What's the passing score for the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam?

You need to score 70% on each of the two portions independently. The National portion requires at least 56 correct answers out of 80 scored questions, and the State (Texas-specific) portion requires at least 28 correct answers out of 40 scored questions. You must pass both portions; an aggregate score across both portions does not count. If you fail one portion but pass the other, you only need to retake the failed portion within your TREC application window.

How many questions are on the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam?

Per the current Pearson VUE Content Outlines (effective January 2026), the exam includes 120 scored questions total — 80 on the National portion and 40 on the State (Texas-specific) portion. In addition, Pearson VUE includes 15 unscored "pretest" items mixed into both portions: 5 on the National portion and 10 on the State portion. Candidates see a total of 135 questions on test day. Some older sources still cite "125 total questions" or "21 of 40 to pass State" — these figures reflect earlier exam structures and don't match the most recent Pearson VUE materials.

What happens if I pass one portion but fail the other?

Your passing portion remains valid for the remainder of your TREC application's one-year window. Within that period, you only need to retake the failed portion — not the full exam. You must schedule a new exam appointment with Pearson VUE and pay the exam fee for the retake. If you don't pass the failed portion within your application window, your previous pass expires and you'll need to refile your TREC application. Plan to retake quickly to avoid losing your passing score.

How many times can I take the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam?

You have three attempts to pass each portion within your TREC application's validity period. If you fail a portion three times, TREC requires 30 additional classroom hours of qualifying real estate education for that portion before you can retest. If you fail both portions three times each, TREC requires 60 hours total. After completing the additional education, you submit certificates to TREC and wait 5-7 business days for re-authorization. Each exam attempt requires a new fee (currently $43 per attempt — verify with Pearson VUE). After completing the required additional education and reauthorization process, candidates may continue retesting subject to TREC application rules.

What's the threshold on the State portion — 21 of 40 or 28 of 40?

The current Pearson VUE Content Outlines (effective January 2026) specify 28 correct answers out of 40 scored items (70%) to pass the State portion. The "21 of 40" figure appears on many third-party real estate sites and reflects an older State portion structure with fewer scored items. The 70% threshold itself has remained constant; the question count changed. Always verify against the most recent Pearson VUE materials before relying on third-party numbers.

How is the Texas Real Estate exam scored — is it just counting correct answers?

Pearson VUE uses scaled scoring that adjusts for minor differences in exam form difficulty. In practice, the 70% raw-score thresholds (56/80 National, 28/40 State) are essentially fixed — minor scaling adjustments don't typically push someone from a clear pass to a clear fail. Your score report shows a scaled score plus a PASS or FAIL indicator for each portion. You don't receive question-by-question feedback, but failed portions include diagnostic feedback about your performance on each content area to help you focus your retake study.

Are pretest questions identifiable on the Texas exam?

No. Pretest items are mixed in with scored items and look identical. The 5 pretest items on the National portion and 10 pretest items on the State portion are indistinguishable from scored items during the exam. Pearson VUE uses pretest items to evaluate question performance for future exams. Because you can't tell which is which, answer every question carefully — there's no benefit to skipping anything you suspect "might not count."

Texas Real Estate Exam Passing Score (2026) — How TREC Scoring Works

TL;DR

The Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of TREC. Per the current Pearson VUE Content Outlines (effective January 2026), the exam contains 120 scored items plus 15 unscored pretest items, for a total of 135 questions seen on test day — split into an 85-question National portion (80 scored + 5 pretest) and a 50-question State portion (40 scored + 10 pretest). Candidates have 240 minutes (4 hours) total. To pass, you must achieve 70% on each portion independently: at least 56 of 80 correct on the National portion and at least 28 of 40 correct on the State portion. Pretest items are mixed in and indistinguishable from scored items — answer all 135. Some third-party sites — and some older Pearson VUE materials — still reference earlier exam structures, citing figures like 21 of 40 on the State portion or 125 total questions. These figures reflect older exam structures and don't match the current Pearson VUE Content Outlines. After three failed attempts on either portion, TREC requires 30 additional classroom hours of qualifying education (or 60 hours if both portions fail). This article explains the structure, what the thresholds actually mean, what happens with partial passes, and why so many third-party sites have outdated numbers.

