100+ Free Auctioneer (China) Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Auctioneer (China) Exam

3 + 1

Three written papers plus one oral practical simulation

CAA Auctioneer Examination Committee

7 Days

Minimum statutory auction public announcement period

PRC Auction Law Art. 45

2 Days

Minimum mandatory public preview and inspection period

PRC Auction Law Art. 48

Default statutory maximum commission rate per party for standard lots

PRC Auction Law Art. 56

150 Minutes

Time allowed for each of the three Stage 1 written papers

2026 CAA Auctioneer Exam Explanatory Note

RMB 80

Examination fee charged per subject in 2026

CAA notice 拍执考〔2026〕2号

2 Years

Stage 1 passes stay valid for the current and the following exam year

2026 CAA Auctioneer Exam Explanatory Note

The National Auctioneer Professional Qualification Examination is China's official licensing credential for auctioneers, administered by the China Association of Auctioneers under the PRC Auction Law and listed as an access-type qualification in the 2021 National Vocational Qualification Directory. Candidates clear three Stage 1 paper-and-pencil papers of 150 minutes each — Auction Practice, Auction Law and Introduction to Auction — then sit the Stage 2 Auction Hosting Skills practical; Stage 1 passes carry over to the following exam year, and the fee is RMB 80 per subject. The 100 practice questions here are an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering statutory announcement rules, bidding mechanisms, commission caps and auction room governance, not a simulation of the official papers.

Sample Auctioneer (China) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Auctioneer (China) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1According to Article 3 of the PRC Auction Law (《中华人民共和国拍卖法》), how is an 'auction' (拍卖) legally defined?

A.The activity of selling specific property or property rights to the highest bidder through public competitive bidding (公开竞价)

B.The activity of selling goods to the first buyer who accepts a declining public price offer

C.Any commercial transaction conducted through an open-market sealed tender evaluation process

D.A bilateral negotiation process conducted by an agent on behalf of a consignor to maximize asset value

Explanation: Article 3 of the PRC Auction Law explicitly defines an auction as the buying and selling activity where specific property or property rights are transferred to the bidder offering the highest price through the method of public competitive bidding (公开竞价). This statutory definition establishes public bidding and the highest-price award principle as fundamental legal characteristics of auctions in China.

2Which set of core statutory principles is established in Article 4 of the PRC Auction Law to govern all auction activities?

A.Efficiency, profitability, secrecy, and administrative compliance (高效、营利、保密、合规)

B.Openness, fairness, justice, and honesty and trustworthiness (公开、公平、公正、诚实信用)

C.Free market pricing, state dominance, public interest, and strict liability (自由定价、国家主导、公益、严格责任)

D.Voluntary participation, buyer supremacy, maximum revenue, and confidentiality (自愿参与、买方至上、利益最大、保密)

Explanation: Article 4 of the PRC Auction Law provides that auction activities shall abide by relevant laws and administrative regulations and follow the principles of openness, fairness, justice, and honesty and trustworthiness (公开、公平、公正、诚实信用). These four principles form the foundational legal bedrock for all auctioneer conduct, bidding procedures, and dispute resolutions.

3Under Article 15 of the PRC Auction Law, which qualification requirement must an individual satisfy to obtain an Auctioneer Qualification Certificate (拍卖师执业资格证书)?

A.Possess a master's degree in law or economics and have completed a six-month apprenticeship

B.Have at least five consecutive years of commercial sales experience regardless of academic qualifications

C.Possess a junior college degree (高等院校专科以上学历) or above plus auction professional knowledge, and have worked in an auction enterprise for more than two years

D.Hold a valid legal professional qualification (法律职业资格) and register with the local market supervision bureau

Explanation: Article 15 of the PRC Auction Law sets three conditions for an auctioneer: a higher-education junior college degree or above together with auction professional knowledge (具有高等院校专科以上学历和拍卖专业知识); more than two years of work in an auction enterprise (在拍卖企业工作两年以上); and good conduct (品行良好). Note that the two-year employment requirement is the statutory figure — one year is a common misremembering.

4Under Article 15, Paragraph 2 of the PRC Auction Law, which of the following circumstances bars an individual from serving as an auctioneer?

