QUICK ANSWER
The Texas sales agent exam has national and state portions. Pearson's 2026 handbook allows 150 minutes for national, 90 minutes for state, or 240 minutes for both in one appointment. The outlines list 80 scored plus 5 pretest national items and 40 scored plus 10 pretest state items; Pearson's appointment table lists 125 items when both portions are taken together. Candidates need 56 correct national answers and 28 correct state answers. The portions are scored separately, and pretest items are unidentified, so answer every question.
SCOPE
This guide covers the Texas sales agent examination, not the broker examination or the 180-hour qualifying education requirement. Exam details can change, so confirm your appointment information in Pearson VUE and current licensing rules with TREC.
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The exam has two separate jobs. The national portion tests broad real estate principles and federal law. The Texas state portion tests TREC rules, Texas law, agency, contracts, and promulgated forms. A strong score on one portion does not offset a failed score on the other.
Learn the structure first. Then use your practice results to decide where your study time belongs.
Texas Real Estate Exam Format Summary
The Texas sales agent exam has a national portion and a Texas state portion. Each has its own time limit and passing score.
| Portion | Appointment items listed by Pearson | Scored items in outline | Pretest items in outline | Time listed by Pearson | Passing raw score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales national | 85 | 80 | 5 | 150 minutes | 56 |
| Sales state | 50 | 40 | 10 | 90 minutes | 28 |
| Both in one appointment | 125 | 120 | See note | 240 minutes | Pass both portions separately |
Pearson's current documents do not reconcile perfectly. Its separate portion rows and content outlines total 135 items, while its combined appointment row lists 125. The next section explains the discrepancy without guessing. For test preparation, the stable facts are the scored-item counts, time limits, and separate passing scores.
Why You May See Both 125 and 135 Questions Mentioned
Pearson's September 2026 candidate handbook lists 85 items for the sales national appointment and 50 for the sales state appointment. Those rows add up to 135. The same table lists 125 items when both portions are booked together. The content outlines also show 80 scored plus 5 pretest national items and 40 scored plus 10 pretest state items, which again adds up to 135.
Pearson does not explain the difference in those documents. Pass Texas does not invent an explanation. Check the count displayed in your Pearson VUE reservation and plan for the full 240-minute combined appointment.
The discrepancy does not change the passing standard. Sales candidates need 56 correct answers on the 80 scored national items and 28 correct answers on the 40 scored state items. Pretest items do not count, and Pearson does not identify them during the exam.
Texas Real Estate Exam National Portion
The national portion covers general real estate principles and federal law. Pearson lists 85 appointment items, including 80 scored items and 5 pretest items, with 150 minutes to work. You need 56 correct scored answers to pass.
The national outline is built around eight areas:
| National area | Scored items in sales outline | What to study |
|---|---|---|
| Real property characteristics, legal descriptions, and property use | 11 | Fixtures, legal descriptions, land use, easements, encumbrances, zoning, and property characteristics. |
| Forms of ownership, transfer, and recording of title | 9 | Estates, liens, deeds, title transfer, recording, notice, and title concepts. |
| Property value and appraisal | 11 | Market value, approaches to value, CMA/BPO concepts, depreciation, income approach, and value principles. |
| Real estate contracts and agency | 16 | Valid contracts, performance, breach, sales contracts, agency creation, termination, and licensee duties. |
| Real estate practice | 10 | Brokerage agreements, property management, fair housing, risk management, antitrust, and supervision. |
| Property disclosures and environmental issues | 9 | Lead-based paint, environmental hazards, disclosure duties, liability, and federal environmental concepts. |
| Financing and settlement | 7 | Loan types, lender requirements, TRID, RESPA, ECOA, closing, and settlement concepts. |
| Real estate math calculations | 7 | Area, valuation, commission, loan costs, closing costs, prorations, investments, and property management math. |
The national portion is broad. Studying it as a vocabulary list is not enough. Pearson says questions can test knowledge, application, or analysis.
| If the question asks you to | The skill being tested |
|---|---|
| Define a term | Knowledge |
| Apply a rule to a short scenario | Application |
| Decide what a fact pattern means | Analysis |
| Choose the safest action | Application plus judgment |
| Calculate a number from a business situation | Setup plus math |
Practice should move from definitions to short scenarios, then to mixed timed sets.
