How many questions are on the New York real estate salesperson exam?

The Department of State does not publish a question count. Its written exam is multiple choice and is based on the 77-hour pre-licensing curriculum, and you are allowed 1.5 hours to complete it. Because the state does not release the number of items, practice exams that advertise a fixed question count are working from a figure the state itself does not publish.

What score do you need to pass the New York real estate exam?

New York does not publish a passing score. Results come back as passed or failed only, and the state does not give you a numerical score or a topic breakdown. A passing result stays valid for two years, so if you do not apply for the license within that window you have to test again.

How much does the New York real estate exam and license cost?

The written exam is $15 per attempt, and the initial salesperson application is $65. The license runs for two years and renewal is also $65. A change of name or address is $10, and a duplicate license request is $10. Fees are paid by check or money order to the Department of State or by MasterCard or Visa using the credit card authorization form; the state does not accept cash.

How much education does New York require before the exam?

77 hours of Department of State approved qualifying education, taken through an approved school. The school also administers its own proctored final exam, which is separate from the state licensing exam. New York does not accept home-study or correspondence courses toward the pre-licensing requirement, and the Department of State does not have reciprocity with any other state.

What is the New York agency disclosure requirement?

For residential transactions, a listing agent must give the agency disclosure form to the seller before the listing agreement is signed, and any seller's or landlord's agent must give it to the buyer or tenant at the first substantive contact. The buyer's or tenant's agent gives the form to the buyer or tenant before their agreement is signed. The agent must keep each signed acknowledgment for at least three years. The requirement comes from Real Property Law section 443.

New York Real Estate Practice Test (Free)

The New York real estate salesperson exam has a 1 hours 30 minutes limit. Below are the exact numbers the NY exam uses, and a free practice test to see where you stand.

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The New York exam at a glance

License: Real Estate Salesperson
Administered by: New York State Department of State (the Division of Licensing Services runs the exam in-house at state test sites; no third-party testing vendor)
Total questions: Not published by the state board
Time limit: 1 hours 30 minutes
Passing score: The Department of State does not publish a question count or a numeric passing score. Results are reported only as passed or failed, and a passing result is valid for two years. The exam is multiple choice and is drawn from the 77-hour pre-licensing curriculum, which blends general real estate principles with New York law in one sitting.
How it is taken: In person at New York State Department of State test sites (for example Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Hauppauge, New York City, Pomona, Rochester, Utica). Schedule and pay through the eAccessNY account system.
If you fail: $15 per attempt. The Department of State publishes no waiting period between attempts and no limit on the number of attempts. Book a retake through your eAccessNY account.

What New York requires before you can sit the exam

Minimum age: 18+
Pre-license education: 77 hours
License Law and Regulations (3 hours)
Law of Agency (11 hours)
Legal Issues (10 hours)
The Contract of Sales and Leases (3 hours)
Real Estate Finance (5 hours)
Land Use Regulations (3 hours)
Construction and Environmental Issues (5 hours)
Valuation Process and Pricing Properties (3 hours)
Human Rights and Fair Housing (6 hours)
Real Estate Mathematics (1 hour)
Municipal Agencies (2 hours)
Property Insurance (1 hour)
Licensee Safety (1 hour)
Taxes and Assessments (3 hours)
Condominiums and Cooperatives (4 hours)
Commercial and Investment Properties (10 hours)
Income Tax Issues in Real Estate Transactions (3 hours)
Mortgage Brokerage (1 hour)
Property Management (2 hours)
Exam / application fee: $15
License term: 2 years

Free New York practice questions

10 questions written for the New York exam, drawn from 35 in the ApexAgent bank. The correct answer and the reasoning are under each one.

