How Long Is the Texas Real Estate Exam and What Is on It?

The format at a glance

TREC says license exams are given by Pearson. Pearson VUE publishes a Texas real estate candidate handbook. The copy we read is marked rev08/2026. We checked it on October 15, 2026. Its table for the sales exam reads like this.

What "pretest" means

Some items on the exam do not count. The handbook calls them pretest items. Pearson uses them to collect data for future exams. They look just like scored items and are not marked.

For the sales exam, the content outlines say the national part has 80 scored items and 5 pretest items. The state part has 40 scored items and 10 pretest items. So answer every item as if it counts.

What is on the national part

The national part covers general real estate topics. The sales content outline, effective March 1, 2025, splits the 80 scored items into eight topics.

What is on the state part

The state part tests Texas law. The Texas sales agent state law outline, effective January 1, 2026, lists six topics for the 40 scored items.

The passing score

The handbook says the score is a raw score. That means the number of items you answered correctly. For sales agents, you need 56 correct on the national part and 28 correct on the state part.

You must pass both parts. TREC says passing results for each part are valid for one year from the date you passed. Both must be passed before your application expires.

Is it multiple choice?

The handbook includes sample questions. Each sample has answer choices labeled a through d, so the samples are multiple choice. The handbook also says the exam is taken on a computer and that you leave the test center with your official score report.

Booking and exam day rules from the handbook

You reserve your seat at pearsonvue.com or by phone, at least 24 hours before the date you want. The handbook says walk-in exams are not available.

It tells candidates to arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts. You need two forms of current signature identification, and the name must match your registration exactly. The handbook says candidates without the required items are denied entry and lose the fee. Read its full What to Bring list before you go.

Who may skip the national part

TREC says you may be exempt from the national portion if you hold an active license in a state that takes part in the national exam accreditation with ARELLO. You must send in your license history so TREC can decide if you qualify. The state part is still required. If you are a new candidate with no license in another state, plan to take both parts.

Practice tests and where to find them

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

The handbook says the practice tests give feedback on correct and incorrect answers. Use them as a check on what you know, and treat any other site that quotes a pass rate with care.

Topic reports from TREC

TREC says Pearson VUE publishes reports on the success rates for exam questions grouped by topic each quarter. TREC links reports for the last five years on its exam topic reports page. The page text we read did not show the tables, so we do not quote any figures from them here.

If you want to know which topics trip people up, open those reports and read the tables yourself.

How to use the topic lists to plan study time

The topic tables above show where the scored items sit. On the national part, contracts and agency is the largest topic at 16 items. On the state part, agency and brokerage is the largest at 11 items. That is a count of items, not a promise about how hard each topic is.

A simple plan is to list each topic, mark how sure you feel, and give the topics with more items and less confidence the most time. Your course school may have its own plan. Ask it what it recommends.

What these numbers can change

Pearson VUE updates its content outlines. The national outline we read is effective March 1, 2025, and the state outline is effective January 1, 2026. The handbook is marked rev08/2026. A newer handbook may show different counts or times.

Before you book, open the current handbook and the TREC sales agent page. If a figure differs from this guide, trust the official page.

If you do not pass

The handbook says you have three attempts to pass both parts before your application expires. After three failed attempts you must finish more education before you can test again: 30 hours if you failed either part, or 60 hours if you failed both parts. Our guide on the exam cost covers the fees.

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

Where this fits in the whole path

The exam is one step. You also need the 180 hours of courses and must meet the other license requirements. After you pass, you need a sponsoring broker. Our guide on finding a sponsoring broker shows what to ask.

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.