How hard is the Texas real estate exam?
56% of Texas sales agent candidates pass both portions on the first try. The Texas law portion is the harder half: 49% of first-time takers passed it in early 2026, against 66% on the national portion.
56%
of Texas sales agent candidates pass both portions on the first try
| First try, both portions | 16,824 of 29,980 passed (December 2023 to November 2025) |
|---|---|
| National portion, first try | 66% passed (810 takers, January to February 2026) |
| State portion, first try | 49% passed (815 takers, January to February 2026) |
| Score needed | 56 of 80 national and 28 of 40 state |
The hardest sections
Pearson VUE reports the average score in each content area. These are the lowest for first-time Texas sales agent takers, January to February 2026.
| Area | Average score |
|---|---|
| Contracts (state) | 62% |
| Agency and brokerage (state) | 62% |
| Real estate math (national) | 66% |
| Real estate practice (national) | 66% |
| Standards of conduct (state) | 68% |
| Commission duties and powers (state) | 68% |
| Licensing (state), the easiest | 91% |
Would you pass in Texas?
20 questions in 25 minutes on Texas law, national principles and math, scored by part against the Texas line.
How to get past the hard parts
- Contracts on the state portion means TREC's promulgated forms: know which form fits which deal and the deadlines in them.
- Agency and brokerage turns on the intermediary role and the Information About Brokerage Services notice.
- The math is only 7 national questions, but it scores lowest of the eight national areas. Practice prorations and splits until they are quick.
- Fail one portion and you retake only that one, so pass the national portion first and give the state portion your last weeks.
Next step
Questions people ask
Is the Texas real estate exam hard?
Yes. By TREC's figures, 16,824 of 29,980 sales agent candidates, 56%, passed both portions on the first try between December 2023 and November 2025.
Which part of the Texas real estate exam is harder?
The state portion. In January and February 2026, 49% of first-time takers passed the state portion and 66% passed the national portion.
What is the hardest section of the Texas real estate exam?
Contracts and agency and brokerage on the state portion, where first-time takers averaged about 62%, then real estate math and real estate practice on the national portion, about 66%.
What score do you need to pass the Texas real estate exam?
56 of the 80 scored national questions and 28 of the 40 scored state questions: 70% on each portion.
How many times can you take the Texas real estate exam?
Three attempts within a year of filing your application. After three failures TREC asks for 30 more hours of education, or 60 if you failed both portions.