A broker sends a brochure on WhatsApp with no RERA number on it, or a developer accepts a booking from a partner whose registration expired last month. Neither looks like a sales problem, but both can become one. RERA real estate agent registration is easy to understand and easy to forget once the certificate is sitting in a folder.
This guide is written from the seller's side. It covers who must register, what it costs, where the number must appear on your marketing, the MahaRERA training step and renewal. It also shows developers how to verify a channel partner and how to keep the details in a CRM or a shared sheet.
A note before you start: this is a practical guide, not legal advice. Rules and fees differ by state, so confirm everything on your own state RERA portal. We flag every figure that comes from a secondary source.
Who must register as a RERA real estate agent (and who does not)
Section 9(1) of the RERA Act, 2016 says no real estate agent may facilitate the sale or purchase of a plot, apartment or building in a RERA-registered project without registering under Section 9, according to this summary of Section 9. Section 9(2) says the agent must apply to the Authority in the prescribed form and manner, with the prescribed fee and documents.
The Act defines an agent as a person who, for a fee or commission, facilitates the sale or purchase of units in a registered project, as LawBhoomi summarises it. The test is what you do, not what your visiting card says.
In practice, these people are usually covered by the registration requirement:
- An independent broker who brings buyers to a registered project and earns brokerage.
- A channel partner, whether an individual or a firm, who sources buyers for developers.
- A brokerage company or proprietorship with several people selling registered projects.
Grey areas exist. A developer's own salaried sales team, telecallers and one-off referral arrangements are treated differently depending on the state and the structure. Check your state RERA rules or ask a lawyer before you assume you are exempt.
RERA real estate agent registration fees: individual, firm and state
In Maharashtra, according to a MahaRERA circular dated 20 February 2023 reproduced by TaxGuru, the prescribed fee is ₹10,000 for an individual applicant and ₹1,00,000 for an applicant other than an individual. The circular says these amounts apply to both registration and renewal (Rules 11(3) and 13(1)).
The same circular says a proprietary concern, or the proprietor of one, pays the individual fee. It had earlier been charged the higher fee, so older blog posts may show the wrong amount for a one-person brokerage.
| State | Individual | Other than individual | Source quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | ₹10,000 | ₹1,00,000 | MahaRERA circular, 20 Feb 2023 |
| Uttar Pradesh | ₹25,000 | ₹2,50,000 | Secondary source, verify |
| Tamil Nadu | ₹25,000 | ₹50,000 | Secondary source, verify |
| Puducherry | ₹10,000 | ₹50,000 | Secondary source, verify |
| Karnataka | Sources conflict | Sources conflict | Check the Karnataka RERA portal |
| Telangana | Sources conflict | Sources conflict | Check the Telangana RERA portal |
The UP, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry figures come from Legalraasta's fee page, not from the state authorities. For Karnataka and Telangana, the sites we looked at disagree with each other, so we do not publish a figure. Open your state portal and check the date on the fee notice.
Consultant sites such as Ofinlegal and RegisterKaro also quote totals of ₹10,590 and ₹1,00,590 for Maharashtra. Those pages do not explain the extra ₹590, so check the payment screen on the MahaRERA portal. A consultant's package is a separate service charge on top of the government fee, so compare the two before you pay.
MahaRERA example: training, certificate of competency, exam, application
Maharashtra is the clearest worked example because its training and certificate rules have dates. According to the MahaRERA agent training and certification guidelines, as reproduced by TaxGuru, training began in February 2023 and online exams from April 2023. A valid certificate has been mandatory for new registration or renewal since 1 May 2023, and existing agents had to obtain the Certificate of Competency from 1 September 2023.
The same guidelines require 60% attendance to sit the exam and cap the exam fee at ₹1,500 excluding GST. The certificate number must be quoted for registration, renewal or continuation. One consultant site reports a training fee cap of ₹5,000 plus GST per candidate, so confirm that in the MahaRERA order before paying a training provider.
Complete the training
Enrol with an approved training provider and attend at least 60% of the sessions, which is the minimum to sit the exam.
Pass the online exam
Pay the exam fee, which the guidelines cap at ₹1,500 excluding GST, and take the test.
