To trade in real estate in Ontario you must be registered with RECO, and to be registered you must be employed by a registered brokerage. The route there is the Real Estate Salesperson Program: five courses, two instructor-led simulation sessions and six exams, completed in sequence.
Since summer 2025 there are four approved providers, not one. Humber Polytechnic, Algonquin College, Fleming College and Career College Group. Exams across all of them are administered by Meazure Learning.
You have 24 months from your first course to finish the pre-registration phase, then 12 months from finishing to apply to RECO. Humber’s published pre-registration total is $4,140 including exam fees, plus a $125 application fee. Fees vary by provider.
Who regulates real estate in Ontario?
The Real Estate Council of Ontario. RECO puts it plainly: “Real estate is a regulated profession in Ontario. Anyone working as a real estate agent or broker must be registered with RECO.”
RECO administers the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002 — TRESA — which is the renamed Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002. The practical dividing line is the one RECO itself uses: REBBA governs conduct up to 30 November 2023, and TRESA governs conduct from 1 December 2023 onward. Phase 2 of the TRESA changes came into force on that date.
The education pathway, as it works in 2026
This is the part that changed most recently, and the part most guides get wrong.
In March 2025 RECO announced it had approved four education providers to deliver registration education, replacing the previous single-provider model. They began accepting learners in summer 2025:
- Humber Polytechnic
- Algonquin College
- Fleming College
- Career College Group
The previous delivery arrangement between NIIT Canada and Humber stopped accepting new learners in spring 2025 and ran existing learners through to September 2025.
Exams are no longer set or marked by the college. RECO: “Starting mid-2025, Meazure Learning will administer all Ontario real estate exams, ensuring consistent, rigorous evaluations across education providers.” Exam fees are payable to Meazure, not to your provider.
What the Salesperson Program actually consists of
The pre-registration phase, in order, per RECO:
| # | Stage | Exam? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course 1 — Real Estate Essentials | Yes |
| 2 | Course 2 — Residential Real Estate Transactions | Yes |
| 3 | Course 3 — Additional Residential Real Estate Transactions (condos, rural) | Yes |
| 4 | Simulation Session 1 — Residential, five days, instructor-led | Yes |
| 5 | Course 4 — Commercial Real Estate Transactions | Yes |
| 6 | Simulation Session 2 — Commercial, four days | Yes |
| 7 | Course 5 — Getting Started | No |
Five courses, two simulations, six exams.
How long does it take?
RECO publishes a maximum, not an average: “Learners must complete the pre-registration phase of the Real Estate Salesperson Program within 24 months from the day they begin their first course.”
Then a second clock starts. You must apply to RECO for registration within one year of completing the pre-registration phase.
Anyone quoting you a typical duration is estimating. RECO does not publish one, and how fast you move depends entirely on how quickly you book simulations and exams.
What does it cost?
RECO does not set programme fees and tells learners to “refer to the educational provider’s website to confirm applicable program fees.” Providers publish their own. Humber Polytechnic’s published table, accessed 10 August 2026:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Course 1 — Real Estate Essentials | $600 |
| Course 2 — Residential Real Estate Transactions | $685 |
| Course 3 — Additional Residential Transactions | $360 |
| Simulation Session 1 — Residential | $740 |
| Course 4 — Commercial Real Estate Transactions | $360 |
| Simulation Session 2 — Commercial | $575 |
| Course 5 — Getting Started | $100 |
| Six exams at $120 each (payable to Meazure Learning) | $720 |
| Pre-registration phase total | $4,140 |
| Programme application fee | $125 |
| Post-registration phase (compliance eLearning + two electives) | $655 |
| Exam retake | $120 |
| Drop / transfer / reschedule | $50 |
Algonquin College publishes identical per-course and per-exam amounts. Its application fee appears inconsistently on its own site, so confirm it directly. Do not budget from this table alone — check your chosen provider’s live fee page.
Separately, RECO’s own fees (published schedule effective 1 March 2023): $356 for new salesperson registration, $350 to renew, $100 for an education equivalency assessment, $25 to transfer brokerage.
Registration requirements
From RECO, whose page on this was last updated 16 June 2025:
- At least 18 years of age
- A Canadian secondary school diploma or GED certificate, or an acceptable equivalent credential — note this is broader than the “Ontario Secondary School Diploma” wording you will see elsewhere
- English language proficiency
- A Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, through Triton, accessed via RECO’s MyWeb portal
- Participation in RECO’s professional liability insurance programme — mandatory, not optional
- Employment by a registered brokerage. RECO: “In order to be registered in Ontario, you must be employed by a real estate brokerage.”
RECO also assesses suitability — financial responsibility, integrity and compliance history.
Thinking about your next brokerage?