Texas Real Estate Exam State Portion
The Texas state portion covers TREC rules, the Texas Real Estate License Act, agency and intermediary brokerage, promulgated forms, contracts, and other Texas law. Pearson lists 50 appointment items, including 40 scored items and 10 pretest items, with 90 minutes to work. You need 28 correct scored answers to pass.
The Texas sales agent state outline currently includes:
| Texas state area | Items in the state outline | What to study |
|---|---|---|
| Agency and brokerage | 11 | Disclosure, intermediary, duties to clients, minimum services, compensation agreements, broker-sales agent relationships, and broker responsibility. |
| Standards of conduct | 9 | Ethics, discipline, unauthorized practice of law, trust accounts, fee splitting, rebates, and advertising. |
| Contracts and promulgated forms | 9 | Promulgated contracts, forms, addenda, statute of frauds, and seller disclosure requirements. |
| Special topics | 5 | Community property, homestead, DTPA, landlord-tenant issues, foreclosure, liens, recording, HOA issues, and related Texas topics. |
| Commission duties and powers | 3 | TREC powers, complaints, hearings, penalties, discipline, and recovery trust account concepts. |
| Licensing | 3 | Activities requiring a license, exemptions, sponsorship, education, background checks, inactive status, and renewal ideas. |
Those six sales-agent rows total 40 scored items. Do not copy the broker outline into a sales-agent study plan. The broker state examination has a different item distribution and includes case studies; the sales-agent state examination does not.
The answer choices often turn on Texas wording. Generic agency knowledge will not reliably answer an intermediary question, and general contract knowledge will not replace familiarity with TREC-promulgated forms. Study this portion as a Texas exam, not a national exam with Texas labels.
How The Texas Real Estate Exam Is Scored
Pearson reports a raw score, which is the number of scored questions answered correctly. It is not a scaled score. You pass with 56 of 80 on national and 28 of 40 on state. Both thresholds equal 70 percent, but the two results remain separate.
For sales agent candidates:
| Portion | Passing raw score |
|---|---|
| National | 56 correct |
| State | 28 correct |
This is why candidates should not think only in percentages. Pearson gives the pass threshold as a number of correct answers.
The important scoring rules:
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| National and state are separate | You must pass both. |
| Raw score means correct answers | It is not a letter grade or a course percentage. |
| Pretest items do not count | They are mixed with scored items and are not identified. |
| A passed portion can carry forward within the application window | If you fail one portion, you retake only the failed portion as long as the retake is inside the allowed period. |
| Diagnostic information is for study | If you fail, use it to find weak areas, not to guess future questions. |
Pretest items help Pearson evaluate questions for possible future use. They do not affect your score, but you cannot tell which questions they are.
| Candidate question | Best answer |
|---|---|
| Can I identify a pretest item? | No. Treat every question as scored. |
| Should I skip an unfamiliar question? | No. Choose the best answer and keep moving. |
| Do pretest items change the passing score? | No. The thresholds apply to scored items only. |
Your practice target should sit above the minimum. Build enough margin that one difficult topic or a few careless misses do not decide the result.
Texas Real Estate Exam Time Limit
Pearson lists 150 minutes for the national portion, 90 minutes for the state portion, and 240 minutes when both are booked together.
| Appointment | Time |
|---|---|
| Sales national | 150 minutes |
| Sales state | 90 minutes |
| Sales national and state together | 240 minutes |
The four-hour combined appointment is also a stamina test. National has more broad content and more items. State is shorter, but Texas-specific wording deserves careful reading.