Collect your certificate
Note the Certificate of Competency number, because you must quote it when registering or renewing.
Prepare your documents
For an individual, a registration guide on reraexam.com lists PAN, Aadhaar, photo, address proof, training and exam certificates, and details of the registered office.
Apply on the MahaRERA portal
Submit the form, the documents and the prescribed fee.
Track the decision
The central Rules say the Authority may accept or reject an application within 30 days of receipt. State rules may differ, so check the timeline for your state.
Training, reporting and certificate requirements can change. Some commercial exam-prep sites mention newer conditions, so confirm anything beyond the 2023 timeline on the MahaRERA website before you act on it.
Where your RERA number must appear: office, ads, WhatsApp templates, brokerage documents
The central Rules, in the NAREDCO copy of the RERA registration Rules, say a registered agent must prominently display the registration certificate number at the principal place of business and at branch offices. They also say the agent must quote the registration number in all documents relating to advertisement, marketing, selling or purchase, together with the project's RERA registration number. State rules can add detail, so read yours.
The second part is where teams slip. The agent number is easy to remember on the office board. It is forgotten on the Meta ad, the landing page footer, the WhatsApp template and the follow-up message sent at 9 PM.
| Where | What to show | Who should own it |
|---|---|---|
| Office and branch boards | Agent certificate number, clearly visible | Broker or sales head |
| Ads (Meta, Google, print, hoardings) | Agent number and project number | Marketing |
| Landing pages and website footer | Agent number and project number | Marketing or web |
| WhatsApp templates and broadcasts | Agent number and project number | Sales operations |
| Brochure and price sheet PDFs | Agent number and project number | Sales operations |
| Brokerage invoices and agreements | Agent number and project number | Accounts |
We treat WhatsApp broadcasts and follow-up messages as marketing, which is the safe reading. A one-line footer in every template does the job, and no telecaller has to remember it. For example:
Agent RERA No.: [your certificate number] | Project RERA No.: [project registration number]
The project number changes by template, not by agent. Keep one template per project with both numbers already filled in. For the WhatsApp Business policy side, see our post on WhatsApp marketing for real estate in India.
Renewal: validity, what you may need to show, and what lapses cost you
Agent registration is generally valid for five years, but validity and renewal conditions vary by state, according to a TaxGuru article on renewal. It is an opinion piece, so check your own state's rules. The article adds that renewal may require proof of bookings and books of accounts.
In Maharashtra, the 20 February 2023 circular sets the same fee for renewal as for registration. The training guidelines also say the certificate number must be quoted for renewal. So renewal is not a form to be filled on the last day.
A lapse matters because Section 9(1) bars you from facilitating sales in a registered project without registration. The Act provides penalties, and the amount depends on the provisions your state applies, so check them. In practice, a careful developer will not accept a booking through a partner whose registration has lapsed, and you may end up arguing over brokerage.
- Note the expiry date the day you register, and set a reminder well ahead (for example, 90 days).
- Keep a booking register with project names, buyer names, dates and brokerage received.
- Keep books of accounts and brokerage invoices in one folder, since renewal may ask for them.
- In Maharashtra, keep your Certificate of Competency number handy.
- Budget the renewal fee in advance, as it matches the registration fee in Maharashtra.
- If registration lapses, stop facilitating new sales in registered projects until it is renewed, and check your state's rules on the gap.
For developers: how to check a channel partner's RERA status before onboarding
A developer's sales head carries the risk too. If a partner without a valid registration brings a buyer, both the booking and the brokerage payment become awkward. The central Rules say the Authority publishes a list of agents whose registration is rejected or revoked, with the registration number and validity period, so a negative check is possible.
Ask for the certificate
Collect a copy of the registration certificate and the agent number. In Maharashtra, also collect the Certificate of Competency number.
Match the entity
Check that the name on the certificate matches the person or firm signing your channel partner agreement.
Check the state portal
RERA is administered state by state, so use the portal of the state where your project is registered.
Check the rejected and revoked list
Confirm the partner does not appear there.
Note the validity date
Record when it ends and compare it with your project's sales timeline.
Record who checked and when
Save the date of the check and the name of the person who did it.