Happy to walk you through what a move actually involves — the paperwork, the timing, what transfers with you and what does not. No pressure to join, and no obligation either way.
Call or text 437-987-1925 Send me a message
Jatin Dua, Broker of Record — RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage.
What it costs to stay registered
Two recurring obligations, both published:
- Renewal every two years — $350. Your first renewal requires completion of the post-registration phase. Every renewal after that requires two annual Update courses and two electives.
- Insurance annually — $500 plus applicable taxes, on a 1 September to 31 August cycle. RECO notes this has been unchanged since 2022. Miss it and your registration is suspended.
RECO does not publish a single “annual cost of being registered” figure, and neither will this page. Brokerage fees, board dues and MLS access are separate and vary.
Realtor, agent, broker — the words matter
These get used interchangeably and they are not interchangeable.
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| Registered salesperson | Registered with RECO under TRESA. This is the legal status that lets you trade. |
| Broker | A further RECO registration category with additional education requirements. |
| REALTOR® | A CREA trademark. CREA: “If an agent isn’t a member of CREA, they can’t use the term REALTOR®.” Membership also gates MLS® Systems and REALTOR.ca. |
So you can be a registered agent without being a Realtor. You cannot be a Realtor without being registered.
Partway through the programme, or just weighing it up?
If you are considering this as a career change, or you are between simulation sessions and wondering what the first year actually looks like, I am happy to talk it through with no expectation attached.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I become a real estate agent in Ontario?
Complete the Real Estate Salesperson Program through one of RECO’s four approved education providers, then apply to RECO for registration and be employed by a registered brokerage. The pre-registration phase is five courses, two instructor-led simulation sessions and six exams, and must be completed within 24 months of starting. You then have 12 months from completing it to apply to RECO.
Is Humber still the only real estate school in Ontario?
No. In March 2025 RECO approved four education providers: Humber Polytechnic, Algonquin College, Fleming College and Career College Group. They began accepting learners in summer 2025. The previous NIIT Canada and Humber delivery model stopped taking new learners in spring 2025.
How much does it cost to become a realtor in Ontario?
Humber Polytechnic publishes a pre-registration phase total of $4,140 including the six exam fees, plus a $125 programme application fee and $655 for the post-registration phase. Fees are set by each provider and vary, so check your chosen provider directly. RECO separately charges $356 for new salesperson registration.
How long does it take to get a real estate licence in Ontario?
RECO publishes a maximum rather than an average: the pre-registration phase must be completed within 24 months of your first course, and you must apply to RECO within 12 months of completing it. How quickly you finish depends largely on how soon you can book simulation sessions and exams.
What are the requirements to register with RECO?
You must be at least 18, hold a Canadian secondary school diploma or GED certificate or an acceptable equivalent credential, complete a criminal record and judicial matters check through Triton, participate in RECO’s mandatory insurance programme, and be employed by a registered real estate brokerage. RECO also assesses financial responsibility and integrity.
Do I have to join TRREB or CREA to work as a real estate agent?
Registration with RECO is the legal requirement to trade in real estate. Board and association membership is separate. You need CREA membership to use the REALTOR trademark and to access MLS Systems and REALTOR.ca, but RECO’s own list of registration requirements does not include board membership.
What is the difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR?
A real estate agent in Ontario is someone registered with RECO. REALTOR is a trademark identifying members of the Canadian Real Estate Association. CREA states that if an agent is not a member of CREA, they cannot use the term REALTOR. The two are often confused but they are different things.
Is REBBA still the law in Ontario?
No, not for anything current. The Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 was renamed the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002. RECO enforces REBBA for conduct up to 30 November 2023 and TRESA for conduct from 1 December 2023 onward.
Thinking about your next brokerage?
Happy to walk you through what a move actually involves — the paperwork, the timing, what transfers with you and what does not. No pressure to join, and no obligation either way.
Call or text 437-987-1925 Send me a message
Jatin Dua, Broker of Record — RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage.
Sources
- RECO — Pre-registration phase. Course and simulation structure, the 24-month limit, the education prerequisite. Accessed 10 August 2026.
- RECO — Becoming a real estate agent. Age, brokerage employment, criminal record check, insurance. Page updated 16 June 2025.
- RECO — Multiple education providers, 6 March 2025.
- Humber Polytechnic — Programme fees. Accessed 10 August 2026.
- RECO — Fee schedule, effective 1 March 2023.
- CREA — The difference between a REALTOR® and a real estate agent, 19 July 2024.
About the author — Jatin Dua
I am Jatin Dua, a Realtor with RE/MAX Quantum Realty at 799 The Queensway in Etobicoke. This page exists because I kept finding licensing guides that still named one college and one statute, both of which changed.
connect@jatindua.com · 437-987-1925 · Back to the agent resources hub