What are the Exam Cheat Sheets?

Exam Cheat Sheets are quick reference guides covering math formulas, key terms, important deadlines, and fair housing laws commonly tested on real estate exams.

What topics do the cheat sheets cover?

Sheets cover math formulas, real estate terms, fair housing protected classes, and important time deadlines like contract contingencies.

Can I use cheat sheets during the exam?

No, exams are closed-book. Use cheat sheets while studying to memorize key information before your test date.

How should I study with cheat sheets?

Review sheets daily in the weeks before your exam. Quiz yourself on formulas and definitions. Focus extra time on areas you find difficult.

Cheat Sheet

State-Specific Real Estate Laws

Compare exam requirements, pre-license education, continuing education, and key rules across the 6 most popular states for real estate licensing: California, Florida, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Arizona.

Exam Tips

State-specific questions typically make up 20-40% of the exam depending on your state
Know your state's disclosure requirements -- these are heavily tested
Pre-license hours must be completed at an approved school before you can sit for the exam
Check your state's regulatory website for the most up-to-date requirements

1Exam Structure

Requirement	CACalifornia	FLFlorida	TXTexas	NYNew York	ILIllinois	AZArizona
Number of Questions	150	100	125	75	100	100
Time Limit	3 hr	3 hr 30 min	2 hr 30 min	1 hr 30 min	2 hr 30 min	3 hours
Passing Score	70%	75%	70%	70%	75%	75%
Exam Provider	PSI	Pearson VUE	Pearson VUE	eAccessNY	PSI	Pearson VUE

2Pre-License Education

Requirement	CACalifornia	FLFlorida	TXTexas	NYNew York	ILIllinois	AZArizona
Salesperson Hours	135 hours	63 hours	180 hours (6 courses)	77 hours	90 hours (incl. 15 applied)	90 hours
Broker Hours	360 hours (8 courses)	72 hours	900 hours + 630 hrs SAE	152 hours	120 hours (incl. 30 applied)	90 hours + 3 years experience

3Continuing Education

Requirement	CACalifornia	FLFlorida	TXTexas	NYNew York	ILIllinois	AZArizona
CE Hours Required	45 hours	14 hours	18 hours	22.5 hours	12 hours	24 hours
Renewal Period	4 years	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years
CE Notes	Includes ethics, agency, trust fund handling, and fair housing	Includes 3 hours of core law	Must include TREC Legal Update I & II (4 hrs each)	Includes 3 hours of fair housing/discrimination, 2 hours of agency, 1 hour of ethics	Must include 6 hours of core topics	Includes commissioner's standards and contract writing

4Regulatory Info

Requirement	CACalifornia	FLFlorida	TXTexas	NYNew York	ILIllinois	AZArizona
Regulatory Body	DRE (Dept. of Real Estate)	DBPR / FREC	TREC	DOS (Dept. of State)	IDFPR	ADRE

5Key State Rules

State	Key Rules & Distinctions
CACalifornia	•Must be 18+ years old •Requires 3 college-level RE courses for salesperson •Broker requires 2 years experience + 8 courses •Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) required for residential sales •Natural Hazard Disclosure required
FLFlorida	•Must be 18+ years old •Post-license: 45 hours within first renewal •Broker requires 24 months active experience •Radon gas disclosure required •Johnson v. Davis: seller must disclose known material defects
TXTexas	•Must be 18+ years old and US citizen/lawful resident •Highest pre-license hour requirement among major states •TREC mandatory Legal Update courses each renewal •Seller's Disclosure Notice required (with exemptions) •Texas uses "intermediary" instead of dual agency
NYNew York	•Must be 18+ years old •Shortest exam time among major states (75 questions) •Broker requires 2 years experience as salesperson •Agency disclosure form required at first substantive contact •Property Condition Disclosure Act ($500 credit if not provided)
ILIllinois	•Must be 18+ and have HS diploma or GED •Uses "Managing Broker" and "Broker" (not salesperson/broker) •Sponsoring broker required before applying for license •Residential Real Property Disclosure Act •Radon disclosure required
AZArizona	•Must be 18+ years old •Fingerprint clearance card required •Broker requires 3 years active experience •Seller Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) required •Affidavit of Disclosure required for unincorporated areas

6Quick Comparison Highlights

Most Pre-License Hours

180 hours (6 courses) for salesperson

Fewest Exam Questions

75 questions in 1 hr 30 min

Most Exam Questions

150 questions in 3 hr

Highest Passing Score

FL / IL / AZ

75% required to pass

Most CE Hours

45 hours every 4 years

Fewest CE Hours

12 hours every 2 years

Related Resources

State Comparison Tool

Compare any two states side by side with detailed breakdowns

Key Terms Cheat Sheet

Essential real estate vocabulary and definitions

Math Formulas Cheat Sheet

Essential calculations for the real estate exam

Practice State-Specific Questions

Get exam-style questions tailored to your state's laws, regulations, and requirements.

Start Practicing

Last reviewed September 8, 2026 by the EstatePass editorial team. Formulas and program limits are checked against the published rules; figures on this page are arithmetic, not market statistics.

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