Delaware Real Estate Salesperson Exam Overview
Key Takeaways
- Delaware requires 99 hours of Commission-approved pre-license education (36 sales, 33 law, 24 math, 3 orientation, 3 review) before you may sit for the licensing exam.
- Pearson VUE delivers the exam as 80 national + 40 Delaware state scored questions in a single 4-hour session; you pass each portion at a scaled score of 70 and get up to 3 attempts in a 12-month window.
- Budget roughly $85 Pearson VUE exam fee + $140 DELPROS application fee plus course tuition; the application is filed entirely through the DELPROS online portal.
- New licensees must finish 12 hours of post-license modules within 90 days of the license issuance date — the clock runs from issuance, not from broker affiliation.
- Licenses renew every 2 years by April 30 of even-numbered years, requiring 21 CE hours (18 mandatory across six modules + 3 elective).
About the Delaware Real Estate Commission
Welcome to OpenExamPrep's FREE Delaware Real Estate Salesperson exam prep guide. The Delaware Real Estate Commission is the regulatory body that licenses and disciplines real estate professionals in the state. It operates under the Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), which sits within the Delaware Department of State. The Commission writes the rules (codified at 24 Del. Admin. Code 2900), approves schools and courses, sets exam content, and rules on complaints and license discipline.
The Commission has nine members appointed by the Governor: licensed brokers, one salesperson, and public members. Knowing the Commission's authority matters for the exam — the state portion repeatedly tests who regulates what. The Commission cannot, for example, hear a private commission dispute between two brokers (a civil matter), but it can suspend a license for trust-account violations.
Contact and Online System
| Resource | Information |
|---|---|
| Website | dpr.delaware.gov/boards/realestate |
| Phone | (302) 744-4500 |
| Address | Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Suite 203, Dover, DE 19904 |
| Online portal | DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services) |
| Exam vendor | Pearson VUE (Pearson Professional Assessments) |
DELPROS is where everything administrative happens: you create one account, submit your license application, upload your education certificate, pay the application fee, and later renew. Memorize the difference between DELPROS (the state's licensing portal) and Pearson VUE (the exam vendor) — they are two separate systems with two separate fees, and the exam likes to blur them.
Licensing Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 years old |
| Education baseline | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Pre-license hours | 99 hours, Commission-approved provider |
| Course exam passing | 70%, one retake per exam |
| Licensing exam vendor | Pearson VUE |
| Exam fee | $85 (paid to Pearson VUE) |
| Application fee | $140 (paid via DELPROS) |
| Post-license | 12 hours within 90 days of license issuance |
| Renewal cycle | Every 2 years, by April 30 of even years |
| CE per cycle | 21 hours (18 mandatory + 3 elective) |
Common trap: candidates confuse the course passing score (70% on each school exam, one retake) with the state licensing exam passing standard (a scaled score of 70 on each portion). Both happen to be "70," but they are different tests given by different parties at different stages.
Which two separate systems does a Delaware salesperson candidate interact with during licensing, and what is each used for?
Pre-License Education: The 99 Hours
Delaware requires 99 hours of pre-license education from a Commission-approved provider. Unlike many states that quote a single round number, Delaware specifies a defined hour breakdown, and the exam can ask you to recognize it.
Required 99-Hour Breakdown
| Subject area | Hours |
|---|---|
| Real estate sales / brokerage practice | 36 |
| Real estate law | 33 |
| Real estate mathematics | 24 |
| Orientation | 3 |
| Review | 3 |
| Total | 99 |
You must pass each course module exam with a minimum 70%, and you are allowed one retake per module exam. The course covers both general (national) principles and Delaware-specific material:
General real estate topics
- Property ownership: estates, interests, encumbrances
- Valuation, appraisal methods, and comparative market analysis (CMA)
- Contracts and agency relationships
- Financing, mortgages, and real estate math
- Federal fair housing law and ethics
Delaware-specific topics
- Delaware License Law and Commission regulations (24 Del. C. Ch. 29 and 24 Del. Admin. Code 2900)
- Mandatory agency disclosure timing and forms
- Trust/escrow account rules and prohibition on commingling
- Required seller property condition disclosure
Note: A high school diploma or equivalent is the education baseline; the 99 hours are in addition to that, completed at an approved real estate school, not at a high school.
Why the Math Hours Matter
Twenty-four of the 99 hours are devoted to math. Expect exam items on proration, commission splits, loan-to-value, transfer tax, and area calculations. A worked example you should be able to do cold: a home sells for $320,000 with a 6% total commission split 50/50 between listing and selling brokerages, then 60% to the salesperson. The total commission is $320,000 x 0.06 = $19,200; one brokerage receives $9,600; the salesperson nets $9,600 x 0.60 = $5,760. The exam will not give partial credit for setup — you must reach the final figure.
