Colorado real estate exam course and preparation guide

The Colorado real estate broker exam is a two-portion licensing test administered by PSI Services LLC on behalf of the Colorado Division of Real Estate. The national portion contains 80 questions with a 120-minute time limit, and the state portion contains 74 questions with a 110-minute limit. You must pass both portions to apply for a broker license, and a real estate exam course that covers both national fundamentals and Colorado-specific law provides the structured preparation most candidates need to pass on the first attempt.

What is the Colorado real estate exam?

The Colorado real estate broker exam is a two-part test, consisting of a national portion and a state portion, that every new licensee must pass before applying for a broker license. PSI Services LLC^[1] administers both portions under contract with the Colorado Division of Real Estate^[2], and the exam content is ARELLO-accredited^[3]. All questions are multiple-choice with up to four answer options.

The national portion tests general real estate knowledge that applies across all states, while the state portion tests Colorado-specific statutes, rules, and contracts. You must pass both portions to qualify for licensure, but you do not need to pass them on the same day. If you pass one and fail the other, you retake only the failed portion.

Candidates become eligible to sit for the exam after completing 168 hours of qualifying education from a state-approved provider or holding a degree with a real estate major from an accredited institution.

What topics are on the Colorado real estate exam?

The national portion covers general real estate practice across 11 content areas, and the state portion covers Colorado-specific law, contracts, and regulatory requirements. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin^[1] publishes the full content outline for both portions.

National portion content areas:

• Contracts
• Agency
• Practice of real estate, including fair housing and antidiscrimination law
• Financing
• Real estate calculations
• Property ownership
• Transfer of title
• Valuation and market analysis
• Property disclosures
• Land use controls
• Leasing and property management

The state portion tests knowledge of Colorado real estate law and practice, including:

• Colorado Real Estate Commission rules and procedures
• Licensing requirements and license law
• Statutory and regulatory requirements for Colorado brokers
• Colorado-specific forms and contracts
• Trust accounts and recordkeeping
• Current legal issues affecting Colorado real estate

Reciprocal licensure candidates and continuing education candidates take only the state portion.

Passing scores and time limits

The national portion requires 60 correct answers out of 80 to pass, and the state portion requires 53 correct out of 74, per the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin^[1]. Each portion has its own time limit: 120 minutes for the national and 110 minutes for the state, for a combined 230 minutes of exam time.

The exam includes 5 to 10 experimental (unscored) questions that may appear in either portion. The PSI bulletin states: "These questions will not be scored. However, these questions will count against examination time." Plan your pacing accordingly, as these unscored items add to the total number of questions you must work through within the allotted minutes.

How much does the Colorado real estate exam cost?

The Colorado real estate broker exam costs $44.95 for the first attempt and $42.50 for each retake, as listed on both the Colorado Division of Real Estate fee schedule^[4] and the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin^[1].

Exam fees are not refundable or transferable. The PSI bulletin states that your examination fee will be forfeited if you do not test within one year of the date PSI receives your payment.

How to prepare for the Colorado real estate exam

Effective preparation combines content review, timed practice, and familiarity with the exam format. The national and state portions test different bodies of knowledge, so most candidates benefit from a real estate exam prep course that addresses both.

A real estate exam prep class helps you organize study time across the 11 national topics and the Colorado-specific state topics. Focus on the heaviest-weighted areas first: contracts, agency, and practice of real estate on the national portion, and Colorado statutes and contracts on the state portion.

Math appears on the national portion within the real estate calculations topic area. Practice solving problems involving prorations, commissions, interest, and property valuations until you can work through them efficiently.

Create a study schedule that allocates time across all content areas, with extra time for your weakest subjects. Many candidates find that joining a study group or working through real estate practice questions with peers reinforces retention.

Practice tests and sample questions

Practice tests help you gauge exam readiness and identify weak areas before test day. Several education providers offer real estate exam practice questions and sample tests aligned with the Colorado content outline, and the exam vendor itself sells practice exams.

