Introduction
If a corporation employs commercial agents who have face-to-face contact with customers (known as a field agent), the corporation must hold a licence.
Officers of a corporation must hold their own individual commercial agent licence to carry out field work.
If a corporation employs commercial agents who are not field agents, the corporation does not need a licence.
If a corporation already holds a Commercial Agents and Private Inquiry Agents (CAPI) licence, the corporation will need a new commercial agent licence before the CAPI expiry date or 1 July 2023, whichever is sooner.
You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5-year licence.
Eligibility
To apply, you need to be:
- aged 18 years or over
- the nominated officer to apply on behalf of a corporation
- a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
The corporation is not eligible if you (or any other officer of the corporation):
- are an undischarged bankrupt or taking benefit of bankruptcy laws
- have an exclusion order that prohibits you from carrying out commercial agent activity
- have a NSW commercial agent licence that is currently cancelled, disqualified or suspended
- are a controlled member of a declared organisation within the meaning of the Crimes (Criminal Organisations Control) Act 2012
- have been convicted of a relevant offence within the last 5 years that resulted in a prison sentence or a fine of $500 or more. Relevant offences include violence, harassment, intimidation, weapons, drugs and dishonesty.
What you need
- a MyServiceNSW Account
- you can create one when you start your application
- you may need details from 2 proof of identity documents (such as Australian driver licence, Medicare card, passport)
- the corporation's previous Commercial Agents & Private Inquiry Agents (CAPI) licence number (if applicable)
- your contact details
- your business details including your ACN
- the name, date of birth and email address for each officer of the corporation
- a copy of the current National Police Check Certificate for each each officer of the corporation (in PDF, JPG or PNG format)
- a completed consent form to show you have written consent from each officer of the corporation to share their personal details (in PDF, JPG or PNG format)
- a current credit card for payment.
Note: Finger/palm prints are not required to be taken for a commercial agent licence application.
How to apply
- Check your eligibility
- Gather your supporting documents.
- Select the 'Apply online' button.
- Log in, or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
- Follow the prompts to apply for a licence.
NSW Fair Trading will contact you if more information is required.
If your application is approved, you'll receive your licence by email up to 10 days later.
Privacy
To apply for a commercial agent licence with NSW Fair Trading, you’ll need to create or log in with a MyServiceNSW Account.
By logging in you consent to sharing your name and email address in your MyServiceNSW Account with NSW Fair Trading, a division of the Department of Customer Service.
The Commercial Agent licences – privacy collection notice explains how your personal information will be handled once it is shared by Service NSW.
More information
- From 1 July 2022, regulation of the commercial agent industry moved from the NSW Police Force to NSW Fair Trading. For full details, visit the Fair Trading website.
- Private inquiry agents (now known as private investigators) will continue to be regulated by the NSW Police Force, under the Security Industry Act 1997.