- 110 scored questions (80 general + 30 state) in 210 minutes; PSI may add up to 10 unscored items.
- You need at least 75% correct to pass the DC-RE-S.
- Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees alone equals 67% of the state portion.
- Total upfront cost includes a $79 exam fee, $65 application fee, $130 license fee, and $60 Guaranty and Education Fund assessment.
Exam Snapshot: Numbers You Must Memorize
Before you touch a single practice question, lock in the raw structure of the District of Columbia Real Estate Salesperson Exam. This is the cheat sheet version - the numbers you should be able to recite from memory before test day, because a surprising number of candidates lose confidence simply from not knowing how the exam is built.
- Total scored questions: 110 (80 general portion + 30 state portion)
- Time allowed: 210 minutes for both portions combined
- Unscored items: PSI may insert up to 10 additional pretest questions that don't count toward your score, but you won't know which ones they are
- Passing threshold: 75% correct
- Format: Closed book, computer-based, administered at PSI test centers
- Calculator: Provided on-screen by PSI - you don't bring your own
For a full walkthrough of how this breaks down question-by-question, see the DC-RE-S Passing Score 2026 guide, which explains exactly what 75% means in raw question counts.
Fee Breakdown and Registration Mechanics
Money mistakes are avoidable if you know the sequence. The District of Columbia Real Estate Commission, housed within the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, governs licensure, while PSI handles the actual computer-based testing.
| Fee | Amount | Paid To / For |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $79 | Covers one or both exam portions |
| Application fee | $65 | State application processing |
| License fee | $130 | Issuance of salesperson license |
| Guaranty and Education Fund assessment | $60 | Required fund contribution |
Notice that the $79 exam fee covers one or both portions - so retaking only the state portion after a partial fail doesn't double your exam cost. For a complete line-item explanation of when each fee is due, read the DC-RE-S Certification Cost 2026 breakdown.
Key Takeaway
Apply for licensure within six months of passing the exam, and if you fail one portion, you must complete that portion again within six months of your first attempt - otherwise your passing score on the other portion may no longer count.
Domain Weights at a Glance
The exam splits into a general portion (Domains 1-11, 80 questions) and a state portion (Domains 12-14, 30 questions). Memorizing these weights tells you exactly where to spend your study hours.
General Portion - Domains 1-11
- Domain 1: Property Ownership - 10%
- Domain 2: Land Use Controls - 5%
- Domain 3: Valuation - 8%
- Domain 4: Financing - 10%
- Domain 5: Contracts - 19%
- Domain 6: Agency - 13%
- Domain 7: Property Disclosures - 7%
- Domain 8: Property Management - 3%
- Domain 9: Transfer of Title - 6%
- Domain 10: Practice of Real Estate - 12%
- Domain 11: Real Estate Calculations - 7%
Contracts (19%) and Agency (13%) together make up nearly a third of the general portion. If your prelicensing coursework glossed over offer-and-acceptance mechanics, fiduciary duties, or agency disclosure rules, that's where a big chunk of missed points typically comes from. For a domain-by-domain teaching breakdown, the DC-RE-S Exam Domains 2026 guide covers all 14 areas in depth.
State Portion Deep Dive: Domains 12-14
This is the section candidates most often underestimate. The state portion only has 30 questions, but one domain inside it carries an outsized weight.
Domain 14: Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees (67%)
This single domain accounts for two-thirds of the entire state portion. It covers the day-to-day statutory obligations licensees must follow - disclosure duties, prohibited conduct, license law compliance, and how the Commission expects agents to behave in transactions.
- Treat this as the highest-priority topic in your entire state-portion review
- Expect scenario-based questions that test application of the statute, not just memorization
- Cross-reference this material against Domain 6 (Agency) in the general portion - the concepts overlap
Domain 12: Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission (20%)
Covers what the Commission itself is authorized to do - disciplinary powers, investigations, and administrative authority over licensees.
Domain 13: Licensing Requirements (13%)
Covers the mechanics of becoming and remaining licensed - the same categories of rules you're navigating right now as a candidate.
Eligibility Checklist Before You Schedule
Confirm every box below before you pay the exam fee - PSI won't refund you for eligibility issues discovered after registration.
