Some of the steps apply only to specific industries or situations. Please only complete steps that are relevant to you and your situation.
Please review the entire process before beginning.
New applicants should pay special attention to the Education Eligibility requirements in Step 3c (unless you are a Licence Mobility or Suitability applicant).
First thing’s first: are you eligible to become a licensed professional?
Eligibility standards:
myRECA is RECA’s online licensing and education system. You will become eligible, complete courses, request services, and maintain your licence through myRECA.
To create an account, you will need to:
View the tutorial for Creating a myRECA Account.
Once you complete setting up your myRECA account, the system will ask you to log in for the first time. Do not begin this step until you are ready to begin your application and education eligibility process. This step includes the completion of one of three potential eligibility related applications, including payment. Read through these steps and wait until you’re ready before logging in for the first time.
The first question in this process will ask you what type of user you are. Select Licensee.
The first time you log in, RECA will ask you to submit one of the following:
As you answer the questions in myRECA when you log in, simply indicate if the labour mobility and suitability do not apply to you, and move on to the Education Eligibility Application.
If Labour Mobility or Suitability reviews apply to you, the system will instruct you about your next steps.
Go to step 3a, 3b, or 3c, depending on which situation applies to you.
RECA considers an Education Eligibility application abandoned if not completed within 180 days after payment of the $350 non-refundable application fee. RECA destroys all documentation for abandoned applications.
RECA maintains reasonable and systematic controls, schedules, and practices for personal information retention and destruction. As part of RECA’s Education course enrollment process, learners are required to indicate they agree to RECA’s collection, use, and disclosure of their personal information for determining their eligibility and enrollment in any pre-licensing or post-licensing education courses, licensing, and other regulatory purposes under the Real Estate Act, in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
Individuals who are licensed or eligible to be relicensed with no additional requirements in another jurisdiction qualify to have their licensing recognized through the labour mobility provisions of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Applicants are not required to be residents of Alberta.
RECA will not approve labour mobility applications for Alberta-based individuals who have taken licensing education and obtained a licence in another jurisdiction for the purpose of obtaining a licence in Alberta through labour mobility. For more information, please review our Labour Mobility Policy.
Only licensees from certain jurisdictions are eligible for labour mobility with Alberta. Make sure you are eligible by reviewing the information in the drop down below.
If you currently hold or previously held a licence in one of the below jurisdictions, you are exempt from the pre-licensing education requirements in Alberta for a comparable licence class.
Real Estate |
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Canada | USA |
British Columbia | Georgia |
Saskatchewan | Montana |
Manitoba | Nebraska |
New Brunswick | Oregon |
Newfoundland and Labrador | South Dakota |
Northwest Territories | Utah |
Ontario | |
Quebec | |
PEI | |
Yukon Territory | |
Nova Scotia | |
Mortgage |
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Canada |
British Columbia |
Saskatchewan |
Manitoba |
New Brunswick |
Nova Scotia |
Ontario |
Quebec |
Condominium Management |
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Canada |
British Columbia |
Ontario |
When you log in to myRECA for the first time, the system will ask if you are coming from another jurisdiction. Answer positively, and follow the steps.
The fee for a Labour Mobility Application is $350.
The system will ask you to upload supporting documents with your application. You have six months to complete your application.
The required documents are:
Also, request your current and past regulatory bodies to send RECA your licensing history. RECA deems licensing histories valid for 90 days from the issue date. As such, if approved for labour mobility, you must become licensed within 90 days from the date of your licensing history or your eligibility will expire.
Real Estate Professionals (not Mortgage) must complete the Consumer Relationships e-learning course on transaction brokerage and designated agency, unless coming from British Columbia or Nova Scotia. The Consumer Relationships course fee is $300 and you must complete it and the exam within 120 days of RECA issuing a licence. RECA licensing staff will direct you on how to enroll.
If RECA approves your Labour Mobility application, go to step 5: Certified Criminal Record Check.
View the tutorial for completing a Labour Mobility Application
During the licensing process you will need to answer a series of suitability questions about matters such as past criminal proceedings, regulatory proceedings, civil proceedings, and bankruptcies. If this might be an issue for you, it is better to address it now through a Suitability Review, before you proceed any further.
Suitability issues can include events where you:
A positive response to these questions on a licensing application will trigger a review of your good character by RECA, and may result in RECA refusing your application or placing terms on your licence.
If you think you might have a concern with these suitability issues, apply for a suitability review prior to spending any money on the pre-licensing education. Better you find out if there’s an issue before you begin than after spending thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on courses.
RECA follows a Good Character Policy when determining suitability.
Case law defines good character as moral strength and includes integrity, candour, empathy, and honesty. RECA evaluates the following when assessing an individual’s good character:
Read RECA’s Good Character Policy in full.
When you log in to myRECA for the first time, the system will ask you if there is anything in your past that you think may prevent you from becoming licensed. If you answer positively, follow the system steps.
The Fee for a Suitability Review Application is $350.
The system will ask you to upload supporting documents with your application. The supporting documents RECA requires differ depending on which suitability question you answer positively.
