Real estate exam passing score, state by state
Each state sets its own. Where the exam is split into a national and a state portion, most pass each one at 70% (Texas, Ohio) or 75% (Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona); on an 80-question national portion that is 56 or 60 correct. California's single exam passes at 70%, Florida's at 75 of 100, and New York reports only pass or fail.
- 70% / 75%
- the two common lines
- 56 / 60
- of 80 national questions
- 11
- states sourced below
- 53%
- New York's reported pass rate
Last checked · Every row from the state commission or the vendor's state handbook, checked 13 November 2026
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How this is scored
What is the real estate exam passing score in each state?
The table has the eleven largest states we could source, each from the commission's own page or the vendor's handbook for that state. Georgia and New Jersey are left out because we could not confirm their current figures.
Salesperson exam by state: vendor, questions, pass line, time and fee
California
- Vendor
- Department of Real Estate (its own exam)
- Questions
- 150 in one exam (no separate national portion)
- Passing score
- 70%
- Time
- 3 hours
- Exam fee
- $100 (re-exam $100)
- Source
- California DRE, "Taking the Exam"; California DRE, Fees. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Texas
- Vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Questions
- National 80 scored + 5 pretest; state 40 scored (the handbook lists 50 items with pretest)
- Passing score
- 70% on each portion (56 of 80 national, 28 of 40 state)
- Time
- 150 min national, 90 min state (240 for both)
- Exam fee
- $58
- Source
- Pearson VUE, Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook, September 2026 (#094400); TREC, Fee Schedule effective September 1, 2026. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Florida
- Vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Questions
- 100 in one state exam (no separate national portion)
- Passing score
- 75 of 100
- Time
- 3.5 hours
- Exam fee
- $57.75 (DBPR 2023 fee table; confirm when booking)
- Source
- Florida DBPR, Candidate Information Booklet: Real Estate Sales Associate Examination; Florida DBPR, Computer Based Testing examination fees (2023). Checked 13 Nov 2026
New York
- Vendor
- Department of State (its own exam)
- Questions
- Not published by the Department of State
- Passing score
- Not published: results are pass or fail only
- Time
- 1.5 hours
- Exam fee
- $15
- Source
- New York Department of State, "Become a Real Estate Salesperson"; New York Department of State, Real Estate Board meeting transcript, February 5, 2025. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Pennsylvania
- Vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Questions
- National 80, state 40 (plus 5 to 10 pretest items)
- Passing score
- 75% on each portion
- Time
- 150 min national, 60 min state
- Exam fee
- $52 national, $49 state
- Source
- Pearson VUE, Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission Candidate Handbook, October 2026 (#093900). Checked 13 Nov 2026
Illinois
- Vendor
- PSI
- Questions
- National 100, state 40 (the entry licence is called "broker")
- Passing score
- 70% national, 75% state
- Time
- 150 min national, 90 min state
- Exam fee
- $58
- Source
- PSI, Illinois Real Estate Examination Program candidate bulletin. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Ohio
- Vendor
- PSI
- Questions
- National 80, state 40
- Passing score
- 70% scaled on each portion
- Time
- 120 min national, 60 min state
- Exam fee
- $66 both, $46 national only, $43 state only
- Source
- Ohio Administrative Code 1301:5-1-05, Examinations; PSI, Ohio real estate candidate bulletin. Checked 13 Nov 2026
North Carolina
- Vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Questions
- National 80, state 60 scored, plus 10 pretest
- Passing score
- 75 on each section
- Time
- 4.5 hours for both
- Exam fee
- $63 both, $53 one section
- Source
- North Carolina Real Estate Commission, Licensing FAQs; NCREC, Real Estate Licensing in North Carolina (RELINC), April 2026. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Michigan
- Vendor
- PSI
- Questions
- 115 in one exam
- Passing score
- 70% (80 correct)
- Time
- 180 min
- Exam fee
- $79 (bulletin figure; confirm when booking)
- Source
- PSI, Michigan real estate candidate bulletin. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Virginia
- Vendor
- PSI
- Questions
- National 80 scored, plus a state portion
- Passing score
- 56 correct on the national portion (70%); state as the bulletin sets
- Time
- Not stated in the text we could read
- Exam fee
- $60
- Source
- PSI, Virginia real estate candidate bulletin (revised February 18, 2026); Virginia DPOR, Real Estate Board: Pre-License Education. Checked 13 Nov 2026
Arizona
- Vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Questions
- General 80 scored + 5 pretest; state 60 scored + 5 pretest
- Passing score
- 75%
- Time
- 150 min general, 90 min state
- Exam fee
- $70 general, $60 state (retakes the same)
- Source
- Pearson VUE, Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook (#090300). Checked 13 Nov 2026
We read every row through the text of the source named in it, checked on 13 November 2026. Fees and handbooks change, sometimes more than once a year, so confirm yours on the commission's site or in the vendor's current handbook when you book. Where a source left something out or two sources disagreed, the cell says so rather than guessing.
