What is the real estate licensing exam?

The real estate licensing exam is the written, multiple-choice test every applicant must pass to receive a state license; there is no federal exam. Most state exams are split into a national portion covering general real estate topics and a state portion covering local law, and the two are scored separately. Passing scores are typically 70% to 75% of questions answered correctly, while question counts and time limits vary by state.

The Alabama real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE and consists of 120 scored questions: 80 on national real estate topics and 40 on Alabama-specific law. A passing score of 70 is required on each portion. Applicants must pass the exam within 6 months of completing the prelicense course, and there is no limit on the number of attempts within that 6-month window.

The Alaska real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the Alaska Real Estate Commission. The salesperson exam consists of 80 national questions and 40 state-law questions (120 scored total), and candidates have 4 hours to complete it. A scaled score of at least 75 on each portion is required to pass. The exam fee is $100, with an additional $50 fee for testing at non-standard locations.

The Arizona real estate licensing exam is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam administered by Pearson VUE at a Pearson test center (online testing is not available). For salesperson candidates, the exam has two portions: a General (National) section with 80 scored questions plus 5 unscored pretest questions (150 minutes) and a State-Specific section with 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored pretest questions (90 minutes), for 150 total questions across 240 minutes. A score of 75% or higher is required on each portion to pass, and the combined examination application and exam fee is $75.

The Arkansas real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE and requires a passing scaled score of 70 for all exam types. The salesperson exam has two portions: a national/general section with 80 scored items plus 5 pretest, and an Arkansas state law section with 30 scored items plus 10 pretest, while the broker exam is a single unified exam with 120 scored items plus 10 pretest. The exam fee is $75, and candidates are authorized for unlimited attempts for one year from the date of Commission approval.

The California salesperson licensing exam is a single unified test of 150 multiple-choice questions administered in three hours, with a passing score of 70%. The exam covers seven content domains: Practice of Real Estate and Disclosures (approximately 25%), Laws of Agency and Fiduciary Duties (approximately 17%), Property Ownership and Land Use Controls (approximately 15%), Property Valuation and Financial Analysis (approximately 14%), Contracts (approximately 12%), Financing (approximately 9%), and Transfer of Property (approximately 8%). The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) administers the exam directly in electronic format at five locations: Fresno, La Palma, Oakland, Sacramento, and San Diego.

The Colorado Real Estate Broker's Exam is a two-part licensing exam administered by PSI, the contracted exam vendor for the Colorado Division of Real Estate. The national portion has 80 questions with 120 minutes allowed, requiring 60 correct answers (75%) to pass. The state portion has 74 questions with 110 minutes allowed, requiring 53 correct answers (approximately 71.6%) to pass. Both portions must be passed independently, the first-attempt fee is $44.95, and the retake fee is $42.50. Exam results are valid for one year from the date of each portion's passing score.

The Connecticut real estate licensing exam is a proctored test administered by PSI that candidates must pass to obtain a salesperson or broker license. The exam consists of two portions covering national and state-specific real estate content, and candidates must pass both portions within one year of eligibility. Candidates must be approved by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection before registering with PSI, and may take the exam on an unlimited basis during that one-year eligibility period. The exam is offered at PSI test centers in Connecticut and Massachusetts and through remote online proctoring.

The Delaware real estate licensing exam is a two-part, computer-based, multiple-choice test administered by Pearson VUE. The salesperson exam has two independently scored portions, national and Delaware law, each requiring a minimum passing score of 70%. The exam costs $85 per attempt, and results are available immediately at the testing center. Pearson VUE provides a free Candidate Handbook and Content Outlines as downloadable PDFs to help candidates prepare.

The DC real estate licensing exam is a proctored test administered by PSI that candidates must pass to obtain a salesperson or broker license. The exam has national and state (DC) portions, and the minimum passing score is 75% on both portions. The national portion covers property law, real estate finance, contracts, agency relationships, and ethics, while the state portion tests DC-specific license law and regulations.

The Florida real estate sales associate exam is a 100-question multiple-choice test administered by Pearson VUE at physical test centers, with a time limit of 3.5 hours. The exam covers real estate law, principles and practices, and real estate mathematics as a single combined test. A passing score requires at least 75 out of 100 points, and candidates receive an official photo-bearing score report immediately upon completion. Candidates who fail must wait 24 hours before scheduling a retake.

