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California · Real Estate SalespersonCalifornia Real Estate Exam Practice Test 2026 (Salesperson)
The California Real Estate Salesperson Examination is the state licensing exam given by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE). It has 150 multiple-choice questions, a 3-hour time limit, and you need at least 70% correct to pass. This page sums up what DRE publishes about the exam and links to the official pages so you can check every detail yourself.
ExamCleared is an independent practice test, not affiliated with DRE. Our bank has about 320 original practice questions written from California statutes, DRE regulations and federal law, and every question has an explanation and a cited source with the date it was verified. You can take a timed full-length mock exam in the DRE format (150 questions, 3 hours), try 10 questions free without an account, and pay once with no subscription: $24.99 for 30 days or $34.99 for 60 days, with a 7-day money-back guarantee. A practice supplement to your required pre-license courses. It does not replace the three DRE-approved college-level courses you need to qualify for the exam.
- Questions
- 150 multiple-choice (4 answer choices)
- Time
- 3 hours (180 minutes)
- To pass
- 70% (105 of 150)
- Exam fee
- $100 exam fee ($100 re-exam)
- Required course
- 3 DRE-approved college-level courses, 45+ hours each
Free California real estate exam practice test questions
Five sample questions from the bank — open each answer to see the explanation and the legal source. Take the free 10-question test to practice with a timer and a score.
1. On a loan secured by a buyer's principal dwelling, the loan officer tells the appraiser that future assignments depend on the value coming in at or above the contract price. Under Regulation Z, this is:
- Prohibited, because implying that retention depends on the reported value is coercion
- Permitted, because the lender is the appraiser's client and may set the value it needs
- Permitted as long as the loan officer makes the request in writing and keeps a copy
- Prohibited only if the appraiser holds a state certified (rather than licensed) credential
Show answer
Answer: A. Prohibited, because implying that retention depends on the reported value is coercion
Valuation independence rules bar covered persons from influencing the value through coercion or inducement. Implying that the appraiser's future work depends on the value reported is listed as a violation.
Source: 12 CFR 1026.42(c)(1)(i)(C) · verified 2026-11-07
2. A California licensed land surveyor's field survey finds a physical change that doesn't appear on any recorded subdivision map. What must the surveyor do?
- Nothing, because filing a record of survey is always optional
- File a record of the survey with the county surveyor
- Report the change only to the Bureau of Land Management
- Personally correct the recorded subdivision map
Show answer
Answer: B. File a record of the survey with the county surveyor
Filing a record of survey is optional in general. It becomes mandatory when the survey discloses material evidence or a physical change that doesn't appear on any recorded map.
Source: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §8762(b)(1) · verified 2026-11-07
3. Two competing brokerages agree that one will solicit listings only north of the river and the other only south of it. What antitrust violation is this?
- Market allocation
- Price fixing
- Tying
- Blockbusting
Show answer
Answer: A. Market allocation
When competitors divide territories or customers among themselves, it is market (territorial) allocation, which is illegal under the Sherman Act.
Source: U.S. DOJ Antitrust Division, Price Fixing, Bid Rigging, and Market Allocation Schemes – Market Division · verified 2026-11-07
4. A grantor deeds land to a church 'on condition that' it be used only for worship, keeping a right of reentry if the condition is broken. Years later the church leases the land as a commercial parking lot. What interest lets the grantor end the church's estate?
- A vested remainder in the grantor's heirs
- A power of termination (right of reentry)
- An easement in gross held by the grantor
- A reversion following a life estate in the church
Show answer
Answer: B. A power of termination (right of reentry)
The church holds a fee simple subject to a condition subsequent. When the condition is broken, the estate doesn't end automatically; the grantor must act on a power of termination (right of reentry) to take the land back.
Source: Cal. Civ. Code §885.010(a)(1) · verified 2026-11-07
5. Which property best fits CERCLA's general definition of a 'brownfield site'?
- An old dry cleaner site whose reuse may be complicated by solvents
- Undeveloped farmland zoned for agricultural use, with no history of chemical use
- A new subdivision lot in a special flood hazard area that requires flood insurance
- A natural wetland protected from filling under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act
Show answer
Answer: A. An old dry cleaner site whose reuse may be complicated by solvents
A brownfield is real property whose expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant, such as an old dry cleaner or gas station.
