BUSINESS, FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Real Estate Agent / Broker

Helps people buy, sell or rent property, connecting clients and handling paperwork and negotiation.

No set subject. Class 12 helps, but state rules matter more After Class 12 Self-employed

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Meeting new people and understanding what they need
Negotiating and seeing a deal close
Learning local areas, prices and projects

It may not suit you if you dislike

Income can be uneven, especially in the first years
Evening and weekend work for site visits and family schedules
Rules differ by state and change over time, so you must keep learning

Class 11–12 subjects: No particular stream is required. In Maharashtra, MahaRERA sets no minimum school or college qualification beyond its mandatory agent training and exam, so Class 10 or Class 12 in any stream can work. Other states set their own rules, so check your state RERA.
First degree: No degree is required. A diploma or degree in real estate, business, law or finance can help you learn the work, but it does not replace state registration.
Entrance exams: A state RERA competency exam. In Maharashtra it is an online multiple-choice test taken after 20 hours of training.
Licence or registration: RERA agent registration with the state Real Estate Regulatory Authority, which gives you a registration number. Under the Act, you must quote this number in every sale you facilitate. In Maharashtra you also need a Certificate of Competency before you can apply.

Open to every streamNo set subject. Class 12 helps, but state rules matter more.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Finding buyers, sellers and tenants; showing properties; checking papers and project approvals; negotiating prices and terms; and handling booking forms, agreements and records. Agents often work for a builder's sales team or run their own small firm.

A day in the work
Many agents start the day by checking new listings and calling past clients. Mid-day often means driving clients to see flats, plots or rental homes, and answering questions about price, loans and papers. Evenings may go to negotiating offers, checking documents with the builder or landlord, and updating your records for the RERA portal.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 10–12Finish school with steady marks. Build comfort with numbers, reading documents and talking to strangers. No specific stream is needed.
Step 2 · After Class 12, from age 18Get a PAN card and Aadhaar, and a registered office address in the state where you plan to work. Minimum age of 18 is reported for Maharashtra (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
Step 3 · TrainingComplete your state's mandatory agent training. In Maharashtra this is about 20 hours with an approved training partner, with at least 60% attendance (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
Step 4 · Competency examPass the state certification test. In Maharashtra it is an online multiple-choice exam where 40 out of 100 marks is a pass, with up to three attempts. The conducting body is reported as IBPS (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
Step 5 · Agent registrationApply on the state RERA portal with your certificate, ID, photo and tax papers. Once registered, you get a RERA number to quote in every sale and advertisement.
Step 6 · OngoingRenew before the registration expires. Maharashtra registrations are reported to last five years (reported). Keep proper records and file the reports the state asks for. (reported — check with the official body)

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Step 3 · Mandatory agent training (Maharashtra)	20 hours	No government route; training is not government-paid	₹5,900 incl. GST (reratraining.in, undated page)	Paid training; no stipend or scholarship found
Step 4 · Competency exam (IBPS-conducted, reported)	1 day exam	Max ₹1,500 excl. GST (MahaRERA 2023 guideline); check the notice for exact fee	—	—
Step 5 · RERA agent registration	Check the notice	Check the notice for registration fee	—	—

Total timeAbout 1–2 months after Class 12, once you meet age 18 (reported) and complete training and exam

Total costTraining is about ₹5,900 incl. GST, and the exam fee is capped at ₹1,500 excl. GST, so the total is roughly ₹7,400 or less.

Good to knowTraining is paid, not government-funded, and acting as an agent without RERA registration can attract a penalty of ₹10,000 per day.

Fees from: MahaRERA: Guidelines for real estate agent training and certification · IBPS MahaRERA certification exam page (fee payment windows, no amount shown) · Private training provider page, ₹5,900 incl. GST (non-official, private figure). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Earnings vary a lot. New agents may earn little for months, while experienced agents with a good network and steady deals can earn much more. City, property segment and whether you work for a firm or on your own all make a big difference.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~You need a degree or a college licence before you can work as a property broker.~~

Fact: In Maharashtra, there is no minimum degree. You need the mandatory agent training, a passed competency exam and RERA registration. Other states have their own rules, so check your state's RERA website.

Try it now

Class 7–9Pick one flat or plot listing near your home. Note the price, area, location and any facilities, and guess why the price is what it is.
Class 10–12Take a free SWAYAM course on basic economics or personal finance to understand loans, interest and property costs.Open link ↗
College or afterRead the sections of the RERA Act that cover agents, Sections 9 and 10, in the official PDF to see what the law expects from you.Open link ↗

Good to know

Acting as an agent without RERA registration can attract a penalty of Rs 10,000 per day, up to 5% of the property cost, under Section 62 of the Act.
RERA works state by state. A Maharashtra registration does not let you work in Karnataka or Gujarat; you register with that state's authority.
Check that a project is RERA-registered before you promote it. Agents may only facilitate sales in registered projects.
Interested in property but not sure about sales? Look at property valuation and financial planning too.

Sources: Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (India Code, PDF) · MahaRERA: Guidelines for real estate agent training and certification