Put the number in the agreement
Ask the partner to quote the agent number and the project number on all marketing and brokerage documents.
Repeat the check for active partners. A partner who was valid at onboarding may not be valid when the next booking comes.
Keep partner RERA details in your CRM (number, validity, projects, expiry reminders)
Most partner certificates live in a WhatsApp chat or an email attachment, and nobody knows which one expires next. The fix is boring: one register, one owner and one reminder per partner.
Record these fields for every partner, in your CRM or a shared sheet:
- Partner name, entity type (individual or firm) and contact person.
- Agent RERA registration number and state.
- Validity end date.
- Certificate of Competency number (Maharashtra).
- Projects the partner is cleared to sell, with each project's RERA number.
- Date of the last check on the state portal, and who did it.
- Renewal reminder date.
Then add one rule: no booking is accepted through a partner unless the register shows a valid registration on the booking date and a recent check. Decide what 'recent' means for your business, for example within the last quarter.
You do not need special software for this. A custom field plus a reminder is enough, and a spreadsheet works for a small team. A real estate CRM with project-wise pipelines and follow-up reminders, such as Arthaleads, can hold the dates and nudge the owner, but the lookup on the RERA portal stays a manual check.
For the booking and brokerage side, see our guide to tracking channel partner bookings and brokerage. For developer teams, the builder CRM page shows how project-wise pipelines work.
Common mistakes by brokers and channel partners
- Putting the agent number on the office board but not in ads, templates and the website footer.
- Quoting the agent number without the project's RERA number, even though the Rules ask for both together.
- Using the training or exam certificate number where the registration number is needed. They are different documents.
- Paying a consultant's package without checking the fee on the state portal, especially where websites disagree.
- Assuming a Maharashtra proprietorship must pay the firm fee, when the circular says proprietors pay the individual fee.
- Remembering renewal only when a developer asks for the certificate.
- Developers accepting a partner's word on WhatsApp instead of checking the portal and noting the date.
If you run sales for a developer or a brokerage and want partner details, follow-ups and bookings in one place, Arthaleads is real estate CRM software for builders, channel partners and brokers in India, with a 14-day free trial of Growth and no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is RERA registration mandatory for a real estate agent or broker?
Section 9(1) of the RERA Act, 2016 says an agent cannot facilitate the sale or purchase of a plot, apartment or building in a RERA-registered project without registering under Section 9. The definition covers anyone who does this for a fee or commission. Check your state rules for edge cases such as occasional referrals.
What is the RERA agent registration fee in Maharashtra and other states?
In Maharashtra, a MahaRERA circular dated 20 February 2023 sets ₹10,000 for an individual and ₹1,00,000 for others, for both registration and renewal. Other states differ, and sources disagree for Karnataka and Telangana. Check the fee notice on your state RERA portal before paying anyone.
Does a MahaRERA agent need to pass an exam or certificate course?
According to MahaRERA's guidelines, a valid Certificate of Competency has been mandatory for new registration or renewal since 1 May 2023, and existing agents needed it from 1 September 2023. It involves training with 60% attendance and an online exam, with the exam fee capped at ₹1,500 excluding GST. Confirm current requirements on the MahaRERA website.
How long is RERA agent registration valid, and how do I renew it?
It is generally valid for five years, but validity and renewal conditions vary by state. Renewal may need proof of bookings and books of accounts. In Maharashtra, the renewal fee matches the registration fee, and the certificate number must be quoted.
Does a developer's salaried sales team or telecallers need agent registration?
The Act defines an agent as someone who facilitates sales for a fee or commission, and states can treat employees and different structures differently. We cannot answer this for your state. Check your state RERA rules or ask a lawyer before deciding.
What happens if I sell a RERA project without agent registration?
Section 9(1) of the RERA Act bars it, and the Act provides penalties for contravention. The amount depends on the provisions your state applies, so check your state rules or ask a lawyer. Developers may also refuse bookings or brokerage from an unregistered partner.
About Arthaleads
Arthaleads is a CRM for Indian real estate sales teams. It brings enquiries from ads, portals, your website and WhatsApp into one workspace, with follow-ups, projects, bookings and invoices. These articles are educational and are not a substitute for advice based on your own business and data.