| Portion | Time feel | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| National | More broad content, more total items | Spending too long on long national scenarios or math. |
| State | Fewer scored items, heavier Texas wording | Rushing because the section feels shorter. |
| Both together | Long concentration window | Losing focus late in the appointment. |
Use a pacing system that does not depend on an undocumented interface feature:
| Pass | What to do | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| First pass | Answer questions you can solve cleanly and keep difficult items moving. | You avoid losing early time to one problem. |
| If the live interface permits later review | Use only the controls explained in Pearson's untimed tutorial. | The Texas handbook does not promise a mark-and-return feature. |
| Final minutes | Follow the live interface and check any items it makes available if time allows. | You avoid planning around a control Pearson has not documented. |
For math, name the unknown before calculating. For state law, identify the Texas rule before choosing the answer. For scenarios, use only the facts given.
What Happens If You Fail One Portion?
Pearson gives each candidate a pass or fail score report. A failed portion includes a numeric score and diagnostic information, which should shape the next study block.
If you fail one portion, Pearson says you retake only that portion while your application remains active. Pearson requires a 24-hour wait before you can schedule again, and you pay the examination fee in effect when you reserve. TREC says each passed portion remains valid for one year from the date it was passed.
Use this repair map:
| Failed portion | Likely issue | Best repair |
|---|---|---|
| National | Broad concepts, math, finance, contracts, disclosures, or practice questions were too weak. | Rebuild by outline category and use mixed timed sets. |
| State | Texas agency, TREC rules, forms, standards of conduct, contracts, or special topics were weak. | Drill Texas-specific scenarios and study the state outline. |
| Both | Several topics, timing, or the study method may need work. | Reset the plan with diagnostics, focused review, and mixed timed practice. |
TREC Rule §535.57 applies after three consecutive failed examinations. Before testing again or filing a new application, the candidate must complete 30 additional qualifying hours if one portion was failed on the triggering examination, or 60 hours if both portions were failed. It is not a separate three-strike counter for each portion.
How To Study For Each Section
The format should change your study plan. National needs broad concept fluency. Texas state needs precise recall of Texas rules, forms, and duties. Math needs repeatable setup. Scenario questions need careful fact reading.
| Portion | Best study method | What not to do |
|---|---|---|
| National | Build broad concept fluency, then practice mixed questions. | Do not memorize definitions without scenarios. |
| State | Drill Texas law, forms, agency, conduct, contracts, and special topics. | Do not rely on generic national prep. |
| Math | Learn setup types and practice under light time pressure. | Do not hunt for formulas after reading the numbers. |
| Scenario questions | Identify the parties, issue, and controlling rule before choosing. | Do not add facts the question did not give you. |
Use this study cycle:
- Read the outline so you know what is testable.
- Take a diagnostic set.
- Label every miss by category and cause.
- Review the rule.
- Practice focused questions.
- Switch to mixed timed questions.
- Repeat only where the miss pattern remains.
Do not follow a fixed percentage split that ignores your results. Let recent, unseen practice questions decide the next block:
| Practice result | Adjust this way |
|---|---|
| National below target, state strong | Shift more time to broad national concepts and mixed national sets. |
| State below target, national strong | Shift more time to TREC rules, agency, contracts, forms, standards of conduct, and special topics. |
| Math errors keep appearing | Drill setup types daily in small sessions. |
| You know rules but miss scenarios | Practice application and analysis questions, not more passive reading. |
| You run out of time | Add timed mixed sets and practice making a sound decision without lingering. |
The explanation for a miss matters more than the practice score. Label whether you missed the rule, misread the facts, chose the wrong formula, or ran out of time.
If You Take National And State The Same Day
If you are ready for both portions, one appointment is the simplest path. Pearson lists 240 minutes for the combined appointment. If one portion is not ready or a four-hour session is likely to hurt your performance, Pearson also lists separate appointment types. Use the choices available in your authorized Pearson VUE account.
For a combined appointment, rehearse the full concentration window at least once. Eat beforehand, arrive early, and avoid learning a new topic that morning. During the exam, keep difficult questions moving and slow down when the wording switches to Texas law.
