Arkansas real estate exam course: format, topics, and passing scores

The Arkansas real estate exam is a two-part computer-based licensing test: a national/general section with 80 scored questions and an Arkansas state law section with 30 scored questions, according to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook^[1]. A passing scaled score of 70 is required on both portions to earn a salesperson license. A structured real estate exam course helps you cover the full content outline and practice with exam-style questions before test day.

Arkansas real estate exam overview

The Arkansas real estate licensing test is required to earn a salesperson or broker license, given at Pearson VUE test centers under AREC oversight. To sit for the salesperson exam, you must be at least 18 years old, complete 60 hours of pre-licensing education, and submit a license application to AREC^[2] for approval. Education courses must be taken from an AREC-approved provider^[3].

After AREC approves your application, you receive an email with instructions to register through the Pearson VUE scheduling system.

Arkansas salesperson exam format and question count

The Arkansas salesperson exam consists of two portions: a national/general section and an Arkansas state law section, each with scored and pretest (unscored) questions. According to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook^[1], the national portion has 80 scored questions plus 5 pretest items (85 total), and the state portion has 30 scored questions plus 10 pretest items (40 total). Pretest questions are dispersed throughout the exam and are not identified separately from scored questions.

You will have two to four hours to complete the exam, as stated in the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook (June 2026 edition). The handbook provides this as a general range and does not publish specific per-portion time limits. All questions are multiple choice. Both portions may be taken on the same day or on separate days.

If you hold a current license from a reciprocal state with a minimum passing grade of at least 70, you may request a waiver of the national portion and take only the Arkansas state law exam, per AREC^[2].

What topics are covered on the national portion

The national portion of the Arkansas salesperson exam covers eight topic areas defined in the Pearson VUE content outline, effective April 1, 2025. The largest section is Real Estate Contracts and Agency with 16 scored items, followed by Real Property Characteristics and Property Value and Appraisal with 11 items each.

For the math section, memorize these reference figures: 43,560 square feet per acre and 5,280 feet per mile. Proration basis (360 or 365 days) and closing-day ownership will be specified in each question. The full content outline^[1] details subtopics within each area.

What topics are covered on the Arkansas state law portion

The Arkansas state law portion covers five topic areas defined in the content outline, effective December 1, 2025. The largest section is Statutory Requirements Governing Activities of Licensees with 14 scored items, followed by Agency Relationships and Disclosures with 8 items.

This portion tests your knowledge of Arkansas-specific license law, commission rules, and agency disclosure requirements. The content outline^[1] available from Pearson VUE lists the specific statutes and regulations under each topic area.

Exam scoring methodology

The passing score for all Arkansas real estate exam types is a scaled score of 70, set by AREC in conjunction with Pearson VUE. According to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook^[1], the scaled score is neither the number of questions answered correctly nor the percentage of questions answered correctly. Scores are statistically equated to account for differences in form difficulty, meaning the same scaled score of 70 may correspond to different raw numbers of correct answers on different exam forms.

"The scaled score that is reported to candidates who passed the exam is neither the number of questions answered correctly nor the percentage of questions answered correctly."

You receive a printed score report before leaving the test center, marked pass or fail. Only candidates who fail receive a numeric score showing how close they came to passing. AREC does not publish a statewide pass rate for the exam.

Scheduling your Arkansas real estate exam

You schedule the Arkansas real estate exam through the Pearson VUE website^[4] after receiving your authorization email from AREC. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance for both online and phone scheduling, per the AREC Candidate Handbook^[5]. Walk-in examinations are not available. To schedule by phone, call 800-274-2606.

Changes and cancellations require at least 48 hours' notice to avoid penalty. Exams are given every week depending on the location, and testing is also available at select Pearson centers on military installations worldwide. For candidates near the state border, Pearson VUE offers testing sites in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Memphis, Tennessee.

Arkansas real estate exam fees

The Arkansas real estate exam fee is $75, with a discount available when both salesperson portions are registered in a single transaction, per AREC's exam information page^[6].

The $50 application fee paid to AREC is separate from the exam fee.

What to expect on test day

On test day, bring two forms of current signature identification: a primary government-issued photo ID with signature and a secondary form with a valid signature. Arrive early to allow time for check-in procedures at the Pearson VUE test center.

The exam is computer-based. You receive your score report before leaving the test center, marked pass or fail. If you fail, the report includes a numeric score showing how close you came to passing. The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook^[1] describes the full check-in process and lists prohibited items.

Retake policies and exam validity

If you fail the Arkansas real estate exam, you may retake it with no limit on the number of attempts for one year from the date AREC approves your application, per Commission Regulation 4.1(h)^[7]. If you pass one portion but fail the other, you must retake only the failed portion within 6 months. If you have not passed both portions after 6 months, you must retake the entire exam. You must wait 24 hours after a failed attempt before scheduling a reexamination, and reexamination reservations cannot be made at the test center.

The AREC licensing FAQ^[7] confirms that the 60-hour pre-licensing certificate has no expiration for salesperson applicants, so there is no education reset after failed attempts.

Study strategies and practice resources

A real estate exam prep course helps you work through the content outline systematically, and practicing with real estate exam practice questions builds familiarity with the multiple-choice format. The free content outlines^[1] from Pearson VUE define exactly what the test covers and should serve as your starting reference.

Study strategies that help include reviewing the content outlines for both portions, focusing study time on the highest-weighted topic areas in each portion, and practicing real estate math calculations. A real estate salesperson practice exam helps you gauge readiness and identify weak areas before the actual test.

For Arkansas-specific preparation, review the Arkansas Real Estate License Law and Commission Rules, which form the basis of the state law portion. The AREC-approved education providers^[3] list includes schools that offer real estate exam prep courses in both classroom and online formats.

The broker exam: how it differs from the salesperson exam

The Arkansas broker exam is a single unified exam with 120 scored questions plus 10 pretest items (130 total), covering both national and Arkansas-specific content in one comprehensive test. Unlike the salesperson exam, the broker exam cannot be divided into separate portions for reexamination, so a failed attempt requires retaking the entire exam.

Broker candidates must complete 60 hours of broker pre-license education (45 of which must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course) within 36 months before applying and have 24 months of active salesperson or broker experience within the previous 48 months, per AREC^[2].

After you pass: next steps

After passing the exam, submit your score report and license fees to AREC^[7] within 90 days of the exam date. For a salesperson license, submit the score report, a $50 license fee, a $25 recovery fund fee, and a signed post-license requirement notice. For a broker license, submit the score report, a $70 license fee, and a signed post-license requirement notice. If the score report and fees are not received within 90 days, the exam result is void and you must reapply and retake the exam as a new applicant.

New salespersons must complete an 18-hour post-licensure course within 6 months of initial licensure, and new brokers must complete a 30-hour post-licensure course within the same period. Once AREC issues your license, affiliate with a sponsoring broker to activate it and begin practicing real estate in Arkansas.