Real estate exam practice tests typically cover both national and state portions. Taking a timed real estate exam practice exam builds the pacing and stamina needed for test day. When reviewing your results, focus on content areas where you missed the most questions and restudy those sections before your scheduled test date.

How to schedule your Colorado real estate exam

You schedule the Colorado real estate broker exam by contacting the PSI Candidate Care Center at 855-744-0313 or through PSI's online scheduling system. The Colorado Division of Real Estate^[2] confirms PSI as its current exam vendor and provides the contact number for making reservations.

PSI^[5] typically publishes exam sessions at least 6 weeks in advance, and candidates should book 4 to 6 weeks ahead to secure a preferred date and location. If you need to cancel or reschedule, you must do so at least 2 days before your scheduled exam date to avoid forfeiting the fee, per the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin^[1].

Colorado has seven PSI test centers:

Can you take the Colorado real estate exam online?

Yes, Colorado offers a remote proctoring option in addition to in-person testing at PSI facilities. The exam content and passing standards are identical regardless of delivery method.

For remote sessions, you need a webcam, a stable internet connection, and a private, walled room. Breaks are not permitted during online proctored exams. PSI^[5] does not accept military IDs or credit cards as identification for online tests, so use a standard government-issued photo ID instead.

What to expect on exam day

On exam day, you check in at a PSI test center or connect to your remote proctoring session, present one form of government-issued photo ID, complete an on-screen tutorial, and then take the timed exam.

For test center exams, arrive at least 30 minutes early. The check-in process takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes. You must provide one form of valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID with a signature, such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or alien registration card, as specified in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin^[1].

An on-screen tutorial of up to 15 minutes is provided before the exam begins and does not count against your exam time. After completing the tutorial, you begin the timed portions.

PSI displays your score on screen immediately after you finish and emails a score report. Candidates who do not pass receive a diagnostic breakdown showing performance across content areas.

Colorado real estate exam pass rates

Pass rates for the Colorado broker exam vary significantly by education provider, and the state regulator tracks these rates to help candidates evaluate schools.

Based on school-level data, national portion first-time pass rates have generally fallen well below two-thirds of test-takers, and state portion pass rates have tended to be even lower. A substantial share of candidates do not pass on the first attempt, particularly on the state portion. The Colorado DRE^[6] publishes quarterly pass rate reports by school so candidates can compare providers before enrolling.

Failing, retaking, and score validity

If you fail one or both portions of the Colorado real estate broker exam, you may retake the failed portion or portions at a subsequent time. The 2025 Colorado Real Estate Manual, Chapter 02^[7] (4 CCR 725-1, ch. 2, Rule 2.2.E) states that applicants may retake failed parts without a stated cap on the number of attempts.

No official Colorado DRE rule or PSI exam material specifies a maximum number of exam attempts. Some secondary sources cite a three-attempt limit, but no regulatory source substantiates this claim. You can retake the exam as many times as needed, paying the retake fee for each attempt.

You cannot schedule a new exam appointment on the same day you test. You can call PSI the next day and retest as soon as the day after your previous attempt, subject to availability.

Passing scores are valid for one year from the date of each portion's passing score, as stated by the Colorado Division of Real Estate^[8]. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin^[1] states: "In no event will a passing score on either part of the exam be accepted beyond one year." You must submit your complete license application within one year of passing the entire examination. If the Division does not receive your application within that window, you must retake both portions.

Next steps after passing the exam

After passing both portions of the Colorado real estate broker exam, your next steps are to complete a fingerprint-based background check, obtain errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, and submit your broker license application to the Colorado Division of Real Estate^[4]. The application requires a sponsoring broker and carries an $83 fee. Processing can take up to 10 business days.

If you have not yet scheduled your exam, reserve a date through PSI and begin working through real estate exam practice questions for both the national and state portions.