Free practice + study guide

California Real Estate Salesperson

California Real Estate Salesperson Examination — 150 questions · 180 minutes · Passing score: 70%. PrepPass also publishes a complete study guide for this exam as a downloadable book (141 pages, 180 practice questions inside, $14.99).

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Practice questions418 free practice questionsTimed mock examTimed mock, free
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PrepPass team · Verified against California Department of Real Estate (DRE) · How we review

Reviewed by John Zihao Zhang — Licensed California Real Estate Salesperson (CA DRE #02222880 — verify)

Exam inside two weeks?

A printable colour cheat sheet for the exam: the format, the content areas and the figures it turns on, each checked against a named source and dated.

California Real Estate Salesperson Exam cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →

6 pages · US Letter · printable PDF · yours to keep

01

Test what you know · free, all of it

Five ways to practise.

The same 418 questions, dealt five ways. Pick the one that fits the time you have.

Quick 10Start here
Ten questions, no feedback while you answer. Then one report: all 10 explained, each pointing at the chapter that teaches it.
10 questionsabout 5 minevery answer explained
By section
Pick Laws & Agency, Financing, Property Ownership, Practice & Contracts. An explanation appears the moment you answer.
418 questionsuntimed
Timed mock
Sit it like the real thing, then get a score report by section.
150 questions180 minutes
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all 418, by section
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02

Learn what the questions test

Practice finds the gaps. Reading closes them. The six chapters below are free to read online. The study guide book is a separate download, sold on its own page.

Practice · free
418
questions, each explained — finds what you don't know yet
Learn · the guide
141
pages in the study guide book, section by section

The six sections, as chapters

free to read online
  1. 1Property Ownership and Land Use ControlsProperty OwnershipRead free →
  2. 2Laws of Agency, Disclosures, and Fair HousingLaws & AgencyRead free →
  3. 3Real Estate FinancingFinancingRead free →
  4. 4Practice of Real Estate and ContractsPractice & ContractsRead free →
  5. 5Valuation and AppraisalValuation & AppraisalRead free →
  6. 6Transfer of Property, Title, and EscrowTransfer of PropertyRead free →
Cover: California Real Estate Salesperson Exam — Complete Study Guide (2026)
Study guide · PDF + EPUB
California Real Estate Salesperson Exam — Complete Study Guide (2026)
141 pages · 180 practice questions inside · updated 2026-10-23
$14.99 one-time · yours to keep
Get the book — $14.99Read a chapter free
  • All 6 chapters as one PDF + EPUB you keep
  • A key-figures box, named traps and a self-check with reasoned answers closing each of the 6 chapters
  • Worked California math with every step shown — transfer tax, prorations, cap rate, GRM
03

Before you sit

Know the exam you're walking into.

Free study guideEvery section, onlineTopics by weightWhat to study firstHow hard is it?Honest answer, with numbersScores & retakesWhat the board publishesOne-page cheat sheetNight-before facts
04

See the questions first

Two from the bank, answered.

Real items, with the answer marked and the reason written out — the same format as all 418.

Laws & Agency

An agent's fiduciary duties to a principal are often summarized by the acronym OLD CAR. The 'C' most directly stands for:

  1. ACompensation
  2. BConfidentialityCorrect
  3. CCompliance
  4. DConsideration

Why: The fiduciary duties commonly memorized as OLD CAR are Obedience, Loyalty, Disclosure, Confidentiality, Accounting, and Reasonable care. A real estate agent must keep the principal's confidences even after the transaction closes. These duties flow from the agency relationship established under California law.CA Civil Code

Financing

In a California deed of trust, the party who holds bare legal title as security until the loan is repaid is the:

  1. AMortgagor
  2. BBeneficiary
  3. CTrusteeCorrect
  4. DTrustor

Why: A deed of trust involves three parties: the trustor (borrower), the beneficiary (lender), and the trustee, who holds bare legal title as security. If the borrower defaults, the trustee can conduct a nonjudicial foreclosure sale. California primarily uses deeds of trust rather than mortgages.CA Civil Code

Read all 418 questions with answers →

05

Watch

Answer along on YouTube.

CA Real Estate Practice Test 2026 — 40 Real Questions & Answers | PrepPass.orgPrepPass on YouTube · 2026-08-27California Real Estate Salesperson Exam Practice Test 2026 | 50 Real Questions & AnswersPrepPass on YouTube
06

The exam itself

California Real Estate Salesperson, by the numbers.