Final Format Checklist
Before test day, confirm these six points:
| Question | Candidate-ready answer |
|---|---|
| What must I pass? | National and Texas state, scored separately. |
| How much time do I have? | 150 minutes for national, 90 for state, or 240 when booked together. |
| What are the scored-item counts? | 80 national and 40 state. |
| What are the passing raw scores? | 56 national and 28 state. |
| How should I treat pretest items? | Answer every item because pretest questions are not identified. |
| What happens after one failed portion? | Retake the failed portion while eligible, using the score report to target review. |
If any answer feels fuzzy, fix that before you schedule or retake.
PRACTICE BY PORTION
Find out which portion needs work.
Pass Texas has original National and Texas State Law questions, timed practice, explanations, and weak-area feedback. Use a diagnostic to choose your next study block instead of guessing. Pass Texas is independent exam preparation, not a TREC or Pearson VUE product, a prelicense course, or a pass guarantee.
Common Format Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it costs points |
|---|---|
| Studying for one combined exam | National and state have separate pass thresholds. |
| Ignoring pretest items | You cannot identify them, so every item deserves an answer. |
| Treating state as easy because it has fewer scored items | The state section has Texas-specific wording and scenario questions. |
| Doing only national practice | Generic prep does not cover Texas forms, TREC rules, or Texas agency nuance. |
| Retaking without using the score report | A retake should repair the failed portion's weak areas. |
What To Pair With This
| Resource | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Texas real estate exam complete guide | Use it for the full exam overview, licensing context, and study plan. |
| Free timed Texas real estate practice exam | Use it to test National and Texas State Law decisions under time pressure. |
| Texas versus national exam | Use it to compare the two portions and their study demands. |
| Texas real estate exam score report | Use it to read a failed score report and plan a focused retake. |
| Failed-exam recovery guide | Use it to turn a failed portion and diagnostic report into a repair plan. |
| Schedule your exam | Use it after TREC authorizes you and you are ready to reserve. |
| Exam-day checklist | Use it to confirm identification, arrival, and what to bring. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the format of the Texas real estate exam?
The Texas sales agent exam has a national portion and a Texas state portion. They are timed and scored separately. Pearson lists 150 minutes for national, 90 minutes for state, and 240 minutes for a combined appointment.
What score do I need to pass the Texas real estate exam?
For sales agent candidates, Pearson says you need 56 correct answers on the national examination and 28 correct answers on the state examination. The score is reported as a raw score.
Why do some sources say 125 questions and others say 135?
Pearson's combined appointment row lists 125 items. Its separate national and state rows list 85 and 50, and its content outlines describe 120 scored plus 15 pretest items, both of which total 135. Pearson does not explain the difference in those documents. Confirm the count shown in your reservation and prepare for the full appointment time.
Can I pass national and fail state?
Yes. National and state are separate. If you fail one portion, Pearson says you retake only the failed portion while the application remains active.
TREC also says each section result remains valid for one year from the date that section was passed. If an application expires, a candidate who reapplies before that result expires does not retake the passed section.
Official-source review (September 1, 2026): This article uses Pearson VUE's September 2026 Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook, revision 08/2026, the content outlines included in that handbook, TREC Rule §535.57, TREC's passed-section FAQ, and TREC's sales agent licensing page. It preserves Pearson's unresolved 125-versus-135 item-count conflict and does not promise an interface feature that the handbook does not document.
KNOW THE FORMAT. NOW TEST YOURSELF.
Practice the decisions before exam day.
The free practice exam gives you 25 original questions across National and Texas State Law topics. It is timed, scored, includes explanations, and requires no signup. Use the result to decide what to study next.
Sources and Methodology
This guide is written for Texas real estate sales agent candidates who need to understand exam format, section timing, scored items, pretest items, raw-score thresholds, score reporting, and study strategy. It prioritizes Pearson VUE and TREC source material, then translates the format into practical study decisions.
For current requirements, use TREC and Pearson VUE as the final authorities. Pass Texas is independent educational exam preparation and does not provide legal, licensing, tax, lending, appraisal, brokerage, title, or transaction advice.