120 questions (80 national + 40 MA) · 150 + 90 minutes · 70% to pass · $56 exam fee · MBRRE
Format, passing rule, fees, what the MA portion covers, and 2,500+ free practice questions — verified against the PSI candidate materials.
Massachusetts requires pre-license education through the Board of Registration before candidates can take the licensing exam. The state's competitive Boston-area market and strong academic presence make real estate a lucrative career choice.
| Salesperson Exam | Exam Fee | Licensing Authority | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 Q / 240 min / 70% pass | $56 | MBRRE | Per MBRRE |
Source: Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons · Salary data: BLS OEWS · Our methodology
From the PSI content outline · candidate handbook · verified 2026-09-18
| Area | Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements governing licensees | 13 | |
| Consumer protection laws | 5 | |
| Licensing requirements | 4 | |
| Environmental issues and hazardous materials | 4 | |
| Massachusetts fair housing law | 4 | |
| Landlord tenant law | 4 | |
| Duties and powers of the Board of Registration | 2 | |
| Contracts | 2 | |
| Additional topics | 2 | |
| Total scored Massachusetts questions | 40 |
70% to pass, on a General portion (80 items, 150 minutes) and a State portion (40 items, 90 minutes). Pass one and fail the other and you retake only the failed portion — but only while your Educational Certificate is still alive.
150 minutes for the General portion plus 90 minutes for the State portion — 240 minutes total
You cannot rebook the same day you test. Retake only the portion you failed, and finish it within two years of the completion date on your Educational Certificate — if that certificate expires first, the passed portion is voided and both portions must be taken again.
Pre-license education: 40 hours. Your license is issued dated the day you passed, and expires on your birthday — so the first term runs between two and three years depending on when you pass.
The state-specific points that show up as questions. Each cites where it comes from.
A partial pass dies with your Educational Certificate
Pass one portion and fail the other and you retake only the failed one — but it must be done within two years of the completion date on your Educational Certificate. If that certificate expires, the portion you already passed expires with it, and a new certificate means sitting BOTH portions again.
Source: PSI bulletin, Scheduling Procedures
Your license expires on your birthday
The issue date is the day you passed; the expiration date is your date of birth. So the first term is never exactly two years — it runs between two and three depending on how far your birthday sits from your pass date.
Source: PSI bulletin, License Issuance
Landlord-tenant law is four questions
Massachusetts puts landlord tenant law, fair housing, and environmental hazards on the state portion at four items each — twelve questions on subjects many national courses barely touch. Consumer protection adds five more.
Source: PSI bulletin, State Portion Content Outline
Requirements governing licensees is a third of the state portion
13 of 40 items — advertising, broker/salesperson relationships, commissions and disclosures. No other area comes close. Start there.
Source: PSI bulletin, State Portion Content Outline
Cancel more than two days out or lose the fee
Miss your appointment, or cancel or change it inside two days, and the fee is forfeited — and you cannot reschedule until you pay a retake fee. The exam fee is otherwise valid one year from payment.
Source: PSI bulletin, Examination Fee
The 15-minute tutorial is free time
Up to 15 minutes of introductory tutorial does not count against your 240 minutes. Remaining time shows at the top of the screen, one question at a time.
Source: PSI bulletin, Tutorial
Launch within 30 minutes, start within 15
Booking online, you can launch within 30 minutes of your slot, but not starting within 15 minutes of it forfeits the fee or your test eligibility.
Source: PSI bulletin, Scheduling Procedures
Forty hours, and the certificate is the clock
Forty hours of pre-licensure education at a Board-approved school, and the Educational Certificate it produces is what everything else is measured against — not your course end date, not your first exam.
Source: PSI bulletin, Salesperson Applicants Must
You need three endorsements, and classmates do not count
Massachusetts requires three complete candidate endorsements from people unrelated to you. They need not be Massachusetts residents — but classmates you know only from the real estate course may NOT sign. Line these up while you are studying, not after you pass.
Source: PSI bulletin, Salesperson Applicants Must
Practice the Massachusetts portion
State-specific questions with the rule behind each answer.
Sources
Exam facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-09-18. Exam fees and formats change; the candidate handbook is authoritative.
Looking for a MA exam PDF?
MBRRE publishes the official format online rather than as a downloadable PDF. The practice questions below come with explanations, which a printed answer key cannot give you.
Take a full 120-question timed mock exam that simulates the actual Massachusetts licensing test. Get instant feedback and detailed explanations.
Massachusetts now requires 2 hours of ethics training in every CE cycle.
Note: This information is for reference only. Always verify current requirements with the MBRRE.
Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
(MBRRE)
$56
per exam attempt
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Requirements:
Requirements:
The Massachusetts real estate exam has a first-time pass rate of approximately 54%. The salesperson exam consists of 120 scored questions with a pass point of 70. With EstatePass practice tests, our students achieve a 94% pass rate.
The Massachusetts salesperson exam has 120 scored questions with 240 minutes to complete (about 2 minutes per question). The broker exam has 115 questions with 240 minutes. The pass point is 70.
Massachusetts real estate license costs include: exam fee ($56), pre-license courses ($200-$500), license application fee ($100-$300), and background check ($50-$100). Total budget: approximately $400-$1,000.
Massachusetts licenses renew on a fixed cycle with a continuing-education requirement, both set by Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons. Check MBRRE for the current renewal period and CE hours.
The Massachusetts salesperson exam is 240 minutes (4 hours) for 120 questions. The broker exam allows 240 minutes for 115 questions. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early for check-in.
Most Massachusetts candidates complete the licensing process in 2-4 months. This includes completing required pre-license education, passing the state exam administered under MBRRE, and submitting your license application.
Massachusetts real estate exams are typically administered at approved testing centers by PSI or Pearson VUE. Some states allow remote proctored exams. Check with MBRRE for current online testing options and requirements.
The Massachusetts real estate exam covers both national and state-specific topics. National topics include property ownership, contracts, financing, agency law, valuation, transfer of title, and real estate math. The MA-specific section covers Massachusetts license law, regulations from MBRRE, and state-specific disclosure requirements.
The most effective study strategy for the Massachusetts exam includes: (1) completing your pre-license education with active note-taking, (2) practicing with Massachusetts-specific practice exams, (3) focusing on your weak topics identified through practice tests, (4) taking timed mock exams to build test stamina, and (5) reviewing MA-specific laws and regulations from MBRRE.
You must pay the $56 exam fee for each attempt and typically wait at least 24-48 hours before rescheduling. Attempt limits and whether a failed portion can be retaken on its own are set by MBRRE. Your pre-license education completion is usually valid for 1-2 years, so you should pass within that window.
The pass point for the Massachusetts salesperson exam is 70. Where the exam has separate national and state portions, each portion is passed on its own; where the state reports a scaled score, 70 is the scaled pass point rather than a percentage of questions. The state average first-time pass rate is 54%, so thorough preparation is essential.
Yes, the Massachusetts real estate exam is entirely multiple choice with four answer options per question. The salesperson exam has 120 questions and the broker exam has 115 questions. There are no essay, fill-in-the-blank, or practical components.
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