Updated 2026
Pennsylvania Real Estate Exam Prep & Study Guide
What the Pennsylvania exam actually asks, in the order worth studying it. The weightings below are not an estimate — they are each subject's share of the 3,334 Pennsylvania questions in our bank.
Questions
120
Time limit
210 min
To pass
75%
Exam fee
$101
Fee: $52 national + $49 state.
Source: PREC candidate handbook. Salesperson licence.
What to study first for the Pennsylvania exam
Ordered by how many questions sit behind each subject. Studying front to back spends the same hours on a subject worth 6% as on one worth 7%.
- 17%250 questions
Agency & Consumer Notice
- 27%226 questions
General Principles of Agency
- 36%216 questions
Financing
- 46%208 questions
Property Ownership
- 56%205 questions
Contracts
- 66%200 questions
RELA & License Law
- 76%200 questions
Seller Disclosure Law
- 86%199 questions
Real Estate Math
The Pennsylvania state portion, subject by subject
PA-specific law is where out-of-state study material stops helping. These are the subjects our bank covers, with real questions under each.
Agency & Consumer Notice
250 questions- A Pennsylvania licensee is explaining agency types to a consumer. The licensee says, 'In Pennsylvania, we have a unique …
- A Pennsylvania buyer's agent receives multiple listing sheets from the MLS for properties matching the client's criteria…
- A consumer in Pennsylvania asks their real estate agent to explain designated agency in simple terms. Which of the follo…
- In Pennsylvania, the term 'initial interview' as used in the Consumer Notice requirement refers to which of the followin…
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 Skyler Simmons. In the resulting sale, whose interests does the listing broker…
RELA & License Law
200 questions- Under RELA, a Pennsylvania licensee completes a 3-hour CE course but leaves 30 minutes early due to an emergency. Under …
- Under RELA, the SREC may place a licensee on probation as a disciplinary sanction. What does probation typically involve…
- Under RELA, what happens to a Pennsylvania real estate licensee's license if they fail to renew it by the expiration dat…
- A licensed broker from New Jersey wants to obtain a Pennsylvania broker's license. Under RELA, which of the following be…
Seller Disclosure Law
200 questions- A Pennsylvania seller discovers that their home's water supply has been affected by PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl subst…
- According to Pennsylvania's Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law, what is the primary purpose of the Seller's Property Disc…
- In Pennsylvania, the Seller's Property Disclosure Statement applies to which type of property transaction?
- Patricia is selling her home in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She had the roof replaced two years ago and the contractor…
Realty Transfer Taxes
190 questions- A Philadelphia property sells for $275,000. The state transfer tax (1%) is split equally between buyer and seller. The P…
- In Pennsylvania, when a property is transferred as part of a court-ordered partition (where co-owners cannot agree on di…
- A Pennsylvania title company is handling a closing. The title company is responsible for collecting and remitting the re…
- A Philadelphia property sells at sheriff's sale for $120,000. The computed value is $200,000. What is the transfer tax b…
Property Disclosures
151 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?
- A Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) must be provided by:
- The purpose of the Closing Disclosure under TILA-RESPA is to:
Licensing Requirements & CE
150 questions- A salesperson in Pennsylvania is terminated by their broker. Under RELA, what happens to the salesperson's license?
- A PA-licensed agent lists a property near the Delaware border. A licensed Delaware agent brings a buyer for the property…
- A PA broker of record is also a licensed appraiser. Under RELA, can the broker appraise a property that their brokerage …
- An out-of-state real estate company wants to open an office in Pennsylvania. Under RELA, what licensing requirements app…
Pennsylvania Contract Provisions
150 questions- Sandra, a buyer in Pennsylvania, submits an offer that includes a hand money deposit of $5,000. According to the PAR Agr…
- Under the PAR Agreement of Sale, the buyer agrees to deliver hand money to the broker within a specified number of days …
- In a Pennsylvania transaction, the buyer wants to make the purchase contingent on the property passing a termite inspect…
- A buyer in Pennsylvania defaults on a PA Agreement of Sale by refusing to proceed with the purchase. Under the agreement…
Valuation Market Analysis
149 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…
Land Use Controls Regulations
128 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…
- Seeking an exemption from zoning requirements requires a:
Property Tax & Assessment Appeals
125 questions- A PA property owner decides to represent themselves (pro se) at a Board of Assessment Appeals hearing. The Board is requ…
- In Pennsylvania, property taxes are assessed and collected at which level of government?