The Georgia real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI Services LLC and consists of 152 scored multiple-choice questions: 100 on the national portion and 52 on the Georgia state-specific portion, with up to 5 additional unscored pretest questions. Candidates must score 75% on each section (75 of 100 national, 39 of 52 state) to pass. The exam fee is $175 per attempt as of July 2026, and candidates who fail may retake only the failed section at the same per-attempt fee.

The Hawaii real estate licensing exam is a two-section test administered by PSI Services, LLC on behalf of the Hawaii Real Estate Commission, covering a uniform (general) section and a Hawaii state section. Salesperson candidates must score 70% or higher on each section to pass, while broker candidates must score 75% or higher. Candidates who pass one section but fail the other need retake only the failed section, as long as they retake within two years of the first passed section and hold an unexpired School Completion Certificate.

The Idaho real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by Pearson VUE at testing sites in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Nampa, Pocatello, and Twin Falls, plus Spokane, Washington. The salesperson exam consists of 80 national questions and 40 Idaho-specific questions, with a scaled passing score of 70 on a 0-100 scale and a 4-hour time limit. The broker exam has 80 national and 50 Idaho-specific questions with a passing score of 75. Candidates who pass one portion but fail the other have one year from the date they passed the first part to retake and pass the second portion.

The Illinois Real Estate Broker Examination is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam administered by PSI Services LLC on behalf of IDFPR, consisting of two portions: a national portion with 100 questions (150 minutes, 70% passing score) and a state portion with 40 questions (90 minutes, 75% passing score). The exam fee is $58 per attempt, and candidates may test at PSI centers across Illinois or through remote online proctoring. Candidates are allowed up to 4 attempts during their 2-year eligibility period, and 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions may be included.

The Indiana real estate broker licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE and consists of 145 total questions with a 240-minute seat time. The exam has two portions: a national portion with 80 scored items plus 5 pretest items, and a state portion with 50 scored items plus 5 to 10 pretest items. Candidates must complete a 90-hour pre-licensing course before taking the exam, and both portions must be passed within 1 year of the course completion date. The passing score is a scaled score of 75, set by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency in conjunction with Pearson VUE, and the exam fee is $55 per attempt.

The Iowa real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI Services LLC under contract with the Iowa Real Estate Commission and covers both national and state-specific real estate topics. The salesperson exam consists of 80 national questions and 40 state questions with 180 minutes total, requiring a passing score of 56 of 80 (70%) on the national portion and 28 of 40 (70%) on the state portion. The exam fee is $95 per attempt, and candidates must bring a hard copy of their pre-license education completion certificate to the testing center.

The Kansas real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by Pearson VUE with two portions: a national (general) section and a Kansas state section. The salesperson exam has 110 scored questions (80 national plus 30 state) with 15 additional unscored pretest items, while the broker exam has 120 scored questions (80 national plus 40 state). Candidates have 4 hours total and must achieve a scaled score of 70 on each portion; the scaled score is not a percentage of correct answers. The exam fee is $70 when both portions are scheduled together, or $70 per portion if scheduled separately, paid directly to Pearson VUE. Exam scores are valid for 6 months from the pass date.

The Kentucky real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI and consists of a national portion and a state-specific portion. The sales associate exam has 130 total questions (80 national and 50 state) with a minimum passing score of 75% on each portion. The exam fee is $100 per attempt, whether taking one or both portions. Candidates must have completed all required education and initiated an FBI criminal background check before scheduling the exam, and must apply for their license within 60 days of passing both portions.

The Louisiana real estate licensing exam is a computer-based, multiple-choice test administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (LREC). The salesperson exam consists of 80 national questions and 55 state-specific questions, with passing scores of 56 out of 80 on the national portion (70%) and 40 out of 55 on the state portion (approximately 73%). Scores are displayed immediately after completion, and if a candidate passes one section but fails the other, only the failed section must be retaken.

The Maine real estate licensing exam for Sales Agent candidates is administered by Pearson VUE and consists of two portions: a national/general portion with 80 scored items (2.5 hours) and a Maine Law portion with 40 scored items (1.5 hours), for a total of 4 hours. The passing score is 75 on a scaled score of 0 to 100, and the exam fee is $88 per attempt. Candidates must present their original Course Completion Certificate at the test center, and certificates are valid for one year from the course completion date.

