South Dakota Real Estate Exam: Everything You Need to Know

When you pass the South Dakota real estate exam, you will get your real estate license in South Dakota. As you can imagine, this exam requires much preparation, especially if you want to pass it on your first try. 

This article will cover everything you need to know about the South Dakota real estate exam. Here’s a list of what you can expect to gain as you read on:  

• How to schedule the South Dakota real estate licensing exam 
• The requirements to register for the exam
• The cost of the exam
• Where you can take the exam 
• What is covered on the exam 
• The difficulty level of the exam 
• Best tips to pass the exam 

How to Schedule the South Dakota Real Estate Licensing Exam

To schedule the real estate exam in South Dakota, all aspiring candidates must meet the following requirements: 

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be competent to transact the business of a licensee in a manner as to safeguard the interest of the public.
• Be a citizen of the United States or a resident of South Dakota.
• Have successfully completed at least 116 classroom hours in a course of study approved by the commission.

Note: If you are licensed in another state, you are not required to provide proof of education.

If you meet the requirements above, you can go ahead and schedule your exam through the following means: 

1. Visit the PSI website and follow the step-by-step instructions to choose your examination program and register for it.
2. Call PSI at 855-557-0623 to schedule an examination appointment. The number is toll-free and available at the following hours: 

1. Monday through Thursday: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m
2. Friday and Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

1. Complete all sections on the registration form found in the Candidate Information Handbook and mail it to the following address: 

PSI
18000 W. 105th St.
Olathe, KS 66061-7543

Only submit this form if you intend to pay your exam fee through a cashier’s check or money order. Seven to ten days after mailing the form, call PSI at 855-557-0623 to schedule your examination. 

When scheduling the exam, you must pay an exam fee. If you’re taking the state and national exams in the same session, the exam fee is $98. If you’re taking these exams in different sessions, the exam fee is $98 for each exam. The simulation examination fee is $98.

Where Do You Take the South Dakota Real Estate License Exam?

Candidates for the South Dakota real estate licensing exam are to take their exams at any of the designated PSI test centers located in the state. These locations include: 

• Madison, Riggin Flight Service
• Rapid City, Career Learning Center of the Black Hills
• Rapid City, South Dakota 
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota 

Can You Take the Exam Online?

You cannot take the South Dakota real estate licensing exam online. Candidates for this exam will be required to go to PSI testing centers located in South Dakota. The addresses of these locations have been provided above. 

What to Bring on the Day of Your Exam

On your South Dakota real estate exam day, you are expected to bring the following.

Two forms of identification. The primary ID must be government-issued, current, and contain your name, signature, and photograph. Examples of accepted primary IDs include: 

• Driver’s license with photograph
• State identification card with photograph
• Passport
• Military Identification card with photograph

The secondary form of identification must contain your name and signature. Examples include:

• Credit card with signature
• Social security card with signature
• Employment/student ID card with signature
• Silent non-programmable calculator

You are advised to attend your appointment at least 30 minutes early on the exam day. This additional time is for identification and sign-in and for you to become familiar with the examination procedure.

What is on the South Dakota Real Estate Exam?

The South Dakota real estate broker associate examination is made up of three sections, namely: 

• The state multiple-choice exam, comprising questions based on South Dakota real estate laws, rules and regulations 
• The national multiple choice exam, comprising questions based on national real estate principles and practice
• Broker simulation exam presented in simulation-worded problem format

National Multiple-choice Exam

Here are the topics you will come across in the national portion of the broker exam, with the number of questions you can expect per topic: 

• Property Ownership; 8
• Land Use Controls and Regulations; 5
• Valuation and Market Analysis; 7
• Financing; 10
• General Principles of Agency; 13
• Property Disclosures; 6
• Contracts; 17
• Leasing and Property Management; 3
• Transfer of Title; 8
• Practice of Real Estate; 13
• Real Estate Calculations; 10

State Multiple-Choice Exam

Here are the topics you will come across in the state portion, with the number of questions you can expect per topic:

• Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission; 4
• Licensing Requirements; 6
• Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees; 42

Broker Simulation Exam

Each simulation problem will have a designated primary issue and property type. Each section within a problem will carry a secondary topic for that section. The primary issue and property type will remain consistent throughout the simulation problem, but the secondary topic can change with each section of the problem.