Important: Always confirm current requirements directly on the Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Candidate Handbook and the TREC Sales Agent licensing page before registering. The figures below match the current Pearson VUE Content Outlines (#094401, effective January 2026).

How the TREC Sales Agent Exam Is Structured

The Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam is split into two distinct sections, scored separately:

National Portion — 85 total questions on test day (150 minutes allotted) - 80 scored items that count toward your score - 5 unscored pretest items mixed in (used by Pearson VUE to evaluate questions for future exams)

Covers general real estate principles applicable across all U.S. states: agency, contracts, financing, property valuation, federal fair housing law, transfer of title, closing, environmental issues, and general real estate calculations.

State (Texas-Specific) Portion — 50 total questions on test day (90 minutes allotted) - 40 scored items that count toward your score - 10 unscored pretest items mixed in

Covers Texas-specific material: TREC rules and the Real Estate License Act, Texas-specific agency law, TREC promulgated forms, Texas Property Code provisions, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), Texas-specific disclosure requirements, and Texas water/mineral/property rights nuances.

Total questions on test day: 135. Total scored items: 120. Total time: 240 minutes (4 hours).

Pretest items look identical to scored items. You can't tell which is which during the exam. Answer every question carefully; never skip something thinking it might not count.

The Passing Score: 70% on Each Portion, Independently

To pass, you must achieve a passing raw score on both portions independently:

Portion	Scored Items	Minimum Correct to Pass	Threshold
National	80	56	70%
State (Texas)	40	28	70%

Critical detail: A passing aggregate score across both portions is NOT enough. If you score very high on the National portion but fail to clear 28/40 on the State portion, you fail the exam — and must retake only the State portion. The two portions are scored independently.

This independent-portion scoring is one of the most important things to understand before test day. Don't budget all your study time on national real estate principles and skim Texas-specific material — both portions need to clear 70% separately.

Common Discrepancies in Published Texas Exam Numbers

Many third-party real estate exam-prep sites — and some older Pearson VUE materials — still reference earlier exam structures. The most common discrepancies:

Discrepancy 1: "125 total questions" Many sites publish "125 questions" because earlier versions of the exam reflected 80 scored National + 30 scored State + 15 pretest = 125. The current structure (per the most recent published Pearson VUE Content Outlines, effective January 2026) has 80 + 40 = 120 scored items plus 15 pretest = 135 total seen on test day. Some Pearson VUE summary tables still display "125" using older counts.

Discrepancy 2: "21 correct out of 40 on the State portion" This figure appears on many sites but reflects an older State portion structure (30 scored items, 21 to pass = 70%). The current Pearson VUE Content Outlines specify 40 scored State items, requiring 28 correct (70%) to pass. The 70% threshold has remained constant; the underlying question count was updated.

Discrepancy 3: "70% combined" A few sites describe the passing threshold as "70% combined across both portions." Each portion is actually scored independently — you must achieve 70% on each separately, not 70% across the total.

If a study source quotes 21/40 or "125 questions," verify against the most recent Pearson VUE Content Outlines. The current passing thresholds are 56/80 and 28/40.

Why this discrepancy matters for candidates. A test-taker relying on outdated thresholds may walk into the exam expecting to pass at a score that no longer clears the bar. A candidate scoring 25 out of 40 on the State portion would clear an outdated 21/40 threshold but fall short of the current 28/40 threshold — that's a passing expectation paired with a failing result. Accuracy on these numbers isn't a stylistic preference; it changes whether a candidate prepares for the right target. Always verify your target score against the most recent Pearson VUE Content Outlines before relying on any third-party number.

Scaled Scoring (How Pearson VUE Actually Calculates Your Score)

When you finish the exam, Pearson VUE applies scaled scoring that adjusts for slight variations in exam form difficulty. Different test forms (different sets of questions used by Pearson VUE on different days) may have marginally different difficulty levels, and scaled scoring makes minor adjustments for slight differences in exam-form difficulty to maintain fairness across forms.

In practice, the raw-score thresholds (56/80 and 28/40) are essentially fixed. The vast majority of candidates who hit those raw-score thresholds will pass.

