How Many Questions Are on the Real Estate Exam? State-by-State Guide (2026)
Most state real estate exams have about 110 to 150 questions, split into a national portion (usually 80 scored questions) and a state portion, and you typically need 70% to 75% on each portion to pass. The exact count, time limit and passing score depend on your state, so the table below shows what each state’s board or exam vendor publishes, with a link to that state’s exam prep courses.
Updated October 2026, from each state’s real estate commission and its exam vendor’s candidate bulletin.
How the real estate exam is structured
In most states the salesperson exam has two parts:
- The national (general) portion covers real estate principles and practices that apply everywhere: property ownership, land use, valuation, financing, agency, contracts and real estate math. In most states that publish it, this portion has 80 scored questions.
- The state portion covers your state’s license law, commission rules and practices. It’s usually shorter, from 30 questions (Maryland, Washington) to 74 (Colorado).
Each portion is usually scored separately, so you have to pass both. A few states use a single combined exam, such as California (150 questions), New Jersey (110) and Michigan (115), and Wisconsin requires only its state exam.
Real estate exam questions, time and passing scores by state
| State | Given by | Questions | Time | Passing score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — | — |
| Arizona | Pearson VUE | 80 national + 60 state (plus 5 unscored each) | 150 + 90 min | 75% on each |
| Arkansas | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| California | California DRE | 150 | 3 hours | 70% |
| Colorado | PSI | 80 national + 74 state | 120 + 110 min | 60 and 53 correct |
| Connecticut | PSI | — | — | — |
| Delaware | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| Florida | Pearson VUE | 100 | 3.5 hours | 75 |
| Georgia | PSI | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | PSI | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — | — |
| Illinois | PSI | 100 national + 40 state | 150 + 90 min | 70% national, 75% state |
| Indiana | Pearson VUE | 145 | 240 min | Scaled 75 |
| Iowa | PSI | 80 national + 40 state | 180 min | 84 combined, 28 state |
| Kansas | Pearson VUE | — | — | Scaled 70 on each |
| Kentucky | PSI | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | Pearson VUE | — | — | Scaled 70 on each |
| Maine | Pearson VUE | — | — | 75% |
| Maryland | PSI | 80 national + 30 state | 120 min | 56 and 21 correct |
| Massachusetts | PSI | 80 general + 40 state | 240 min | 70% |
| Michigan | PSI | 115 | 180 min | 70% (80 correct) |
| Minnesota | — | — | — | 75% on each |
| Mississippi | PSI | — | — | 70% general, 75% state |
| Missouri | PSI | — | — | — |
| Montana | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — | 75% |
| Nevada | Pearson VUE | 80 general + state portion | 240 min | — |
| New Hampshire | PSI | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | PSI | 110 | 4 hours | 70% (77 correct) |
| New Mexico | — | — | — | 75 on each |
| New York | NY Department of State | — | 1.5 hours | Pass/fail only |
| North Carolina | Pearson VUE | 80 national + 60 state (plus 10 unscored) | Up to 4.5 hours | 75 on each |
| North Dakota | PSI | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — | 70 on each |
| Oklahoma | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| Oregon | PSI | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — | Passing grade on each part |
| Rhode Island | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | PSI | 80 national + 40 state | 200 min | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — | 75% |
| Tennessee | PSI | 80 national + 40 state | — | 70% on each |
| Texas | Pearson VUE | — | — | 70% on each |
| Utah | Pearson VUE | — | Up to 4 hours | — |
| Vermont | PSI (national); state exam online | — | — | — |
| Virginia | PSI | 80 national + 40 state | 150 min | 56 and 30 correct |
| Washington | PSI | National + 30 state | — | Scaled 70 on each |
| West Virginia | Pearson VUE | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | Pearson VUE | State exam only | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — | — |
A dash means the official sources we reviewed don’t state that figure; your state’s candidate handbook from the exam vendor has the current details. Counts are scored questions for the salesperson exam.
Passing scores: percentages vs. scaled scores
Some states report a simple percentage, such as Texas (70% on each portion) or Florida (75). Others use scaled scores, which adjust for small differences in difficulty between versions of the exam. Kansas, Louisiana and Washington require a scaled 70, and Indiana a scaled 75. A scaled score isn’t the same as the percentage of questions you got right. Several states, including Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan and Utah, show a numeric score only to candidates who fail.
Retakes and time limits
Most states let you retake only the portion you failed, but the deadlines matter:
- Texas: fail either portion three times and you need more education before retesting; a passed portion stays valid for one year.
- North Carolina: pass both sections within your 180-day eligibility period, and wait 10 days between attempts.
- Illinois: up to four attempts in a two-year eligibility period.
- Tennessee: retest 24 hours after a failure, but wait 30 days after a second failure.
- New Mexico: pass both portions within 90 days of your first attempt.
How to prepare
- Finish your pre-license course first. In many states you can’t schedule until your school reports your completion.
- Study the content outline. Your vendor’s candidate handbook lists every topic and how many questions it carries.
- Don’t neglect the state portion. It’s shorter but often has a higher passing score, as in Illinois (75% vs. 70% national) and Mississippi.
- Practice under time. Unscored pretest questions count against your clock in many states.
For a study plan, see our real estate exam prep guide.
Common questions about the real estate exam
How many questions are on the real estate exam?
It depends on your state. Most states split the exam into a national portion, usually 80 scored questions, and a state portion of about 30 to 74 questions. Totals in the states that publish them range from 110 (Maryland, New Jersey) to 154 (Colorado), and California's single exam has 150 questions.
What score do you need to pass the real estate exam?
Usually 70% to 75% on each portion. Texas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan and California require 70%; Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Minnesota and New Mexico require 75. Some states use scaled scores instead of percentages.
How long is the real estate exam?
Usually 3 to 4 hours for both portions. New York's is shortest at 1.5 hours; North Carolina allows up to 4.5 hours.
Who gives the real estate exam?
Most states use PSI or Pearson VUE. California and New York run their own exams.
Do I have to pass both portions at once?
No, in most states. You retake only the portion you failed, but the passed portion usually expires, often after 6 to 12 months, so plan your retake quickly.
Are there unscored questions on the exam?
Often, yes. Many states add 5 to 10 unscored pretest questions that count against your time but not your score, including Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and North Carolina.
Find exam prep for your state: pick your state in the table above to compare exam prep courses and see its full licensing steps.