How to pass the RE5 the first time: a six-week plan

The Danley team · 10 min read · Updated 7 November 2026

Passing the RE5 the first time is less about how clever you are and more about how you study. People who pass first time do three things: they learn in plain language, they test themselves constantly, and they only book when their scores say they are ready.

Before you start

Take a short diagnostic test so you know your starting point. It tells you which areas need the most time and stops you re-reading what you already know.

The six weeks

1. Week 1: the FAIS Act basics: what counts as advice and as an intermediary service, and who needs to be authorised.
2. Week 2: the General Code of Conduct: what you must tell clients, records and conflicts of interest.
3. Week 3: fit and proper: honesty, competence, the regulatory exams themselves and ongoing duties.
4. Week 4: money laundering: the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, knowing your client and reporting.
5. Week 5: two or three full timed mock exams. Review every wrong answer the same day.
6. Week 6: drill your weakest areas, sit a final mock, and book once you are scoring 75% or more.

Daily habits that make the difference

• Twenty minutes a day beats three hours on a Sunday.
• Do a short quiz after every lesson, while it is fresh.
• Keep a list of the questions you got wrong and re-do them a few days later.
• Study on your phone in dead time: queues, taxis and lunch breaks add up.

Why start now

Most employers want the RE5 before they hire, and if you work under supervision you cannot work on your own until you pass. Every week you wait is a week you cannot earn independently.

The most common reasons people fail

• Reading the material once and never testing themselves.
• Studying only the topics they like and skipping the dry ones.
• Booking too early, before their practice scores were steady.
• Running short of time on the day because they never sat a timed mock.
• Misreading questions that use "not", "must" or "except".

How to use mock exams properly

A mock exam is only useful if you review it. After each one, go through every wrong answer, read why the right answer is right, and add the question to your list for re-testing. Sit your mocks under real conditions: 50 questions, timed, no notes.

If you have less than six weeks

Shorten the plan rather than skipping parts of it. Cover each area in a day or two, do a quiz after every lesson, and move to timed mocks as early as you can. Your weakest areas tell you where the remaining time should go.

If you have written before and not passed

Start with a full timed mock to see where you stand now, then focus almost entirely on the areas that cost you marks. Most people who fail once pass the next time when they change how they study, not just how much.

Your readiness checklist

• You have covered every area of the exam scope.
• You score 75% or more on two timed 50-question mocks in a row.
• Your list of repeat mistakes is short and shrinking.
• You finish mocks with time to spare.

When all four are true, book the next sitting with a free seat.

Exam-day technique

• Read the whole question before the options. Many wrong answers are true statements that answer a different question.
• Underline words like "not", "must", "may" and "except" in your head before you choose.
• Rule out the options you know are wrong, then choose between what is left.
• If you are stuck, mark it, move on and come back. Do not let one question eat your time.
• Leave a few minutes at the end to check the questions you marked.

Dealing with nerves

Nerves are normal and they cost marks, which is why you aim above the pass mark. Sitting several full timed mocks at home makes the real exam feel familiar. On the day, arrive early, eat beforehand and remind yourself that you have already scored above the pass mark many times.

Danley is exam preparation only. You register for and write the RE5 through the FSCA's examination body. Check current exam rules and fees when you book.