Your score report will display a scaled score with pass/fail status for each portion. Failed portions also include diagnostic feedback by content area to help you focus retake studying.

What Happens When You Pass One Portion and Fail the Other

This is more common than candidates expect, and it's important to understand the retake rules:

If you pass the National portion but fail the State portion: - Your National pass remains valid for the duration of your TREC application's one-year window - You only need to retake the State portion within that period - If you don't pass the State portion within the application window, both expire

If you pass the State portion but fail the National portion: - The same rule applies in reverse — your State pass remains valid for your application window - You only need to retake the National portion

If you fail both portions: - You must retake the entire exam (both portions)

The application validity window is administered by TREC. Plan to retake quickly if you fail one portion — don't delay studying for the failed portion.

The Three-Strike Rule and Required Education

The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook states the retake rule directly:

Candidates have three attempts to pass both portions of the examination prior to the application expiration date. If the examination is failed three times, the candidate is unable to retest or submit a new application until additional qualifying real estate education is completed as follows: Thirty (30) hours for an applicant who fails either the national or state part of the examination; and sixty (60) hours for an applicant who fails both parts of the examination.

In practical terms:

Pass before three attempts: No additional education required
Fail one portion three times: Complete 30 additional classroom hours of qualifying real estate education for that portion before retesting
Fail both portions three times each: Complete 60 additional classroom hours of qualifying real estate education before retesting

After completing the additional education, you submit your course completion certificates to TREC, wait approximately 5-7 business days for re-authorization, and then schedule a new exam through Pearson VUE.

Each exam attempt requires a new exam fee ($43 as of recent fee schedules; verify with Pearson VUE before retaking).

Score Report: What You Receive

Immediately after completing the exam at the testing center, Pearson VUE provides a printed score report before you leave. The report includes:

Pass or Fail status for each portion separately
A scaled score for each portion
Diagnostic content-area feedback for any portion you failed (showing relative performance across major content areas) to help you focus retake studying

You do not receive question-by-question feedback — Pearson VUE does not tell you which specific questions you missed. The diagnostic content-area feedback is the closest you get, and it's only provided for failed portions.

Save your score report. If you pass, you'll need it to complete your TREC application. If you fail one portion, the diagnostic feedback identifies your weakest content areas for targeted study before retake.

Why 70%, and Why It Feels Hard

Real estate licensing exams are designed to ensure candidates demonstrate baseline competency. The 70%-per-portion threshold means substantial mastery of both general real estate principles and Texas-specific law.

The exam difficulty surprises many candidates because:

Question writing is precise. Many questions hinge on a specific word ("must" vs "may," "always" vs "usually") that changes the correct answer.
Distractors are well-designed. Wrong answers are crafted to be plausible. "Almost right" is a common feature of real estate exam distractors.
Texas state-specific content is dense. TREC rules, promulgated forms, the Real Estate License Act, and Texas Property Code provisions require specific memorization that doesn't generalize from national real estate principles.

The most common reason candidates fail is underpreparation on Texas-specific content. National real estate concepts (agency, contracts, fair housing, financing) are well-covered in pre-licensing courses, but TREC rules and Texas forms require dedicated study beyond the course material.

Preparing to Pass: Practical Guidance

Many candidates who pass the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam on the first attempt do the following:

Complete the required pre-licensing education (180 classroom hours of TREC-approved courses) thoroughly — not as a check-the-box exercise.
Take multiple practice exams in the weeks before test day. The format and pacing of practice exams matter as much as the content.
Memorize TREC promulgated forms structure and when each is required (this is a heavily emphasized topic area).
Drill the math problems — commission, proration, area, financing — until each formula is automatic.
Study Texas-specific content separately from the national material. The two portions test very different things, and underpreparation on the State portion is the most common cause of partial-pass failures.
Take the practice exam under timed conditions that mirror Pearson VUE's testing environment — 4 hours, no notes, basic calculator only.

