment | No | Yes |
| Property valuation (whole part) | No | Yes (level 1) |
| Leasing and tenancy, Form CR109 | Yes (level 3) | Yes (level 4) |
| Agency management: vicarious liability, management systems, anti-money laundering, Companies, Partnership and Employment Ordinances | No | Yes (level 4) |
The levels matter as much as the topics. A question that asks a salesperson what to do with a client’s deposit is level 3. A question that asks a branch manager how to set up a system so salespersons handle deposits properly, and who is liable when one does not, is level 4.
Difficulty: pass rates compared
On the EAA’s published figures, the EAQE pass rate has run lower than the SQE’s in each of the last three years.
| Year | EAQE | SQE (paper) | SQE (computer-based) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26.0% of 3,028 | 36.2% of 2,028 | 33.4% of 1,676 |
| 2024 | 31.4% of 3,339 | 31.9% of 1,490 | 36.1% of 1,433 |
| 2025 | 28.8% of 3,100 | 33.7% of 2,662 | 38.2% of 741 |
Across both SQE formats in 2025, about 3,400 candidates sat and roughly 34.7% passed (our calculation from the two EAA rows). Neither exam is easy. Fewer than two in five candidates pass either one in a typical year. The full breakdown by sitting is in EAA SQE and EAQE pass rates.
Rules that affect your choice
- You cannot sit the SQE after passing the EAQE within the previous 12 months. The EAQE pass already qualifies you for a salesperson’s licence.
- A salesperson can sit the EAQE. The EAQE bar applies to holders of an estate agent’s licence (individual), not salesperson’s licence holders.
- Passes expire. Either pass is valid for a licence application for 12 months.
- No calculators in either exam. Both print a stamp duty table in the paper.
Source: Paper-based Examination Handbook, August 2026, paras 2.2 and 5.1 and Appendix 6.
Three common situations
Scenario 1: career changer
Mandy, 29, works in retail banking and wants to try property sales. She has no plans to manage staff. The SQE gets her licensed sooner: HK$650, 2 hours 30 minutes, and a CBE option with results on the 7th working day. If she later wants a branch, she can sit the EAQE while licensed as a salesperson.
Scenario 2: experienced salesperson
Raymond has held a salesperson’s licence for six years and has been offered a branch manager role. He needs the estate agent’s licence (individual), so he sits the EAQE. His day-to-day work covers most of Parts 2 and 7. His study time goes on valuation, town planning and agency management.
Scenario 3: future agency owner
Grace plans to open her own agency in two years. She can sit the EAQE straight away, since an EAQE pass also qualifies her for a salesperson’s licence. One exam, one syllabus, and no second fee later.
Takeaway
Next: the full SQE guide, the full EAQE guide, or start practising with SQE questions or EAQE questions. Sources: Paper-based Examination Handbook (Aug 2026) and the EAA’s types of licences page.
Frequently asked questions
Should I take the SQE or the EAQE?
Take the SQE if you only want to work as a salesperson. Take the EAQE if you want to run, direct or manage an agency office, because only the estate agent's licence (individual) allows that.
Can I get a salesperson's licence with an EAQE pass?
Yes. An EAQE pass qualifies you for either an estate agent's licence (individual) or a salesperson's licence. An SQE pass qualifies you for a salesperson's licence only.
Which exam has the lower pass rate?
The EAQE. In 2025, 28.8% of 3,100 EAQE candidates passed, against 33.7% for the paper SQE and 38.2% for the computer-based SQE (EAA examination figures).
What does the EAQE cover that the SQE does not?
Property valuation, agency management (including vicarious liability and anti-money laundering systems), the Town Planning Ordinance, priority of registered interests, and office-control duties such as section 38 managers.
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.