The real estate license exam: format, state rules and practice
The real estate exam is the state licensing test you must pass before you can work as a real estate salesperson, sales agent or broker, and every state sets its own version. Many states split it into a national portion and a state portion: in Texas, for example, that means 80 scored national questions and 40 scored state questions in four hours. Rules, fees and passing scores differ by state, so the numbers below always name the state and the official source.
- Who sets the rules
- Each state’s real estate licensing agency, for example TREC (Texas), DRE (California), DBPR (Florida)TREC, California DRE and Florida DBPR, checked 19 October 2026
- Typical structure
- National (general) portion plus state portion in many statesPearson VUE Texas handbook and PSI state bulletins, checked 19 October 2026
- Texas sales agent exam
- 80 national + 40 state scored questions, 240 minutes in totalPearson VUE Texas handbook, checked 19 October 2026
- California salesperson exam
- 150 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, 70% to passCalifornia DRE, checked 19 October 2026
- Florida sales associate exam
- 100 multiple-choice questions, 3.5 hours, 75 points to passFlorida DBPR booklet, checked 19 October 2026
- New York salesperson exam
- 1.5 hours, pass or fail, $15 exam feeNew York Department of State, checked 19 October 2026
- Test providers (examples)
- Pearson VUE (Texas, Florida, Nevada) and PSI (Washington, South Carolina, DC)State handbooks and bulletins, checked 19 October 2026
- National pass rate
- Not published by the agencies on the pages checkedTREC and California DRE, checked 19 October 2026
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What is the real estate license exam?
The real estate license exam, also called the real estate licensing exam, is the test a state licensing agency requires before it issues a salesperson, sales agent or broker license. There is no single US exam. Each state decides the content, the passing score, the fee and the test provider, and it contracts a testing company such as Pearson VUE or PSI to deliver it.
In most states the test has two parts. The national real estate exam portion covers general principles that apply everywhere; the state real estate exam portion covers that state’s license law and rules. Texas is a typical example: candidates take both portions, and the Texas Real Estate Commission says license exams are administered by Pearson. Some states, such as California and Florida, use one combined state exam instead.
The broker real estate exam is a separate, longer test for the next license level. In Texas and California you normally start as a sales agent or salesperson; in Washington the entry license is already called broker. Check what your state calls its first license before you study.
Source: Texas Real Estate Commission — Sales agent. Checked 19 October 2026.
Real estate exam application and scheduling
You cannot simply book a seat. The usual order is: finish the pre-licensing education your state requires, file the real estate exam application with the state agency, wait for approval, and then schedule with the test provider. In Texas the handbook asks candidates to reserve online at least 24 hours before the desired date, and walk-in examinations are not available.
To schedule a real estate exam, use the provider’s website or phone line named in your state’s handbook, and book your real estate exam test date only once you feel ready. Your window is limited: Texas candidates have three attempts to pass both portions within one year of filing the application, and after a failed attempt must wait 24 hours before scheduling again.
Source: Pearson VUE — Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook (September 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
What the national real estate exam covers
Pearson VUE’s national content outline for salespersons, effective January 2025 or later, says the general portion of the real estate exam is made up of 80 scored items. These are the eight content areas it lists, and they are a good map for examples of real estate exam questions and for the questions on the real estate exam’s national portion:
- Real property characteristics, legal descriptions and property use
- Forms of ownership, transfer and recording of title
- Property value and appraisal
- Real estate contracts and agency
- Real estate practice
- Property disclosures and environmental issues
- Financing and settlement
- Real estate math calculations
Source: Pearson VUE — National/General Exam Content Outline for Salespersons. Checked 19 October 2026.
Texas real estate exam example
For Texas sales agents, the national portion has 80 scored questions plus 5 pretest questions in 150 minutes, and the state portion has 40 scored questions plus 10 pretest questions in 90 minutes. To pass you need 56 correct answers on the national portion and 28 on the state portion. The exam fee is $58 for the sales or broker examination.
Calculators are not required but are recommended; the handbook allows hand-held, battery or solar-powered financial calculators without alpha characters. Before the exam you need 180 classroom hours of qualifying courses, as listed by TREC.
Source: Pearson VUE — Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook (September 2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
California real estate exam example
California’s Department of Real Estate describes a single salesperson exam rather than separate national and state portions. The salesperson exam has 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, and you must answer at least 70% correctly. The broker exam has 200 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours, with a 75% pass mark.
The DRE sets no limit on the number of exams you may take during the two-year period after your application. Candidates who pass are not told their final score, because the exam is qualifying in nature.
Source: California Department of Real Estate — Taking the Exam. Checked 19 October 2026.
Florida real estate exam example
The Florida sales associate exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, and candidates have three and a half hours. You pass with a grade of 75 points or higher on a 100-point scale. The booklet lists nineteen content areas, with real estate brokerage activities and real estate contracts weighted highest at 12% each.
Florida exams are delivered by Pearson VUE, and candidates receive an official exam result report immediately after finishing.
Source: Florida DBPR — Real Estate Sales Associate Candidate Information Booklet. Checked 19 October 2026.
Washington state real estate exam (real estate exam WA candidates take)
The Washington state real estate exam is for the broker license, which is the entry license in Washington. The Department of Licensing partners with PSI. According to PSI’s Washington bulletin dated 28 March 2024, the national portion has 100 scored questions in 150 minutes and the state portion has 30 in 90 minutes, and you need a scaled score of 70. The bulletin lists the broker examination fee as $210.
You must pass both the state and national portions within six months of each other, and the Department of Licensing says exam results are valid for one year. The bulletin lets you choose a test center or remote proctoring.
