Which states register or license valuers?
Australia has no national valuer licence. Each state sets its own rules. Queensland has the strictest scheme: to value land there you must be registered with the Valuers Registration Board of Queensland, which works under the Valuers Registration Act 1992 and the Valuers Registration Regulation 2024. Registered valuers must also follow the Code of Professional Conduct set out in the regulation made under the Valuers Registration Act 1992.
Western Australia licenses land valuers under the Land Valuers Licensing Act 1978. Its Licensed Valuers Code of Conduct 2016 is issued by the Commissioner and published by Consumer Protection. South Australia sets the qualifications for land valuers in the Land Valuers Regulations 2024, which took effect on 1 September 2024. Consumer and Business Services runs the application for land valuer approval.
What happened to valuer registration in NSW?
NSW used to require property valuers to register under the Valuers Act 2003. That Act was repealed from 1 March 2016, and NSW now has no state register. Professional membership has taken its place. Revenue NSW accepts evidence of value from a full member of the Australian Valuers Institute, or from an Australian Property Institute member who joined because they work as a valuer. An MRICS or FRICS member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors who can use the title RICS Registered Valuer also qualifies.
Student, associate and provisional members do not count for Revenue NSW, and the valuer must show their membership number on the report. We could not confirm a statutory registration scheme for Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT or the Northern Territory. Where no state scheme exists, clients and government bodies look to API, AVI and RICS credentials instead.
How do you get registered in Queensland?
You can take one of three pathways. The standard pathway needs a degree the Board recognises, good character, at least two years of practical post-graduate experience, and a pass in the Board's examination. The examination is an interview before the Board plus four sample Queensland valuation reports. The Certificate of Competence pathway is for holders of API Certified Practising Valuer status or RICS Chartered Valuation Surveyor status. It skips the reports and interview but requires at least three years of experience, and the Board counts an approved course as 12 months.
The mutual recognition pathway covers anyone with an unrestricted WA land valuers licence or New Zealand valuer registration. Registration must be renewed every year. Renewal forms go out in March and are due by the end of April. Registrations still unpaid after 30 June are cancelled. Specialist Retail Valuers must also know the Retail Shop Leases Act 1994.
Where do API CPV and RICS fit?
Certified Practising Valuer is the Australian Property Institute's certification for valuers who have the education, training and experience to do the work. RICS runs its own Valuer Registration scheme, and says it has no link to any country's statutory registration. Neither one is a government licence. In practice they carry weight. Queensland treats an API CPV issued from 8 February 2021, or RICS Chartered Valuation Surveyor status, as proof of competence. Revenue NSW names API and RICS members as suitably qualified. Applicants who got CPV through a reciprocal arrangement cannot use the Queensland fast track.
Pay
AUD a year, before tax. These are estimates based on Australian Bureau of Statistics Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, moved to 2026 with a wage index. State figures are modelled, not official. Seniority, specialty (commercial, residential, plant and machinery) and whether you hold CPV or registration all change what you earn. Refer to the Property Valuation salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Recognised degreeQueensland's standard pathway needs a degree or postgraduate degree on the Board's approved list. Membership of an approved institute with recognised certification can be used instead.
- Practical experienceAt least two years of post-graduate experience for Queensland's standard pathway. At least three years for the Certificate of Competence pathway, with 12 months credited for an approved course.
- Board examination (Qld)An interview before the Board and four sample Queensland valuation reports. You must be able to explain your workings, comparable sales and method.
- Fit and properQueensland applicants must be of good character and fit and proper. They supply a national police check, references and their career history.
- Fees (Qld, to 30 June 2027)$286.99 to apply, $82.37 for the certificate of registration and a $286.99 roll fee. The roll fee is reduced by one-twelfth for each full month of the financial year already gone.
- Annual renewal (Qld)Renew every year by the end of April. Registrations still outstanding after 30 June are cancelled.
- Professional membership (NSW)There is no NSW register. Full AVI or API membership, or MRICS or FRICS with RICS Registered Valuer status, is what Revenue NSW accepts.
State by state
| Queensland | You must be registered with the Valuers Registration Board of Queensland to value land. There are standard, Certificate of Competence and mutual recognition pathways, and registration is renewed every year. |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Valuer registration under the Valuers Act 2003 was repealed from 1 March 2016. Revenue NSW accepts valuations from full AVI or API members, or MRICS or FRICS members with RICS Registered Valuer status. |
| Western Australia | Land valuers are licensed under the Land Valuers Licensing Act 1978 and must follow the Licensed Valuers Code of Conduct 2016. An unrestricted WA licence qualifies you for Queensland registration through mutual recognition. |
| South Australia | The qualifications for land valuers are set in the Land Valuers Regulations 2024, which started on 1 September 2024. Consumer and Business Services handles applications for land valuer approval. |
How to get there
- Years 1-3Complete a recognised property degreeChoose a valuation degree that your state regulator and the API accept. In Queensland, an approved course counts as 12 months of experience.
- Years 3-5Work under experienced valuersBuild practical post-graduate experience writing reports for real properties, ideally in the state where you plan to practise.
- Years 4-6Gain API CPV or RICS statusEither credential opens Queensland's fast-track pathway and meets Revenue NSW's test for a suitably qualified valuer.
- Year 5 onwardRegister or get licensed where requiredApply to the Valuers Registration Board of Queensland, get a WA land valuers licence, or seek South Australian approval if you work in those states.
- Every yearRenew and stay currentRenew your Queensland registration every year by the end of April and keep your professional membership active.
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Questions people ask
Is the Valuers Registration Board of Queensland still operating?
Yes. The Board runs registration under the Valuers Registration Act 1992 and the Valuers Registration Regulation 2024. It keeps a public register of Queensland valuers and a list of Specialist Retail Valuers.
Do I need to be registered to work as a valuer in NSW?
No. NSW repealed valuer registration from 1 March 2016. Bodies such as Revenue NSW now accept valuations from full members of the API or AVI, or from RICS members with MRICS or FRICS status who can use the RICS Registered Valuer title.
Is API Certified Practising Valuer a licence?
No. CPV is a certification from the Australian Property Institute, not a government licence. Queensland accepts a CPV issued from 8 February 2021 as proof of competence, so CPV holders can register without the sample reports and interview.
Can a WA licensed valuer work in Queensland?
Yes, through mutual recognition. If you hold an unrestricted WA land valuers licence or New Zealand registration, you can apply for Queensland registration without sitting the Board's examination. You still need to show good character and pay the fees.
How much does Queensland valuer registration cost?
Up to 30 June 2027, the application fee is $286.99, the certificate of registration is $82.37 and the roll fee is $286.99. The Board says fees may go up on 1 July each year.
Sources
- Valuers Registration Board of Queensland: home
- Valuers Registration Board of Queensland: registration, renewal and restoration
- Valuers Registration Board of Queensland: guidelines for registration as a valuer
- Revenue NSW: valuation of property, suitably qualified valuer
- Consumer Protection WA: Land Valuers Code of Conduct
- Consumer Protection WA: land valuers forms and publications
- Consumer and Business Services SA: land valuer requirements updated
- Australian Property Institute: Certified Practising Valuer
- RICS: best practice for Registered Valuers
