New York Real Estate Salesperson Exam Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

The New York Real Estate Salesperson exam is the written licensing examination for the New York real estate salesperson license. It is issued under the authority of the New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services. The exam has 75 multiple-choice questions and you are given 1.5 hours.

A New York real estate salesperson license is required by state law to work as a salesperson under a licensed broker. Passing the written exam is a required step before the Department of State issues the license.

People preparing to become New York real estate salespeople and candidates retaking the exam. Qualifying education, sponsorship and application requirements are set by the Department of State; check them before you schedule.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

If you do not pass you may apply to take the written exam again and pay the exam fee again; the Department of State sets any waiting period and limits on attempts.

Passing standard: The Department of State reports results only as passed or failed and does not show a numerical score; it does not state a passing percentage on its licensing page, so none is quoted here as an official figure. The exam has 75 multiple-choice questions and you are given 1.5 hours. No official pass rate for this exam was available in the sources we reviewed, so none is quoted here.

The exam has 75 multiple-choice questions and you are given 1.5 hours. Format: 75 multiple-choice questions · 1.5 hours. Passing standard: The Department of State reports results only as passed or failed and does not show a numerical score; it does not state a passing percentage on its licensing page, so none is quoted here as an official figure.

• License Law and Regulations3.9%
• Law of Agency14.26%
• Legal Issues: Estates, Liens, Deeds and Title Closing12.99%
• Contracts of Sale and Leases3.9%
• Real Estate Finance6.49%
• Land Use Regulations3.9%
• Construction and Environmental Issues6.49%
• Valuation Process and Pricing Properties3.9%
• Human Rights and Fair Housing7.79%
• Real Estate Mathematics1.3%
• Municipal Agencies2.6%
• Property Insurance1.3%
• Licensee Safety1.3%
• Taxes and Assessments3.9%
• Condominiums and Cooperatives5.19%
• Commercial and Investment Properties12.99%
• Income Tax Issues in Real Estate Transactions3.9%
• Mortgage Brokerage1.3%
• Property Management2.6%

The content outline spreads questions across 19 areas: License Law and Regulations (3.9%); Law of Agency (14.26%); Legal Issues: Estates, Liens, Deeds and Title Closing (12.99%); Contracts of Sale and Leases (3.9%); Real Estate Finance (6.49%); Land Use Regulations (3.9%); Construction and Environmental Issues (6.49%); Valuation Process and Pricing Properties (3.9%); Human Rights and Fair Housing (7.79%); Real Estate Mathematics (1.3%); Municipal Agencies (2.6%); Property Insurance (1.3%); Licensee Safety (1.3%); Taxes and Assessments (3.9%); Condominiums and Cooperatives (5.19%); Commercial and Investment Properties (12.99%); Income Tax Issues in Real Estate Transactions (3.9%); Mortgage Brokerage (1.3%); Property Management (2.6%).

New York requires 77 hours of approved qualifying education, applicants must be at least 18, and a licensee must be sponsored by a New York licensed real estate broker; confirm the current requirements with the Department of State before you schedule.

The Department of State lists a US$15 fee for the written exam. License application fees and the 77-hour qualifying education course are separate.

After you are licensed, New York requires periodic license renewal and continuing education on the Department of State schedule; check the Department for the current hours and deadlines.

Start with the heaviest areas of the content outline: Law of Agency (14.26%); Legal Issues: Estates, Liens, Deeds and Title Closing (12.99%); Commercial and Investment Properties (12.99%). Then work through the remaining areas, practise jurisdiction-specific rules separately from the general content, and finish with timed full-length practice runs of 75 questions in 1.5 hours.

Content outlines, fees and passing standards change; this guide follows the materials listed under Verification as of October 2026. Check the licensing authority and test administrator before you register.