Source: PSI — Washington Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin. Checked 19 October 2026.
eAccessNY real estate exam scheduling in New York
New York’s Department of State requires salesperson candidates to schedule the exam online through their eAccessNY account, after completing 77 hours of approved qualifying education. The written exam costs $15, is multiple choice, is based on the 77-hour curriculum, and you have 1.5 hours.
Results are reported as passed or failed without a numerical score. If you fail, you schedule another exam through eAccessNY. Passed results are valid for two years. The Department of State page does not state the number of questions.
Source: New York Department of State — Become a Real Estate Salesperson. Checked 19 October 2026.
Minnesota, Nevada and other state real estate exam examples
Rules vary state by state, so treat these as examples and confirm with your own agency. Each figure comes from the state’s official candidate handbook or bulletin, with its date.
- Minnesota real estate exam: 80 general and 50 state scored questions, 4 hours for both, 75% to pass, $68 for both portions (PSI bulletin dated 1 October 2023, Minnesota Department of Commerce)
- Nevada real estate exam: Nevada Real Estate Division, Pearson VUE, 240 minutes for the salesperson combination, 75% to pass, $100 (Pearson VUE handbook, July 2025)
- Mississippi real estate exam: 70% on the general portion and 75% on the state portion, $75 for both portions (PSI bulletin published by the Mississippi Real Estate Commission, updated 1 October 2023)
- New Hampshire real estate exam: 80 national and 40 state scored questions, 56 and 28 points to pass, $66 for both (PSI bulletin, updated 1 July 2025)
- New Mexico real estate exam: minimum score of 75 on both state and national portions, both passed within 90 calendar days of the first attempt (New Mexico Real Estate Commission)
- West Virginia (WV) real estate exam: the West Virginia Real Estate Commission requires a state and national criminal background check; exam details were not published on the commission page checked
- Washington DC real estate exam: 80 general and 30 DC questions in 210 minutes, 75% to pass, $79 (PSI bulletin, updated 3 June 2026)
Source: PSI — Minnesota Real Estate Examination Bulletin. Checked 19 October 2026.
How hard is the real estate exam?
None of the agencies checked publishes a national difficulty rating, so the honest answer to how difficult is the real estate exam comes from its rules. You usually have to clear two separate bars, one for the national portion and one for the state portion, and passing one does not make up for failing the other. Passing marks in the states checked range from 70% (California salesperson) to 75% (Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, DC).
Texas tracks first-attempt results: TREC defines its sales agent pass rate as the share of students who passed the licensing exam on their first attempt within the past two years, counting only those who passed both portions. TREC did not show a statewide figure on the page checked, so any percentage you see quoted elsewhere is not from these agencies.
Source: Texas Real Estate Commission — Provider Exam Passage Rates. Checked 19 October 2026.
Free real estate exam practice tests and sample questions
The best free real estate exam prep comes from the official sources. State candidate handbooks are free to download and give you the content outline, and some include sample questions: PSI’s Washington bulletin has a section of sample questions for real estate exam candidates, showing the types of questions asked. Treat these as format examples, not a full free real estate exam practice test.
Pearson VUE sells national real estate exam practice tests for salespersons and brokers at $19.95. They contain no state-specific content, so they only cover the national portion.
Source: Pearson VUE — Real Estate Practice Tests. Checked 19 October 2026.
Real Estate Exam practice questions
Certsqill’s real estate exam prep questions are expert-developed and organized by the content areas of the exam, from property ownership and agency to financing, contracts and real estate math. Use them for real estate exam preparation alongside your state’s handbook; a timed set works as a real estate exam prep test, and a full set as a practice exam for real estate license candidates.
Every question comes with an explanation for each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per content area, so you can see which topics still need work before you schedule. A 7-day money-back guarantee applies.
Real Estate Exam questions people ask
What is the real estate license exam?
The state test you must pass for a salesperson, sales agent or broker license. Each state sets its own content, fee and passing score, often with a national and a state portion. Source: TREC and state handbooks, checked 19 October 2026.
How many questions are on the real estate exam?
It depends on the state. Texas sales agents answer 80 scored national and 40 scored state questions; California salespersons answer 150; Florida sales associates answer 100. Sources: Pearson VUE, California DRE, Florida DBPR, checked 19 October 2026.
Is the real estate exam hard?
The agencies checked publish no difficulty rating. You must reach a separate passing score on each portion, between 70% and 75% in the states checked, so weak topics on either portion can fail you.
Is real estate exam hard to pass on the first try?
TREC tracks first-attempt pass rates for education providers but showed no statewide figure on the page checked, 19 October 2026. Practising both portions under time limits is the reliable way to judge your own readiness.
What is the national real estate exam?
The general portion used in many states. Pearson VUE’s outline gives 80 scored items across eight areas, from property characteristics to real estate math. Source: Pearson VUE, checked 19 October 2026.
Can you take the real estate exam online?
In some states. PSI’s Washington and Minnesota bulletins offer remote proctoring and Pearson VUE offers OnVUE for Nevada, while the Texas handbook describes test centers only. Checked 19 October 2026.
Where can I find free real estate exam practice tests?
Start with your state’s free candidate handbook; some, like PSI’s Washington bulletin, include sample questions. Pearson VUE’s national practice tests cost $19.95. Checked 19 October 2026.
How do I schedule the real estate exam?
Finish your pre-licensing education, apply to your state agency, then book with its test provider. New York candidates schedule through eAccessNY; Texas candidates book online at least 24 hours ahead. Checked 19 October 2026.