Source: 42 U.S.C. §9601(39)(A) · verified 2026-11-07
What the California real estate exam is and who takes it
To get a California real estate salesperson license, you first have to qualify for and pass a written examination given by DRE. DRE says the exam must show that you understand real estate principles, the documents used in transactions (agency contracts, deposit receipts, deeds, deeds of trust, leases), the duties between principal and agent, and the Real Estate Law as administered by the Real Estate Commissioner. It also tests English and the arithmetic common in real estate practice.
California has no separate national and state portions. You take one exam that covers both general principles and California law.
- Regulator: California Department of Real Estate – salesperson requirements
- Who: anyone who wants to work as a salesperson under the supervision of a licensed broker. You must be at least 18 years old to be issued a license.
California DRE salesperson exam format
- Questions: 150 multiple-choice questions, each with four answer choices. DRE does not publish a split between scored and unscored questions, so treat every question as scored.
- Time: 3 hours. DRE asks you to arrive 30 minutes early.
- Passing score: at least 70% of the questions answered correctly (105 of 150).
- Closed book: under Commissioner's Regulation 2763 you may not refer to any printed or written material other than what the Department provides. Any written calculations go on paper the Department gives you.
- Calculators: Regulation 2763 allows silent, battery-operated, non-programmable pocket calculators without a print-out feature or an alphabetic keyboard. However, DRE's exam pages also list calculators among the items not permitted in the exam room. Check the current rule with DRE before exam day.
- Where: electronic exams in Fresno, La Palma (Los Angeles area), Oakland, Sacramento and San Diego.
- Results: electronic exam results are given when you finish. If you pass, you are not told your score. If you fail, you get your score and the percentage you answered correctly in each subject area.
Official details: DRE – Taking the Exam.
Exam fees and how to register and schedule
- Salesperson exam: $100. Re-examination: $100. Rescheduling: $40 each time.
- Combined exam and license application (RE 435): $450 due to DRE ($100 exam + $350 license).
- Live Scan fingerprints: California residents pay a $49 processing fee directly to the Live Scan provider.
- DRE fees are nonrefundable under Business and Professions Code Section 10207.
- Finish your three required courses.
- Apply online through DRE eLicensing or by mail, either for the exam only or with the combined exam and license application.
- Once you qualify, pick an exam date and site in eLicensing. You can schedule yourself into an open seat as late as 6:00 a.m. on exam day and print a barcoded schedule notice.
- Bring a valid photo ID: a current state driver's license or DMV ID card, a U.S. or foreign passport, or a U.S. military ID.
Sources: DRE – Fees, DRE – How and Where Exams Are Scheduled.
Prerequisites: the three required courses
Before you can qualify for the exam, you must complete three college-level courses:
- Real Estate Principles
- Real Estate Practice. Since January 1, 2024, this course must include implicit bias and fair housing components, including an interactive role-play.
- One elective from DRE's list: Real Estate Appraisal, Property Management, Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Economics, Legal Aspects of Real Estate, Real Estate Office Administration, General Accounting, Business Law, Escrows, Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending, Computer Applications in Real Estate, or Common Interest Developments.
Each DRE-approved course is at least 45 hours long and must be three semester units or four quarter units. Continuing education courses don't count. Members of the California State Bar are exempt from the course requirement. Our practice test is a supplement to these required courses, not a substitute for them. See DRE – Salesperson Requirements.
What topics are on the CA real estate practice exam
DRE publishes these content areas and approximate weights:
- Property Ownership and Land Use Controls and Regulations: about 15%
- Laws of Agency and Fiduciary Duties: about 17%
- Property Valuation and Financial Analysis: about 14%
- Financing: about 9%
- Transfer of Property: about 8%
- Practice of Real Estate and Disclosures (includes specialty areas): about 25%
- Contracts: about 12%
The largest area includes trust account management, fair housing laws, truth in advertising, record keeping, supervision, unlicensed assistants, DRE discipline, licensing and continuing education, the Recovery Fund, property management, the Transfer Disclosure Statement and Natural Hazard Disclosure Statements. DRE notes that a given test may not cover every listed topic, because the exam only samples the field. See DRE – Salesperson Examination Content.
Study tips for the California DRE salesperson exam
- Study by weight. Practice of Real Estate and Disclosures (about 25%) and Agency (about 17%) together make up about 42% of the exam. Give them the most time.