A.Having failed to successfully sell more than fifty percent of consigned lots within a calendar year

B.Having changed employment between two auction enterprises within a twelve-month period

C.Holding shares in an unrelated manufacturing corporation listed on a domestic stock exchange

D.Having been dismissed from public office or had an auctioneer qualification certificate revoked less than five years ago, or having received criminal punishment for an intentional crime

Explanation: Article 15, Paragraph 2 of the PRC Auction Law provides that a person who was dismissed from public office (被开除公职) or had an auctioneer qualification certificate revoked less than five years ago, or who has received criminal punishment for an intentional crime (因故意犯罪受过刑事处罚), may not serve as an auctioneer. Note the asymmetry: the five-year clock attaches only to dismissal and revocation, while an intentional-crime conviction is an unqualified bar. Article 16, by contrast, deals with who organises the qualification assessment.

5Under Article 17 of the Measures for the Administration of Auctions (《拍卖管理办法》, MOFCOM Order No. 24 of 2004, as amended), what is the rule on where a licensed auctioneer may practise?

A.An auctioneer may register and practise in only one auction enterprise, and may not moonlight in another enterprise in an auctioneer capacity (只能在一个拍卖企业注册执业)

B.An auctioneer may practice in up to three auction enterprises located within the same provincial administrative region

C.An auctioneer may freely practice across multiple enterprises provided written consent is obtained from the local commerce department

D.An auctioneer may practice in multiple enterprises only when hosting non-commercial judicial auctions

Explanation: The single-enterprise rule comes from MOFCOM's Measures for the Administration of Auctions, not from the Auction Law itself: an auctioneer may register to practise in only one auction enterprise and may not take side work in other enterprises in an auctioneer capacity (拍卖师只能在一个拍卖企业注册执业且不得以其拍卖师个人身份在其他拍卖企业兼职). The rule prevents conflicts of interest and stops one auctioneer from being counted toward the staffing requirement of several licensed enterprises at once.

6According to Article 22 of the PRC Auction Law, what strict prohibition is placed upon auction enterprises regarding bidding participation?

A.An auction enterprise may bid on its own lots only if the reserve price is publicly announced prior to the auction

B.An auction enterprise shall not participate in bidding for lots auctioned by itself, nor entrust others to bid on its behalf (不得参与竞买，也不得委托他人代为竞买)

C.An auction enterprise may bid on its own lots through an affiliated subsidiary if approved by the consignor

D.An auction enterprise is prohibited from bidding only on cultural relics and state-owned assets

Explanation: Article 22 of the PRC Auction Law explicitly mandates that an auction enterprise shall not participate in bidding for lots that it auctions, nor may it entrust others to bid on its behalf. This statutory prohibition prevents self-dealing, price manipulation (shill bidding / 托标), and fraudulent inflation of prices against legitimate bidders.

7Under Article 30 of the PRC Auction Law, which restriction applies specifically to the consignor (委托人) during an auction session?

A.The consignor may bid on their own lot to protect the reserve price if no other bids meet the valuation

B.The consignor may bid through a relative provided the relationship is disclosed to the auction enterprise in writing

C.The consignor may neither participate in bidding nor entrust another person to bid on their behalf

D.The consignor may purchase their own lot back at hammer price immediately following the conclusion of the session

Explanation: Article 30 of the PRC Auction Law states in a single sentence that the consignor shall not participate in bidding, nor entrust others to bid on their behalf (委托人不得参与竞买，也不得委托他人代为竞买). The parallel prohibition on the auction enterprise and its staff sits in Article 22, and Article 64 attaches a fine of up to 30% of the hammer price to a consignor who breaks the Article 30 rule.

8Under Article 61, Paragraph 2 of the PRC Auction Law, under what condition is an auction enterprise or auctioneer exempt from liability for defects in an auctioned lot (瑕疵免责)?

