Real Estate Exam
The real estate exam is the state licensing test every new salesperson must pass before a license is issued. In most states it has a national portion on general principles and a state portion on local license law. This guide explains the format, scoring, registration, fees and how to prepare.
Real Estate Exam at a Glance
Verified October 15, 2026| Official body | State real estate commissions (exams delivered by Pearson VUE or PSI) |
|---|---|
| Exam fee | Not published by the exam body |
| Duration | Not published by the exam body |
| Format | Two portions: national (general real estate principles) + state-specific laws and rules; each portion is passed separately Salesperson licensing exams in Pearson VUE states · pearsonvue.com, April 1, 2025 |
| Sections | National (general) portion · State portion |
| Questions | 80 scored items + 5 unscored pretest items (national/general portion) Pearson VUE National/General salesperson portion (used by states such as Pennsylvania and Texas) · pearsonvue.com, April 1, 2025 · The state-law portion is separate and its length is set by each state. PSI states use a different national exam. |
| Score range | Not published by the exam body |
| Pass mark | Not published by the exam body |
| Validity | Not published by the exam body |
Primary source: Pearson VUE (pearsonvue.com) Source date: April 1, 2025 Last verified:
What Is the Real Estate Exam
The real estate exam is the licensing test a state uses to decide whether a new salesperson knows enough real estate law and practice to work with the public. There is no single national exam body: each state real estate commission sets its own rules, and a testing company such as Pearson VUE or PSI usually delivers the exam.
Most states split the exam into a national portion on general real estate principles and a state portion on that state’s license law, and you pass each portion separately. A few states, such as Florida and California, give one combined exam instead. Our free real estate practice exam covers the national material shared by every state.
Real Estate Exam vs License
Passing the real estate exam is one step toward a license, not the license itself. Before the exam you complete a state-approved prelicensing course, and after it you apply to the state commission, which checks your eligibility before issuing the license.
In most states a new salesperson must also work under a licensed broker. The exam result has a shelf life, too: Pennsylvania requires both parts to be passed within three years before you apply, and Texas treats each passed portion as valid for one year.
How Many Real Estate Exams Are There
For a salesperson license you normally take one exam, made up of one or two portions depending on the state. Pennsylvania, Texas and Georgia use a national portion plus a state portion. Florida and California use a single exam that blends principles, state law and math.
Broker licenses have their own, harder exams, but those come later in a career. If you already hold an active license elsewhere, some states shorten the process: Pennsylvania, for example, lets applicants licensed in another state within the last five years take only the Pennsylvania portion.
Real Estate Exam Format
The real estate exam is a computer-based, multiple-choice test. Most questions are short scenarios — a buyer, a seller and a licensee in a situation — and ask for the correct or best action. The table compares the states covered on this site, using figures from each state’s official sources.
| State | Structure | Questions | Time | Passing standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | National + PA portions | 80 + 40 scored, plus pretest items | See handbook | See Pearson VUE handbook |
| Texas | National + state portions | 80 + 40 scored, plus pretest items | See handbook | 70% on each portion |
| Florida | Single exam, 19 content areas | 100 | 3½ hours | 75 or higher |
| California | Single DRE exam | 150 | 3 hours | 70% correct |
| Georgia | National + GA portions (PSI) | See PSI handbook | See handbook | See PSI handbook |
National Portion
The national (general) portion tests real estate principles that apply in every state. In Pearson VUE states such as Pennsylvania and Texas it has 80 scored items plus 5 unscored pretest items. Content covers property ownership, land use controls, valuation and market analysis, financing, agency, contracts, transfer of title, practice of real estate and real estate math. PSI states use a different national exam with their own outline.
State Portion
The state portion tests the licensing state’s statutes, commission rules and local practice. Its length is set by each state; Pennsylvania and Texas each use 40 scored items. Expect questions on who must be licensed, broker supervision, escrow and trust funds, advertising, required disclosures, agency relationships under state law and recovery funds.
Real Estate Math
Real estate math appears within the national portion or the combined exam rather than as a separate test. Typical problems:
- Commission and commission splits between brokers and agents.
- Prorations of property taxes, rent or interest at closing.
- Loan-to-value ratios, down payments and loan amounts.
- Capitalization rate and investment return.
- Area and price per square foot.
Here is an example of a commission problem. A home sells for $300,000 with a 6% commission, split equally between the listing and buying brokerages. Each brokerage receives $9,000, and an agent on a 70/30 split with their broker earns $6,300 of that.
The arithmetic is straightforward, so most math errors come from setting the problem up wrong. Practising real estate math practice questions and answers with full working is the quickest fix.
Real Estate Exam Scoring
There is no single passing score for the real estate exam, because each state sets its own. California requires 70% correct on the salesperson exam, Florida requires 75 or higher, and Texas requires at least 70% on each portion. Pennsylvania and Georgia publish their passing standards in the vendor candidate handbooks rather than as a fixed percentage on the commission pages.
In two-portion states, you must pass both portions; a high national score does not make up for a failing state score. Some states do not even tell you your score when you pass — California, for example, does not give passing examinees their final score. On our practice tests, state pages use the official pass mark where the state publishes one and a labeled readiness benchmark where it does not.
