Arkansas Real Estate Salesperson Exam Overview

About the Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC)

AREC is the state agency that licenses and regulates brokers and salespersons in Arkansas. It adopts administrative regulations, approves pre- and post-license schools and courses, audits broker trust accounts, investigates complaints, holds disciplinary hearings, and administers the Arkansas Real Estate Recovery Fund. The Commission is part of the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing and is governed by five members appointed by the Governor to three-year terms — three from the real estate profession, one consumer representative, and one elderly representative (note: this is not a seven-member board, a common student mistake).

Arkansas Licensing Requirements at a Glance

Exam Tip: The single most-tested logistics fact is that the national and state portions are scored and passed separately. Passing one does not carry the other; if you fail only one portion you generally retake only that portion within the retake window.

Pre-License Education (60 Hours)

Arkansas requires 60 classroom hours of pre-license education from an AREC-approved school or an accredited postsecondary institution. At least 30 hours must be in basic principles of real estate; the remaining 30 hours cover approved real estate topics.

Typical coverage includes Arkansas License Law, agency and disclosure, contracts, finance, valuation, closing, fair housing, and ethics. A key Arkansas convenience: the 60-hour certificate does not expire for salesperson applicants, so you can complete coursework and sit for the exam on your own schedule. (Broker pre-license education, by contrast, must generally be completed within a defined window before broker application.)

The Licensing Exam

Pearson VUE delivers the computer-based exam on AREC's behalf. The salesperson exam contains 110 scored multiple-choice questions — 80 national and 30 Arkansas state — plus a small number of unscored pretest questions (roughly 5-10 per portion) the testing body uses to validate future items. You will not know which questions are pretest.

National Portion Topics (80 questions)

1. Property ownership (estates, interests, ownership forms)
2. Land use controls and regulations (zoning, environmental)
3. Valuation and market analysis (appraisal methods, CMAs)
4. Financing (mortgages, loan types, calculations)
5. General agency principles, duties, and disclosure
6. Property condition and disclosures
7. Contracts (elements, types, performance)
8. Transfer of title (deeds, title insurance, recording)
9. Practice of real estate (licensing, ethics, fair housing)
10. Real estate calculations (prorations, commissions, area)

Arkansas State Portion Topics (30 questions)

• AREC structure, powers, and the Real Estate License Law
• License categories, requirements, and renewal
• Arkansas agency disclosure (Ark. Code Ann. 17-42-108) and designated agency
• Broker trust-account and escrow rules
• Caveat-emptor disclosure and psychologically impacted property
• Prohibited practices, hearings, and discipline
• The Arkansas Real Estate Recovery Fund

Step-by-Step Licensing Process

Step 1 - Confirm eligibility. Be at least 18, of good moral character, and free of disqualifying criminal history (reviewed case-by-case under Arkansas's licensing-and-criminal-history rules).

Step 2 - Complete 60 hours of pre-license education at an AREC-approved school (30 hours basic principles + 30 additional).

Step 3 - Apply to AREC for exam eligibility, submitting your completion certificate and required fees.

Step 4 - Background check. Submit fingerprints for an Arkansas State Police and FBI criminal history check; results go directly to AREC.

Step 5 - Schedule with Pearson VUE and pay the $75 exam fee when you reserve.

Step 6 - Pass both portions (scaled 70 each) within the 4-hour session; bring a valid government photo ID.

Step 7 - Secure a sponsoring principal broker. A salesperson license can only be active while affiliated with and supervised by a licensed principal/executive broker.

Step 8 - Activate the license through your broker and pay the license fee plus the $25 Recovery Fund fee.

Estimated Costs

Note: Fees change. Always confirm current amounts on arec.arkansas.gov and in the Pearson VUE Arkansas Candidate Handbook before paying.

After You Pass: Post-License and Renewal

Arkansas has a strict early-career education rule that trips up many new agents.

18-Hour Post-License Course (Salespersons)

New salespersons must complete an 18-hour AREC post-license course within 6 months of the date of initial licensure. New brokers complete a 30-hour post-license course in the same 6-month window. Post-license education is separate from and in addition to your first renewal's continuing education — one does not substitute for the other.

Warning: Failing to complete the 18-hour post-license course on time causes the license to lapse/become inactive. You cannot legally practice until it is cured.

Annual Renewal and Continuing Education

Arkansas licenses are issued for one calendar year and expire December 31. After the first renewal, every active licensee must complete 7 hours of continuing education each year, including AREC-required core content, and renew by September 30 to avoid late penalties.

Arkansas Is a Caveat Emptor State

Unlike California, Texas, or Florida, Arkansas has no statute requiring sellers to deliver a formal residential disclosure statement. The doctrine of caveat emptor ("let the buyer beware") puts the burden of investigation on the buyer. Even so, licensees must disclose known material defects, must not actively misrepresent or conceal, and must deal honestly with all parties. Many brokerages still use the voluntary Arkansas Realtors Association seller-disclosure form to reduce liability.

Exam Tip: Memorize the corrected high-stakes numbers — AREC = 5 members, post-license = 18 hours/6 months for salespersons, CE = 7 hours/year, Recovery Fund caps = $25,000 per violation / $75,000 aggregate, and unlicensed practice = Class D felony. Older study materials often state these incorrectly.