Indiana real estate broker exam guide
The Indiana real estate broker exam has 145 total questions and is a computer-based licensing test administered by Pearson VUE, according to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[1]. It has two separately scored portions, national and state, with a combined 240-minute seat time and a scaled passing score of 75. A real estate exam course built around the official content outline is the most direct path to passing, because every testable topic maps to a published list of subjects with known item counts.
Indiana real estate broker exam overview
The Indiana real estate broker exam is the state-mandated licensing test that every aspiring broker must pass to receive a license. Pearson VUE administers the exam on behalf of the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA), effective March 3, 2025, after replacing PSI as the previous exam vendor. The exam is computer-based, and candidates receive a pass or fail score report immediately upon completion.
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.
Candidates must complete the required pre-licensing education before scheduling the exam.
Indiana requires completion of a single 90-hour broker pre-licensing course from a provider approved by the Indiana Real Estate Commission. The course covers real estate principles, contracts, financing, property valuation, Indiana license law, agency relationships, fair housing, property management, disclosures, math, and investment and taxation. Upon completion, you must pass the course final exam with a minimum score of 75% to receive a certificate of completion, which you then upload with your license application.
Exam format and structure
The broker exam consists of 145 total questions across two portions with a combined 240-minute seat time. The table below summarizes the format based on the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[1].
| Component | Scored items | Pretest items | Total items |
|---|---|---|---|
| National portion | 80 | 5 | 85 |
| State portion (Indiana) | 50 | 5-10 | 55-60 |
| Total | 130 | 10-15 | 145 |
Pretest questions are not identified and do not count toward the score. Pearson VUE uses them to evaluate new questions for future exams. The full 240-minute seat time covers both portions in a single session.
Pearson VUE also administers a Broker by Endorsement exam for out-of-state licensees seeking an Indiana license. That exam is state-only, with 60 total questions and 90 minutes of seat time, at the same $55 fee.
What the exam covers: national and state content outlines
The exam tests two bodies of knowledge: general real estate principles on the national portion and Indiana-specific law on the state portion. The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[1] publishes the exact content outline for each, including the number of scored items per topic.
National portion
The national portion has 80 scored items across eight content areas:
| Content area | Scored items |
|---|---|
| Real Estate Contracts and Agency | 15 |
| Real Estate Practice | 12 |
| Real Property Characteristics | 10 |
| Property Value and Appraisal | 10 |
| Property Disclosures | 9 |
| Forms of Ownership | 8 |
| Financing and Settlement | 8 |
| Real Estate Math | 8 |
| Total | 80 |
Real Estate Contracts and Agency carries the most weight at 15 items, making it the highest-yield study area on the national portion.
State portion
The Indiana state portion has 50 scored items across five content areas:
| Content area | Scored items |
|---|---|
| Statutes and Rules Governing Licensees | 17 |
| Statutory and Regulatory Requirements | 12 |
| Licensing | 9 |
| Real Estate Office Procedures | 7 |
| Indiana Real Estate Commission | 5 |
| Total | 50 |
Statutes and Rules Governing Licensees dominates the state portion with 17 items. Candidates should prioritize Indiana license law, agency disclosure rules, and regulatory obligations when studying for this portion.
Passing score for the Indiana real estate exam
Both portions require a scaled passing score of 75, set by the IPLA in conjunction with Pearson VUE and codified in Indiana regulation 876 IAC 6-6-3. The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[1] states that the scaled score "is neither the number of questions answered correctly nor the percentage of questions answered correctly." Numeric scores are reported only to candidates who fail; passing candidates receive a pass designation without a numeric score.
No official raw passing score is published. Some third-party prep providers cite raw thresholds such as 38 out of 50 on the state portion, but these figures are unofficial estimates that are not confirmed by the IPLA, the Indiana Real Estate Commission, or Pearson VUE. Third-party sources citing specific raw scores may also be referencing the previous exam format, which was replaced in March 2025.
Indiana does not publish real estate exam pass rates. The state is not included in national pass-rate compilations, and the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency does not release this data publicly.
Exam cost and how to schedule
The exam carries a $55 fee for each attempt. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable except under the 48-hour change or cancellation policy. Vouchers can be purchased through the Pearson VUE voucher store and expire 12 months from the date of issue. The same fee applies to the Broker, Broker by Endorsement, and Managing Broker exams.
The Indiana real estate broker exam costs $55 per attempt, payable at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. Pearson VUE administers the exam for Indiana as of March 3, 2025. The same $55 fee applies to the Broker by Endorsement exam, the Managing Broker exam, and the Broker Instructor exam.
Candidates schedule the Pearson VUE real estate exam through the vendor's online reservation system or by phone. Bookings require a minimum 48-hour lead time, and same-day appointments are not accepted. To register, candidates need a valid email address and their pre-licensing course completion information.
Pearson VUE administers the Indiana real estate licensing examination, effective for exams scheduled on March 3, 2025 and beyond. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency announced the transition from the previous vendor on February 21, 2025. Candidates can make reservations online at pearsonvue.com or by calling 800-274-2717, and must schedule at least 48 hours in advance. Walk-in examinations are not available.
