North Carolina Real Estate Exam Overview
Key Takeaways
North Carolina has no "salesperson" license: every licensee is a Broker, and new licensees hold a Provisional Broker license that must be supervised by a Broker-in-Charge (BIC).
The exam moved from PSI to Pearson VUE on March 1, 2024; it is now 80 scored National questions plus 60 scored State questions (140 scored, plus 10 unscored pretest items) with up to 4.5 hours of testing time.
Each section is scored and passed separately, with a score of 75 needed on each; failing one section means re-testing only that section but paying again ($105 NCREC application plus $53 Pearson VUE).
Pre-licensing is the 75-hour Broker Prelicensing Course; Provisional Brokers must finish 90 hours of postlicensing (three 30-hour courses) within 18 months or the license becomes inactive.
Annual continuing education is 8 hours (a mandatory 4-hour Update course plus a 4-hour elective) due by June 10, with the license year running July 1 to June 30.
Why North Carolina Is Different
Welcome to OpenExamPrep's FREE North Carolina real estate exam guide. Before any law or math, understand the one structural fact that shapes every exam question about licensing: North Carolina has no salesperson license. Every licensee, from day one to broker-owner, is a Broker. New licensees receive a Provisional Broker license and may not work independently. They must be supervised by a Broker-in-Charge (BIC) at a firm or office.
The regulator is the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC), a quasi-judicial body created under North Carolina General Statutes (G.S.) Chapter 93A. NCREC issues and renews licenses, approves prelicensing and continuing-education (CE) providers, investigates complaints, disciplines licensees, and publishes the North Carolina Real Estate Manual and License Law and Rule Comments.
NCREC at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Statutory authority | G.S. Chapter 93A (Real Estate License Law) |
| Rules | Title 21, Chapter 58 of the N.C. Administrative Code |
| Headquarters | 1313 Navaho Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609 |
| Phone | (919) 875-3700 |
| Website | ncrec.gov |
License status tiers (memorize)
- Provisional Broker — entry level; must work under a BIC; must complete postlicensing.
- Broker (non-provisional) — provisional status removed after 90 postlicensing hours.
- Broker-in-Charge (BIC) — designated supervisor of an office; must hold non-provisional license, meet experience, and complete the 12-hour BIC Course plus annual BIC Update.
Common trap: the exam will offer "salesperson" or "associate broker" as distractors. North Carolina uses neither. Anyone holding a real estate license here is a Broker; the only variables are provisional vs. not and BIC vs. not. Equally, a Provisional Broker working without a current BIC affiliation is inactive and may not practice.
The Exam: Pearson VUE Format and Scoring
NCREC moved exam administration from PSI to Pearson VUE on March 1, 2024. Any study material citing PSI, a 3.5-hour clock, or a 40-question State section is out of date. The current computer-based exam is two sections delivered in one appointment.
| Component | Current detail |
|---|---|
| Provider | Pearson VUE (on behalf of NCREC) |
| National section | 80 scored questions |
| State section | 60 scored questions |
| Total scored | 140 questions (plus 10 unscored pretest items, 5 per section) |
| Total time | 4.5 hours max (2.5 hrs National + 2 hrs State, timed separately) |
| Passing (National) | Score of 75, computed separately |
| Passing (State) | Score of 75, computed separately |
| Exam fee | $63 for both sections ($53 for one) at Pearson VUE, plus the $105 NCREC application fee each attempt |
The two sections are scored and passed independently. If you pass National but fail State, you keep the National pass and retake only State, but you must refile with NCREC (another $105 application fee), pay Pearson VUE again ($53 for one section), wait at least 10 calendar days, and pass State within the same 180-day eligibility period. Results print at the test center the same day; failing reports show a diagnostic by topic area.
Worked scoring example
Suppose your score report shows 82 on National and 71 on State. National clears the 75 bar; State does not. Result: pass National, fail State, retake State only. Do not assume a strong section rescues a weak one.
High-stakes correction: the passing score is 75 on each section, computed separately, not the 71%/72.5% figures some legacy guides report from the PSI era. NCREC does not publish the passing score as a raw count of correct answers, so aim well above 75% correct in practice.
National vs. State content
- National (80 Q): property ownership, land use, valuation, financing, agency, contracts, transfer of title, practice of real estate, and real estate math.
- State (60 Q): G.S. 93A, NCREC Rules, NC agency disclosure (Working With Real Estate Agents Disclosure), trust/escrow account rules, the NC Offer to Purchase and Contract, and the Due Diligence framework.
The Licensing Pipeline, Fees, and Deadlines
The path from zero to active Provisional Broker is a fixed sequence. Missing a deadline (especially postlicensing) is one of the most heavily tested compliance points on the State section.
