How to Pass the Pensylvania Real Estate Exam

Are you ready to get your Pennsylvania real estate license? First things first: you need to pass the exam. Here’s exactly what you need to know so you can ace the test.

Which Exam Do I Need to Take?

Pennsylvania offers 10 different real estate licenses. Depending on which license you want, you’ll take a different exam. A few don’t even require an exam! 

As you can see from the chart below, you’ll take either the salesperson exam or the broker exam to get your real estate license. 

What Is a Passing Score?

For either exam, you’ll receive your score right after you finish!

Salesperson Exam

The salesperson exam consists of 110 multiple-choice questions. Of these questions:

• 80 cover national topics. 

• 30 cover state-specific topics.

In order to receive a minimum passing score, you need to answer correctly:

• 60 national questions

• 23 state-specific questions

Broker Exam

The broker exam consists of 120 multiple-choice questions. Of these questions:

• 80 cover national topics.

• 40 cover state-specific topics. 

In order to receive a minimum passing score, you need to answer correctly:

• 60 national questions

• 30 state-specific questions

How Long Is the Exam?

You have 3 hours to take either the salesperson or the broker exam. For either test, you are given 2 hours for the national portion and one hour for the state-specific portion. 

What Does the Exam Cover?

National Portion 

• Property Ownership (Salesperson 8%; Broker 10%)

• Land Use Controls and Regulations (Salesperson 5%; Broker 5%)

• Valuation and Market Analysis (Salesperson 7%; Broker 7%)

• Financing (Salesperson 10%; Broker 8%)

• General Principles of Agency (Salesperson 13%; Broker 11%)

• Property Disclosures  (Salesperson 6%; Broker 7%)

• Contracts  (Salesperson 17%; Broker 18%)

• Leasing and Property Management Leasing and Property Management (Salesperson 3%; Broker 5%)

• Transfer of Title Transfer of Title (Salesperson 8%; Broker 7%)

• The practice of Real Estate  (Salesperson 13%; Broker 14%)

• Real Estate Calculations (Salesperson 10%; Broker 8%)

State-Specific Portion

• Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission  (Salesperson 3 Items, Broker 3 Items)

• Licensure  (Salesperson 6 Items, Broker 8 Items)

• Regulation of Conduct of Licensees (Salesperson 21 Items, Broker 29 Items)

The Pennsylvania Real Estate CommissionBoardsCommissions RealEstateCommission Pages Default.aspx ProfessionalLicensing contracts with PSI to conduct its exams. Check out PSI’s handy bookletBulletin Display_bulletin.jsp?ro=yes&actionname=83&bulletinid=85&bulletinurl=.pdf Candidate.psiexams.com for even more information on the salesperson and broker exams.

How Do I Schedule the Exam?

Depending on which real estate license you want, there will be different eligibility requirements. You must submit the relevant application, application fee, and any other required information to the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission. 

Once the Commission approves you, you are cleared to take your exam. You can schedule your exam hereCandidate.psiexams.com. You will have your choice of several exam locations and dates and can receive accommodations if you are eligible. 

The salesperson and broker exam each cost $49 to take.

What Should I Expect on Exam Day?

Arrive at least 30 minutes early to get settled and pass security procedures.

 You need to bring 2 different types of identification:

• One must be a valid form of government-issued identification (driver’s license, state ID, passport, military ID) which has your signature and photograph (or complete physical description).

• The second ID must have your signature and preprinted legal name.

Both forms of ID must match the name on the Examination Registration Form and your Registration Confirmation Notice. 

You’ll also want to bring a non-programmable calculator.

The exam takes place on the computer.

How Should I Study?

Taking and passing your Pennsylvania real estate course is the best way to study! If you’re taking Aceable’s coursePennsylvania Real Estate License, you can also prep for the license exam by:

• Taking as many practice tests as you want.

• Checking mastery tracking to see if there are any chapters you'd like to review.

• Downloading the study guide to review all the key terms and important concepts you learned.