Plan for substantial focused review beyond the required pre-licensing course before scheduling the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the passing score for the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam?: You need to score 70% on each of the two portions independently. The National portion requires at least 56 correct answers out of 80 scored questions, and the State (Texas-specific) portion requires at least 28 correct answers out of 40 scored questions. You must pass both portions; an aggregate score across both portions does not count. If you fail one portion but pass the other, you only need to retake the failed portion within your TREC application window.
How many questions are on the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam?: Per the current Pearson VUE Content Outlines (effective January 2026), the exam includes 120 scored questions total — 80 on the National portion and 40 on the State (Texas-specific) portion. In addition, Pearson VUE includes 15 unscored "pretest" items mixed into both portions: 5 on the National portion and 10 on the State portion. Candidates see a total of 135 questions on test day. Some older sources still cite "125 total questions" or "21 of 40 to pass State" — these figures reflect earlier exam structures and don't match the most recent Pearson VUE materials.
What happens if I pass one portion but fail the other?: Your passing portion remains valid for the remainder of your TREC application's one-year window. Within that period, you only need to retake the failed portion — not the full exam. You must schedule a new exam appointment with Pearson VUE and pay the exam fee for the retake. If you don't pass the failed portion within your application window, your previous pass expires and you'll need to refile your TREC application. Plan to retake quickly to avoid losing your passing score.
How many times can I take the Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam?: You have three attempts to pass each portion within your TREC application's validity period. If you fail a portion three times, TREC requires 30 additional classroom hours of qualifying real estate education for that portion before you can retest. If you fail both portions three times each, TREC requires 60 hours total. After completing the additional education, you submit certificates to TREC and wait 5-7 business days for re-authorization. Each exam attempt requires a new fee (currently $43 per attempt — verify with Pearson VUE). After completing the required additional education and reauthorization process, candidates may continue retesting subject to TREC application rules.
What's the threshold on the State portion — 21 of 40 or 28 of 40?: The current Pearson VUE Content Outlines (effective January 2026) specify 28 correct answers out of 40 scored items (70%) to pass the State portion. The "21 of 40" figure appears on many third-party real estate sites and reflects an older State portion structure with fewer scored items. The 70% threshold itself has remained constant; the question count changed. Always verify against the most recent Pearson VUE materials before relying on third-party numbers.
How is the Texas Real Estate exam scored — is it just counting correct answers?: Pearson VUE uses scaled scoring that adjusts for minor differences in exam form difficulty. In practice, the 70% raw-score thresholds (56/80 National, 28/40 State) are essentially fixed — minor scaling adjustments don't typically push someone from a clear pass to a clear fail. Your score report shows a scaled score plus a PASS or FAIL indicator for each portion. You don't receive question-by-question feedback, but failed portions include diagnostic feedback about your performance on each content area to help you focus your retake study.
Are pretest questions identifiable on the Texas exam?: No. Pretest items are mixed in with scored items and look identical. The 5 pretest items on the National portion and 10 pretest items on the State portion are indistinguishable from scored items during the exam. Pearson VUE uses pretest items to evaluate question performance for future exams. Because you can't tell which is which, answer every question carefully — there's no benefit to skipping anything you suspect "might not count."

Bottom Line

The Texas Real Estate Sales Agent exam requires 70% on each of two portions: 56/80 on the National portion and 28/40 on the State portion, scored independently. You must pass both — passing one and failing the other means retaking only the failed portion within your TREC application window. The exam includes 135 total questions on test day (120 scored + 15 pretest, 5 National + 10 State). Score reports give you pass/fail status, scaled scores per portion, and content-area diagnostic feedback for failed portions, but no question-by-question breakdown. After three failed attempts on a portion, TREC requires 30 additional classroom hours of qualifying real estate education (60 hours if both portions fail). Many third-party sites still publish older numbers like "125 total" or "21 of 40 to pass State" — these reflect earlier exam structures and don't match current Pearson VUE Content Outlines. The most common failure pattern is underpreparation on Texas-specific content; the State portion requires dedicated study of TREC rules and Texas Property Code beyond what national real estate principles cover. For broader Texas exam preparation, see our guides on TREC promulgated forms, commission calculations, proration math, the Texas real estate exam blueprint, and the Texas exam score report walkthrough.

Source: Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) · TREC Sales Agent Licensing · Pearson VUE — Real Estate Exams · Pearson VUE Texas Real Estate Content Outlines (#094401, effective Jan 2026)