Step-by-step
- Meet eligibility — be at least 18; no high school diploma or GED is required; be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien, or otherwise be lawfully present and authorized to work.
- Complete the 75-hour Broker Prelicensing Course from an NCREC-approved education provider (100% online is permitted).
- Apply to NCREC and pay the $105 application fee, with a criminal record report from CriminalRecordCheck.com; submit to a character review.
- Receive your Notice of Examination Eligibility — valid 180 days. If you do not pass the required sections within 180 days, you refile with a new criminal record report and pay again.
- Schedule and pass the exam at Pearson VUE ($63 for both sections), with a score of 75 on both sections.
- License is issued on inactive status; it becomes active only after you affiliate with a Broker-in-Charge.
Cost snapshot
| Item | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| 75-hour Prelicensing Course | $400-650 |
| NCREC application fee | $105 (paid again for each attempt) |
| Pearson VUE exam fee | $63 both sections; $53 one section |
| Criminal record report (CRC) | Likely under $50 if you lived only in NC for the past 7 years |
| Initial total (one exam attempt) | ~$570-870 |
Postlicensing — the deadline that fails people
Provisional Brokers must complete 90 hours of postlicensing education — three separate 30-hour courses — within 18 months of initial licensure:
- Post 301 — Brokerage Relationships and Responsibilities
- Post 302 — Contracts and Closing
- Post 303 — NC Law, Rules, and Legal Concepts
Miss the 18-month window and the license is placed on inactive status (you cannot practice) until the missing hours are completed. Finishing all 90 hours removes provisional status, making you a full Broker.
Trap: postlicensing (90 hrs) is for removing provisional status; continuing education (below) is the separate annual renewal requirement. Exam items deliberately swap the two.
Continuing Education, Reciprocity, and Exam-Day Logistics
Annual renewal and CE
The NC license year runs July 1 to June 30, and licenses renew annually. To stay on active status you must complete 8 hours of continuing education by June 10 each year:
| CE component | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory Update | 4 | General Update for brokers; BIC Update if you are a Broker-in-Charge |
| Elective | 4 | Any NCREC-approved elective |
| Total | 8 | Due June 10; renewal due by June 30 |
Note that the first annual CE cycle is waived for a brand-new licensee in the partial year of initial licensure, but postlicensing still applies. Letting CE lapse moves the license to inactive; it does not erase it, but you cannot practice until reinstated.
Out-of-state and reciprocity
North Carolina does not offer blanket reciprocity, but a licensee active in another jurisdiction can seek licensure by qualifying for the State section only:
- Possible waiver of the 75-hour prelicensing course and the National exam section.
- Still must pass the NC State section with a score of 75.
- The out-of-state license generally must have been active within the past three years and equivalent to NC Provisional/Broker level.
- A nonresident commits to NCREC jurisdiction (a consent-to-service arrangement).
Exam-day checklist
- Bring one valid, unexpired ID with your photo and signature (such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport); the name must match your registration exactly.
- Arrive 30 minutes early; late arrivals may forfeit the appointment and fee.
- No personal items in the testing room. Note-taking materials are provided, but calculators are not; a financial calculator without alpha characters is recommended but not required.
Where to focus your study hours
- Agency and the Working With Real Estate Agents Disclosure (heavily tested).
- Due Diligence period, fee, and earnest money (NC-specific).
- Trust/escrow account handling and the three-banking-day deposit rule.
- Material fact disclosure and the Residential Property and Owners' Association Disclosure Statement.
- License law/Rules and real estate math (proration, commission, area, finance).
Under the current Pearson VUE format, how many scored questions are on each section of the NC broker exam, and what passing standard applies?
80 National and 40 State, with 71% needed on National and 72.5% on State
100 National and 60 State, with only the National section graded
120 combined questions averaged into a single 70% overall score
80 National and 60 State, with a score of 75 needed on each section, scored separately
A Provisional Broker is licensed in March 2025 but completes only two of the three 30-hour postlicensing courses by September 2026. What happens?
The license is placed on inactive status until the remaining 30 hours are completed
The license is revoked permanently and the broker must re-test
Nothing; postlicensing can be finished anytime before the broker becomes a BIC
The broker is automatically upgraded to full Broker after 12 months regardless
Which statement about North Carolina's license structure is correct?
New agents hold a salesperson license and upgrade to broker after two years
Associate brokers and salespersons are separate license tiers in NC
Provisional Brokers may work independently as long as they passed both exam sections
Every licensee is a Broker; new licensees are Provisional Brokers supervised by a Broker-in-Charge
How much continuing education must an active NC broker complete each year, and by when?
8 hours total (a 4-hour mandatory Update plus a 4-hour elective) by June 10
16 hours of any approved courses by December 31
4 hours of elective CE only, due by July 1
90 hours within 18 months of licensure
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.