Free North Carolina (NC) Real Estate Practice Exam 2026
Ten questions at a time, drawn from 3,351 North Carolina salesperson questions — the NC state portion and the national portion, the same mix the real exam uses. Every answer comes with an explanation.
Questions
140
Time limit
270 min
To pass
75%
Source: NCREC candidate handbook. Salesperson licence.
Turn a practice result into your next study session.
This short North Carolina sample helps you spot topics to review. Create an account to continue in your study dashboard. Practice scores are not a guarantee of an exam result; full-bank access depends on your plan.
- The complete North Carolina question bank, state portion included
- Full-length timed mock exams scored against the real pass mark
- Review available practice options in your dashboard
What the North Carolina state portion tests
These are the NC-specific subjects in our bank, with the number of questions behind each one. They are what separates the North Carolina exam from every other state's.
General Principles of Agency
226 questions- Without prior permission, Quinn Brooks signs a small repair authorization on behalf of the owner. The owner later approv…
- A buyer under a buyer-representation agreement receives an earnest money refund after a failed deal. The agent deposits …
- A buyer representation agreement should specify:
- Jamie Cruz signs a listing agreement with broker Skyler Simmons. What role does Simmons's brokerage hold in the resultin…
Agency
209 questions- In North Carolina practice, what term or document matches this description about dual agency and designated dual agency?…
- An office manager in Cary is updating the policy manual on dual agency and designated dual agency. Which statement best …
- A broker-in-charge in Gastonia is preparing an exam-prep note on buyer agency agreements and the written-agreement deadl…
- A closing-file reviewer in Wilmington is updating the policy manual on seller agency, listing agreements, and subagency.…
Valuation Market Analysis
151 questions- In October 2026, appraiser Caleb Moore is reviewing an income statement for Oak Place. The property's NOI is $67,500, th…
- Under USPAP, what is the purpose of the Competency Rule?
- An example of functional obsolescence is:
- In August 2026, appraiser Omar Lewis is valuing a small retail strip. Potential gross income is $96,000, vacancy and col…
Mandated Disclosures
150 questions- An office manager in Carrboro is preparing an exam-prep note on RPOADS timing, scope, and the "No Representation" choice…
- On a North Carolina exam item about lead-based paint and environmental disclosures, which concept is being defined? Desc…
- A Gastonia broker is training a new associate on Mineral and Oil and Gas disclosure timing, scope, and waiver limits. Wh…
- A broker-in-charge in Gastonia is preparing an exam-prep note on Mineral and Oil and Gas disclosure timing, scope, and w…
Property Disclosures
150 questions- A 1978 ranch home is on the market. During inspection, the buyer's environmental specialist samples the wall insulation …
- Which of the following is NOT a hidden condition?
- In a state that requires a written disclosure of a home's condition to the buyer, the disclosure form is filled out by:
- The purpose of the Closing Disclosure under TILA-RESPA is to:
Land Use Controls Regulations
133 questions- A homebuyer purchases a lot in a planned community. The deed references a recorded declaration of covenants, conditions,…
- A board of adjustment is reviewing an owner's request for relief from a zoning ordinance. All of the following are commo…
- A homeowner in an HOA community wants to install solar panels on her roof. The CC&Rs do not address solar panels. The HO…
- Permission to depart from a requirement of the zoning ordinance for a single parcel is obtained through a:
Transfer of Title
129 questions- A training instructor in Boone is preparing an exam-prep note on North Carolina tax calculations, conveyance tax, and pr…
- A deed for property in Gastonia recites consideration of $349,999.00. Using North Carolina's statewide conveyance tax ru…
- An office manager in New Bern is answering a client question about the North Carolina conveyance tax at $1 per $500. Whi…
- A Greensboro broker is preparing an exam-prep note on North Carolina tax calculations, conveyance tax, and prorations. W…
Transfer of Property
114 questions- Under TRID rules, the lender must deliver the Closing Disclosure to the borrower at least how many business days before …
- A deed is properly recorded in the county records before a later purchaser checks title. Even if the later purchaser nev…
- At closing, the seller's existing mortgage balance of $185,000 must be paid off from the sale proceeds. On the seller's …
- An attorney examining the abstract of title discovers a gap in the chain where a deed from 1952 does not match the grant…
Counts are live from the North Carolina question bank, which mixes the national portion with North Carolina-specific law.
What the national portion tests
Every state exam shares this half. The questions below are the same ones a candidate in any state would see.
