Alabama Real Estate Exam Course Guide

The Alabama real estate salesperson exam consists of 120 scored questions divided between a national portion and an Alabama state portion, and a passing score of 70 is required on each. Pearson VUE administers the exam at testing centers statewide, and candidates must pass both portions within six months of completing the 60-hour pre-licensing course. A real estate exam course that covers both national principles and Alabama license law provides the structure to prepare efficiently.

Alabama real estate exam format and content

The Alabama real estate salesperson exam covers two content domains: national real estate principles and Alabama-specific license law. Each domain is scored independently, and candidates must pass both to earn a license.

The national portion tests property ownership and interests, valuation and market analysis, financing, agency principles, contracts, property transfer, real estate practice, and real estate calculations. The state portion tests Alabama license law, licensing requirements, broker and company licenses, the recovery fund, disciplinary actions, trust funds, the Alabama Real Estate Consumer's Agency Disclosure (RECAD), and closing statement calculations. The detailed topic breakdown with question counts per content area appears in the Pearson VUE Alabama Real Estate Content Outlines^[1], effective April 1, 2025.

The exam includes unscored pretest questions mixed with scored items: 5 in the national portion and 5 to 10 in the state portion. Pretest questions do not count toward the result.

Reciprocal applicants who hold a license in another state take a separate, shorter exam. Under AREC Rule 790-X-1-.18^[2], reciprocal candidates complete a 6-hour Alabama law course and take a 1-hour state-only exam with a passing grade of 70.

How to schedule the Alabama real estate exam

You schedule the Alabama real estate exam through Pearson VUE, which replaced PSI as the state's contracted exam provider on January 3, 2023, according to the AREC January 2023 educator newsletter^[3]. Booking is available online at home.pearsonvue.com/al/realestate or by calling 888-926-9488, as listed on the AREC FAQ page^[4].

Testing centers are located across Alabama. Specific sites and available dates appear on the Pearson VUE scheduling portal when you book. The AREC exam locations page^[5] directs candidates to the same portal for location information.

What to expect on exam day

Plan your exam day around a single testing session covering both the national and state portions. The Pearson VUE practice test page^[6] confirms that candidates take the licensure exam in person at Pearson Professional Centers. Both portions are completed in one appointment, so plan to spend the full session at the testing center.

Study strategies for the Alabama real estate exam

Start with the official content outline^[1], which maps every tested topic to its question count. This document lets you allocate study time proportional to each section's weight on the exam.

The state portion tests Alabama license law in depth. Reading the license law alongside the content outline helps candidates focus on the most heavily weighted topics.

Most candidates spread exam preparation over several weeks after completing the pre-licensing course. A structured real estate exam prep plan that covers one content area at a time, followed by practice questions on that area, builds retention more effectively than cramming all topics at once.

Practice tests and prep resources for the Alabama exam

Practice tests help identify weak areas before exam day and build familiarity with the exam's question style. AREC publishes per-school exam pass rate data on the Alabama Real Estate Commission website^[7], which candidates can use to compare pre-licensing schools before enrolling.

Commercial providers sell real estate exam practice questions and study packages for both portions of the exam. When evaluating a real estate test prep provider, check whether its materials include Alabama-specific content, since state law topics make up one-third of the scored questions.

Retaking the Alabama real estate exam

There is no limit on retake attempts within the six-month eligibility window that follows pre-licensing course completion, according to the AREC FAQ^[4]. If you do not pass both portions within that six-month period, you must retake the 60-hour pre-licensing course before scheduling another exam.

The six-month clock starts on the date you complete the pre-licensing course, as stated on the AREC licensing information page^[8]. The pre-licensing course must itself be completed within one year of the start date, per the AREC FAQ^[4].

After you pass the exam

You must submit your completed license application to the Alabama Real Estate Commission within 90 days of your exam date. According to the AREC licensing application instructions^[9], the 90-day window is measured from the exam date to the postmark date for mailed applications. Missing this deadline voids the exam score, requiring a retake.

It may take up to two business days for AREC to receive exam results from Pearson VUE. Once the commission processes the passing result, the license application and instructions become available on the AREC website^[7].

The application requires a fingerprint-based background check through Fieldprint^[10] and a license fee of $170 plus a $30 recovery fund charge for an active salesperson license in the first year of the current biennium, per the AREC salesperson application form^[11].

Once your application is approved, your license is issued. New active salespersons must complete a 30-hour post-license course within their first six months of licensure, per the AREC course requirements page^[12]. Inactive licensees have one year to complete the same requirement.