Registration, Pre-License Course and Fees
You register for the real estate exam after finishing your state’s prelicensing education. Course requirements vary widely:
| State | Prelicensing education |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 75 hours (5 credits), completed within 5 years before passing |
| Florida | 63-hour FREC-approved course |
| California | Three college-level courses: Principles, Practice and one elective |
| Texas | 180 hours: six 30-hour courses |
| Georgia | 75 instructional hours |
Fees are also set state by state. California charges $100 for the salesperson exam (fee schedule effective July 1, 2024), or $450 for the combined exam and license application, and fees are non-refundable. Texas lists a $43 exam fee paid to the exam provider (TREC fee schedule effective December 15, 2025). For other states, check the current fee in your candidate handbook, because license and application fees are charged separately.
PSI and Pearson VUE Test Centers
Most states contract with Pearson VUE or PSI to schedule and deliver the exam at their test centers. Pennsylvania and Texas use Pearson VUE; Pennsylvania switched from PSI on April 1, 2023, so an older PSI real estate practice exam may not match its current outline. Georgia uses PSI. California is the exception: the Department of Real Estate runs its own exam.
The vendor’s candidate handbook is the most important document for your exam. It lists the content outline, question counts, identification rules, rescheduling deadlines and what you may bring into the room. A Pearson VUE real estate practice exam or a PSI one will follow that vendor’s outline, so match your practice material to your state’s vendor.
How to Prepare for the Real Estate Exam
The best real estate practice exam routine combines your course material with frequent timed practice and careful review. A four-week plan works for most candidates who have just finished their course:
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Take a full practice test to find weak topics, then review property ownership and land use |
| 2 | Agency, contracts and state license law |
| 3 | Financing, valuation and real estate math every day |
| 4 | Two timed practice tests, review every explanation, revisit weak topics |
Build your own version with the study planner for exams, and put your test date in the exam countdown so the deadline stays visible.
Take Timed Practice Exams
Timed practice builds the pace you need on exam day. Our real estate exam practice test gives you 45 minutes for 30 national questions; state pages match their own pace, such as 36 minutes for 30 questions in California. Take at least one timed test a week and aim to clear the pass mark or benchmark on several different random sets.
Review Questions With Answers
A real estate practice test with answers teaches you most when you study the explanations. After each attempt, sort missed questions by topic, read the explanation and the “why” note, and write the rule in your own words. You can make flashcards online for formulas and terms such as easement, encroachment and novation. For a broader method, see how to pass an exam.
Test Day Checklist
Arrive ready for a long, focused sitting. Check your candidate handbook for the exact rules, and use this list as a starting point:
- Bring the identification your handbook requires, with a name that matches your registration exactly.
- Bring any course completion or eligibility documents your state requires at check-in.
- Arrive early; late arrivals may be refused entry and lose their fee.
- Check the handbook’s calculator rule before test day; many centers supply one or limit the models allowed.
- Leave phones, smartwatches, notes and bags in the locker or outside the room.
- Read every answer choice on multiple-choice questions before selecting one, and flag hard questions to revisit.
- Budget your time per portion so you do not rush the last questions.
Real Estate Practice Exams by State
Each state practice exam mixes our 108-question national bank with about 22 original state-law questions, so you can practise both portions in one session. Pick your state:
- Real estate practice exam PA: RELRA, the Consumer Notice and the Seller Disclosure Law.
- Real estate practice exam Florida: Chapter 475, FREC rules, brokerage relationships and escrow.
- Real estate practice exam California: DRE law, agency disclosure and California disclosures.
- Texas real estate practice exam: TRELA, TREC rules and promulgated contract forms.
- Georgia real estate practice exam: Georgia license law and BRRETA.
Every one is a real estate practice exam for free, with no account, three modes and explanations for every answer. For other professional tests, browse our licensing exam guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Real Estate Exam Hard?
The real estate exam is hard enough that many first-time candidates fail a portion. In Texas, TREC reports that 71% of first-time sales agent takers passed the national portion and 63% passed the state portion between December 2022 and February 2023. Finishing your course and taking regular timed practice exams makes a clear difference.
Is the Real Estate Exam Multiple Choice?
Yes. State real estate salesperson exams are multiple choice, with one correct answer per question. Florida’s exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and California’s has 150. Many questions are short scenarios, so the skill being tested is applying a rule to a situation, not just recalling a definition.
Is There Math on the Real Estate Exam?
Yes. Real estate math is part of the national (general) portion and of single-exam states such as Florida and California. Expect commissions, prorations, loan-to-value ratios, property tax, capitalization rates and area. The math is arithmetic, not algebra-heavy, and a short list of formulas covers most problems.
How Many Real Estate Exam Questions Are There?
It depends on your state. Pennsylvania and Texas use 120 scored items — 80 national and 40 state — plus unscored pretest items. Florida’s exam has 100 questions and California’s has 150. States that use PSI have their own counts, which you will find in the PSI candidate handbook for your state.
How Many Questions Are on the Real Estate Practice Exam?
Our national real estate practice exam gives you 30 questions by default, drawn at random from a 108-question bank. You can also choose a 10-question set or all 108 questions. Each state practice exam adds about 22 state-law questions to the same national bank.