Practice of Real Estate
992 questions- A firm owner in Apex is answering a client question about licensure scope, definitions, and exemptions. Which statement …
- A closing-file reviewer in Huntersville is preparing an exam-prep note on Commission rules structure and regulatory auth…
- A buyer representative in Huntersville is updating the policy manual on Commission rules structure and regulatory author…
- A closing-file reviewer in Wilmington is updating the policy manual on BIC eligibility, designation, and supervision. Wh…
Contracts
401 questions- After a property inspection reveals minor cosmetic issues, the buyer demands $20,000 in credits. The seller refuses, and…
- A buyer wants to demonstrate serious intent when submitting an offer. What financial deposit typically accompanies the o…
- Under a traditional contract for deed, what risk does the buyer face if the seller has an existing mortgage on the prope…
- A transaction coordinator in Durham is preparing an exam-prep note on breach remedies, termination, and refunds. Which s…
Financing
218 questions- A buyer wants to purchase a home but cannot qualify for a conventional loan. The seller agrees to carry the entire purch…
- During the annual escrow analysis on Priya's loan, the servicer wants to maintain an escrow cushion equal to three month…
- In North Carolina, the foreclosure sale must be held:
- Before the scheduled foreclosure sale, Lena Howard pays the past-due installments, late fees, and allowed expenses so th…
Real Estate Math
203 questions- A county charges $40 to record the first page of a deed and $7 for each additional page. If a deed is 3 pages long, what…
- A property sells for $300,000 with a 6% commission split equally between the listing broker and the selling broker. The …
- A buyer is purchasing a property for $450,000 with an 80% LTV loan. Buyer closing costs are $9,500, the earnest money de…
- A transfer tax is charged at $1.00 per $500 of sale price (rounded up to the nearest $500). If the property sells for $3…
Property Ownership
199 questions- A roofing contractor replaced shingles on a home for $18,400, but the owner refused to pay. After following the required…
- Emma owns only a life estate in a rural tract, with title to pass to her nephew at Emma's death. Without the nephew's co…
- In February 2026, title examiner Rachel noticed that a metes and bounds description ended at a different point than wher…
- In June 2026, Jared sold the oil and gas rights under his ranch to Mesa Energy but kept the surface estate. After record…
Leasing & Property Management
76 questions- A written apartment lease begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year with no need for notice to terminat…
- A property management agreement authorizes the manager to spend up to $500 on emergency repairs without prior owner appr…
- A property manager deposits tenant security deposits into the manager's personal checking account and uses the funds to …
- A residential tenant stops paying rent after the landlord ignores two months of written requests to repair a furnace tha…
Counts are live from the North Carolina question bank, which mixes the national portion with North Carolina-specific law.
About 56% pass the North Carolina exam first time
Which means roughly 44 in 100 do not, and pay to sit it again. The gap is rarely knowledge — it is untimed studying meeting a timed exam. See how every state compares.
North Carolina practice exam questions
Is this North Carolina real estate practice exam free?
Yes. The practice sample on this page needs no account. Each question shows the correct answer and an explanation after you answer it. Create an account to continue in the dashboard; access limits and additional features depend on your plan.
How many questions are on the real North Carolina exam?
140 scored questions, with 270 minutes to answer them and 75% needed to pass. NCREC publishes the current figures in its candidate handbook.
Does the practice exam cover North Carolina state law?
Our North Carolina bank holds 1,553 state-portion questions alongside 1,798 national ones. A short practice set is a sample, not a reproduction of the official exam blueprint.
Is this the same as a North Carolina real estate practice test?
Yes — practice exam, practice test and test questions all mean the same thing here. The NC questions on this page are the same bank either way, drawn from the state portion and the national portion together.
Are there North Carolina real estate exam questions in PDF form?
Yes, as a study guide rather than a question dump: the North Carolina exam guide PDF covers the format, the passing score and what the NC state portion tests. The questions themselves stay on this page, because each one shows why the wrong options are wrong — which a printed answer key cannot do.
How hard is the North Carolina real estate exam?
Hard enough that most candidates who fail did not run out of knowledge, they ran out of practice: you need 75% across 140 questions in 270 minutes, with no time to reason slowly. The questions are not tricky so much as specific — they test whether you know which rule applies, not whether you have heard of it.
Are North Carolina real estate flashcards better than practice questions?
They do different jobs. Flashcards drill vocabulary and figures — the things you either know or do not. Practice questions test whether you can pick the right rule when a situation could plausibly fit two of them, which is what the exam actually asks. Most candidates need both, and running out of practice questions is the more common failure.
What score should I get before booking the North Carolina exam?
Aim to sit comfortably above 75% on full-length practice, not just at it. Exam-day nerves and unfamiliar wording cost most candidates a few points, so a practice average that only just clears the line usually is not enough.
NC cheat sheet
The rules that decide pass or fail, each with the source it came from.
North Carolina exam prep
A study plan built from the same outline, weighted by what the exam actually asks.
Full-length mock exam
Timed, full length, scored against the real pass mark.
North Carolina licence guide
Requirements, fees, schedule and how to apply.