If RECA reviews your suitability and determines your circumstances would not prevent you from obtaining a licence, you may go to step 3c and begin an Education Eligibility Application.
View the tutorial for completing a Suitability Review Application
NOTE: We are experiencing higher than normal volume of applications and it may take minimum of 20 business days to process your Education Eligibility Application and related documents. You can check the status of your application by logging into myRECA account. Limited contact by phone is appreciated during this time.
Before you can enrol in RECA pre-licensing courses, you must prove you meet the requirements from step 1.
When you log into myRECA for the first time, and answer no to the Labour Mobility and Suitability Review sections, you will begin an Education Eligibility Application. Answer honestly as you will have to provide evidence.
The fee for an Education Eligibility Application is $350. This fee is non-refundable.
The system will ask you to upload documents supporting your eligibility. For a complete list of proof that RECA accepts for eligibility, see the dropdown items below. Upload the required documents to your application within your myRECA account. Once eligibility documents have been processed all documents are destroyed in compliance with privacy policies.
1. Source document: proof of identity and ability to study in Alberta (no substitute accepted) |
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| Born in Canada | copy of birth certificate |
| Born outside of Canada |
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2. Supporting Document – Canadian government photo identification (one of the following) |
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| RECA accepts |
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| Identification must contain |
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| Identification must also |
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Important: If there are errors in either the source document or government photo identification the issuing government agency must make the correction. If the legal name on the identification is truncated due to limited space, we may request additional documentation to confirm the full legal name.
The name and birthdate in the source document, government-issued photo identification, and myRECA account must match.
3. If the identification does not match we will accept the following: |
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| Legal name change |
All name change documents must show both the current and the previous name and be supported by one of the following:
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| Preferred name(s) |
Preferred names (i.e. Bill instead of William or Sue instead of Susan) are not allowed unless a legal certificate of name change is presented.
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4. Proof of EducationYou must request an official education transcript or education assessment to be sent directly from the education institution or assessment service by email to education@reca.ca or by mail to: Real Estate Council of Alberta If transcripts are sent digitally, please note the transcript must come from a school administrator with an official school email address RECA can contact. All transcripts must be sent to education@reca.ca. Most organizations and institutions have adopted a way to digitally send their transcripts through a digital portal such as myCREDs, myPass (Alberta School Board) etc. Please contact your institution to find out how your transcript can be sent digitally. If mailing transcript, please remind your educational institution to mail directly to the address above, and to not have Canada Post hold the mail for pick-up. We will not receive it if they do. Your myRECA account will be updated once your transcripts have been received and processed. RECA cannot confirm receipt of transcripts by phone or email. Please don’t send more than one copy of transcripts. Choose either digital or mail. RECA does not accept transcripts from applicants directly. |
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| Proof of Canadian Education (one of the following |
* not including co-op, practicum, or work experience outside of the classroom as part of the 2 years |
| Proof of Non-Canadian Education |
Assessed non-Canadian education transcript:
Important note: RECA uses the assessment’s comparative outcome to understand your level of education. To use your education assessment as proof of English proficiency, please follow the requirements outlined in section 5: Proof of English Proficiency |
RECA does not accept the following as proof of education:
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5. Proof of English ProficiencyAll education programs are in English consistent with the Alberta business environment. You must provide proof of English proficiency, in all areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), by submitting one of the following documents. |
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| Transcript Indicating |
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| English Proficiency Assessment
RECA will only accept assessments given by the listed organizations |
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RECA does not accept the following as proof of English
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Once RECA receives your supporting documentation and approves your application, you can enrol in RECA pre-licensing courses.
View the tutorial for Completing an Education Eligibility Application
If you are an existing licensee and would like to complete education for a different industry or if you are a previous licensee and is required to complete the education requirements, please contact Credentialing Support Services at education@reca.ca to find out about your specific requirements before applying for education eligibility as some requirements may be waived.
Individuals hoping to become licensed will need to complete the required education through a third-party recognized course provider.
For courses without recognized third-party course providers, RECA will extend enrolment in its existing courses until June 30th, 2022, at which point the availability of third-party courses will be re-assessed for further extension. RECA has a legislated deadline to completely divest from offering licensing courses by November 30, 2022.
Learn more about pre-licensing education and choosing a course provider.
As you near the completion of your pre-licensing education, or, if you are applying for labour mobility, once you receive your approval, contact a private, accredited fingerprint agency, or your local law enforcement to request a Certified Criminal Record Check (CCRC). These agencies take and forward your fingerprints to the Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP) in Ottawa, who will perform the check.
RECA must receive and process your original CCRC before you can become licensed.
CONSUMER TIP: Sign a Third Party Waiver of Consent when you apply for a CCRC, so the RCMP can forward your results directly to RECA.
