Texas exam at a glance
Who runs the Texas exam
- Licensing agency: Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)
- Exam vendor: Pearson VUE
- Official handbook: candidate handbook / bulletin - September 2026 edition
- Scheduling: www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/tx/realestate.html
The handbook is the document that governs your exam day. Read it once, end to end, before you book.
How to get a Texas license, step by step
Complete the 180 hours of TREC-approved qualifying education
Apply online through TREC’s REALM portal and upload course completion documents
Get fingerprinted for the DPS/FBI background check
Pass both the national and state portions of the Pearson VUE exam
Have a TREC-licensed broker sponsor you to activate the license
Exam format and scoring
- National portion: 80 - 80 scored + 5 unscored pretest; 150 minutes
- State portion: 40 - 40 scored + 10 unscored pretest; 90 minutes (state outline effective Jan 1, 2026)
- Time: 240 minutes for both portions (150 national / 90 state)
- To pass: 56 of 80 correct (national) and 28 of 40 correct (state)
What the Texas state portion covers
Use these weights to split your study time: the biggest rows are where the points are.
| Topic | Scored items |
|---|---|
| Commission duties and powers | 3 |
| Licensing | 4 |
| Standards of conduct | 9 |
| Agency and brokerage | 10 |
| Contracts | 8 |
| Special topics | 6 |
Retakes, deadlines and eligibility
- Retakes: Retake only the failed portion within one year of filing the application; 3 attempts, then 30 more hours of education (one portion failed) or 60 hours (both failed)
- How long results last: Passing results for each portion are valid one year from the passing date
- Background check: Yes - fingerprints on file with Texas DPS (IdentoGO by IDEMIA)
- Eligibility: 18+, US citizen or lawfully admitted alien
- After you pass: Sales Agent Apprentice Education before first renewal: total of 270 qualifying hours (i.e., 90 beyond the 180) plus Legal Update I and II
Exam practice only. RealEstateExamKit does not provide, and does not replace, the pre-licensing education your state requires. Finish your commission-approved course first; we help you pass the exam that follows. Find an approved school on the commission’s list.
Free Texas state-portion quiz
Texas real estate state-portion practice questions
How close are you to a Texas pass?
Take the free 25-question readiness check. You get a predicted score by topic and a study plan to your exam date.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Texas real estate exam?
120 scored questions (80 national + 40 state).
What is the passing score for the Texas real estate exam?
56 of 80 correct (national) and 28 of 40 correct (state).
How much does the Texas real estate exam cost?
The exam fee is $58 per attempt (per attempt, both portions or a single portion). The license fee is $206.
How many pre-licensing hours does Texas require?
180 hours. Six 30-hour courses: Principles I and II, Law of Agency, Law of Contracts, Promulgated Contract Forms, Real Estate Finance We do not sell pre-licensing courses.
What happens if I fail the Texas exam?
Retake only the failed portion within one year of filing the application; 3 attempts, then 30 more hours of education (one portion failed) or 60 hours (both failed).
Sources
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Pearson VUE candidate handbook / fact sheet (PDF) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (accessed 2026-09-23)