How to study for the Texas real estate exam

The Texas sales agent exam has two portions with separate cutoffs, and first-time pass rates for the state portion have been under half. A good plan starts from how the points are distributed. The figures below come from the Pearson VUE handbook and outlines, and TREC's quarterly topic report, as recorded in Encodr's fact files.

Start with the two cutoffs

You need 70% on each portion: 56 of 80 scored national questions and 28 of 40 scored state questions. A strong national score cannot rescue a weak state score, so plan two study tracks. Texas real estate exam: what's on it in 2026 has the full breakdown.

Weight time by question count

National portion, scored questions by section: contracts and agency 16, real property and property value 11 each, real estate practice 10, forms of ownership 9, disclosures 9, financing 7, math 7. State portion: agency and brokerage 11, standards of conduct 9, contracts 9, special topics 5, commission duties 3, licensing 3.

TREC's report for January and February 2026 shows first-time candidates averaged lowest in state agency and brokerage (62.3%) and contracts (62.0%), together half the state portion. Give those two extra hours, and do not over-invest in licensing, where candidates averaged 90.7%.

Learn it in an order that builds

Property and ownership first, then contracts and agency, appraisal, financing, disclosures and math, then the Texas law units. Texas law changed recently, so use current material: the IABS and written buyer agreement rules and the TREC 20-19 contract changes are both fair game.

Do the math early and often

There are 7 national math questions, and the handbook says to memorize 43,560 square feet per acre and 5,280 feet per mile. Math is a skill, so practice a few problems every day instead of a marathon at the end. Texas real estate math formulas gives worked examples, and the real estate commission calculator and property tax proration calculator let you check your work.

Space it out

Cramming 180 hours of course content into the last week loses most of it. Review each topic a few times over several weeks, and quiz yourself instead of rereading: the testing effect explains why. Working backwards from your exam date, the study schedule generator builds the daily plan. As a rough shape, first weeks for the national portion and the math, middle weeks for Texas law, and the last week for mixed practice.

Test yourself in exam conditions

Practice with a timer, no notes, and a financial calculator without alpha keys, since the test center does not provide one. Both portions together are 125 questions in 240 minutes.

Encodr's free Texas real estate sales agent course covers both outlines, and licensing steps are in how to get a Texas real estate sales agent license. Browse the exam prep hub for other courses.