On this page
The exam at a glance
Pearson VUE's Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook (September 2026) gives the official numbers for the sales exam:
National portion: what's on it
The national/general content outline for salespersons (effective March 1, 2025) spreads its 80 scored items across eight areas. Contracts and agency is the biggest single block.
- Real property characteristics, legal descriptions and property use: 11
- Forms of ownership, transfer and recording of title: 9
- Property value and appraisal: 11
- Real estate contracts and agency: 16
- Real estate practice (broker duties, brokerage agreements, fair housing, risk management): 10
- Property disclosures and environmental issues: 9
- Financing and settlement: 7
- Real estate math calculations: 7
Check yourself
4 quick questions on this topic
Question 1 of 4
A consumer is financially harmed by a Texas license holder's fraudulent act and obtains a court judgment that the license holder cannot pay. Which TREC-administered fund may provide limited recovery?
Answer: B. The Real Estate Recovery Trust Account, administered by TREC, can reimburse aggrieved consumers (up to statutory limits) who obtain a court judgment against a license holder for certain violations and cannot collect it. The license holder's license is suspended until the fund is repaid.
Question 2 of 4
When a Colorado licensee fills in the blanks on a standard purchase contract for residential property, which forms must generally be used?
Answer: B. Colorado brokers must use the standard contracts and forms approved/promulgated by the Colorado Real Estate Commission when acting in their licensed capacity. Brokers may complete these forms but may not practice law by drafting their own purchase contracts.
Question 3 of 4
Texas requires the Legal Update CE specifically so license holders stay current on which of the following?
Answer: D. The mandatory TREC Legal Update courses keep license holders current on changes in Texas statutes, TREC rules, promulgated contract forms, and required practices and disclosures, which is why they are a fixed component of the 18-hour CE requirement.
Question 4 of 4
What fund did Texas establish to reimburse consumers who obtain a court judgment against a license holder for fraud or misrepresentation that cannot be collected?
Answer: A. The Real Estate Recovery Trust Account reimburses aggrieved consumers who hold an uncollectible court judgment against a license holder arising from a violation of the License Act in a brokerage transaction.
Keep the streak going with more questions like these, each with a full rationale.
State portion: Texas law
The Texas sales agent state law outline (effective January 1, 2026) has 40 scored items. References to 'the Act' mean the Texas Real Estate License Act, and 'TREC Rules' means the rules issued by the Texas Real Estate Commission.
- Commission duties and powers (complaints, penalties, Recovery Trust Account): 3
- Licensing (activities requiring a license, the licensing process, renewal and continuing education): 3
- Standards of conduct (ethics, discipline, trust accounts, fees, rebates, advertising): 9
- Agency/brokerage (disclosure, intermediary practice, minimum services, broker-sales agent relationships): 11
- Contracts (TREC promulgated forms, statute of frauds, seller disclosure): 9
- Special topics (community property, homestead, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, foreclosure, liens, HOAs and more): 5
How scoring works
Your score is a raw count of correct answers on the scored items. You need 56 of 80 on the national portion and 28 of 40 on the state portion, which is 70% of the scored items on each. Pretest items are mixed in and unmarked, so answer everything.
Pearson VUE uses several versions (forms) of each exam and equates them statistically, so no form is easier than another. If you fail a portion, your score report shows how many you got right in each content area. Use that to aim your restudy.
Math: what to memorize and what to bring
Math is only 7 of the 80 national items, but it also shows up inside valuation and financing questions. The handbook says two facts are not given at the test center, so memorize them: 43,560 square feet per acre and 5,280 feet per mile. Proration questions tell you whether to use a 360- or 365-day year and who owns the day of closing.
Calculators aren't required but are recommended. Bring a hand-held, battery or solar financial calculator with no alpha keys. Test center staff don't provide one.
How to schedule the Texas real estate exam
Bring your TREC eligibility letter and proper ID, and arrive 30 minutes early. Phones, watches, bags and notes stay outside the testing room.
- Complete 180 hours of qualifying education (six 30-hour courses) and upload your certificates in TREC's REALM portal.
- Submit your sales agent application and fee to TREC, and get fingerprinted for the background check.
- Wait for TREC's eligibility email or letter with your ID number.
- Reserve with Pearson VUE online or by phone at least 24 hours ahead. Walk-ins aren't available.
- To change or cancel, call Pearson VUE at least 48 hours before your exam, or you forfeit the fee.
If you don't pass a portion
You only retake the portion you failed. You must wait 24 hours before booking, and pay the $58 fee again. Retakes must happen within one year of the date you filed your TREC application.
You get three attempts. After a third failure, Texas requires extra education before you can retest: 30 hours if you failed one portion, 60 if you failed both. Send the certificates and your third failed score report to TREC, then allow 5–7 business days for processing.
Practice for both portions
Many candidates over-study the national portion and underrate Texas law. The state portion's agency and brokerage items (11) and contracts items (9) are where TREC-specific rules like intermediary practice and promulgated forms show up. The Cinna RE bank has 151 Texas state questions plus 105 math and 579 agency questions. Start with the practice quiz on this page, then do the Texas set timed at about 90 seconds per question.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Texas real estate exam?
240 minutes (4 hours) for both portions together: 150 minutes for the national portion and 90 minutes for the state portion, per Pearson VUE's Texas handbook.
How much is the Texas real estate exam?
$58, paid to Pearson VUE when you reserve. The fee is non-refundable, and a retake of a failed portion costs another $58.
Can you take the Texas real estate exam online?
Pearson VUE's Texas candidate handbook describes testing at Pearson VUE test centers, with reservations made online or by phone and no walk-ins. It doesn't describe a remote option, so plan on a test center.
How do I schedule the Texas real estate exam?
Once TREC approves your application and education, it sends an eligibility letter with your ID number. Use it to reserve a seat with Pearson VUE online or by phone at least 24 hours ahead.
How difficult is the Texas real estate exam?
You must answer 70% of scored items correctly on each portion separately (56 of 80 national, 28 of 40 state). Passing one portion doesn't make up for the other.
Keep studying
Sources
Checked against official sources