What to expect on test day
Candidates must arrive at the testing center 30 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment. One government-issued photo-bearing ID with a signature is required for admission. Personal items such as phones, bags, and study materials are not permitted in the testing room; Pearson VUE provides secure storage at the test center. The exam is computer-based, and candidates receive a pass or fail score report immediately upon completion. A simple, non-programmable calculator is typically permitted for math questions.
The Indiana real estate licensing exam is administered by Pearson VUE at physical test centers. Candidates must reserve a seat at least 48 hours in advance, report to the test center 30 minutes before the scheduled exam time, and present one government-issued photo ID with a signature. Walk-in examinations are not available, and exam fees must be paid at the time of reservation rather than at the test center.
Failing and retaking the exam
Candidates who pass one portion and fail the other retake only the failed portion. Both portions must be passed within one year of the date the pre-licensing course was completed, according to the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[1]. If the one-year window expires, the candidate must retake the pre-licensing course before attempting the exam again.
There is no published limit on retake attempts. Each retake requires a new reservation through Pearson VUE, subject to the same advance scheduling requirement.
Study strategies for passing the Indiana broker exam
Effective preparation starts with the official content outline, which lists every testable topic and its item count. A real estate exam prep course structured around this outline ensures study time maps directly to the exam's scoring weight. Most candidates spend about one month studying after completing their pre-licensing coursework.
The Indiana real estate broker exam consists of 145 total questions across national and state portions with a 240-minute seat time and a scaled passing score of 75. Candidates should study the content outlines in the Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook: the national portion covers property ownership, contracts, agency, financing, and real estate math, while the state portion covers the Indiana Real Estate Commission, licensing, statutory requirements, and office procedures. Pearson VUE offers an online practice test for the national portion at $19.95, and state-approved education providers sell exam prep packages covering both portions. Effective study strategies include flashcards for vocabulary, timed practice exams, and reviewing real estate math formulas such as commission calculations and area measurements.
Study habits that produce results include ranking topics by item count and studying the heaviest areas first, drilling vocabulary with flashcards, and repeating math drills until the formulas feel routine. A real estate license exam prep course can provide structured lessons and drills, but independent study using the official content outline is also effective for disciplined learners. Real estate test prep that emphasizes timed practice exams helps build the pacing needed for the full exam.
The Pearson VUE Indiana Real Estate Candidate Handbook provides detailed content outlines for both exam portions, which serve as a study roadmap. The national portion covers property ownership, financing, contracts and agency, property disclosures, valuation, real estate practice, and math calculations. The state portion covers the Indiana Real Estate Commission, licensing, statutory and regulatory requirements, statutes and rules governing licensees, and office procedures. Pearson VUE offers an online practice test for the national portion at $19.95 that shows correct answers per section. Creating a study schedule aligned with the content outline, using flashcards for vocabulary, and practicing real estate math formulas are common preparation strategies.
Real estate math on the exam
The national portion includes 8 scored items on real estate math. The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[1] identifies two figures candidates must memorize: 43,560 square feet per acre and 5,280 feet per mile. Common math topics include commission calculations, loan-to-value ratios, proration of taxes and expenses, and area or valuation calculations. Practicing these problem types until the formulas are automatic prevents time pressure from becoming a problem during the exam.
Practice tests and study resources
Pearson VUE sells official practice exams covering the national portion at $19.95 each, available through its real estate practice test page[2]. These online tests are taken independently and report correct answer counts by section. The vendor does not produce Indiana-specific practice materials.
Pearson VUE, the official exam vendor for Indiana, offers online practice tests for the national portion of the real estate exam at $19.95. The practice tests are self-administered, cover general national real estate topics, and provide score reports showing correct answers per section. State-specific practice tests are not available from Pearson VUE. Candidates have 30 days to start the practice test after purchase.
Pearson VUE, the official exam vendor for Indiana, offers online practice tests for the national portion of the broker exam at $19.95 each, but state-specific practice tests are not available from Pearson VUE. Some third-party study resources provide a small number of free sample questions for the national portion. No free practice tests are available for the Indiana state-specific portion of the exam from the official vendor.
Third-party providers publish additional real estate exam practice questions, flashcards, and video courses covering both national and state content. When selecting a real estate exam practice test or real estate agent practice test, prioritize providers that structure their materials around the current Pearson VUE content outline. Some third-party resources still reference the previous exam format, which had different question counts and topic distributions. A Pearson VUE real estate practice exam aligned to the current outline gives the most accurate preparation. A real estate sample test or real estate agent exam practice test from a reputable provider can supplement the official materials and help identify weak areas before exam day.
After you pass: exam score validity and next steps
Exam results are valid for one year from the date of passing. Candidates must submit the original Pearson VUE score sheet with their license application, along with the pre-licensing course completion certificate, to the Indiana PLA real estate licensing page[3]. The broker license application fee is $60, and all application requirements must be submitted within one year of filing or the application is considered abandoned.
After passing, the next step is to associate with a sponsoring broker, who activates the license. New brokers must complete 30 hours of post-licensing education within two years of license issuance.
Sources
- Indiana Real Estate Candidate Handbook (March 2025)GovernmentAugust 2026
- Pearson VUE — Real Estate Practice TestsGovernmentAugust 2026
- Indiana PLA — Real Estate Licensing InformationGovernmentAugust 2026