RES exam past-year papers — do they exist?

Short answer: no. CEA does not publish its RES examination papers. Here is what it does publish, and what to use instead.

Does CEA publish past-year RES examination papers?

The Council for Estate Agencies keeps one page for candidates preparing for the examination, and it offers three documents: the examination syllabus, a set of frequently asked questions, and a single PDF of sample examination questions with answers, which also maps each question to its competency unit, learning outcome and cognitive level. That sample file is the only official question material there is.

CEA sample RES examination questions and answers (PDF) · CEA — Prepare for the RES examination

What are the “past-year RES papers” sold online?

Because CEA does not release its papers, any file described as a past-year RES paper is one of two things: a practice paper someone wrote, or a reconstruction from candidates’ memory of what was asked. Neither is CEA’s paper. That does not make it useless — practice is how you pass — but it means the label tells you nothing about accuracy, and you should check when it was written, because the rules it tests may no longer be the rules.

Would a genuine past paper still be useful?

The examination tests the rules in force, and those move. Seller’s Stamp Duty changed on 4 July 2025; the HDB housing-loan limit fell to 75% on 20 August 2024; the 15-month wait-out for private-property owners buying a resale flat was removed in July 2026. A paper set two years ago would carry wrong figures on all three. CEA itself draws a line for this:

“You will not be tested on government policy changes announced or implemented within one month before the RES examination.”

The syllabus is also being revised from 1 January 2027. Anything older than the rules it tests is a history document, not a rehearsal.

What should I practise with instead?

• CEA’s sample questions — the official file above, for the style and the cognitive level the examiners expect. Read it first.
• A free practice paper — our 20-question half-paper is open on this site, no sign-up, with a full explanation of every option.
• Free questions by topic — over 160 questionsorganised by syllabus topic, so you can go straight to what you are weakest on.
• Full practice papers in PDF — ten complete 80-question papers, written to the current rules and dated on the cover, for sitting under the clock. About the PDF papers.

Independent study material. Not affiliated with or endorsed by CEA; no pass guarantee.