Here is the content outline for the broker simulation exam with the number of problems per issue:

Primary Issues: 

• Agency Relationships and Property Representations; 3
• Fair Housing and Other Governmental Regulations; 2
• Handling Money; 2
• Training and Supervision of Licensees; 1
• Plus one primary issue varying by examination form; 1

Section Topics:

1. Agency
2. Contracts
3. Freehold and Leasehold
4. Property Management
5. Finance
6. Government Regulations and Private Restrictions
7. Description and Measurement
8. Valuation
9. Conveyance
10. Calculations
11. Ethical Behavior (must be incorporated in at least 4 problems)

Property Types:

• Residential; 4
• Commercial; 2
• Property Management; 1
• Plus two property types varying by examination form 2

Will There Be Math on the Exam?

Yes, there will be math on the South Dakota real estate licensing exam. These math questions will be found in the general portion and will be related to:

• Basic math concepts
• Calculations for transactions
• Calculations for valuation

Keep in mind that solving these math problems could be difficult and time-consuming. It is, therefore, best to save these questions for later while you continue to answer the other questions unless the answers are easy. This allows you to answer more questions and maximize your allocated time. 

Is the South Dakota Real Estate Exam Hard?

As can be expected of any professional certification exam, the South Dakota real estate exam is hard and will only get harder for poorly prepared candidates. This is why studying hard and getting all the help you can before taking the exam is important. 

How Many Questions Are on the South Dakota Real Estate Exam?

The South Dakota real estate broker exam contains 100 national questions, 57 state questions, and 11 simulation problems. Candidates are given 2 ½  hours for the national section, 1 ½  hours for the state section, and 3 hours for the broker simulation.  

Note that 5-10 experimental questions may be added to a candidate's test. These questions are used to evaluate the quality of the exam and develop future licensing examinations. These questions will not be scored, neither will the time used to answer them count against the testing time.  

To pass the state and national multiple-choice exams, you must have a scaled score of at least 75. To pass the simulation portion of the examination, you must have a scaled score of at least 75 for both IG and DM. Once you finish the exam, you’ll report to the testing supervisor to receive your score report.

What is the Passing Rate for the Real Estate Exam in South Dakota?

The passing rate of the real estate exam in South Dakota is above 60% for first-time takers. Note that this passing rate may be affected over time due to changes in the exam content and its difficulty level.

How Many Times Can You Take the South Dakota Real Estate Exam?

You can take the South Dakota real estate exam as many times as you need to pass it within one year of completing your pre-licensing courses. If you pass one or two portions, you can retake only the failed portion(s). Note that you’ll be required to pay an exam fee of $98 for every attempt to take any portion.

How to Pass the South Dakota Real Estate Exam

To pass the South Dakota real estate exam on the first trial, candidates must study hard, drilling themselves on all the topics in all sections of the exam from which questions will be set. Here are some powerfully effective ways to study for the exam:

Create a Study Schedule 

When preparing for an exam like the South Dakota real estate exam, creating a study schedule may be just what you need to balance your study sessions with your other daily commitments. A well-planned study schedule will improve your daily time management by ensuring that every minute of your time is accounted for.  

Ensure you input frequent breaks into your study schedule to prevent burnout. It's also best to set your study time to periods of the day when you are less busy or distracted, such as early in the morning and late at night. We recommend studying for a little bit every night or at least every other night.

Use Acronyms and Mnemonic Devices

Acronyms and mnemonic devices are memory aids that break down complex information into smaller and simpler chunks that are easier for the brain to process and remember. Acronyms are formed by taking the first letters of each word in a phrase and forming a word with it. A good example of a real estate acronym is CCIM, which stands for Certified Commercial Investment Member. 

Similarly, mnemonic devices are formed by associating a piece of information with something that can be easily related. A good mnemonic device detailing a property's four essential characteristics to have value would be “Don’t Utter Silly Things.”

• Don’t for Demand
• Utter for Utility
• Silly for Scarcity
• Things for Transferability

Join a Study Group 

Joining a study group can significantly increase your chances of success in the exam by improving your learning process. It provides like-minded people to be accountable to, helping you be more intentional. Studying in a group can also boost your motivation to study and pass, born out of healthy competition.

Get Guided Help

With 120 questions ranging over everything you learned in a 60-hour course, knowing exactly what to study for is difficult. That’s why we put together a South Dakota real estate exam prep package. This package guides you through exactly what you need to study for while giving you the resources to study for it. It’s like having your own online exam trainer.

You’ll also get access to the following resources to help you learn and drill the information so you feel absolutely prepared going into the exam:

• 1,500 South Dakota practice real estate exam questions
• Unlimited customizable practice exams
• 1,000+ Online vocabulary flashcards
• Video explanations of concepts and vocabulary words
• 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.

Final Thoughts on the Real Estate Exam in South Dakota 

The South Dakota real estate exam is compulsory for all individuals who want to get their real estate license. Passing this exam requires careful preparation and a solid understanding of real estate concepts and practices.