The Maryland real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by PSI Examination Services on behalf of the Maryland Real Estate Commission. It consists of two portions, a national portion and a state portion, and candidates must score at least 70% on each portion to pass. The exam lasts 2 hours, costs $44 per attempt paid directly to PSI, and for salespersons includes 80 national questions and 30 state questions for 110 total.

The Massachusetts real estate licensing exam is a multiple-choice test administered by PSI on behalf of the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons. The salesperson exam has 120 scored questions (80 national and 40 state-specific) with a 4-hour time limit, and candidates must score at least 70% to pass. The broker exam has 115 scored questions (75 general and 40 state) with the same 4-hour limit and 70% passing threshold. PSI offers the exam at approved test centers across Massachusetts and remotely via online proctoring.

The Michigan real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by PSI Services, LLC. The examination fee is $79 per attempt for both salesperson and broker candidates. Broker applicants may register directly with PSI without obtaining pre-approval, while salesperson applicants must first submit their application and upload their 40-hour prelicensure certificate through MiPLUS before becoming eligible to schedule the exam. Exam results are valid for one year from the date of passing.

The Minnesota real estate salesperson licensing exam consists of 130 scored questions divided into 80 national questions and 50 state questions, with additional unscored pretest questions. A scaled score of 75 or higher is required on each portion to pass. PSI Services administers the exam at 9 testing centers across Minnesota or through remote online proctoring.

The Mississippi real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI Services LLC and consists of a national portion and a state portion. The salesperson exam has 80 national questions (2.5 hours) and 40 state questions (1.5 hours), with passing scores of 70% and 75% respectively. The broker exam has 75 national questions (2.5 hours) and 40 state questions (1.5 hours), with passing scores of 75% and 80%. The exam fee is $75 per attempt, and both portions must be passed within the same 2-month eligibility period. Five to ten unscored experimental questions may be administered, and the time taken on those does not count against the exam time.

The Missouri real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by PSI Services LLC at designated test centers. The salesperson exam consists of 100 national questions and 40 state questions, with the national portion requiring 70% to pass and the state portion requiring 75%. The broker exam includes simulation-based national questions and 75 state multiple-choice questions, with 75% required on both portions. The exam fee is $52 per attempt for all exam types, and candidates must pass both national and state portions to be eligible for a license.

The Montana real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE and consists of two portions: a national section with 80 scored questions (plus 5 pretest) covering general real estate principles, and a state section with 40 scored questions (plus pretest) covering Montana-specific laws and regulations. Candidates must achieve a scaled score of 75 on each portion to pass, and the exam fee is $95 per portion. The national portion allows 150 minutes and the state portion allows 90 minutes. A candidate who passes one portion and fails the other need only retake the failed portion, and must pass it within 12 months of passing the first.

The Nebraska real estate salesperson licensing exam consists of 130 multiple-choice questions divided into 80 national and 50 state-specific questions. A passing score requires correctly answering at least 60 of 80 national questions (75%) and 38 of 50 state questions (76%). The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, the exam fee is $150 per attempt, and candidates receive their score immediately after completing the exam.

The Nevada real estate licensing exam is a two-part test administered by Pearson VUE covering national and state real estate topics. The salesperson exam consists of 80 scored national questions and 40 scored state questions (120 total), with 240 minutes allotted (150 minutes national, 90 minutes state) and a 75% passing score required on both portions. Effective July 29, 2025, candidates must first register with the Nevada Real Estate Division before scheduling an exam through Pearson VUE.

The New Hampshire real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by PSI, the testing vendor contracted by the NH Real Estate Commission. The salesperson exam has 120 total questions across two portions: 80 national questions on property law, finance, contracts, agency relationships, and ethics with 150 minutes allowed, and 40 state-specific questions on NH real estate laws and regulations with 90 minutes allowed. A passing score of 70% is required on both sections, meaning 56 correct answers on the national portion and 28 on the state portion. Results are provided immediately after completion.

The New Jersey real estate salesperson licensing exam consists of 110 questions covering national and state-specific real estate content. The exam includes approximately 80 national questions and 30 New Jersey-specific questions, and may contain 5-10 unscored experimental questions. A score of 70% (77 correct answers out of 110) is required to pass. PSI Services administers the exam both at testing centers in New Jersey and through remote online proctoring, and results are displayed immediately upon completion.

