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CHEAT SHEET · NORTH DAKOTA REAL ESTATE

North Dakota Real Estate Cheat Sheet.
The night-before summary, built like the exam.

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Weighted to the current exam outline·15-minute scanVerified against the official content outline
By Vincent Ruan, EA, CFP®Published August 11, 2026
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The numbers to remember

  • Exam fee: $134 (covers one sitting, one or both portions)
  • National portion: 100 questions, 150 minutes, pass at 70 points
  • State portion: 40 questions, 90 minutes, pass at 30 points
  • 5-10 unscored experimental questions may appear
  • Up to a 15-minute tutorial does not count against your time
  • Application fee: $150; credit history check: $13; fingerprinting: $40; Recovery Fund: $20
  • Total resident/nonresident package: $161.25; reciprocal package: $181.25
  • Minimum age: 18; prelicense course: 90 hours (residents)
  • Retest window after failing: 12 months; fee applies every attempt
  • Renewal: 12 hours CE, $125 fee

Content domains and weights (national portion)

  • Contracts — 19%
  • Agency — 13%
  • Practice of Real Estate — 12%
  • Property Ownership — 10%
  • Financing — 10%
  • Valuation — 8%
  • Real Estate Calculations — 7%
  • Property Disclosures — 7%
  • Transfer of Title — 6%
  • Land Use Controls — 5%
  • Property Management — 3%

State portion (from the NDREC Rules booklet)

  • Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission
  • Licensing Requirements
  • Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees
  • Additional Topics (subdivided/out-of-state land, closing statements, Recovery Fund)

High-yield review areas

  • Contracts, Agency, and Practice of Real Estate together are almost 44% of the national portion — master these first
  • The Additional Topics section of the state outline is often under-studied but fully testable
  • Real Estate Calculations questions reward practiced math technique more than memorization

Top traps

  • Residents must pass both portions; nonresident nonreciprocal applicants take only the state portion — don't prep for the wrong combination
  • The two portions are scored independently: a great national score can't offset a failed state portion
  • Experimental questions look real — don't waste time trying to spot them, just answer and move on
  • Arrive 15 minutes early with 1 form of ID; reschedules need 2 days' notice or the fee is at risk
  • Your exam fee is forfeited if you don't test within 1 year of PSI receiving payment
  • There are no eligibility requirements to sit for the exam itself, but licensure still requires meeting the education, age, and background prerequisites — don't confuse the two
  • North Dakota has reciprocity with 3 states (Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota), which can change your application path but not your exam content

Frequently asked questions

What should I review the night before the North Dakota real estate salesperson exam?

Focus on the highest-weighted national domains — Contracts (19%), Agency (13%), and Practice of Real Estate (12%) — plus a final read of the state rules booklet's Additional Topics section. Don't try to learn new material the night before; use it for targeted review of your weakest areas.

How long is the real North Dakota salesperson exam?

The national portion is 100 questions in 150 minutes, and the state portion is 40 questions in 90 minutes. Residents take both; nonresident nonreciprocal applicants take only the state portion.

What score do I need to pass?

You need 70 out of 100 points on the national portion and 30 out of 40 points on the state portion. Both are scored independently, so passing one does not offset failing the other.

Is the cheat sheet free and printable?

Yes, this cheat sheet is free to view and print for your own study use.

How much does the exam cost, and does it change if I retake it?

The exam fee is $134, and that single fee covers one sitting whether you take one or both portions. If you fail, the full exam fee is required again for every retake attempt within your 12-month retest window.

Are there unscored questions on the exam that I shouldn't worry about?

Yes, a small number of experimental questions — typically 5 to 10 — may appear and are not scored. They look identical to real questions, so don't waste time trying to identify them; just answer and move on.

Sources

  1. 1.Real Estate Salesperson and Broker Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI Services LLC), effective 10/1/2025 — North Dakota Real Estate Commission (accessed Aug 11, 2026)
  2. 2.How To Apply for a North Dakota Real Estate License — North Dakota Real Estate Commission (NDREC) — North Dakota Real Estate Commission (accessed Aug 11, 2026)
  3. 3.Real Estate Regulatory Agencies Directory — ARELLO
  4. 4.Real Estate Licensing Practice Tests — Pearson VUE
  5. 5.PSI Real Estate Exam Scheduling — PSI

Official sources

Every exam fact on this page traces to a primary document published by the body that administers the exam.

Last verified against the official exam content outline: