Licensing fees discounted under COVID-19 economic relief package - Settlement industry bulletin 98

30 October 2020

Licensing fees discounted under COVID-19 economic relief package

From 28 October 2020, a discount applies to all settlement agent licensing applications processed from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. This is a change in the law as part of the Premier's COVID-19 economic and health relief package announcement.

The discount is equal to 12 months' worth of your three year licensing fee paid during the COVID-19 emergency period.

What if I paid my application fee after 1 April 2020?

You will receive the relevant refund from us if you paid the full application fee from 1 April 2020. If we have your electronic payment details, we will refund that account. If we do not have these details, we will send you a request for them via a posted letter and an email.

When can I expect my refund?

Refunds will be processed over the coming months. Processing may take some time due to the significant volume and we appreciate your patience.

What do I need to do to get a refund?

We will be in touch about your refund soon. When you receive our written request for account details, fill in the information and post or email it back as soon as possible.

What does this mean for an application that I need to make?

You can still submit your application. You may be eligible for the discounted fees on complete applications submitted up to 31 March 2021. However, there may be some delays in processing incoming applications. To maintain a valid triennial certificate, submit your renewal application earlier than usual.

More information

Further information on the reduction of licensing fees is available on our website.

Complete your 2020 CPD points by 31 December

Have you completed your six Compulsory Professional Development (CPD) points for 2020?

A recent audit found that 41 per cent of settlement agents have not, with many yet to complete the core activities.

There is a short window of time to secure your place in the available courses. Be aware that places are limited. A list of approved mandatory and elective activities is available on our website.

All holders of a valid triennial certificate must complete their CPD points. If you are no longer active in the industry, you can either surrender your licence or put it on hold.

Failure to complete your CPD points is seen as non-compliance with the CPD program and can result in enforcement action being taken against you.