Illinois has no salesperson license: new agents take the broker exam, which is why its national portion is 100 questions. Michigan gives one combined 115-question exam.
What are the retake and timing rules in each state?
They differ more than the pass lines do: how many attempts you get, how long you wait, and how long a passed portion stays valid. These are the rules each source states.
California
Department of Real Estate (its own exam)
The DRE writes and gives its own exam. Passing candidates are not told their score.
Source: California DRE, "Taking the Exam"; California DRE, Fees. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Texas
Pearson VUE
Three attempts at both portions before the application expires; each portion passed is good for one year.
Source: Pearson VUE, Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook, September 2026 (#094400); TREC, Fee Schedule effective September 1, 2026. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Florida
Pearson VUE
Florida tests its own law and principles in one exam, so the national outline is only part of it.
Source: Florida DBPR, Candidate Information Booklet: Real Estate Sales Associate Examination; Florida DBPR, Computer Based Testing examination fees (2023). Checked 13 Nov 2026.
New York
Department of State (its own exam)
A pass is valid for two years. The Department reported a 53% pass rate on the salesperson exam in the year before February 2025.
Source: New York Department of State, "Become a Real Estate Salesperson"; New York Department of State, Real Estate Board meeting transcript, February 5, 2025. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Pennsylvania
Pearson VUE
Fail one portion and you retake only that one. Results are good for three years from the first pass.
Source: Pearson VUE, Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission Candidate Handbook, October 2026 (#093900). Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Illinois
PSI
Up to four attempts; you repeat only the portion you failed. Illinois has no salesperson licence: new agents sit the broker exam.
Source: PSI, Illinois Real Estate Examination Program candidate bulletin. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Ohio
PSI
Both portions must be passed within 12 months of the Division telling PSI you are eligible.
Source: Ohio Administrative Code 1301:5-1-05, Examinations; PSI, Ohio real estate candidate bulletin. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
North Carolina
Pearson VUE
Wait at least 10 calendar days after a failed exam; no limit on attempts inside the 180-day eligibility window.
Source: North Carolina Real Estate Commission, Licensing FAQs; NCREC, Real Estate Licensing in North Carolina (RELINC), April 2026. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Michigan
PSI
Passing candidates see only PASS, not a score. A newer PSI bulletin for Michigan lists different fees for other licences, so check yours.
Source: PSI, Michigan real estate candidate bulletin. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Virginia
PSI
The bulletin lists two state-portion pass figures (30 and 38); read the one for your licence in the current bulletin.
Source: PSI, Virginia real estate candidate bulletin (revised February 18, 2026); Virginia DPOR, Real Estate Board: Pre-License Education. Checked 13 Nov 2026.
Arizona
Pearson VUE
You need two score reports, one General and one State, to apply.
Source: Pearson VUE, Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook (#090300). Checked 13 Nov 2026.
How is the national portion scored?
Both big vendors' salesperson outlines have 80 scored national questions. Pearson VUE adds 5 unscored pretest items, so you may see 85 questions but only 80 count. Your score is the share of scored questions you get right, against your state's line.
| Pass line | Correct needed | You can miss | States using it (from the table) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70% | 56 of 80 | 24 | Texas, Ohio, Virginia (national) |
| 75% | 60 of 80 | 20 | Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona |
Ohio reports a scaled score with 70 as the pass mark rather than a raw percent; the handbook explains the scale. Several states tell you only "pass" if you pass and give a breakdown by area only if you fail.
