QUICK ANSWER
The Texas state-law portion of the sales agent exam follows a content outline effective January 1, 2026. It has 6 areas totaling 40 scored items, plus 10 unscored pretest items. The largest area is Agency and Brokerage at 11 items. Note one common mistake: Case Studies is not on the sales agent exam. That 10-item section belongs to the separate Texas broker exam. If a study source puts Case Studies on the sales agent test, it is wrong.
EXAM PREP ONLY
This explains the Texas state-law portion of the sales agent exam. Item counts come from the Pearson VUE Texas Sales Agent Law content outline effective January 1, 2026. The state portion tests Texas-specific law, separate from the national portion. Outlines can change, so verify the current Pearson VUE outline before you test.
The state portion is where outdated material does the most damage, because Texas law moves faster than national concepts, and because the sales agent and broker outlines look similar enough to mix up. Here is the current state-law map, where the points are, and the one section that trips people up.
What is the Texas state-law outline?
Snippet answer: It is Pearson VUE's blueprint for the Texas-specific portion of the sales agent exam. The version effective January 1, 2026 divides the state portion into 6 areas totaling 40 scored items, with 10 additional unscored pretest items.
The Texas exam has two portions. The national portion covers general real estate knowledge used across states. The state portion covers Texas law: TRELA, TREC rules, agency, contracts, and conduct. This outline is only the state portion.
- It covers the 40-item Texas state portion, not the 80-item national portion.
- It groups Texas law into 6 areas.
- It is effective January 1, 2026, the same day SB 1968 took effect.
The 6 state-law areas and item counts
Snippet answer: The 6 areas are Commission Duties and Powers (3), Licensing (3), Standards of Conduct (9), Agency and Brokerage (11), Contracts (9), and Special Topics (5). They total 40 scored items.
This is the outline map for the Texas state portion.
| State-law area | Scored items |
|---|---|
| I. Commission Duties and Powers | 3 |
| II. Licensing | 3 |
| III. Standards of Conduct | 9 |
| IV. Agency and Brokerage | 11 |
| V. Contracts | 9 |
| VI. Special Topics | 5 |
| Total | 40 |
Three areas carry the weight: Agency and Brokerage (11), Standards of Conduct (9), and Contracts (9) together make up 29 of the 40 items. Special Topics is only 5 items, so do not let it crowd out the heavy areas.
Sales agent vs broker: do not mix the outlines
Snippet answer: The sales agent state portion is 6 areas and 40 scored items with no Case Studies section. The broker state portion is a separate exam with 7 areas, 50 scored items, and a 10-item Case Studies section. Counts differ area by area, so study the sales agent outline.
This is the mistake that sends candidates down the wrong path. The two Texas outlines share area names, but the counts differ and the broker exam has an extra section.
| Area | Sales agent | Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Commission Duties and Powers | 3 | 3 |
| Licensing | 3 | 4 |
| Standards of Conduct | 9 | 9 |
| Agency and Brokerage | 11 | 10 |
| Contracts | 9 | 8 |
| Special Topics | 5 | 6 |
| Case Studies | None | 10 |
| Total scored | 40 | 50 |
The headline difference is Case Studies. It is a 10-item section on the broker exam and it does not exist on the sales agent exam. If a practice test or study guide gives you a Case Studies section, or describes the sales agent state portion as 50 items or 7 areas, it is built for the broker exam, not yours.
Where the state-portion points are
Snippet answer: Agency and Brokerage is the heaviest state area at 11 items, followed by Standards of Conduct and Contracts at 9 each. Commission Duties, Licensing, and Special Topics are lighter. Weight your study toward agency, conduct, and contracts.
Use the counts to budget your study time on Texas law.
- Agency and Brokerage (11) is the biggest payoff. Know intermediary practice, the IABS notice, and the written-agreement rule from SB 1968.
- Standards of Conduct (9) covers TREC discipline, deceptive conduct, and license-holder duties.
- Contracts (9) covers promulgated forms and contract handling under Texas law.
- Commission Duties and Powers (3) and Licensing (3) are smaller but still worth a clean pass.
- Special Topics (5) is the smallest. Learn it, but do not over-invest.
For the agency depth, see the IABS notice and agency disclosure and Texas intermediary practice.
STUDY THE TEXAS PORTION RIGHT
Practice the state areas in the right proportion.