- Read the actual law for California-specific rules. DRE publishes the Real Estate Law and the Commissioner's Regulations as free PDFs. Trust fund handling, agency disclosure and advertising rules are easier to remember once you've read the section itself, not just a summary.
- Watch for California terminology. California mostly uses deeds of trust (trustor, trustee, beneficiary) and grant deeds. It also has community property and its own disclosure forms (Transfer Disclosure Statement, Natural Hazard Disclosure). Questions often hinge on who must give a disclosure and when.
- Practice under time pressure. 150 questions in 3 hours leaves you a little over a minute per question. Take at least one full timed mock exam before test day.
- Don't rely on a calculator. Practice commission, proration, square footage and loan-to-value math by hand on scratch paper, since DRE's calculator rules are inconsistent across its pages.
- Learn from the explanations. For each missed question, read the explanation and the cited section, then retry the topic later.
Official study texts: Real Estate Law (DRE), Regulations of the Real Estate Commissioner (DRE).
After you pass: getting your salesperson license
- People who pass are given a license application, which must be submitted to and approved by DRE. If you filed the combined RE 435 application, the license fee was already included.
- The original salesperson license fee is $350, and Live Scan fingerprinting costs $49.
- You can hold a license without working for a broker yet, but a salesperson without a responsible broker may not perform acts that require a real estate license.
- If you fail, you can apply to retake the exam once you receive your results. Don't apply earlier. There is no limit on the number of exams during the two years after you filed your original application.
Sources: DRE – Salesperson Requirements, DRE – Taking the Exam.
Pricing
Practice free with 10 questions. Full access is a one-time payment — no subscription, no auto-renewal, 7-day money-back guarantee.
Full access unlocks all 320 questions with explanations and sources, practice by topic, a timed full-length practice exam and your results by topic. No account is needed: after checkout you get a personal access code — save it to use your access on your other devices. Your access period starts immediately after purchase.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the California real estate salesperson exam?
150 multiple-choice questions, each with four answer choices, and a 3-hour time limit.
What score do I need to pass?
At least 70% correct, which is 105 of 150 questions. If you pass, DRE doesn't tell you your score.
How much does the exam cost?
$100 per attempt and $40 to reschedule. The combined exam and license application costs $450, plus a $49 Live Scan fingerprint fee for California residents.
Do I have to take courses before the exam?
Yes. You need three DRE-approved college-level courses of at least 45 hours each: Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice and one elective. California State Bar members are exempt.
Is the exam open book?
No. Regulation 2763 bars any printed or written material other than what DRE provides.
What happens if I fail?
You get your score and subject-area percentages. You can apply to retake the exam after you receive your results, and there is no limit on attempts during the two years after you filed your original application.
Are these actual California DRE salesperson exam questions?
No. ExamCleared questions are original practice questions written from public statutes and DRE materials. We are not affiliated with DRE.
Does this CA real estate practice exam replace my pre-license courses?
No. It is a practice supplement to the three required courses, which you still have to complete to qualify.
Is there a free California real estate exam practice test?
Yes. The first 10 questions are free, with no account or email needed. Full access to all 320 questions, practice by topic and the timed full-length exam starts at $24.99 as a one-time payment.
Is the California real estate exam hard?
It depends on your preparation. To pass you need 70% (105 of 150). The most reliable way to check is a timed full-length practice exam: ours has 150 questions and is scored against the official passing standard, and your results by topic show which areas still need work.
Related practice tests
- Florida Real Estate Sales Associate practice test
- Texas Real Estate Sales Agent practice test
- New York Real Estate Salesperson practice test
Sources
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/TakingExam.html — 150 questions, 3 hours
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/Fees.html — Exam fee $100, re-exam $100, reschedule $40
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/HowWhereScheduled.html — Self-scheduling until 6:00 a.m. on exam day
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/ApplySalesperson.html — Apply online or by mail
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/RequirementsSales.html — Minimum age 18
- https://www.dre.ca.gov/Examinees/SalesExamContent.html — Content weights 15/17/14/9/8/25/12%
ExamCleared is independent and not affiliated with California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Our questions are original practice questions written from public law and official materials — not actual exam questions. Confirm current requirements with the official agency before you register.