The New Mexico real estate licensing exam consists of two portions: a national portion with 75 questions (worth 80 total points, as some questions are scored up to two points) administered in 120 minutes, and a state portion covering New Mexico-specific real estate law and regulations. Candidates must score at least 75% on both portions, and both portions must be passed within 90 calendar days of the first attempt. PSI administers the exam on behalf of the New Mexico Real Estate Commission, and the fee is $95 per attempt.

The New York real estate salesperson licensing exam is a multiple-choice test based on the 77-hour pre-licensing curriculum, with a 90-minute time limit. Results are reported as pass or fail with no numerical score, and the exam fee is $15 per attempt. The Department of State administers the exam at 11 sites across the state, and applicants schedule through the eAccessNY online system. Passed exam results are valid for two years.

The NC real estate licensing exam is a two-part, entry-level examination administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. It includes 140 scored items (80 in the National section and 60 in the State section) plus 10 unscored pretest items (5 per section). The National section allows 2.5 hours and the State section allows 2.0 hours, for a total of 4.5 hours. The passing score is 75 for each section, computed separately, and both sections must be passed within the same 180-day eligibility period.

The North Dakota real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI Services LLC and consists of two portions: a national portion with 100 questions (150 minutes) and a state portion covering North Dakota-specific law (90 minutes). The national portion covers agency relationships, contracts, real property ownership, finance, marketing regulations, property management, and real estate calculations, while the state portion covers the duties and powers of the Real Estate Commission, licensing requirements, and statutory requirements. The passing score is 70% on the national portion and 75% on the state portion. The exam fee is $134 per attempt, and applicants can schedule and take the exam at any time through PSI without needing prior approval or test codes from NDREC.

The Ohio real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI and consists of a national portion and a state portion. For salespersons, the exam has 120 multiple-choice questions (80 national and 40 state) with 180 minutes total to complete, and the passing score is 70 on both portions. For brokers, the passing score is 75 on both portions. PSI offers both in-person testing at accredited centers and secure online proctoring.

The Oklahoma real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE and consists of two portions: a national section and a state section. The salesperson exam includes 120 scored questions (80 national and 40 state) plus 15 pretest items, with 240 minutes total (150 minutes for national, 90 minutes for state). Candidates must achieve a 70% scaled score on each portion to pass. All candidates must apply to the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission first; once approved, Pearson VUE sends authorization to test via email within 48 hours. The exam fee is $75 per portion, with a two-for-one discount when both portions are scheduled on the same order.

The Oregon real estate broker exam is administered by PSI Services LLC and consists of two sections: a national section with 80 questions (120 minutes) and a state section with 50 questions (75 minutes). A score of 75% or higher is required on both sections to pass, and the exam fee is $75 per attempt. Registration fees are not refundable or transferable, and passing scores are valid for one year from the date of passing. After passing, you must complete fingerprinting for a background check at the PSI test center, and your license is issued once the background check clears and a principal broker adds your pending license to the registered business.

The Pennsylvania real estate licensing exam consists of 120 scored questions divided into two portions: 80 national questions with 150 minutes allowed, and 40 state-specific questions with 60 minutes allowed. An additional 5 to 10 unscored pretest items may appear in each portion. Candidates must score at least 75% on each portion to pass (60 of 80 national questions and 30 of 40 state questions). Pearson VUE administers the exam, which is offered daily at testing centers across Pennsylvania and through remote proctoring. Results appear immediately on screen after completion. If a candidate fails one portion, only that portion must be retaken.

The Rhode Island real estate licensing exam consists of two separate parts: a National portion with 80 scored questions and a State portion with 50 scored questions. Candidates must pass both parts with a scaled score of at least 70, and must submit copies of both pass notices when applying for a license with the Department of Business Regulation. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, and candidates who fail one portion online must retake that portion at a physical testing site.

The South Carolina real estate licensing exam is a computer-based, multiple-choice test administered by PSI under contract with the SC Real Estate Commission. The Associate exam consists of 80 national questions (120 minutes) and 40 state questions (80 minutes), for 120 total questions across 200 minutes. The national portion covers property ownership, financing, agency, contracts, and valuation, while the state portion covers SC license law, agency relationships, and closing details. The minimum passing score is 70% on each portion (56 of 80 national, 28 of 40 state).

