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State real estate commissions, with exams delivered by Pearson VUE or PSI

Real Estate Salesperson License Examination — National (General) Portion

The national half of the salesperson license exam: property, contracts, agency, financing, fair housing and the math every new agent needs.

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PortionsNational (general) portion + a separate state portion — this page covers the national portion only
QuestionsPearson VUE: 80 scored + 5 pretest · PSI: 80 scored + 5–10 unscored experimental items
TimeSet by your state: about 120 minutes (e.g. PSI Ohio) to 150 minutes (e.g. Pearson VUE Texas and Arizona) for the national portion
FormatComputer-based multiple choice with four options; a basic or financial calculator is allowed
WherePearson VUE or PSI test centers, depending on the state (some states also allow remote testing)
Who sits itCandidates who have finished their state's pre-licensing education; hours and eligibility vary by state
PassingSet by each state, usually about 70% correct (e.g. 56 of 80 in Texas, 75% in Arizona); some states report scaled scores

About the exam

In most states you need two things to pass before you can get a real estate salesperson license: a national (general) portion that tests real estate principles and federal law, and a state portion that tests that state's license law and rules. Most states hire Pearson VUE or PSI to write and deliver the exam. Each vendor uses its own national outline. Pearson VUE has eight sections, with contracts and agency the largest. PSI has eleven areas, with contracts the largest at 19%. The two outlines cover the same principles, so this page combines them into one blueprint.

This page covers only the national portion. Your state portion is a separate test on license law, agency rules, forms and penalties, which vary a great deal from state to state. Study your state's outline and your pre-licensing course for that part. A few states don't use a two-part vendor exam at all. California, for example, writes and gives its own 150-question salesperson exam.

Every practice item is original and written to the topics both vendors publish. Items use federal law and widely taught conventions, and they say 'in most states' wherever the practice varies. They are not recalled exam questions.

How we track your progress

Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:

  1. Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
  2. Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
  3. DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
  4. ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
  5. Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.

The exam blueprint

Pearson VUE National Real Estate Content Outline (effective April 1, 2025) and PSI national salesperson content outline (as published in the Ohio candidate bulletin revised July 1, 2026) — 80 national-portion items across 10 areas mapping the Pearson VUE (8 sections) and PSI (11 areas) salesperson outlines — contracts and agency are the largest; weights are QuizMe estimates; state portion not covered. Tap a domain to see its topics.

1 Property characteristics, legal descriptions and ownership about 10% (est.) of the exam
Real versus personal property; fixtures, trade fixtures and emblementsPhysical and economic characteristics of landMetes and bounds, lot and block, and rectangular (government) survey descriptionsAir, surface, subsurface and water rightsFreehold estates: fee simple, defeasible fees and life estatesSeveralty, tenancy in common and joint tenancyCondominiums, cooperatives and other common-interest ownershipOwnership by trusts and business entities

24 practice questions in this domain so far

2 Land use controls and encumbrances about 8% (est.) of the exam
Police power, eminent domain, taxation and escheatZoning, variances, nonconforming use and building codesDeed restrictions, CC&Rs and owners' association rulesEasements, licenses and encroachmentsLiens and lien priority; property tax and special assessmentsSubdivision and other land-development regulation

18 practice questions in this domain so far

3 Property value, appraisal and market analysis about 11% (est.) of the exam
Market value versus market price; characteristics of valuePrinciples of value: substitution, highest and best use, conformity, contributionSteps in the appraisal process and when a licensed or certified appraiser is requiredSales comparison approach and adjusting comparablesCost approach: reproduction versus replacement cost and the three types of depreciationIncome approach, NOI and capitalizationGross rent and gross income multipliersComparative market analysis, broker price opinions and automated valuation models

27 practice questions in this domain so far

4 Real estate contracts about 15% (est.) of the exam
Essential elements of a valid contractExpress versus implied; bilateral versus unilateralValid, void, voidable and unenforceable; executed versus executoryStatute of Frauds, electronic signatures and 'time is of the essence'Offer, counteroffer, acceptance and handling multiple offersPurchase agreements, earnest money, contingencies and equitable titleOptions, installment (land) contracts and lease-purchase agreementsBreach, remedies, liquidated damages, rescission and assignment

36 practice questions in this domain so far

5 Agency and brokerage relationships about 12% (est.) of the exam
Creating agency: express and implied; principal, agent, customerFiduciary duties to clients (care, obedience, loyalty, disclosure, accounting, confidentiality)Duties to customers: honesty, fair dealing, disclosure of known material factsListing agreements: exclusive right to sell, exclusive agency, open, netBuyer and tenant representation agreementsDual agency, designated agency and non-agency relationships (in most states)Agency disclosure and conflicts of interestTerminating agency by performance, expiration, agreement or operation of law

30 practice questions in this domain so far

6 Real estate practice, fair housing and property management about 12% (est.) of the exam
Federal Fair Housing Act protected classes, exemptions and enforcementSteering, blockbusting, redlining and discriminatory advertisingADA accessibility and reasonable accommodations and modificationsAntitrust: price fixing, group boycotts, market allocation, tie-insDo-Not-Call rules, privacy and online advertisingSupervision, independent contractor status and vicarious liabilityErrors and omissions insurance and unauthorized practice of lawHandling earnest money and other people's fundsProperty management agreements, tenant screening and leasing basics

30 practice questions in this domain so far

7 Property disclosures and environmental issues about 9% (est.) of the exam
Seller property condition disclosures and material factsLatent defects, red flags and when to recommend inspectionsLead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978Radon, asbestos, mold and underground storage tanksCERCLA/Superfund liability and Phase I environmental site assessmentsFlood zones, wetlands and flood insurance

