Texas Real Estate Practice Exam: Free Quiz and TREC Exam Guide
How the Texas real estate exam is structured
Texas licenses sales agents through TREC, the Texas Real Estate Commission, and the exam itself is delivered at Pearson VUE test centers across the state. The exam fee is $43 per attempt, paid when you reserve your seat. It is non-refundable, so treat every attempt like it counts.
| Portion | Questions on screen | Time | To pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 85 (80 scored + 5 pretest) | 150 minutes | 56 correct |
| State (Texas) | 50 (40 scored + 10 pretest) | 90 minutes | 28 of the 40 scored |
| Total | 135 | 240 minutes | Pass both portions |
Two details matter here. First, pretest items are unscored questions Pearson VUE mixes in to test future exam content. They look identical to scored questions, so answer everything as if it counts. Second, each portion passes or fails on its own. Fail one and you only retake that one.
You get your pass or fail result on screen before you leave the test center. Pass both portions and clear your background check, and TREC emails your license within 5 to 10 business days. These figures come from the official Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook, January 2026 edition. Fees and rules change, so confirm on trec.texas.gov before you schedule.
What the state portion tests
The state portion is where practice pays off most, because national prep courses barely touch it. The official Texas Sales Agent content outline (effective January 1, 2026) breaks the 40 scored state questions into six areas:
| Content area | Scored items |
|---|---|
| Commission duties and powers | 3 |
| Licensing | 3 |
| Standards of conduct | 9 |
| Agency and brokerage | 11 |
| Contracts | 9 |
| Special topics | 5 |
Notice where the weight sits. Agency, standards of conduct, and contracts account for 29 of the 40 scored questions. If your practice exam time is limited, spend it there: intermediary rules, the IABS notice, TREC-promulgated forms, and what license holders may and may not do.
Texas-only topics people miss
These three areas sink more state-portion attempts than anything else, because they simply do not exist in most other states.
Homestead protection
The Texas Constitution shields a homestead from forced sale by most general creditors. Credit card companies cannot touch it, but property tax liens and purchase-money mortgages can. Know the acreage limits (10 urban acres, up to 200 rural acres for a family) and remember that both spouses must sign to convey a homestead, even when only one spouse owns it.
Intermediary, not dual agency
Texas replaced common-law dual agency with the statutory intermediary role. The broker, not the individual agent, holds intermediary status, and it requires written consent from both parties stating the source of compensation. With appointments, each appointed licensee can advise their assigned party. Without appointments, the broker stays neutral: facts only, no opinions.
The option period
Under the One to Four Family Residential Contract, the buyer can pay an option fee for the unrestricted right to terminate during a negotiated option period. If the buyer terminates in time, the seller keeps the option fee and the buyer gets the earnest money back. Since the 2021 contract revision, the option fee is delivered to the escrow agent together with the earnest money. Exam writers love this sequence.
Honorable mentions: the IABS notice is due at the first substantive communication about a specific property, non-judicial foreclosure sales happen on the first Tuesday of the month, and a late seller's disclosure notice gives the buyer a 7-day right to terminate.
Free Texas real estate practice exam: 8 questions
These questions come straight from AgentLingo's four Texas state-portion units: licensing and TREC, agency and disclosure, contracts and forms, and Texas special topics. The real state portion needs 70% on scored items, so aim for 6 of 8 or better.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Texas real estate exam?
The Texas sales agent exam shows 135 questions total: an 85-question national portion and a 50-question state portion. The national portion has 80 scored questions plus 5 unscored pretest items, and the state portion has 40 scored plus 10 pretest. You get 240 minutes for the full exam: 150 for the national portion and 90 for the state portion.
What score do you need to pass the Texas real estate exam?
Per the Pearson VUE candidate handbook, sales agent candidates need 56 correct answers on the national portion and 28 correct answers on the 40 scored state questions. Each portion is passed separately, and you see a pass or fail result before you leave the test center.
What happens if I fail one portion of the Texas exam?
You only retake the portion you failed, as long as you retest within one year of the date your application was filed with TREC. Each attempt costs the $43 exam fee, and you must wait 24 hours before rescheduling. After three failed attempts you must complete 30 additional qualifying education hours for each failed portion (60 if you failed both) before you can test again.
Are these practice questions like the real TREC exam?
The 8 questions in this quiz come from AgentLingo's Texas state-portion units, which follow the same content outline Pearson VUE publishes for the exam: licensing and TREC powers, agency and disclosure, promulgated contracts, and Texas special topics like homestead law. The full app has 312 exam-style questions and is free to start.