Texas Real Estate Exam Pass Rate (2026 Guide)

56% of first-time test takers pass the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) sales agent exam. According to TREC, 16,824 of 29,980 sales agent candidates passed both parts on their first try between December 2023 and November 2025. That means more than 4 in 10 people who walk into a Pearson VUE testing center for their first attempt walk out without a license. The format is part of why. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE in two separately-scored sections: 80 questions on the National portion (150 minutes) and 40 questions on the Texas State portion (90 minutes). You must score 70% on each section independently — passing one but failing the other means you have to retake just the section you failed.

Three reasons stand out: 1. Two separately-graded sections means two ways to fail. You can crush the 80-question National section with an 80% score, then bomb the 40-question State section with 65%, and you still fail the whole exam. The State section is shorter and punchier — every question carries more weight (one wrong answer = 2.5%), so small slips matter more. 2. The Texas-specific content is unique. Intermediary status (not dual agency — that's a critical distinction), the IABS (Information About Brokerage Services) form requirements, TREC-promulgated contract forms with the Paragraph 5B Option Fee, homestead acreage rules (10 urban / 200 rural family / 100 rural single), foreclosure on the FIRST TUESDAY of the month, community property rules, Texas Property Code §5.008 seller disclosures. These don't appear on other states' exams. 3. Most candidates underprep for the State section. They spend weeks on national real estate principles (which feel familiar), then cram TREC rules in the last few days. The 40 State questions move fast — 90 minutes for 40 questions is 2:15 each. If you don't know the TX-specific rules cold, time pressure kills you.

Official pass rates published by each state (they don't all count the same way): • Texas: 56%, first try, both parts (TREC, Dec 2023 to Nov 2025) • California: about 52%, all attempts including retakes (DRE exam statistics) • Florida: about 50%, first-time candidates (DBPR, January 2025) • New York: 52%, all attempts (NY Real Estate Board, 2024) In the big states, roughly half of candidates or attempts fall short. Texas and California share some of the reasons: dense state-specific content, separate scoring rules, and high pre-license course requirements that gate the exam. Texas requires 180 hours of pre-licensing — the highest in the nation — so by the time most candidates take the exam, they're heavily invested and still failing. Texas has the unique two-section format. Most other states have one combined exam, so a strong area can offset a weak one. Not in Texas. You need to hit the threshold on both.

TREC doesn't publish separate pass rates for the National and State sections. Its 56% figure counts candidates who passed both on their first try. Because you must pass BOTH sections, the combined pass rate is lower than it would be for either section alone, and some people who fail pass one section and miss the other. If you fail one section, you can retake just that section without redoing the whole exam — but you still pay the $58 exam fee for each attempt, and there's a 24-hour minimum wait between attempts.

Four things separate first-time passers from first-time failers in Texas: 1. Drill BOTH sections separately. Don't take generic real estate practice exams — take Texas-specific exams that mirror the 80+40 structure with separate timers. The pressure of switching from national mode to state mode mid-exam is real and you can only train for it by doing it. 2. Memorize TX-specific terminology cold. Intermediary (NOT dual agency). IABS at first substantive communication. TREC-promulgated forms ARE mandatory. Option Fee is in Paragraph 5B. These come up on every exam — recall-level facts that you either know or don't. 3. Don't underestimate the State section. It's smaller (40 questions vs 80) but every question matters more. Spend at least 40% of your study time on TREC rules, Texas Property Code, agency law, and contracts. 4. Use the explanation, not just the score. When you miss a practice question, the score doesn't help — the explanation does. "Why is C correct and B wrong, with what statute?" That kind of feedback is what turns a wrong answer into a permanent gain. Day One generates fresh TX-specific practice exams that match TREC's exact 80+40 format with separate timers, per-section pass/fail tracking, and statute-cited explanations for every question. Three or four full two-section exams under timed conditions is the highest-leverage prep you can do.