Pass Texas maps its question bank to the current Texas state-law outline, so you practice Agency, Conduct, and Contracts in proportion to how they are tested, with no broker-only Case Studies cluttering your prep. Topic Practice for each state area, plus Trap Library. Native Texas exam prep. Original questions. No copied exam questions. Not affiliated with TREC or Pearson VUE. Not a pass guarantee.
What changed for January 1, 2026
Snippet answer: The state portion is still 6 areas and 40 scored items, so the structure is stable. The outline now in force took effect January 1, 2026, the same day SB 1968's written buyer-agreement rule began, so study the current rule alongside the Agency and Contracts topics.
The practical point is the same as for the national outline: study the current version.
- The effective date is January 1, 2026. Use this outline, not an older one.
- SB 1968 took effect the same day, so study the current written buyer-agreement and representation rules alongside the Agency, Brokerage, and Contracts topics. Pearson does not name SB 1968 in the outline.
- The structure did not change shape. It is still 6 areas and 40 scored items.
For the full set of 2026 changes, see what changed for the Texas exam in 2026.
How the state portion fits the whole exam
Snippet answer: The Texas state portion is one of the two exam portions. It has 40 scored Texas-law items, while the national portion has 80 scored items, for 120 total scored items. You must pass each portion separately, with 28 of 40 on the state portion and 56 of 80 on the national portion.
The state outline is only one portion of the full sales agent exam.
- State portion: 40 scored items on Texas law, the 6 areas above.
- National portion: 80 scored items on general real estate, covered by the national content outline.
- You need 28 of 40 state and 56 of 80 national to pass, scored separately.
For the full structure, see the Texas real estate exam format and how many questions are on the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
For quick answers to every common Texas exam question, see the Texas real estate exam FAQ.
When did the new Texas state-law outline take effect?
January 1, 2026. It is the version Pearson VUE uses for the Texas state-law portion of the sales agent exam, and it took effect the same day as SB 1968.
How many areas and items are on the Texas state portion?
Six areas totaling 40 scored items, plus 10 unscored pretest items. The areas are Commission Duties and Powers, Licensing, Standards of Conduct, Agency and Brokerage, Contracts, and Special Topics.
Is Case Studies on the Texas sales agent exam?
No. Case Studies is a 10-item section on the separate Texas broker exam. The sales agent state portion has 6 areas and no Case Studies. If a study source lists it for the sales agent test, that source is wrong.
Which state-law area has the most questions?
Agency and Brokerage, at 11 scored items. Standards of Conduct and Contracts follow at 9 each. Together those three areas are 29 of the 40 state items.
How is the sales agent state outline different from the broker one?
The sales agent state portion has 6 areas and 40 scored items with no Case Studies. The broker state portion has 7 areas, 50 scored items, and a 10-item Case Studies section, with several different per-area counts. They are different exams.
DRILL THE HEAVY STATE AREAS
Spend your time on agency, conduct, and contracts.
Practice the Texas state-law areas in proportion to how they are tested, and learn the SB 1968 written-agreement rules inside the agency content. Native Texas exam prep. Original questions. No copied exam questions. Not affiliated with TREC or Pearson VUE. Not a 180-hour pre-license course or a pass guarantee.
Sources and Methodology
This article was reviewed against the Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate content outlines on June 24, 2026. The Texas Sales Agent Law content outline is effective January 1, 2026 and states that the state-law portion consists of 40 scored items plus 10 unscored pretest items. The 6 areas and their scored-item counts (Commission Duties and Powers, 3; Licensing, 3; Standards of Conduct, 9; Agency and Brokerage, 11; Contracts, 9; Special Topics, 5) are taken directly from that outline and total 40. The broker comparison is from the separate Texas Broker Law content outline, which lists 50 scored items across 7 areas, including a 10-item Case Studies section, with per-area counts of Commission Duties and Powers, 3; Licensing, 4; Standards of Conduct, 9; Agency and Brokerage, 10; Contracts, 8; Special Topics, 6; and Case Studies, 10. The January 1, 2026 effective date matches SB 1968. Outlines can change, so verify the current Pearson VUE Texas content outline before you test.
Official Source Links
- Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate content outlines
- Texas Legislature: SB 1968
- Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook
- TREC: Become a Real Estate Sales Agent
This post is educational content for Texas real estate sales agent candidates. It is not legal or licensing advice. Exam content outlines, item counts, and effective dates can change, so confirm the current Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate content outline before you register or test.