- The exam has 130 scored questions (80 general, 50 state) with a 75% passing threshold on each portion.
- Contracts carries the heaviest general-portion weight at 19% - prioritize it above every other domain.
- Testing both portions together costs $68 through PSI; a single portion alone is $45.
- You get four hours total, at a PSI test center or via remote online proctoring.
Exam Snapshot: Format, Fees, and Timing
Before you drill content, lock in the mechanics. The Minnesota Real Estate Salesperson Exam is administered by PSI on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and it's split into two distinct portions that are scored separately even when you take them back to back.
- Format: 130 scored questions - 80 general national-level questions plus 50 Minnesota state-specific questions.
- Time limit: Four hours total for both portions.
- Passing score: 75% on each portion independently - passing one does not offset a low score on the other.
- Fee: $68 if you sit for both portions together, or $45 if you schedule just one portion.
- Delivery: Computer-based, available at a PSI test center or through remote online proctoring.
- Experimental items: Unscored pilot questions may appear; don't let an oddly worded question rattle your pacing.
For a deeper walkthrough of exactly how the scoring works, see MN-RE-SALES Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass. If you want the full breakdown of what the $68/$45 fee actually covers and what else you'll pay for along the way, check MN-RE-SALES Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Domain Weights at a Glance
The general portion's 80 questions are distributed across 11 domains with very uneven weight. Memorize this table before you build a study plan - it should dictate how many hours you spend on each topic.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Contracts | 19% |
| Agency | 13% |
| Practice of Real Estate | 12% |
| Property Ownership | 10% |
| Financing | 10% |
| Valuation | 8% |
| Property Disclosures | 7% |
| Real Estate Calculations | 7% |
| Transfer of Title | 6% |
| Land Use Controls | 5% |
| Property Management | 3% |
Notice that Contracts, Agency, and Practice of Real Estate together account for 44% of the general portion - nearly half your score rides on three domains. For an in-depth explanation of every domain's subtopics, bookmark MN-RE-SALES Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 11 Content Areas.
General Portion Cheat Sheet
This section condenses the highest-yield facts from the top-weighted domains. Use it as a rapid-fire review, not your first pass through the material.
Contracts (19%)
The single largest domain - expect heavy coverage of purchase agreements, offer and acceptance mechanics, and contingencies.
- Elements of a valid contract: capacity, mutual consent, consideration, legal purpose
- Difference between a bilateral and unilateral contract in a listing vs. option scenario
- Remedies for breach: specific performance, rescission, liquidated damages
- Contingency clauses (financing, inspection, appraisal) and how/when they release a buyer
Agency (13%)
Fiduciary duties and the different agency relationships a salesperson can create with a client.
- Fiduciary duties: care, obedience, loyalty, disclosure, accounting, confidentiality
- Types of agency: seller's agent, buyer's agent, dual agency, subagency
- Creation and termination of agency relationships
- Vicarious liability of the broker for licensee actions
Practice of Real Estate (12%)
Day-to-day licensee conduct: advertising rules, license law basics, fair housing, and business practices.
- Federal fair housing protected classes and prohibited practices (steering, blockbusting)
- Antitrust issues: price fixing, group boycotting, market allocation
- Proper handling of earnest money and trust accounts
Property Ownership & Financing (10% each)
Ownership covers estates, interests, and forms of co-ownership; Financing covers mortgage instruments and loan types.
- Fee simple, life estate, leasehold estates, and easements/encroachments
- Joint tenancy vs. tenancy in common vs. tenancy by the entirety
- Conventional, FHA, VA, and adjustable-rate loan basics; promissory note vs. mortgage/deed of trust
State-Specific Portion Cheat Sheet
The 50-question state portion doesn't map to the same 11 domains - it's organized around Minnesota licensing law and transaction practice. Know these five pillars cold:
- Brokerage license law: license categories, supervising broker responsibilities, license renewal cycle, and disciplinary grounds under Minnesota Department of Commerce rules.