1. Which state agency licenses and regulates real estate brokers and salespersons in New York?
- A. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection
- B. The New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services ✓
- C. The New York State Department of Financial Services
- D. The New York State Board of Real Estate
Why: Real Property Law Article 12-A places licensing and regulation of brokers and salespersons with the Department of State, which carries out that work through the Division of Licensing Services. New York has a Board of Real Estate (Real Property Law section 442-i) that advises, but it does not issue licenses. The Department of Financial Services regulates mortgage lending and banking, not real estate brokerage.
2. Under New York law, a real estate salesperson may receive compensation for brokerage services from
- A. any party to the transaction
- B. only the licensed broker with whom the salesperson is associated ✓
- C. the seller directly, if the seller signs a written consent
- D. the buyer's attorney
Why: Real Property Law section 442-a bars a salesperson from receiving or demanding compensation of any kind from anyone other than the licensed broker with whom the salesperson is associated. A salesperson cannot bill a seller or buyer directly; compensation flows from the broker.
3. A New York real estate salesperson license is issued for a term of
- A. one year
- B. two years ✓
- C. three years
- D. four years
Why: The Department of State states that the term of licensure for a real estate salesperson is two years, and the license must be renewed through eAccessNY. New York is therefore a two-year license state, unlike California and some others that use longer terms.
4. How much continuing education must a New York real estate salesperson complete to renew a license?
- A. 11 hours
- B. 15 hours
- C. 22.5 hours ✓
- D. 30 hours
Why: The Department of State requires 22.5 hours of approved continuing education within the two-year period before renewal. The hours must include set minimums for fair housing, ethics, recent legal matters, implicit bias, cultural competency, and the law of agency.
5. The salesperson qualifying education required in New York before you apply for a license is
- A. 45 hours
- B. 75 hours
- C. 77 hours ✓
- D. 152 hours
Why: The Department of State requires 77 hours of approved salesperson qualifying education, delivered through a Department of State approved school. The 152-hour figure is the broker qualifying requirement, not the salesperson requirement.
6. How much time is allowed to complete the New York real estate salesperson licensing exam?
- A. 1 hour
- B. 1.5 hours ✓
- C. 2.5 hours
- D. 4 hours
Why: The Department of State states that an applicant is allowed 1.5 hours (90 minutes) to complete the salesperson test, and the clock starts at the end of the instructions. The 2.5-hour figure applies to the broker exam, not the salesperson exam.
7. Which statement is accurate about the results of the New York real estate salesperson exam?
- A. The Department of State mails a numerical percentage score
- B. You must score exactly 70 percent to pass
- C. Results are reported only as passed or failed ✓
- D. Results are given over the phone on request
Why: The Department of State states that exam results are reported as either passed or failed, that you will not receive a numerical score, and that results are not given over the phone. They are posted in your eAccessNY account. Because no cut score is published, statements that you must score a specific percentage are not backed by the state.
8. A passing New York real estate salesperson exam result is valid for how long?
- A. 6 months
- B. one year
- C. two years ✓
- D. four years
Why: The Department of State states that a passed exam result is valid for a period of two years. If you do not obtain the license within that window, the passing result expires and you must take the exam again.
9. The minimum age to be licensed as a New York real estate salesperson is
- A. 18 ✓
- B. 19
- C. 20
- D. 21
Why: The Department of State lists 18 years old as a qualification to apply for a salesperson license. The broker age minimum is higher (20), but the salesperson minimum is 18.
10. Which statement best describes the legal role of a New York real estate salesperson?
- A. The salesperson may operate independently and hold client funds
- B. The salesperson works for and is supervised by a licensed broker, and listings are accepted by the broker ✓
- C. The salesperson may sponsor other licensees
- D. The salesperson has the same authority as an associate broker
Why: Under Real Property Law section 440 and the Department of State's own description, a salesperson is associated with a broker, cannot operate independently, and all listings are accepted by the representative broker even when a salesperson negotiated them. Only a broker may supervise other licensees and hold escrow funds.

Want more New York-specific questions? Practice the full New York state-law set.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the New York real estate salesperson exam?: The Department of State does not publish a question count. Its written exam is multiple choice and is based on the 77-hour pre-licensing curriculum, and you are allowed 1.5 hours to complete it. Because the state does not release the number of items, practice exams that advertise a fixed question count are working from a figure the state itself does not publish.
What score do you need to pass the New York real estate exam?: New York does not publish a passing score. Results come back as passed or failed only, and the state does not give you a numerical score or a topic breakdown. A passing result stays valid for two years, so if you do not apply for the license within that window you have to test again.
How much does the New York real estate exam and license cost?: The written exam is $15 per attempt, and the initial salesperson application is $65. The license runs for two years and renewal is also $65. A change of name or address is $10, and a duplicate license request is $10. Fees are paid by check or money order to the Department of State or by MasterCard or Visa using the credit card authorization form; the state does not accept cash.
How much education does New York require before the exam?: 77 hours of Department of State approved qualifying education, taken through an approved school. The school also administers its own proctored final exam, which is separate from the state licensing exam. New York does not accept home-study or correspondence courses toward the pre-licensing requirement, and the Department of State does not have reciprocity with any other state.
What is the New York agency disclosure requirement?: For residential transactions, a listing agent must give the agency disclosure form to the seller before the listing agreement is signed, and any seller's or landlord's agent must give it to the buyer or tenant at the first substantive contact. The buyer's or tenant's agent gives the form to the buyer or tenant before their agreement is signed. The agent must keep each signed acknowledgment for at least three years. The requirement comes from Real Property Law section 443.

New York real estate license requirements

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Sources

NYS Department of State - Become a Real Estate Salesperson (age 18, 77 hours, exam is multiple choice and 1.5 hours, results reported pass/fail only, passing result valid 2 years, no fingerprints, fee schedule: $65 initial application, $65 renewal, $15 written exam) (verified 2026-10-03)
NYS Department of State - Real Estate Salesperson Frequently Asked Questions (77-hour qualifying education, school proctored exam in addition to the state exam, 22.5 hours of continuing education, no reciprocity with any other state, waiver rules) (verified 2026-10-03)
NYS Department of State - Real Estate Salesperson 77 Hour Curriculum syllabus, effective December 21, 2022 (the 19 subjects and their hour allocations that total 77 hours; the additional 3-hour examination listed separately is the school-administered proctored final, not the state exam) (verified 2026-10-03)
NYS Department of State - Real Estate License Law compilation, March 2026 (Real Property Law Article 12-A text, including definitions at section 440, the license and discipline structure, and the cited agency disclosure section 443) (verified 2026-10-03)
NYS Department of State - Division of Licensing Services, Real Estate Salesperson page (license term of two years, fee schedule, exam policies, score reporting, exam sites) (verified 2026-10-03)
Exam details are checked against the New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services and its testing vendor. Always confirm current requirements with the board before your exam.