Maryland Real Estate Exam: Everything You Need to Know

If you’ve completed your pre-licensing courses, there’s only one thing standing in front of you and your new career — the real estate exam. As you prepare for your salesperson exam, taking the time to study can make a world of difference in your confidence and acing the exam. 

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know for the Maryland real estate exam, including: 

• How to schedule the Maryland real estate exam
• What’s on the exam
• How difficult it is 
• Tips and tricks to pass on the first try

Let’s dive into all things Maryland real estate exam!

How to Schedule the Maryland Real Estate Licensing Exam

Ready to officially schedule the Maryland real estate licensing exam? The first step is to complete your 60 hours of pre-licensing coursework. Once you’ve finished all your courses, your education institution will send your certificate of completion to PSI Examination Services — the third-party testing administrator — who will then email you and confirm you’re eligible to register for the exam. 

If you’ve received that email, you can go to the PSI Examination Services website and create an account to schedule your exam. You’ll have to pick the closest PSI testing center located near you, and then pay the $44 exam fee. 

Where Do You Take the Maryland Real Estate License Exam?

As you register for the exam, you’ll pick which testing center you want to take the exam at. PSI Services has several locations throughout the state: 

• Baltimore
• College Park
• Crofton
• Hagerstown
• Laurel
• Salisbury

Can You Take the Exam Online?

Unlike some other states, Maryland doesn’t allow students to take the real estate salesperson exam online. That means you’ll have to make plans to travel in person to the closest testing center on exam day to take the test in person. However, you will take the exam via the computer at the actual test center. 

What to Bring on the Day of Your Exam

To get fully checked in at the test center, you’ll have to bring two forms of ID — a valid government-issued ID (like a passport or driver’s license) and a second ID that has your name and signature. You’ll need to make sure both forms of ID are valid and have the matching name that you registered to take the exam. If you forget your ID or don’t have a valid ID, you won’t be admitted to take the exam and will forfeit your exam fee.  

Other than your ID, you should leave all personal belongings in the car or at home. The testing center won’t allow any cell phones, calculators, or other electronic devices into the testing room.

Finally, show up at least 30 minutes early to the exam so you can get registered and checked in, and plan to be there around 2 hours to take the exam. 

What is on the Maryland Real Estate Exam?

The Maryland real estate exam has two separate sections that you’ll need to pass to qualify for your license, which total 110 questions. The two sections are broken into state-specific questions about Maryland and a larger national section that tests you on real estate fundamentals. 

For the national portion, you’ll have 90 minutes to complete 80 questions which is the bulk of the exam. This section is broken down by the following categories:  

• Property ownership (8% of questions) 
• Land use controls and regulations (5% of questions)
• Valuation and market analysis (7% of questions)
• Financing (10% of questions) 
• General principles of agency (13% of questions)
• Property disclosures (6% of questions)
• Contracts (17% of questions) 
• Leasing and Property Management (3% of questions)
• Transfer of Title (8% of questions)
• Practice of real estate (13% of questions)
• Real estate calculations (10% of questions)

You’ll also have the Maryland-specific portion, where you’ll have 30 questions and 30 minutes to answer it. That section is broken down into the following categories: 

• Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission (4 questions)
• Licensing Requirements (4 questions)
• Brokerage Relationships (7 questions)
• Supervision (5 questions)
• Business Conduct (6 questions)
• Ethics (4 questions)

Having a solid understanding of the general national section is important since it’s the largest category and includes the most questions. But you’ll need to pass both sections in order to get your license.

Will There Be Math on the Exam?

Yes, there will be a few math questions on the exam! About 10% of the national portion will quiz you on different real estate math calculations like loan-to-value ratio, calculating property taxes, down payment, and other basic formulas you’ll need as a real estate agent. But, if math isn’t your strong suit, we recommend just guessing the answer or solving it last. Since it’s only a small portion of the exam, you can afford to miss a few in this section.

Is the Maryland Real Estate Exam Hard?

With proper studying and preparation, the Maryland real estate exam shouldn’t be too challenging for most students. But it’s also not going to be a walk in the park! By taking it seriously, you can ensure you’ll pass on the first time. About 32% of students have to take the exam again, so most students pass when they take it the first time. 

