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Taking the Exam

Time
Format
Restrictions
Conduct Penalties
Notification of Examination Results
Re-taking the Examination


Time:

Salesperson:  3 hour 15-minutes.

Broker:  5 hours, administered in a 2 1/2-hour morning session and a 2 1/2-hour afternoon session.

Format:

Multiple choice. (See description of salesperson or broker examination content.)

Restrictions:
  1. Items not permitted in the examination room:
    • backpacks,
    • briefcases,
    • suitcases,
    • food,
    • drink,
    • study materials,
    • portable computers,
    • PDAs (personal digital assistants), or
    • programmable calculators.
  2. You cannot inspect your book or answer sheet after the examination session has ended (Section 1798.40(e) of the California Civil Code).
  3. Cell phone use is prohibited. All cell phones must be turned off and placed out of sight once you enter the exam room.
  4. The Department of Real Estate and its employees will not be liable or responsible for the loss or damage of any personal belongings that are brought to a real estate examination. If personal belongs are brought to the examination, such items may not be taken by the examinee to the desk where the examination will be completed. They will be placed in a storage area apart from the owner. The storage area will not be operated or monitored by the Department.
  5. You are permitted to bring for your use during the examination a silent, battery-operated, electronic, pocket-size calculator that does not have a print capability or an alphabetic keyboard. Cell phone calculators are not permitted.
Conduct Penalties
  1. It is a misdemeanor for any person to engage in any conduct which subverts or attempts to subvert any licensing exam or administration of an exam.
  2. The subverting of any examination includes: the unauthorized reproduction of any actual examination; paying or using professional or paid examination takers for the purpose of reconstructing any portion of an examination; using any actual examination questions or material for the purpose of instructing or preparing applicants for examination; and other specified conduct which violates the standard of examination administration.
  3. Business and Professions Code Section 496 provides that a license may be denied, suspended, revoked or restricted on grounds that an applicant or licensee has subverted or attempted to subvert any licensing examination.
Notification of Examination Results

Examination results will be mailed to you, normally within five business days after the examination.  You can also check your examination results through the eLicensing online system, or through the Interactive Voice Response system by calling the Examination Section at (916) 227-0899.  Please wait at least five business days after you have completed your examination before calling. 

To pass the examination, you must correctly answer at least

  • 70% of the questions (Salespersons), or
  • 75% of the questions (Brokers).
Since the examination is qualifying in nature, examinees who pass are not informed of their final score.  Those who pass will receive an application for a license.

You will be notified of the actual score, and the percentage of questions answered correctly in each of the subject areas, only when unsuccessful.  (The overall score cannot be obtained by averaging the percentages.)  Those who do not receive a passing grade may apply to re-take the examination.

Re-taking the Examination

You may apply to re-take the examination after notification of failure of a prior test. If you fail an examination, you may apply to re-take the examination using the eLicensing online system (to expedite processing) or your Examination Result Notice (RE 418A, Salespersons or RE 418B, Brokers).

If you are unable to locate your Examination Result Notice, you may use a Salesperson Examination Change Application RE 415ADenotes a PDF Document or a Broker Examination Change Application RE 415B Denotes a PDF Document to apply to re-take the examination. These forms must not be submitted until after the results of the examination have been released, or the fee will be forfeited.

There is no limitation on the number of examinations you may take during the two-year period following the date of the filing of your original application. If you wish to take additional examinations after the two-year period, you will be required to submit a new application, requalify by meeting all statutory requirements, and the appropriate fee.