21 practice questions in this domain so far

8 Financing and federal lending laws about 9% (est.) of the exam
Promissory note versus mortgage or deed of trust; lien versus title theoryConventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans; PMI and MIPAmortized, ARM, balloon, interest-only, reverse and home equity loansMortgage clauses: acceleration, due-on-sale, prepayment, subordinationPrimary and secondary mortgage marketsTruth in Lending, Regulation Z advertising triggers and TRID timingRESPA kickbacks and referral fees; ECOAMortgage fraud and predatory lending

21 practice questions in this domain so far

9 Transfer of title, recording and closing about 6% (est.) of the exam
Elements of a valid deed; general warranty, special warranty, bargain and sale, quitclaimVoluntary versus involuntary alienation; adverse possessionRecording, constructive versus actual notice, chain of titleTitle searches, title insurance and clouds on titleClosing: settlement parties, escrow and when title passesForeclosures, short sales and probate transfers

15 practice questions in this domain so far

10 Real estate math about 8% (est.) of the exam
Area, square footage and acreageCommission and commission splitsProrations, debits and credits at closingSeller's net proceeds and buyer's cash to closeLoan-to-value, points, interest and PITIProperty tax, cap rate, equity and return on investment

18 practice questions in this domain so far

What you get when you access this exam

Free with your QuizMe account.

Questions aligned to both national outlines

Every question is tagged to one of 10 areas that map Pearson VUE's eight sections and PSI's eleven areas — ownership, land use, valuation, contracts, agency, practice, disclosures, financing, title and math.

Exam-critical hints

Reveal the principle that unlocks the question — the contract rule, the agency duty, the federal law or the math setup. Every answer comes with the full rationale and worked solution.

Adaptive testing

Questions steer toward your weakest areas, weighted by our estimate of how much each counts on the real exam, and get harder as you get stronger.

Timed practice exams

Full-length national-portion exams at a realistic pace — 80 questions in 2 hours — with a live pacing indicator and a full review.

Flashcards, case simulations and guides

100 flashcards for estates, deeds, agency duties, loan terms, fair housing and math formulas, 6 case simulations where a listing, offer, inspection, loan and closing unfold step by step, and 4 illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.

Progress for every blueprint area

Each area moves from Not started to Getting started, Developing, Proficient and Exam ready — so you know exactly what to study next.

Test at home or at a center

Finish your state's pre-licensing education, apply to your state commission or its vendor as your state requires, then schedule with Pearson VUE or PSI. Most states let you take the national and state portions together and retake only the portion you fail, within a time limit your state sets.

At a test center

  • The exam is computer-based at a Pearson VUE or PSI center, depending on your state.
  • Bring the photo ID your candidate handbook lists. The name must match your registration.
  • Silent, non-programmable calculators are allowed. Check your handbook for which models.
  • Most states show a score report before you leave, listing each portion separately.

Before you book

  • Download your state's candidate handbook. It sets the time, the cut score and the retake rules.
  • Read your state's content outline for the state portion. This page doesn't cover it.
  • Check whether your state needs fingerprints or a background check before or after the exam.
  • Find out how long a passing score stays valid before you must apply for the license.

Exam-day game plan

How to walk in ready — and how to pace 80 national-portion questions in 2 hours.

Pacing checkpoints

Hit these and you finish with time to revisit your flagged questions. Our timed practice exams run at this same pace.

20questions0:30
40questions1:00
60questions1:30
80questions2:00

The week before

  • Take one full-length timed practice exam 3–5 days out, then rest.
  • Spend your last sessions on the heaviest areas — contracts, agency and practice/fair housing — plus anything still below Proficient.
  • Rework every math type from a blank page: commission splits, prorations, seller's net, LTV and points, cap rate and acreage.
  • Say out loud the difference between void, voidable and unenforceable, and between a client and a customer.

Exam morning

  • Eat a real breakfast. The national and state portions together can run about four hours.
  • Arrive 30 minutes early with the ID your handbook lists and your approved calculator.
  • Use the restroom right before you start.

During the exam

  • Read the last line of the stem first so you know what is being asked: the best action, the first step, or what is NOT allowed.
  • Watch for 'in most states' and federal-law wording. Answer the national portion with general principles, not your state's rules.
  • For prorations, use the day count and convention the question gives (365-day year or 30-day months) and check who pays for the closing day.
  • Flag long math items and come back to them after the quick ones.
  • Some questions are unscored and you can't tell which ones, so give every item your best.

Keep your head

  • A few nerves sharpen focus. If you freeze, take three slow breaths and reread the stem.
  • You're measured against a fixed passing standard, not other test-takers.
  • Change an answer only when you find a real reason in the stem.

License renewal / CE varies by state

  • Passing the exam doesn't license you yet. You apply to your state commission, usually within a set time and under a sponsoring broker.
  • License terms, renewal fees and continuing education hours are set by each state.
  • Many states require post-licensing education in your first license term, plus regular CE that often includes fair housing, agency or ethics topics.
  • Check your state real estate commission for current renewal and CE requirements.

Official sources and further reading

Ready to start?

240 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.

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Real estate salesperson licenses are issued by individual state real estate commissions. Pearson VUE and PSI are trademarks of their owners. QuizMe and thinQtank Learning are not affiliated with or endorsed by any state real estate commission, Pearson VUE, PSI or ARELLO. Our practice items are original. They are not recalled exam questions. This page covers the national (general) portion only. The state portion, which tests your state's license law and rules, is separate and not covered. Exam details are summarized from published vendor outlines and candidate handbooks. Time limits, cut scores, fees and eligibility vary by state and change, so always check your state's current candidate handbook. Our 10-area weights are QuizMe estimates averaged from the Pearson VUE and PSI national outlines.