120 questions (80 national + 40 PA) · 150 + 60 minutes · 75% on each section · $101 exam fee · PREC
Format, passing rule, fees, what the PA portion covers, and 3,500+ free practice questions — verified against the Pearson VUE candidate materials.
Pennsylvania's Real Estate Commission requires pre-license education and a state exam for all salesperson and broker candidates. The state's affordable housing markets in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and surrounding areas attract both new and experienced agents.
| Salesperson Exam | Exam Fee | Licensing Authority | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 Q / 210 min / 75% pass | $101$52 national + $49 state | PREC | Per PREC |
Source: Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission · Salary data: BLS OEWS · Our methodology
From the Pearson VUE content outline · candidate handbook · verified 2026-09-18
| Area | Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Commission | 5 | |
| Licensure | 8 | |
| Agency and disclosure | 10 | |
| Regulations governing the activities of licensees | 11 | |
| Miscellaneous | 6 | |
| Total scored Pennsylvania questions | 40 |
75% on each of two sections — national (80 scored items, 150 minutes) and Pennsylvania state law (40 scored items, 60 minutes). Pass one and fail the other and you retake only the failed section. You may not retake a section you have already passed.
150 minutes for the national section plus 60 minutes for the state law section — 210 minutes total
Rebook with Pearson VUE — not at the test center. Retake only the failed section, and do it inside your education authorization window (5 years for salespersons from the first course). Each section carries its own fee: $52 national, $49 state.
Pre-license education: 75 hours. Salespersons have 5 years from passing their first required course to pass the exams; brokers have 10. Exam results themselves are good for 3 years.
The state-specific points that show up as questions. Each cites where it comes from.
Your reported score is not your percentage correct
Pennsylvania converts raw scores into a scaled score from 0 to 100. The handbook states plainly that the scaled score is neither the number nor the percentage of questions you answered correctly. And numeric scores are only given to candidates who fail — pass and you get "pass", nothing more.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Score Explanation
Retake only the section you failed — and you may not retake one you passed
The exam splits into national and state law. Fail one and pass the other, and you repeat only the failed section, within your authorization period. Retaking an already-passed section is prohibited.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Retaking the Exam
Three years from the first pass, not the second
Exam results are good for three years, and the Commission must have your completed application within that window. If you pass the two sections on different dates, the three-year clock starts the day you passed the first one — not the second. Miss it and you retake the exam.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Exam Eligibility and Approval Process
Education authorization: 5 years for salesperson, 10 for broker
A salesperson has 5 years from passing the first required education course to sit the exams; a broker has 10. This runs separately from the 3-year life of your exam results.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Retaking the Exam
Ten unscored pretest items on the state section
The state law section carries 40 scored items plus up to ten pretest items that do not count. They are mixed in and unmarked, and they still consume your 60 minutes.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Pennsylvania Real Estate Salesperson Licensing Examination Content Outline
No exam review, ever
Pennsylvania states that for security reasons examination material is not available to candidates for review. If you fail, the diagnostic report broken out by national and state section is all you get.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Score Explanation
Arrive 30 minutes early and bring nothing
Report to the test center at least 30 minutes before your appointment. No personal items in the testing room at all — no phone, watch, wallet, hat, coat, notes, or even your own pen. Studying in the test center is not allowed, and violating a policy means dismissal and a forfeited fee.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Test Center Policies
Everything routes through PALS
Eligibility, application and licensure all run through www.pals.pa.gov, and score reports come from your Clarus account. Two different systems, and you will need both.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, Score Reporting
Practice the Pennsylvania 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 PA exam PDF?
PREC publishes the official candidate handbook as a PDF — format, passing score and fees, straight from the source.
Take a full 120-question timed mock exam that simulates the actual Pennsylvania licensing test. Get instant feedback and detailed explanations.
Pennsylvania updated pre-license curriculum to include new sections on ethical practices and consumer protection.
New rules require clear disclosure of licensee status in all digital marketing and social media advertising.
Note: This information is for reference only. Always verify current requirements with the PREC.
Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission
(PREC)
$101
$52 national + $49 state
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Requirements:
Requirements:
The Pennsylvania real estate exam has a first-time pass rate of approximately 52%. The salesperson exam consists of 120 scored questions with a pass point of 75. With EstatePass practice tests, our students achieve a 94% pass rate.
The Pennsylvania salesperson exam has 120 scored questions with 210 minutes to complete (about 1.8 minutes per question). The broker exam has 120 questions with 210 minutes. The pass point is 75.
Pennsylvania real estate license costs include: exam fee ($101 — $52 national + $49 state), pre-license courses ($200-$500), license application fee ($100-$300), and background check ($50-$100). Total budget: approximately $400-$1,000.
Pennsylvania licenses renew on a fixed cycle with a continuing-education requirement, both set by Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. Check PREC for the current renewal period and CE hours.
The Pennsylvania salesperson exam is 210 minutes (3.5 hours) for 120 questions. The broker exam allows 210 minutes for 120 questions. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early for check-in.
Most Pennsylvania candidates complete the licensing process in 2-4 months. This includes completing required pre-license education, passing the state exam administered under PREC, and submitting your license application.
Pennsylvania real estate exams are typically administered at approved testing centers by PSI or Pearson VUE. Some states allow remote proctored exams. Check with PREC for current online testing options and requirements.
The Pennsylvania 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 PA-specific section covers Pennsylvania license law, regulations from PREC, and state-specific disclosure requirements.
The most effective study strategy for the Pennsylvania exam includes: (1) completing your pre-license education with active note-taking, (2) practicing with Pennsylvania-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 PA-specific laws and regulations from PREC.
You must pay the $101 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 PREC. Your pre-license education completion is usually valid for 1-2 years, so you should pass within that window.
The pass point for the Pennsylvania salesperson exam is 75. Where the exam has separate national and state portions, each portion is passed on its own; where the state reports a scaled score, 75 is the scaled pass point rather than a percentage of questions. The state average first-time pass rate is 52%, so thorough preparation is essential.
Yes, the Pennsylvania real estate exam is entirely multiple choice with four answer options per question. The salesperson exam has 120 questions and the broker exam has 120 questions. There are no essay, fill-in-the-blank, or practical components.
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