A.When the auction enterprise obtains a general business liability insurance policy covering catalog misprints

B.When the hammer price of the lot does not exceed ten thousand RMB

C.When the buyer fails to bring a civil action within seven days following the fall of the hammer

D.When the enterprise and auctioneer declare before the auction that they cannot guarantee the authenticity or quality of the lot (声明不能保证拍卖标的的真伪或者品质)

Explanation: Article 61, Paragraph 2 of the PRC Auction Law provides a critical statutory disclaimer mechanism: where an auction enterprise or auctioneer has declared before the auction that it cannot guarantee the authenticity or quality of an auctioned lot, it shall not bear liability for defects (瑕疵免责). Paragraph 1 supplies the mirror image: where the enterprise or consignor fails to disclose a defect and the buyer suffers loss, the buyer may claim compensation, and Paragraph 3 shortens the limitation period for such an undisclosed-defect claim to one year.

9Under Article 18 and Article 27 of the PRC Auction Law, what is the consignor's statutory obligation regarding defects in the consigned lot?

A.The consignor must disclose all known or knowable defects of the lot to the auction enterprise (说明拍卖标的的瑕疵)

B.The consignor is only required to disclose defects if specifically requested in writing by prospective bidders

C.The consignor is exempt from defect disclosure if the lot is sold without a reserve price

D.The consignor must repair all physical defects before executing the consignment contract

Explanation: Articles 18 and 27 of the PRC Auction Law mandate that the consignor has an affirmative duty to inform the auction enterprise of all known defects and flaws of the consigned lot. If the consignor conceals known defects causing loss to the buyer, the consignor bears compensation liability.

10Under the Contract Part of the PRC Civil Code (《中华人民共和国民法典》合同编), how are the auction announcement, the bidder's bid, and the auctioneer's hammer fall legally classified in terms of contract formation?

A.Auction announcement is an offer (要约); bidder's bid is an acceptance (承诺); hammer fall is a confirmation (确认)

B.Auction announcement is an invitation to offer (要约邀请); bidder's bid is an offer (要约); hammer fall is an acceptance (承诺)

C.Auction announcement is an invitation to offer; bidder's bid is a counter-offer; hammer fall is a conditional offer

D.Auction announcement is a public contract; bidder's bid is an endorsement; hammer fall is a notary act

Explanation: In standard contract jurisprudence and Civil Code provisions governing competitive contracting, the auction announcement (拍卖公告) is an invitation to offer (要约邀请); each bid submitted by a bidder constitutes a legal offer (要约); and the auctioneer's drop of the hammer (落槌) constitutes acceptance (承诺), which creates a binding contract upon the fall of the gavel.

About the Auctioneer (China) Exam

The National Auctioneer Professional Qualification Examination (全国拍卖师执业资格考试) is the statutory professional qualification required to practice as a licensed auctioneer in the People's Republic of China, administered by the China Association of Auctioneers (CAA) under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and MOHRSS. Governed by the PRC Auction Law, the exam assesses mastery of auction legal frameworks, contract formation, consignor/buyer rights, reserve price confidentiality, bidding increment controls, commission calculations, default remedies, cultural relic and state asset transaction rules, and podium gavel conduct. Officially set and administered in Chinese, this OpenExamPrep practice bank provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation.

Assessment

Four subjects. Stage 1 is three closed-book paper-and-pencil papers of 150 minutes each, marked out of 100: Auction Practice (拍卖实务, 45 items), Auction Law (拍卖法律知识, 44 items) and Introduction to Auction (拍卖概论, 45 items). Stage 2 is a practical interview, Auction Hosting Skills (拍卖主持技巧), also out of 100 — a simulated auction-hosting performance worth 90 points and a 1-minute rapid price-calling task worth 10 points.

Time Limit

Stage 1 written papers: 150 minutes each; Stage 2 practical: individual hosting simulation plus a 1-minute rapid-call task

Passing Score

Each subject is marked out of 100; the pass standard is determined by the CAA Auctioneer Qualification Examination Committee and is not published as a fixed cut score

Exam Fee

RMB 80 per subject — RMB 240 for the three Stage 1 papers plus RMB 80 for Stage 2 (RMB 320 total, 2026 CAA rates) (China Association of Auctioneers (CAA / 中国拍卖行业协会))

Auctioneer (China) Exam Content Outline

30%

PRC Auction Law & Legal Regulations (拍卖法律制度)

PRC Auction Law, Civil Code contract and property provisions, Cultural Relics Protection Law, Judicial Auction Rules, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, bidder rights, and statutory prohibitions on self-bidding