How Many Questions Are on the Maryland Real Estate Exam?

There are 110 questions that you’ll have to answer over 120 minutes (2 hours.) The national section has 80 questions, and you’ll have 90 minutes to answer those questions. Then, in the Maryland-specific part, you’ll have 30 minutes to answer 30 questions. 

What is the Passing Rate for the Real Estate Exam in Maryland?

The Maryland Real Estate Exam is scored as two separate sections, and you’ll have to get the minimum score on both to get your real estate license. To pass the national portion, you’ll need to answer 56 out of 80 questions correctly. You’ll have to get 21 out of 30 correct in the Maryland section. Across both sections, that’s 70% correct. 

When you submit your test, you’ll see immediately if you passed or failed. For those that failed, you’ll be able to see a diagnostic report that gives you an overview of your strengths and weaknesses, which can be a great study resource as you prepare to retake the exam. 

If you pass, you’ll see a confirmation screen with instructions on how to submit your license application. 

How Many Times Can You Take the Real Estate Exam?

If you fail the exam, don’t worry — you can retake the exam as many times as you need to pass. But, keep in mind that each time you’ll have to pay a new exam fee and wait at least 24 hours to reschedule. That’s why you should consider investing in a real estate exam prep package.

How to Pass the Maryland Real Estate Exam

Studying and preparing for the Maryland real estate exam can make all the difference when it comes to passing the exam on the first try. But that requires some effort and focus to set yourself up for success.

If you haven’t started or just started studying for your exam, here are some tips and tricks we suggest:

Create a Study Schedule

As they say, practice makes perfect. And when you create a consistent and regular study schedule, you’ll start to retain the information and develop the test-taking skills to help you on exam day.

To do this, we recommend setting aside time to study every night. Print out a calendar of your next few weeks, write out what you’ll be studying each night, and indicate what time you plan to study. Even taking 15 or 30 minutes out of your evening to study and take practice tests can make a huge difference in your study schedule. 

With this type of schedule, you’ll have a clear outline and structure to study for your exam. 

Use Acronyms and Mnemonic Devices

You can simplify difficult-to-remember phrases or processes with different acronyms and mnemonic devices. This tried-and-true strategy involves creating a phrase or acronym that is easy to remember and ties back to vocabulary words or processes. But as you prepare for the Maryland real estate exam, using this strategy can help you on exam day remember any words you’re struggling with.

Join a Study Group

There’s strength in numbers when it comes to studying for your real estate exam. Even if you might prefer to study alone, you can benefit from the collective brainpower and support of a study group. When you join a study group, you’ll get to meet new people who are also trying to get their real estate license and potentially learn new ways to understand the information. 

Don’t forget that real estate is all about networking, and what better place to start than with your exam prep? A study group can help hold you accountable and give you a space to develop connections in the real estate industry. 

Get Guided Help

While your real estate courses have given you the basic foundation, studying for your exam is a different set of materials and requires different resources to study. That’s where our exam prep package comes in handy.

Our Maryland real estate exam prep package will give you access to a new set of materials to help you get ready for your licensing exam, like practice tests and study guides, that can help you identify where you need to spend the most time studying.  

With our packages starting at $49.99, you’ll get access to 

• Over 1,500 Maryland real estate exam practice questions
• Customizable practice state exams
• Vocabulary flashcards
• Video explanations by real estate experts
• E-book study guide

You can add real estate crash course videos. It's 8+ hours of video content that teaches you the concepts, vocabulary, historical events, and more. Led by our head instructor, Robert Rico, our crash course videos teaches you everything you need to know to pass on your first try.

We’ve helped over 50,000 registered students pass their licensing exams with a 90% pass rate. If you're unsure, we offer a free 3-day trial with no commitment required. This way, you can experience the valuable insights our materials provide firsthand.

Final Thoughts on the Real Estate Exam in Maryland

You’ve put in all the hard work, and passing the exam is the last step to becoming a great Maryland real estate agent. With the right preparation and thoughtful studying, you can ensure you walk into the exam feeling excited and confident. 

Making the investment in our exam prep package is a great way to make studying for the exam easy and fun. Plus, with a pass guarantee, you can rest assured that your investment in our program will be worth it.

‍