Questions150 questionsAll multiple choice, each with four answer choices. There is no separate national and state portion: DRE writes one California examination.
Time180 minutesDRE states the salesperson session as 3 hours. Candidates are asked to arrive 30 minutes early.
SectionsLaws & Agency · Financing · Practice & Contracts · Property Ownership · Valuation & Appraisal · Transfer of Property
Passing score70%Candidates who pass are not told their score; failing candidates see their score and a per-subject breakdown. After a fail you may re-apply once results are released, and there is no limit on attempts within two years of the original application.
Our bank418 questions · updated August 2026Written from California Department of Real Estate (DRE)
LanguagesEnglish
SourceCalifornia Department of Real Estate (DRE)Verified 2026-09-22

Full facts and sources →

Related real estate and mortgage exams

California Real Estate Broker ExamCalifornia Real Estate Broker Examination — 200 questions · 240 minutes · Passing score: 75%.616 free practice questions · exam facts and sources · study guide, $19.99
NMLS SAFE MLO — Mortgage Loan OriginatorSAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test with Uniform State Content (National Test Component) — 120 questions (115 scored, 5 unscored pretest) · 190 minutes · Passing score: 75%. SAFE MLO National Test with Uniform State Test Content Outline (NMLS MLO Testing Handbook) (as published on the NMLS Resource Center web page (no printed edition date; the page was last modified October 2, 2026); test specifications as of April 5, 2021) gives these section weights: Federal Mortgage Related Laws 24%, General Mortgage Knowledge 20%, Mortgage Loan Origination Activities 27%, Ethics 18%, Uniform State Content 11%. NMLS publishes percentages for the five content areas, not item counts per area, and says each topic is not necessarily tested on each examination. Last checked 2026-10-15.400 free practice questions · exam facts and sources · study guide, $29.99

Real Estate License Requirements by State (2026) →

07

Helpful resources

The board's own page, and what else helps.

Apply — California DRE →

Recommended prep — books & tools

  • Barron's Real Estate Licensing Exams

    Covers the national portion the CA exam shares.

    See it on Amazon →

This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, PrepPass earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

08

Real Estate Salesperson Exams

On the same path.

Alabama Real Estate Salesperson Exam50 free questions · mock 50 q / 50 min · guide $14.99Alaska Real Estate Salesperson Exam50 free questions · mock 50 q / 50 min · guide $14.99Arizona Real Estate Salesperson Exam65 free questions · mock 50 q / 50 min · guide $14.99

All 50 exams in Real Estate Salesperson Exams →

09

Questions

Asked before starting.

Is the practice really free, or does it stop after a few questions?

All 418 questions, the timed mock and the report are free with no sign-up. A free account only adds saving your progress. The study guide book is sold separately, $14.99 one-time; nothing in the practice requires it.

Is your mock the same as the real California Real Estate Salesperson?

Same length: 150 questions in 180 minutes, like the real exam. Use it for stamina and pacing; it is practice, not a score predictor.

What score do I need?

70% — as published by California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Confirm the current rule with them before your exam date.

Who administers the California Real Estate Salesperson Examination?

California Department of Real Estate (DRE). DRE runs the exam itself, in an electronic format at its own sites (Fresno, La Palma, Oakland, Sacramento and San Diego); no outside testing vendor is named. To qualify, a candidate must first complete three college-level courses — Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practice and one elective — each a minimum of 45 hours.

How many questions are on the California Real Estate Salesperson Examination?

150 questions. All multiple choice, each with four answer choices. There is no separate national and state portion: DRE writes one California examination.

How long is the California Real Estate Salesperson Examination?

180 minutes. DRE states the salesperson session as 3 hours. Candidates are asked to arrive 30 minutes early.

How much does the California Real Estate Salesperson Examination cost?

$100 — Salesperson examination fee (original or re-examination) (California Department of Real Estate, per attempt); $40 — Rescheduling an exam date (California Department of Real Estate, per attempt); $350 — Salesperson license fee (California Department of Real Estate, one-time); $49 — Fingerprint processing (paid to the Live Scan provider by California residents) (Live Scan provider, one-time). DRE fees are non-refundable (Business and Professions Code § 10207). The on-time renewal fee equals the license fee.

What languages is the California Real Estate Salesperson Examination offered in?

Not published by California DRE. DRE publishes no list of examination languages. Its content page says only that the exam tests “appropriate knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and spelling”. The pages listed were searched for “language” and “Spanish”; PrepPass therefore names no language.

Is the California Real Estate Salesperson study guide a PDF?

Yes. California Real Estate Salesperson Exam — Complete Study Guide (2026) downloads as PDF + EPUB (141 pages, 180 practice questions inside), $14.99 one-time, and the files are yours to keep. The 418 practice questions on this page stay free without it. See the study guide →

Practice questions are AI-assisted study material written from California Department of Real Estate (DRE) and reviewed by PrepPass — for practice only, not official exam questions. Bank updated August 2026. PrepPass is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by California Department of Real Estate (DRE). Always confirm current exam details with California Department of Real Estate (DRE).
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