You cannot tell the pretest items from the scored ones, so answer every question as if it counts. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave one blank.
What score should I aim for in practice?
75% or more on two full mocks of questions you have not seen. It clears both common lines and leaves a margin, because a practice test is never a perfect copy of the real one.
Our real estate exam practice test has 80 questions on a 120-minute clock, every one scored, and shows your result against both lines. Our bands are Building from 60%, Close from 70%, At the line from 75% and Strong from 85%. A Close result is a pass in Texas and a fail in Pennsylvania, so know your state's line.
Look at your weakest area as well as the total. Contracts and agency carry the most national questions; if either is under 70%, drill it before you book, using the free drills on how to pass the real estate exam.
Our practice covers the national portion and real estate math only. The state portion has its own pass line and tests your state's own license law, so prepare for it from your pre-licensing course and the commission's handbook.
Clear 75% before you book
Six full 80-question mocks scored against both lines, and four drills for each content area.
The Real Estate Exam Pass Pack gives you 6 full mocks on the real clock, 36 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The Real Estate Exam Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 6
- timed mocks
- 36
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
What happens if you fail the real estate exam?
In most states you retake only the portion you failed and pay the exam fee again. Some states cap attempts or make you wait: Texas allows three attempts at each portion before the application expires, and North Carolina makes you wait at least 10 days.
The fee is the smallest cost. The bigger ones are the wait for a new slot, the eligibility window that keeps running, and the months before your first commission. If a result shows a weak area, drill it on new questions and take a full timed mock before you rebook.
For comparison, Pearson VUE sells its own general real estate practice test at $19.95 for one attempt. Our first full mock and nine drills are free; the Pass Pack, with six mocks and 36 drills, costs less than a single retake fee in most of the states in the table above.
What percentage of people pass the real estate exam?
Few states publish one. New York's Department of State reported that 53% of 19,558 salesperson candidates passed in the year before its February 2025 board meeting. We found no other official rate and quote none.
Rates you see elsewhere, often "about half", are usually estimates. New York writes its own exam, so its rate is not a measure of the Pearson VUE or PSI national portion. What it does show is that a first attempt is far from certain, even after the course hours. The real estate license exam guide covers how the exam is built.
Frequently asked questions
Is the real estate exam passing score 70 or 75?
How many questions can I miss on the national portion?
Do I have to pass both portions at once?
Why is my state not in the table?
Where do these numbers come from?
Know you are over the line
Six full real estate exam-style mocks of 80 questions, four drills per area and every answer explained, for one payment.
The Real Estate Exam Pass Pack gives you 6 full mocks on the real clock, 36 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The Real Estate Exam Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 6
- timed mocks
- 36
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
Sources
- California DRE, "Taking the Exam"
- California DRE, Fees
- Pearson VUE, Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook, September 2026 (#094400)
- TREC, Fee Schedule effective September 1, 2026
- Florida DBPR, Candidate Information Booklet: Real Estate Sales Associate Examination
- Florida DBPR, Computer Based Testing examination fees (2023)
- New York Department of State, "Become a Real Estate Salesperson"
- New York Department of State, Real Estate Board meeting transcript, February 5, 2025
- Pearson VUE, Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission Candidate Handbook, October 2026 (#093900)
- PSI, Illinois Real Estate Examination Program candidate bulletin
- Ohio Administrative Code 1301:5-1-05, Examinations
- PSI, Ohio real estate candidate bulletin
- North Carolina Real Estate Commission, Licensing FAQs
- NCREC, Real Estate Licensing in North Carolina (RELINC), April 2026
- PSI, Michigan real estate candidate bulletin
- PSI, Virginia real estate candidate bulletin (revised February 18, 2026)
- Virginia DPOR, Real Estate Board: Pre-License Education
- Pearson VUE, Arizona Real Estate Candidate Handbook (#090300)
- Pearson VUE, Real Estate Practice Tests