The Licensing Exam: Structure, Scoring, and Logistics
The Delaware salesperson licensing exam is delivered by Pearson VUE at a Delaware test center (Dover, Newark, and nearby out-of-state sites) or via online proctoring where offered. It is computer-based, multiple choice, with four answer options per item.
Exam Composition
| Portion | Scored questions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National | 80 | General principles and U.S. real estate law |
| State (Delaware) | 40 | Delaware License Law, agency, disclosures, trust accounts |
| Experimental | ~5-10 per portion | Unscored pretest items, indistinguishable from scored |
| Total session time | 4 hours | Single sitting covering both portions |
You must pass each portion separately at a scaled score of 70 (raw scores are converted to a 0-100 scale; 70 does not mean "70 correct"). Passing one portion but failing the other means you only re-sit the failed portion. Candidates get up to 3 attempts within one year; each retake costs the standard $85 Pearson VUE fee, and you must wait at least 24 hours before rescheduling.
Exam-Day Checklist
- Bring two forms of ID; the primary must be government-issued with photo and signature, and the name must exactly match your registration.
- Arrive 30 minutes early; late arrivals may forfeit the appointment and the fee.
- No personal items, phones, or notes at the workstation; an on-screen calculator and scratch material are provided.
- Results print immediately as pass/fail at the test center; failing reports show diagnostic feedback by content area.
Trap: The 40 state questions are where most candidates lose the exam. National content overlaps with any national prep course, but the Delaware portion tests rules unique to this state — disclosure timing, the transaction-licensee concept, and trust-account handling. This guide concentrates there.
Money Map
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Pre-license education (99 hrs) | ~$400-800 |
| Pearson VUE exam fee | $85 (per attempt) |
| DELPROS application fee | $140 |
| Post-license education (12 hrs) | ~$100-200 |
| Estimated total | ~$725-1,225 |
On the Delaware licensing exam, how are the national and state portions scored, and what happens if you pass one but not the other?
After You Pass: Application, Broker, and Post-License Education
Passing the exam does not make you a licensee. You must complete several steps through DELPROS and affiliate with a broker before you can practice.
Step-by-Step Path
- Confirm eligibility — age 18+, high school diploma or equivalent, good character.
- Complete the 99-hour course and pass each module exam at 70%.
- Create a DELPROS account — your single state-side identity for licensing.
- Apply and pay — submit the application and $140 fee through DELPROS, uploading your education certificate.
- Schedule and pass the Pearson VUE exam ($85), achieving 70 on each portion.
- Find a Delaware principal broker — a salesperson license is inactive until affiliated; you cannot work independently.
- Receive your license through DELPROS.
- Complete 12 hours of post-license modules within 90 days of license issuance.
Post-License Modules (12 hours)
Delaware mandates four 3-hour modules for new salespeople, completed within 90 days of the license issuance date — a detail the exam tests precisely.
| Module | Hours |
|---|---|
| Professional standards for new licensees | 3 |
| Agreement of sale and buyer representation | 3 |
| Real estate documents and seller representation | 3 |
| Real estate professionalism | 3 |
Critical correction / trap: The 90-day post-license clock starts at license issuance, not at broker affiliation. Some prep materials wrongly state "90 days from affiliating with a broker." Use the issuance date. Missing the deadline can lead to license lapse and additional Commission action.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Delaware licenses renew on a biennial cycle ending April 30 of even-numbered years (the renewal period runs May 1 through April 30). Each cycle requires 21 CE hours: 18 mandatory hours in six 3-hour modules plus 3 elective hours.
| CE component | Hours |
|---|---|
| Module 1: Agency and Fair Housing | 3 |
| Module 2: Professional Standards | 3 |
| Module 3: Real Estate Documents | 3 |
| Module 4: Office Management | 3 |
| Module 5: Legislative Issues | 3 |
| Module 6: Practices of Real Estate | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 21 |
Numbers to Memorize
| Topic | Value |
|---|---|
| Pre-license hours | 99 |
| National / state questions | 80 / 40 |
| Exam time | 4 hours |
| Passing scaled score | 70 (each portion) |
| Exam attempts per year | 3 |
| Exam fee / application fee | $85 / $140 |
| Post-license hours / deadline | 12 / 90 days from issuance |
| CE per cycle | 21 (18 + 3) |
| Renewal | April 30, even years |
Real Estate SalespersonFree exam prep with practice questions & AI tutor
Within what timeframe, measured from which event, must a new Delaware salesperson complete the 12 hours of post-license education?
A Delaware home sells for $300,000 with a 6% total commission. The listing and selling brokerages split it evenly, and the listing salesperson keeps 70% of her brokerage's share. How much does that salesperson earn?
How many hours of continuing education must a Delaware salesperson complete each biennial renewal cycle, and how is it structured?