How to Study for the Texas Real Estate Exam: A 4-Week Plan

Start with what the exam tests

A good plan starts with the real test. The Pearson VUE Texas candidate handbook (rev08/2026, checked October 15, 2026) lists two parts. The national part has 85 items in 150 minutes. The state part has 50 items in 90 minutes. Some items are unscored pretest items, so treat every item as if it counts.

You must pass both parts. The handbook says sales agents need 56 correct on the national part and 28 correct on the state part. Our guide on the exam format has the full details.

Where the scored items sit

The national content outline (effective March 1, 2025) splits 80 scored items across eight topics. The state outline (effective January 1, 2026) splits 40 scored items across six topics. We use these counts to decide how much time each topic gets. Item counts show size. They do not show how hard a topic is for you.

Before week one: set up

Pick your exam window first. TREC says your application expires one year from the filing date, and you must pass both parts before then. Then choose a date at least a few days after week four, because the handbook says you must reserve at least 24 hours ahead and walk-ins are not available.

Finish your 180 hours of courses, or be close to done, before you start the four weeks. Your course school may give you a study guide or practice exams. Use them. They are the closest match to what your school taught.

Week one: the national part, first pass

This plan is ours, not TREC. It is built on the official topic counts. In week one, read through the national topics in order of size. Spend the most days on contracts and agency, since it holds 16 of the 80 scored items.

• Days 1 and 2: contracts and agency.
• Day 3: real property characteristics, legal descriptions and property use.
• Day 4: property value and appraisal.
• Day 5: real estate practice.
• Day 6: short review of everything covered, then rest.
• Day 7: take one short quiz from your course school and mark what you missed.

Week two: finish national, start state

Week two covers the rest of the national topics and begins the state part. Math deserves a daily habit, even if only 15 minutes. It is 7 scored items, and it is the one topic you can only learn by doing problems.

• Day 1: forms of ownership, transfer and recording of title.
• Day 2: property conditions and environmental issues.
• Day 3: financing and settlement.
• Day 4: real estate math problems, then a short review.
• Day 5: start the state part with agency and brokerage, the largest state topic at 11 items.
• Day 6: standards of conduct, 9 items.
• Day 7: quiz yourself on the two state topics from the week.

Week three: finish state, then practice

Week three finishes the state outline and moves to practice questions. The state part tests Texas law, so read your course notes on each rule and the reason behind it, not just the headline.

• Day 1: contracts, 9 items.
• Day 2: special topics such as community property, homestead and landlord-tenant issues, 5 items.
• Day 3: commission duties and powers, then licensing, 3 items each.
• Day 4: a timed set of national questions.
• Day 5: a timed set of state questions.
• Day 6: review every miss. Write down why you missed it.
• Day 7: rest.

Week four: weak spots and exam logistics

Week four is for the topics where you still miss questions. Look at your missed-question notes from weeks one to three. Group them by topic. Spend most days on the two or three topics with the most misses.

Also handle the logistics. The handbook says to arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts, bring two forms of current signature identification, and make sure the name matches your registration exactly. Candidates without the required items are denied entry and lose the fee. Read the full What to Bring list in the handbook.

Practice tests: what exists

Pearson VUE sells national-portion practice tests online. Its Texas page lists a practice test at $19.95 (checked October 15, 2026). That page also says state-specific practice tests are not available from Pearson VUE. The $19.95 is not the exam fee.

That means state practice mostly comes from your course school or other providers. We cannot vouch for any third-party question bank. Treat any site that claims a guaranteed pass rate with care.

A simple way to track progress

Keep one page with the topic names. After each quiz, write the score next to the topic. Add the date. After a few quizzes you will see which topics climb and which stay flat. Spend your next study block on a flat one.

Avoid studying only the topics you like. Item counts matter because every scored item has the same value. A weak topic with many items costs more than a weak topic with few.

Exam day and what comes after

Sleep the night before. Eat something. Arrive early. Answer every item, since the handbook says unscored pretest items look like the rest and are not marked.

The handbook says you have three attempts to pass both parts before your application expires. After three failed attempts, more education is required: 30 hours for one failed part or 60 hours for both. If you pass, you will need a sponsoring broker. Our guide on finding a sponsoring broker after the exam shows what to ask.

Education only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm licensing rules with TREC.

Where this fits

A study plan is one step in the path. See how hard the exam is, where to take it and what it costs. If you are licensed in DFW and want to talk with The Bauer Group, you can start a conversation on our site. We do not issue licenses.