30%

Auction Practice & Operating Procedures (拍卖实务操作)

Consignment agreements, title verification, catalog preparation, statutory 7-day announcement rule, preview exhibitions, bidding registration, settlement, commission rate limits, and buyer default remedies

20%

Auction Theory & Pricing Dynamics (拍卖概论与机制)

Auction history, ascending (English) and descending (Dutch) mechanisms, sealed-bid models, reserve price confidentiality, market pricing theory, and professional code of ethics

20%

Auction Hosting Skills & Special Property Auctions (主持技巧与特殊标的)

Podium gavel cadence, price quotation, increment laddering, dispute mediation, cultural relics approval, real estate and judicial online auctions, and electronic synchronous bidding

How to Pass the Auctioneer (China) Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Each subject is marked out of 100; the pass standard is determined by the CAA Auctioneer Qualification Examination Committee and is not published as a fixed cut score
Assessment: Four subjects. Stage 1 is three closed-book paper-and-pencil papers of 150 minutes each, marked out of 100: Auction Practice (拍卖实务, 45 items), Auction Law (拍卖法律知识, 44 items) and Introduction to Auction (拍卖概论, 45 items). Stage 2 is a practical interview, Auction Hosting Skills (拍卖主持技巧), also out of 100 — a simulated auction-hosting performance worth 90 points and a 1-minute rapid price-calling task worth 10 points.
Time limit: Stage 1 written papers: 150 minutes each; Stage 2 practical: individual hosting simulation plus a 1-minute rapid-call task
Exam fee: RMB 80 per subject — RMB 240 for the three Stage 1 papers plus RMB 80 for Stage 2 (RMB 320 total, 2026 CAA rates)

Keys to Passing

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Auctioneer (China) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize statutory time limits under the PRC Auction Law: auction announcements must be published at least 7 days before the auction date (Article 45), and the preview period must be at least 2 days (Article 48).

2Master commission calculation rules: with no prior agreement, Article 56 caps the commission at 5% of the hammer price from the consignor and 5% from the buyer, set in inverse proportion to the price. Article 57 is the narrower rule for Article 9 goods (confiscated property, goods offsetting taxes or fines) — up to 5% from the buyer only. There is no 10% cultural relics commission in the statute.

3Understand strict prohibitions: the auction enterprise and its staff must not bid at their own auctions (Article 22) or auction their own property (Article 23); the consignor must not bid or have others bid for them (Article 30); and the reserve price (保留价) is set by the consignor, who may require it be kept confidential (Article 28).

4Know the legal nature of the gavel knock: the auctioneer's drop of the gavel or confirmation sound constitutes legal acceptance (承诺) creating a binding transaction contract (成交确认书) with the highest bidder.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the China Auctioneer Professional Qualification Examination?

It is the statutory professional qualification examination for auctioneers in mainland China, established under the PRC Auction Law and administered by the China Association of Auctioneers (CAA) under the supervision of MOFCOM and MOHRSS. Passing the examination is required to hold the Auctioneer Practicing Certificate and wield the auction gavel in the PRC.

What are the stages and subjects of the exam?

Four subjects across two stages. Stage 1 is three closed-book paper-and-pencil papers of 150 minutes each — Auction Practice (拍卖实务), Auction Law (拍卖法律知识) and Introduction to Auction (拍卖概论). Only candidates who clear all three advance to Stage 2, Auction Hosting Skills (拍卖主持技巧), a practical interview scored 90 points for the simulated hosting performance and 10 points for a 1-minute rapid price call.

What is the statutory public notice period before an auction?

Under Article 45 of the PRC Auction Law, an auctioneer must publish an auction announcement in newspapers or other media at least 7 days prior to the auction date (extended for special assets such as real estate or judicial auctions).

Who is barred from bidding at an auction under the PRC Auction Law?

Two separate provisions apply. Article 22 stops the auction enterprise and its staff from bidding as bidders at an auction they organise, or entrusting anyone to bid for them, and Article 23 stops the enterprise auctioning its own property. Article 30 imposes the mirror-image ban on the consignor, backed by a fine of up to 30% of the hammer price under Article 64.