- Contracts and disclosures: Minnesota-specific disclosure statement requirements and what must accompany a purchase agreement in-state.
- Property interests: Minnesota's treatment of easements, water rights, and homestead considerations.
- Conveyance procedures: deed types recognized in Minnesota, recording requirements, and closing practice.
- Financial instruments: Minnesota-specific mortgage and note practices, including any state disclosure timing rules.
Key Takeaway
Do not study the state portion generically - pull directly from Minnesota Department of Commerce license law and your Course III materials, since national prep content will not cover these five state pillars accurately.
For a full explainer of what these state topics mean in practice and how heavily each is tested, see MN-RE-SALES Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 11 Content Areas, and for a reality check on how tough candidates find this portion, read How Hard Is the MN-RE-SALES Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Calculation Formulas Worth Memorizing
Real Estate Calculations is only 7% of the general portion, but it's the domain candidates most often lose easy points on because they didn't memorize formulas in advance. Write these on your mental scratch pad before test day:
- Commission split: Sale price × commission rate = total commission, then divide per the brokerage/agent split agreement.
- Loan-to-value (LTV): Loan amount ÷ property value = LTV percentage.
- Proration: Annual expense ÷ 365 (or 12 months) × days/months owned = prorated amount at closing.
- Net-to-seller: Sale price − closing costs − commission − loan payoff = seller's net proceeds.
- Square footage / area: Length × width for rectangular spaces; sum irregular shapes by dividing into rectangles/triangles.
- Property tax calculations: Assessed value × mill rate (or tax rate) = annual tax liability.
Licensing Path: Courses, Application, Renewal
The exam is only one checkpoint in a longer licensing sequence. Miss a step here and passing the exam won't get you licensed.
- Course I (30 hours): Must be completed before you're eligible to sit for the exam.
- Courses II and III (30 hours each): Must be completed before you submit your license application - you can take the exam before finishing these, but you can't apply for the license until all three courses are done.
- Exam: Pass both portions at 75% each.
- Application: Your Minnesota primary broker must submit your license application within one year of passing the exam, or your passing score expires.
- Renewal: Licenses renew on a two-year cycle ending June 30, requiring 30 hours of continuing education, required module work, agency-law training, and fair-housing training.
For the exact eligibility requirements and course sequencing rules, see MN-RE-SALES Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. If you're still deciding whether the licensing investment is worthwhile relative to what brokerages and clients pay for this credential, read Is the MN-RE-SALES Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and MN-RE-SALES Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
Last-Week Review Schedule
If you're in your final week before test day, don't start new material - cycle through weighted review in this order, spending the most time on the domains that carry the most points.
Contracts & Agency (32% combined)
- Rework every practice question you've missed on contract remedies and fiduciary duties
- Flashcard the agency relationship types and termination triggers
Practice of Real Estate, Ownership, Financing (32% combined)
- Review fair housing protected classes and antitrust violations
- Drill estate types and loan instrument differences
State-Specific Pillars
- Re-read Minnesota brokerage license law and disclosure requirements
- Review conveyance and financial instrument rules specific to Minnesota
Calculations, Valuation, Remaining Domains
- Re-run every formula in the calculation cheat sheet above
- Take a full timed mixed-domain practice run on the main practice test site
This weighted approach mirrors the strategy laid out in MN-RE-SALES Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt - schedule your heaviest domains earliest in your prep window so you get multiple review passes before test day, not just one.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You can schedule both portions together for $68 or pay $45 to sit for just one portion at a time, though many candidates prefer completing both in one four-hour session.
Start with Contracts (19%) and Agency (13%) since together they represent nearly a third of the general portion's scored questions.
Your primary broker must submit your license application within one year of your passing date. If that window lapses, your passing exam result is no longer valid for licensure.
Yes. PSI offers both in-person testing at a PSI center and remote online proctoring as options for the Minnesota Real Estate Salesperson Exam.
Renewal runs on a two-year cycle ending June 30, requiring 30 continuing-education hours plus required module work, agency-law training, and fair-housing training before each renewal deadline.