- A property in Chester County, Pennsylvania, has an assessed value of $200,000. The county's Common Level Ratio (CLR) is …
- A PA property owner challenges their assessment using the CLR method. The property's assessed value is $160,000. The cou…
Fair Housing & Human Relations Act
125 questions- Under the PA Human Relations Act and federal fair housing law, a Pennsylvania landlord is required to make reasonable ac…
- A prospective buyer in Pennsylvania believes a real estate agent steered her away from certain neighborhoods based on he…
- A person in Pennsylvania believes they have been the victim of housing discrimination. They can file a fair housing comp…
- Under the PA Human Relations Act, a landlord must make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities. All of t…
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…
Rela Brokerage Rules
100 questions- Under RELA and SREC regulations governing escrow account management, which of the following practices would be IMPROPER?
- Under RELA, a Pennsylvania brokerage receives a written complaint from a consumer about one of its salespersons. The bro…
- A Pennsylvania broker receives a property management fee from a landlord client for services the brokerage has already r…
- Under RELA, a Pennsylvania broker, Deborah, manages a portfolio of 20 rental properties. She collects rent from tenants …
Agency
8 questions- In Pennsylvania, earnest money deposits must be placed in escrow within:
- In Pennsylvania, the Consumer Notice must be provided:
- Pennsylvania requires how many hours of pre-license education for a salesperson?
- A broker in Pennsylvania must maintain escrow records for at least:
Counts are live from the Pennsylvania question bank, which mixes the national portion with Pennsylvania-specific law.
The national portion, subject by subject
Shared with every other state exam, and usually the larger half of the paper.
Financing
216 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…
- Before the scheduled foreclosure sale, Lena Howard pays the past-due installments, late fees, and allowed expenses so th…
- Lena Chen is buying a home for $350,000 and is making a 20% down payment. Her lender will charge 2 discount points on th…
Property Ownership
208 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…
Contracts
205 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…
- Under a contract for deed, the buyer defaults after making five years of payments. In some jurisdictions, what protectio…
Real Estate Math
199 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…
Practice of Real Estate
155 questions- A broker uses cloud-based transaction management software to store all transaction files, including contracts, disclosur…
- What is the maximum penalty for first-time unlicensed practice in Pennsylvania?
- Two competing brokerages agree that each will refer commercial clients to the other and neither will compete for the oth…
- A landlord refuses to rent to a family with children, claiming the property is 'adults only.' This is legal ONLY if:
Leasing & Property Management
80 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 …
- All of the following are landlord-tenant law concepts EXCEPT
Counts are live from the Pennsylvania question bank, which mixes the national portion with Pennsylvania-specific law.
Studying for the Pennsylvania exam
How long should I study for the Pennsylvania real estate exam?
Most candidates need four to eight weeks alongside a job. Working every Pennsylvania question in our bank at a realistic 30 questions an hour is roughly 111 hours — but the useful measure is not hours, it is whether your practice scores sit above the pass mark on questions you have not seen before.
What is on the Pennsylvania real estate exam?
Two portions. The national portion covers principles every state shares. The PA portion covers Pennsylvania law — in our bank that is Agency & Consumer Notice, General Principles of Agency, RELA & License Law, Seller Disclosure Law and more.
Which Pennsylvania topic should I study first?
Agency & Consumer Notice carries the most questions in our Pennsylvania bank (250, about 7% of it), so it is the highest-leverage place to start. After that, work down the list below rather than studying front to back.
Is a Pennsylvania exam prep course required?
Pre-licensing education is required by PREC; exam prep is not. They are different purchases and people often conflate them — the course satisfies the legal hours, prep is practice on questions. Check the current requirement in the PREC handbook before buying either.
Pennsylvania practice exam
Ten questions with explanations, free, no account.
Full-length mock exam
Timed and scored against the real pass mark.
Exam-day checklist
What to bring, what to expect, what disqualifies you.