- At least 18 years old
- Hold a high school diploma or equivalency
- Able to read, write, and understand English
- Completed 60 hours of approved salesperson prelicensing education
- Plan to affiliate with a District-licensed broker after passing
Every one of these requirements is spelled out with more nuance - including documentation tips - in the DC-RE-S Requirements 2026 guide.
Test Day Format and Rules
The DC-RE-S is closed book. You won't bring notes, reference sheets, or your own calculator - PSI provides an on-screen calculator for the math-heavy questions in Domain 11 and mortgage calculations tied to Domain 4.
- Arrive at a PSI test center - this is not an online-proctored exam
- 210 minutes covers both the 80-question general portion and the 30-question state portion
- You cannot predict which questions are among PSI's up-to-10 unscored items, so answer every question with full effort
If you're unsure how the DC-RE-S compares in rigor to other state licensing exams, the How Hard Is the DC-RE-S Exam? guide breaks down what makes this particular exam challenging, and the DC-RE-S Pass Rate 2026 analysis looks at what the available data shows about outcomes.
One-Week Cram Schedule
If you already completed your 60-hour prelicensing course and just need a final review sprint, use this structure to allocate your remaining days by domain weight rather than by generic study blocks.
Contracts & Agency
- Review Domain 5 (Contracts, 19%) and Domain 6 (Agency, 13%) - these two alone are nearly a third of the general portion
- Run timed practice sets focused only on contract formation and fiduciary duty scenarios
Financing, Valuation, Calculations
- Cover Domain 4 (Financing, 10%), Domain 3 (Valuation, 8%), and Domain 11 (Calculations, 7%)
- Practice with the on-screen calculator format so it feels familiar on test day
Remaining General Domains
- Property Ownership, Land Use Controls, Disclosures, Property Management, Transfer of Title, Practice of Real Estate
- These smaller-weight domains still add up to over 40% of the general portion combined
State Portion - Domain 14 Priority
- Spend the majority of this block on Domain 14 (Statutory Requirements, 67% of the state portion)
- Then cover Domain 12 (Commission Duties, 20%) and Domain 13 (Licensing Requirements, 13%)
Full-Length Practice and Review
- Take one full 110-question timed simulation to test your 210-minute pacing
- Review missed questions by domain to spot any remaining weak spots
For a more complete, multi-week version of this approach tailored to first-attempt success, see the DC-RE-S Study Guide 2026.
After You Pass: Licensing and Renewal
Passing is only the midpoint. Here's what the cheat sheet needs to cover for what comes next:
- Application window: Apply within six months after passing both portions
- Broker affiliation: Required before your license becomes active
- License expiration: August 31 of odd-numbered years
- Continuing education: 15 hours per two-year renewal cycle - but your first renewal after an exam-based license is CE-exempt
Key Takeaway
Because your first renewal is CE-exempt, don't waste money on continuing education courses before your first renewal deadline - focus that time and budget on building your client base instead.
Curious what a license actually opens the door to? The DC-RE-S Salary Guide 2026 and DC-RE-S Jobs pages cover employment paths, and Is the DC-RE-S Certification Worth It? weighs the overall return on the licensing investment. If you want the foundational explainer first, start with What Is DC-RE-S? or DC-RE-S Meaning.
Ready to test what you've memorized against realistic scenario questions? Head back to our DC-RE-S practice test platform to run a domain-weighted quiz before scheduling your PSI appointment, and check DC-RE-S Exam Dates 2026 for scheduling windows and deadlines.
FAQ
There are 110 scored questions total - 80 general and 30 state - with 210 minutes allowed. PSI may add up to 10 additional unscored questions you won't be able to identify.
You need at least 75% correct. See the DC-RE-S Passing Score 2026 guide for how that translates into raw question counts.
Domain 14, Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees, makes up 67% of the state portion - by far the highest-weighted single domain on the entire exam.
The $79 exam fee covers one or both portions of the test. Separately, you'll pay a $65 application fee, a $130 license fee, and a $60 Guaranty and Education Fund assessment.
No. The first renewal of a license granted by examination is CE-exempt. After that, the standard requirement is 15 continuing-education hours per two-year cycle, with licenses expiring August 31 of odd-numbered years.