Cyprus requires estate agents to be registered and to hold an annual licence. Where to check, what the law says about the 3% default fee and conflicts of interest, and the red flags.
In Cyprus, working as an estate agent is a licensed profession with an official register, and acting without a licence is a criminal matter. That makes the first check simple if you know where to look. This guide uses the English text of the Real Estate Agents Law 71(I)/2010, as amended in 2017, published on the government's business portal. Later amendments were not checked, so ask your lawyer to confirm the current wording.
What the law requires of an agent
- Registration in the Register of Real Estate Agents and a valid annual licence from the Council. Both are needed.
- Professional liability insurance of EUR 200,000. Article 19 ties it to compensation owed to a buyer if the agent breaches the duty to inform; the contract must be displayed in the office.
- An office that shows the registration certificate, the licence, the name and the words "licensed real estate agent" (Article 24).
- A written examination in real estate and town-planning law before registration.
Where to check
- Ask for the annual licence and the registration number, and for the professional ID of the person you are dealing with.
- Check the number with the Council. When it warned the public in May 2025, the Cyprus Mail reported that the Council points people to its website, ktimatomesites.com.
- Look at the advertisement. Article 23 says documents and advertisements must carry the words "licensed real estate agent", the registration number and the licence number.
- Compare the name on the licence with the name in the contract and on the bank account. A licensed company next to a private person's IBAN is a warning sign.
This is not a formality. The Cyprus Mail reported 125 convictions for illegal brokerage in 2024 and, by 6 May 2025, 90 individuals and 35 companies convicted in 110 cases that year, with more pending. The same report quotes the Council saying that cooperating with an illegal agent is an offence, for a buyer as well as for a seller. Article 27 of the law makes an agency agreement with an unregistered or unlicensed agent invalid.
Commission
Article 20(2) sets a default: unless otherwise agreed, the fee is 3% of the value of the transaction, due when the transaction is completed, which the law defines as the conclusion of the sale or rental agreement. The key words are "unless otherwise agreed": the rate can be different, so ask for it in writing.
- The law text I read does not say who pays the fee and does not mention VAT. Ask who the agent's client is, who pays, and whether VAT is added.
- If a transaction fails for a reason the agent is not responsible for, Article 20(3) still gives the agent a reasonable payment for time and expense. Read what your agreement says about this.
- Article 20(1) says an agent's mediation is not necessary for a property transaction. You can buy without one.
What the agent owes you
Article 21 says an agent, whether acting for the seller or for the buyer, must inform the intended purchaser about the physical condition of the property, rights in rem registered against it, and restrictions imposed by law, court or authorities. There is an exception when the agent could not obtain the information for reasons outside their control and told the parties in time.
Article 20(4) deals with conflicts. An agent may not mediate in a transaction in which they have an interest unless they tell the buyer in writing. For a person the interest includes relatives up to the third degree; for a company it includes directors, shareholders and related persons. Ask in writing whether the agent, the company or related persons have an interest in the property.
Red flags
- No registration or licence number on the advertisement or the contract.
- A request to pay a reservation deposit into a private account.
- Pressure to pay before a lawyer has obtained a Land Registry extract.
- "You do not need a lawyer, I will handle the title."
- A person who is not licensed but passes the deal to a licensed agent only for signatures.
What an independent adviser adds
The agent's duty to inform is limited to what they know, and the insurance covers breaches of that duty only. It does not replace a lawyer who obtains the Land Registry extract, checks planning permits and the status of the title deed, and reads the reservation contract before money moves. See the resale checklist for Cyprus, buying costs in Cyprus, who pays the agent and whose side they are on and lawyers recommended by the agent.
FAQ
Do I have to use an agent in Cyprus? No. Article 20(1) says the mediation of an agent is not necessary to achieve a real estate transaction.
Is 3% fixed? No. It is the default only if nothing else was agreed.
Is a contract with an unlicensed agent valid? The law says an agency agreement with an unregistered or unlicensed agent is invalid. A lawyer should advise on what that means for money you have already paid.
How we help
D.H. Realting is an independent consultancy based in Warsaw; it can help you prepare these checks and introduce local lawyers it has vetted. This text is informational and is not legal advice; confirm the current law with a Cypriot lawyer.