Do You Have to Pass Both Portions of the Texas Real Estate Exam?

The pass-both rule sounds harsh until you learn the part that protects you: a passed portion does not disappear the moment you miss the other one.

Do you have to pass both portions of the Texas real estate exam?

Snippet answer: Yes. You must pass both the national portion and the Texas state portion. They are scored separately, so passing one does not carry over to the other, and there is no combined or averaged score.

The handbook is explicit that you must pass both the state and national portions. Each has its own cut score: 56 of 80 scored items on national and 28 of 40 on state. For the full scoring detail, see what the passing score is.

One exception: if you hold an active license in another state and passed an ARELLO-approved national exam, TREC may waive the national portion, leaving only the Texas state portion to pass.

What happens if you pass one and fail the other?

Snippet answer: You keep the portion you passed and retake only the portion you failed. A passing national score is not erased because you missed the state portion, and the reverse is also true. You do not start over.

This is the rule candidates most want to hear. The handbook says candidates who fail need to retake only the portion they failed. So if you walk out having passed national and failed state, your national pass stands and you reschedule just the state portion.

That changes how you should study for the retake. Pour your time into the failed half. If one portion keeps beating you, work through how to pass the section you keep failing.

How long does a passed portion stay valid?

Snippet answer: A passed portion is kept as long as you pass the other portion within one year from the date your application was filed with TREC. Miss that window and the passed portion no longer counts.

The window is the key detail. The handbook says you retake only the failed portion, as long as you do so within one year from the date the application was filed with TREC. So the clock is tied to your application date, not your first exam date.

Practically, that means:

• Pass one portion early, and you have the rest of that one-year window to pass the other.
• Do not sit on a passed portion. The longer you wait, the closer you get to the application expiration.
• If the year runs out before you pass both, you lose the progress and reapply.

How retakes work

Snippet answer: To retake the failed portion, wait at least 24 hours, then reschedule with Pearson VUE and pay the sales exam fee of $43 per attempt. You retake only the failed portion, not the one you already passed.

A few mechanics from the handbook:

• You must wait 24 hours before scheduling a re-examination, and retakes cannot be booked at the test center.
• The sales examination fee, $43, is paid at the time of each reservation.
• You retake only the failed portion, so a state retake is just the 40-item state exam.

Use the diagnostic feedback on your score report to target the content areas you missed before you rebook.

Three attempts, then extra education

Snippet answer: You get three attempts to pass both portions before the application expires. Fail three times and you must complete additional qualifying education before retesting: 30 classroom hours if you failed one portion, or 60 hours if you failed both.

The handbook sets a three-attempt limit prior to the application expiration date. After a third failure, you cannot retest or submit a new application until you complete additional qualifying real estate education:

• 30 hours if you fail either the national or the state part.
• 60 hours if you fail both parts.

Then you submit your course completion documents and a copy of the third failed score report to TREC, and allow several business days for processing. The full breakdown is in the three-attempt rule guide, and the retake eligibility edge cases cover the less common situations.

What if the one-year window runs out?

Snippet answer: If your application expires before you pass both portions, you may reapply for licensure and meet the current requirements. A passed portion does not carry forward after the application expires, so plan to finish both within the year.

The one-year application window is a hard backstop. The handbook says that if the application expires, candidates may reapply for licensure and meet current requirements. In plain terms, an expired application resets you: the portion you passed no longer counts, and you start the process again under whatever rules apply then.

That is the real reason not to delay the second portion. Passing one half buys you time, but only until your application expires. Treat the failed portion as urgent, not optional.

Frequently Asked Questions

For quick answers to every common Texas exam question, see the Texas real estate exam FAQ.

Do you have to pass both the national and state portions in Texas?

Yes. Both the national portion and the Texas state portion must be passed, and they are scored separately. There is no averaging between them.

If I pass one portion, do I have to retake it?

No. You keep the portion you passed and retake only the portion you failed, as long as you pass the failed portion within one year from the date your application was filed with TREC.

How long is a passed portion good for?

Until you pass the other portion within one year from your application filing date. If the application expires before you pass both, the passed portion no longer counts and you reapply.

How many times can I retake the Texas exam?

You get three attempts to pass both portions before the application expires. After a third failure, you must complete 30 hours of additional qualifying education if you failed one portion, or 60 hours if you failed both, before retesting.

How much does it cost to retake one portion?

The sales examination fee is $43 per attempt, paid when you reschedule. You retake only the failed portion, and you must wait at least 24 hours before booking the retake.

Can I average my national and state scores to pass?

No. The portions are scored independently, and you must reach the passing standard on each one. A strong score on one portion cannot offset a failing score on the other. See how many you can miss.

Sources and Methodology

This article was reviewed against official Pearson VUE and TREC materials on June 24, 2026. The pass-both requirement, the rule that candidates retake only the failed portion within one year from the date the application was filed with TREC, the 24-hour wait before re-examination, the sales examination fee, the three-attempt limit before the application expires, and the additional education required after a third failure (30 hours for one failed portion, 60 hours for both) all come from the Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook. The cut scores (56 of 80 national, 28 of 40 state) and the national-portion waiver for qualifying out-of-state licensees also come from the handbook. Rules, fees, and deadlines can change, so verify the current Pearson VUE handbook and TREC before relying on a deadline.

Official Source Links

• Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook
• TREC: Become a Real Estate Sales Agent
• Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate exam scheduling

This post is educational content for Texas real estate sales agent candidates. It is not legal, tax, or licensing advice. Pass requirements, retake rules, fees, and deadlines can change, so confirm the current Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook and TREC requirements before you register, retest, or rely on a deadline.