The South Dakota real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI and consists of a national portion and a state portion, both requiring a passing score of 75%. The exam is available at computer-based testing centers in Madison, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls, and candidates must schedule appointments directly with PSI at test-takers.psiexams.com/sdre or by calling 855-557-0623. Applicants must file a license application within 60 days of passing the exam, and broker associate applications must be submitted within 2 years of completing the prelicensing course.

The Tennessee real estate licensing exam is a multiple-choice test administered by PSI on behalf of the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. The affiliate broker exam is divided into a national section (160 minutes) and a state section (80 minutes), totaling approximately 4 hours, and candidates must score at least 70% on each section to pass. The exam covers property ownership, financing, contracts, agency relationships, Tennessee license law, and fair housing, among other topics.

The Texas real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE under contract with TREC. The sales agent exam consists of a National portion with 85 items (80 scored plus 5 pretest) in 150 minutes and a State portion with 50 items (40 scored plus 10 pretest) in 90 minutes, for a total of 240 minutes (4 hours). To pass, sales agent candidates must answer 56 questions correctly on the National portion and 28 on the State portion. The exam fee is $58 per attempt, paid at the time of reservation, and candidates have three attempts to pass both portions before additional education is required.

The Utah real estate licensing exam, administered by Pearson VUE, consists of two parts: a general (national) portion and a state law portion. For salesperson candidates, the general portion contains 80 scored items plus 5 pretest items, and the state portion contains 50 scored items plus 5 to 10 pretest items; candidates have 4 hours to complete the combined exam. The passing scaled score is 70 for the salesperson exam and 75 for the broker exam on both portions. The exam fee is $69 per attempt, paid at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher.

The Vermont real estate licensing exam consists of two parts: a national portion and a state portion. The national exam is administered by PSI Services at PSI test centers and covers topics such as agency relationships, contracts, finance, property ownership, and property management. The state exam is administered by the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) as part of the online license application process, not through PSI. A candidate who fails one part may retake that part within six months; after six months or two failures, the candidate must retake the full exam.

The Virginia real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI and has two portions: a national section and a state-specific section. The national portion allows 105 minutes with a passing score of 56 correct (70%), and the state portion allows 45 minutes with a passing score of 30 correct (75%). Both portions must be passed, and the exam fee is $60 per attempt, paid directly to PSI. Exam scores are valid for one year before they expire, and the license application must be submitted within that window.

The Washington real estate licensing exam is a computer-based test administered by PSI Testing Excellence. It consists of 130 scored questions, 100 on national topics and 30 on Washington-specific law, with a minimum scaled score of 70 required on each portion. Both portions must be passed within 6 months of each other, and the exam fee is $210 per attempt.

The West Virginia real estate licensing exam is a computer-based exam administered by Pearson VUE under contract with the West Virginia Real Estate Commission. The salesperson exam consists of 80 scored national questions and 50 state-specific questions, with 150 minutes allotted for the national portion and 60 minutes for the state portion. The passing score is 70% for the salesperson exam and 75% for the broker exam. Candidates must apply to the West Virginia Real Estate Commission first and receive authorization to test before scheduling with Pearson VUE.

The Wisconsin real estate salesperson exam is a computer-based, multiple-choice test administered by Pearson VUE consisting of 140 questions covering Wisconsin real estate laws, regulations, and practices. Candidates must achieve a minimum scaled score of 75 out of 100 to pass, with results provided immediately. The exam fee is $65 per attempt, and there is no limit on retakes, though the fee applies to each attempt. Broker applicants must pass both the broker exam and the salesperson exam, unless they already hold an active salesperson license or have previously passed the salesperson exam.

The Wyoming real estate licensing exam consists of two sections: a national portion and a state portion. The national portion covers property ownership, land use controls, financing, valuation, agency, disclosures, contracts, leasing and property management, and the practice of real estate. The state portion covers the Wyoming Real Estate Commission, licensing requirements, statutory and regulatory requirements, and Wyoming-specific topics such as foreclosures and landlord/tenant relationships. Candidates must score at least 70% on each section, and Pearson VUE administers the exam.