FAQs |
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Q A | What is a Certified Criminal Record Check? A Certified Criminal Record Check (CCRC) is a certified fingerprint-based criminal record search for non-criminal purposes conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Ottawa, in which digital fingerprints are compared against the central repository of Canadian criminal records. Please ensure you request a CCRC, not a vulnerable sector search. |
Q A | Who is required to submit a CCRC? RECA requires you to submit a CCRC if you are:
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Q A | Why does RECA require a CCRC? RECA’s mandate is to protect the public and the reputation of the profession, and to protect against and suppress mortgage fraud. RECA requires a CCRC to confirm your identity and background information. If you have had a criminal conviction, this may indicate you are not of good character, may place the public at risk, harm the integrity of the profession or bring the integrity of other industry professionals into disrepute. By providing digital fingerprints, the RCMP can confirm your identity and your background. |
Q A | What are the CCRC requirements? Your CCRC must be no older than 6 months at the time you submit an application for licensing. Complete a Third Party Waiver of Consent when you apply for your CCRC so the RCMP can send it directly to RECA. |
Q A | How do I get a CCRC? To get a CCRC, go to a private accredited fingerprinting agency or a police detachment that provides fingerprinting services (NOTE: not all police services/detachments provide fingerprinting services—we suggest you call in advance). The private fingerprinting agency or local police will scan your fingerprints and forward them to the RCMP Civil Fingerprint Screening Services in Ottawa. Fingerprints must be scanned and submitted electronically to the RCMP. The RCMP does not accept paper-based fingerprint submissions. Complete a Third Party Waiver of Consent when you apply for your CCRC so the RCMP can send it directly to RECA. |
Q A | How long does it take to get a CCRC? It depends on whether you have a criminal record. Visit the RCMP's website to find approximate processing times. RECA is not able to provide any explanations for RCMP processing delays. |
Q A | What can I do to reduce delays? To avoid delays in obtaining your CCRC, apply for your CCRC before completing your pre-licensing education. Ensure your CCRC is not more than 6 months old at the time you apply to RECA for your licence. |
Q A | Where can I get my fingerprints scanned? Visit the RCMP website for a list of private accredited fingerprinting agencies to find one close to you. If you are unable to visit these locations, you may submit paper-based fingerprints using form C-216C available at your local police station or a private accredited fingerprinting agency to XL-ID Solutions, which will digitize your fingerprints and submit them to the RCMP on your behalf. |
Q A | How do I know RECA has received my CCRC? RECA will send you an email when we receive and process your CCRC. To ensure you receive this email, make sure your email address is up to date through your myRECA account. RECA processes CCRCs the same day they are received. |
Q A | Can I become licensed after RECA receives my CCRC? Your broker can initiate your licensing application when RECA has received and processed your CCRC, and :
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Q A | Can I get licensed if I have a criminal record? A criminal record does not necessarily prevent you from becoming licensed, as each applicant is evaluated on his or her own merits. You may request a suitability review, as per step 3b of this process to avoid investing in pre-licensing education only to have your licence application refused due to something in your past (criminal record, discipline, etc). |
Q A | What happens to my fingerprints and my CCRC? When RECA receives your CCRC your fingerprints are immediately removed and destroyed. Your CCRC, with fingerprints removed, is held securely by RECA in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act and RECA’s Privacy Policy. For more information on RECA’s Privacy Policy, contact RECA’s Privacy Officer. |
For more information on CCRCs, please visit the RCMP’s Civil Fingerprinting Screening Services website.
When you complete your education, or are approved for labour mobility, and RECA has received and approved your Certified Criminal Record Check, you become eligible for licensing. This status will show in the Licensing tab of your myRECA account.
For your next step, you must contact a licensed brokerage in Alberta and come to an agreement for them to hire you.
TIP: Be choosey. Don’t just go with the first brokerage you come across. Every brokerage is different: different in size, level of supervision, opportunities for mentorship, and employment arrangements. It’s important to go with the brokerage that fits you best. Ask brokers a lot of questions before agreeing to work for them. RECA prepared a List of Questions to Ask A Brokerage (PDF) to use when interviewing a brokerage.
When your brokerage hires you, you will likely have to complete employment contracts with the brokerage, membership applications for your trade association (if your brokerage is a member), along with your licensing application.
Once you find a brokerage you want to work for, and they’ve agreed to take you on, your new broker will begin the licensing process.
To do so they will ask for your myRECA username.
They will use their brokerage myRECA account to begin an application for you based on your username. Once initiated, you can complete your portion of the application from your myRECA account. Once you’ve finished and submitted your application back to the broker, they will review your application. If they accept it, either they, or you, will pay your licensing fees (it depends what you agreed to beforehand). Once you or they have paid your fees, you are licensed, registered, and ready to work.
Check the current licensing fees in the Fee Schedule. Please note that these costs do not include membership in any real estate organizations or boards which may be required if your brokerage is a member. The initial costs to join a board varies, but can be up to $3,000, with ongoing annual costs as high as $1,800. Contact the specific organizations to determine their costs. Some brokerages may also have start-up costs for new hires, which you should determine during your brokerage interview.
Check your licence status in the licence tab of your myRECA account. It should indicate you are authorized and show what sectors are on your licence (for real estate).
View the tutorial for completing a new licence application with myRECA
