Table of Contents
How Much Does the Real Estate Exam Cost?
The price of taking the real estate exam depends on what state the person is in. For example, Arizona requires students to pay a fee of $75. For someone in New Jersey, the cost of the exam is $45. If a student has a real estate scholarship, like the one offered by Kris Lindahl Real Estate, the scholarship will cover the student's exam fees. Following the exam, there are also fees associated with background checks, licensure, professional organizations, and more, which the scholarship may also cover.
What Happens if I Don't Pass the Exam?
If someone takes the exam and doesn't pass, all states allow them to take it again. The amount of time they have to wait can vary by state, though. Students need to make sure they understand how long they will need to wait before taking the test again. For example, Connecticut's only rule is that the exam can't be taken on the same day as the failure, but California requires students to wait 18 days before attempting the exam again.
Many states limit the number of attempts a student may have, with the most common numbers being three and five attempts. If a student fails more than the allowed number, they may be required to complete additional coursework or pay an additional fee when they next attempt the exam. In some states, students are given a time limit to pass the test instead of a set number of attempts. For example, Idaho gives students one year to pass the test if they failed initially, and in that year, they can take the test as many times as needed. Some states only require students to retake the portion of the test they failed, which helps speed up the testing process.
What are the Requirements for Taking the Exam?
To take the real estate exam, potential agents need to be at least 18 years of age. They also need to have passed a state-approved pre-licensing course. This is a very important thing to consider and understand. There are many options for real estate courses. Not all of them have the state-approved designation that someone would need when taking the exam.
To sit for the real estate exam, the student must have completed a state-approved pre-licensing course. The state government approves real estate courses, and the state approving the course must be the same one where the real estate exam is being taken. All states have different requirements, so a course from another state won't be acceptable when taking the real estate exam. To learn which pre-licensing courses are approved in a particular state, check that state's official website.
What is the Required Score to Pass?
In most states, the score to pass the real estate exam is 70% or higher. Some states require a higher score than that, but none have requirements beyond 75%. Understanding the passing score for the state in which the exam will be taken is important for anyone who plans to work toward real estate licensure. Ideally, passing with as high of a score as possible helps instill confidence in the potential agent and show that they have the knowledge to proceed with their career.
What Does the Exam Cover?
The exact specifics of the real estate exam will vary, depending on what state the test is taken in. But all exams that deal with real estate have a state section and a national section. That's because there is some universal information that needs to be understood. These include topics such as discrimination laws, HUD rules, and other subjects where the requirements are the same, no matter what state a person is working in as a real estate agent.
But many areas are specific to a particular state. These areas will be on the real estate exam, but they will differ between one state and the next. Even someone who was previously licensed in another state needs to take the pre-licensing course and the exam, in most cases, because of the differing information.
How Long Does the Exam Take?
Like so many areas of the real estate world, the length of the exam will vary from state to state. For example, the exam in Washington State takes 3.5 hours total. People can complete it faster, but they have that length of time to finish it. Ninety minutes of that is for the state section, while the rest of the time is for the national information. In Alabama, the state portion has a 60-minute time allowance, while the national section must be completed in 150 minutes (2.5 hours) or less.
Can the Exam be Taken Online?
The answer to this question ultimately depends on what state a person is trying to become licensed in. While most states didn't previously have a pattern of allowing people to take their real estate exams online, some states have begun making allowances for real estate students to take the exam online.
Whether a particular state allows that is something a person will want to consider before taking their exam that way. If they can't take the test online, the next step is to determine the closest testing facility, so they can schedule an appointment to take the test in person. A little state-specific research can help them plan for their exam.
Preparing for the Real Estate Exam
Anyone who wants to take the real estate exam in their state will want to take the time to learn the proper requirements. Without doing that, it's all too easy to end up with a course that doesn't meet state requirements or not being ready for the fees the exam requires. When preparing to take the real estate exam, remember to check everything required to avoid missing any essential details.