What the Georgia Real Estate Exam Actually Looks Like
The Georgia real estate licensing exam is split into two distinct sections, and understanding that division matters more than just counting total questions. The salesperson exam gives you 152 questions across four hours. That includes 50 national/general questions covering broad real estate principles, contract law, agency relationships, and fair housing, plus 102 state-specific questions focused on Georgia law, commission rules, and procedures unique to the state. You do not get to skip around freely between sections — they are separated in the testing software, and the computer locks each section once you move forward. The total is 152 questions, broken down as 50 national and 102 state questions. The passing requirement is separate for each section. You need at least 60 correct out of the 80 scored national questions, and at least 49 correct out of the 102 state questions. Wait — that means not all 50 national questions count toward your score. About 20 of the national questions are unscored pretest items placed there by PSI to evaluate potential future questions. You will not know which ones are pretest, so you have to treat every single question as if it counts. That is one of the things people overlook when they study. I ran into this the hard way during my own prep. I was doing practice exams and consistently scoring 85% on the national section, which felt comfortable. But the real exam had a cluster of oddly specific questions about Georgia's disclosure requirements mixed into what should have been purely national content. Because the state and national sections are tested separately at PSI's testing center, those state-flavored questions in the national block threw off my pacing. My workaround was to stop using generic national practice tests and switch to materials that mimicked the actual PSI interface, with randomized question order and no answer explanations during the practice run. That brought my realistic scores closer to what I actually needed.
The broker exam is different. It has 100 multiple-choice questions total, split between national and state content, and you need a score of 75% to pass. You get 2 hours and 30 minutes. The broker exam is administered as a single combined section rather than two separate ones, which changes how you should approach your study strategy entirely. Both exams are computer-based and delivered through PSI Services. You schedule through the PSI website using your eligibility number from the Georgia Real Estate Commission. Walk-ins are not accepted at any testing center. You need two forms of ID — one with a photo and one with your signature. A simple library card will not work. I learned that from watching someone get turned away at the door before me. Here is a detail most study guides skip. The Georgia exam uses a modified cloze procedure for some of its state-specific questions. That means a sentence has a blank in it and you pick the word or phrase that fills the gap correctly. It is not just standard multiple choice with four options. These questions often test precise terminology — things like the difference between a listing agreement and a buyer representation agreement, or which document must be delivered within three days of contract execution under Georgia law. If you only practice with full-sentence multiple choice questions, you will hit these cloze items cold on exam day.
Another counter-intuitive point: studying more does not always help. I watched people burn through five or six study courses and still fail because they never practiced under timed conditions. Four hours sounds long, but with 152 questions, that is roughly 1.6 minutes per question. When you hit the harder math problems — commission calculations, prorations, capitalization rates — you can burn 3 to 4 minutes on a single question and still not notice until the clock is eating into your remaining time. Set a hard pace of about 90 seconds per question during practice. If you go over, flag it and move on. Do not get stuck. The math section is where most people who otherwise know the material stumble. You will see questions on commission splits, broker fees, prorated property taxes, rent adjustments, and loan-to-value ratios. You are allowed a basic four-function calculator at the testing center, but bringing your own is not permitted. The one they provide works fine for the level of math involved, but you need to be comfortable doing quick mental math or relying on the on-screen calculator efficiently. Practice doing these calculations without a phone or app, using something that feels like the test calculator. One more thing that catches people off guard. Georgia requires you to complete 75 hours of pre-license education before you can even apply for the exam. The 60-hour Principles of Real Estate course and the 15-hour Legal Update I course are the standard breakdown. Some schools bundle these differently, but the total has to hit 75 hours minimum. If you take the courses from a community college or an approved school outside Georgia, make sure the transcript gets sent directly to the commission. Students who forget this step and assume their transcript is already there end up waiting weeks for eligibility numbers they need to schedule the exam.
Get the Full Details
Rescheduling is possible through PSI but there is a fee if you do it less than 48 hours before your appointment. Cancelling entirely without giving proper notice means you lose your exam fee and have to reapply through the commission first. I always tell people to pick a date only after they have completed at least three full practice exams scoring above 70%. Going in underprepared wastes more than just money — it delays your license by months because you have to wait for a new eligibility window. The exam content itself draws heavily from the Georgia Real Estate Commission's rulebook, particularly Chapter 120-3-1. Questions about licensing exceptions, trust account requirements, continuing education rules, and disciplinary procedures appear regularly. This is the section of the material that most people skim because it feels dry, but it is where the state-specific questions live. Reading it straight through once before your exam date usually pays for itself in those 102 state questions alone.
