How the salesperson exam works, what the national portion covers, plus a free practice quiz and real estate math cheat sheet.
Take the Free Practice Quiz Get the Math Cheat SheetEvery state runs its own licensing, but most salesperson exams follow the same pattern. Most states use a testing company like PSI or Pearson VUE, and you take the exam on a computer at a test center.
Based on PSI's national salesperson content outline. Other providers cover the same core topics with slightly different weights.
The details differ by state, but the path looks like this almost everywhere.
Required hours vary a lot, from about 40 in some states to well over 100 in others.
Many states require a background check or fingerprints before you're approved to test.
In most states that means both the national and state portions, usually within a set time window.
New agents work under a broker. This choice shapes your income, training and support, so compare your options.
Submit your activation with your broker and start working with clients.
Many states have reciprocity agreements. If you're licensed by exam in one state, you can get licensed in a partner state without redoing the full prelicensing course, and often without retaking the full exam. Some states only ask you to pass their state law portion. Prelicensing hours vary a lot from state to state, so getting licensed where it's quicker first and then transferring can save real time.
“I got my license in Massachusetts first. It was 40 hours instead of Connecticut's 60, and I could do the course online around my schedule. Once I passed, I transferred my license to Connecticut through reciprocity. Fewer hours, and a lot easier.”
Sean Wilding · iCONN Team at LPT Realty
Reciprocity agreements are set state by state and can change. New York, for example, ended its agreement with Connecticut. Confirm the current rules with both states' licensing agencies before you enroll. Testing in Connecticut? See CT's reciprocity details.
25 original national-portion questions weighted like the real exam, with an explanation after every answer. Testing in Connecticut? Add 15 CT state questions.
Start the QuizEvery formula you need (commission, prorations, loan-to-value, acreage, appreciation, points and more) with a worked example for each.
Exam format, fees and licensing steps for specific states.
115 questions, passing score, fees, the 5 steps to get licensed, reciprocity with 12 states, and 15 CT state practice questions.
Read the CT guide →Testing somewhere else? The practice quiz and math cheat sheet cover the national portion, which is the same core material in every state.
Not exactly. The national portion covers the same core topics everywhere. The state portion tests that state's license law and rules, and question counts, time limits, fees and passing scores vary by state.
It depends on your state. Passing scores are commonly in the 70% to 75% range. Your state's candidate handbook lists the exact requirement.
Rules vary by testing provider. Some ban personal calculators and offer an on-screen one. Check your candidate handbook before test day.
In most states, no. You'll need a sponsoring broker to activate your license, so it's smart to start comparing while you study.
Learn the handful of core formulas (commission, prorations, loan-to-value, area, appreciation and points) and practice them until they're automatic. The free cheat sheet has all of them with worked examples.
Choosing your first brokerage is the biggest decision of your first year. LPT Realty operates in all 50 states, and Sean Wilding and his business partners on the iCONN Team help new agents get started wherever they're licensed.
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