120 questions (80 national + 40 OH) · 120 + 60 minutes · 70% on each portion · $66 exam fee · ODRE
Format, passing rule, fees, what the OH portion covers, and 3,500+ free practice questions — verified against the PSI candidate materials.
Ohio requires pre-license education through the Division of Real Estate before candidates can take the licensing exam. With major metros like Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, Ohio offers a strong market with relatively affordable entry costs for new agents.
| Salesperson Exam | Exam Fee | Licensing Authority | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 Q / 180 min / 70% pass | $66 | ODRE | Per ODRE |
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate · Salary data: BLS OEWS · Our methodology
From the PSI content outline · candidate handbook · verified 2026-09-18
| Area | Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| License law and rules of the Ohio Real Estate Commission | 16 | |
| Brokerage relationships (agency law) | 14 | |
| Licensing requirements | 6 | |
| State governance of the real estate profession | 4 | |
| Total scored Ohio questions | 40 |
70% on each portion, scored separately — national (80 items, 120 minutes) and Ohio (40 items, 60 minutes). Fail one and you retake only that one, but you must file a Retake Application with the Division first.
120 minutes for the national portion plus 60 minutes for the Ohio portion — 180 minutes total
File a Retake Application service request with the Ohio Division of Real Estate online and pay the fee. Once the Division notifies PSI of your new eligibility you can schedule. Re-apply only for the portion you failed — $46 national or $43 Ohio — and do it inside the 12-month window.
Pre-license education: 100 hours. The 100 hours break down as Principles and Practices 40, Ohio Real Estate Law 40, Appraisal 10, Finance 10. The law course is waived only for attorneys admitted before the Supreme Court of Ohio.
The state-specific points that show up as questions. Each cites where it comes from.
Agency law is 14 of the 40 state questions
Brokerage relationships plus license law and rules make up 30 of the 40 Ohio questions — three quarters of the state portion. Governance and licensing requirements are only 10 between them. Study in that order.
Source: PSI bulletin, State-Specific Portion Content Outline
A retake goes through the Division, not PSI
You cannot simply rebook with PSI. You must submit a Retake Application service request and fee to the Ohio Division of Real Estate online — paper applications are not accepted — and wait for the Division to notify PSI of your new eligibility before you can schedule.
Source: PSI bulletin, Re-taking a Failed Portion
Retake within the 12-month period
You must re-apply for the portion you failed and retake it inside the 12-month window. The exam fee is also forfeited if you do not test within one year of PSI receiving it.
Source: PSI bulletin, Re-taking a Failed Portion and Fees
A single-portion retake is cheaper
Both portions cost $66; the national portion alone is $46 and the Ohio portion alone is $43. Register for the correct single portion rather than repaying for both.
Source: PSI bulletin, Fees
You get scratch paper and a pencil in person
At a PSI test site you are issued scratch paper and a pencil and return both at check-out. Testing remotely, you get neither. That difference matters on calculation questions.
Source: PSI bulletin, Examination Site and Examination Protocol
The failing score report is handed to you at the center
Candidates who fail one or both portions receive the failing score report at the examination site, before they leave. Read it there — it tells you which portion to re-apply for.
Source: PSI bulletin, Re-taking a Failed Portion
100 hours, and 40 of them are Ohio law
Principles and Practices 40, Ohio Real Estate Law 40, Appraisal 10, Finance 10. The law course covers civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation and is only waived for attorneys admitted before the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate, salesperson license requirements (matches the PSI bulletin table)
Ten days for the background check
You have 10 days from submitting your application to the Division to get your background check done. Start it the moment you apply.
Source: PSI bulletin, Examination Eligibility
Practice the Ohio 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 OH exam PDF?
ODRE 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 Ohio licensing test. Get instant feedback and detailed explanations.
Ohio increased continuing education requirements to 30 hours per renewal cycle (from 24 hours).
Official SourceNote: This information is for reference only. Always verify current requirements with the ODRE.
Ohio Division of Real Estate
(ODRE)
$66
per exam attempt
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Requirements:
Requirements:
The Ohio 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 Ohio salesperson exam has 120 scored questions with 180 minutes to complete (about 1.5 minutes per question). The broker exam has 115 questions with 180 minutes. The pass point is 70.
Ohio real estate license costs include: exam fee ($66), pre-license courses ($200-$500), license application fee ($100-$300), and background check ($50-$100). Total budget: approximately $400-$1,000.
Ohio licenses renew on a fixed cycle with a continuing-education requirement, both set by Ohio Division of Real Estate. Check ODRE for the current renewal period and CE hours.
The Ohio salesperson exam is 180 minutes (3 hours) for 120 questions. The broker exam allows 180 minutes for 115 questions. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early for check-in.
Most Ohio candidates complete the licensing process in 2-4 months. This includes completing required pre-license education, passing the state exam administered under ODRE, and submitting your license application.
Ohio real estate exams are typically administered at approved testing centers by PSI or Pearson VUE. Some states allow remote proctored exams. Check with ODRE for current online testing options and requirements.
The Ohio 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 OH-specific section covers Ohio license law, regulations from ODRE, and state-specific disclosure requirements.
The most effective study strategy for the Ohio exam includes: (1) completing your pre-license education with active note-taking, (2) practicing with Ohio-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 OH-specific laws and regulations from ODRE.
You must pay the $66 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 ODRE. Your pre-license education completion is usually valid for 1-2 years, so you should pass within that window.
The pass point for the Ohio 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 Ohio 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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