OH-SP · Syllabus & Exam Outline 2026
Ohio Real Estate Salesperson
In short
The Ohio Real Estate Salesperson exam is a 180-minute, 120-item multiple-choice test administered by PSI. It evaluates property ownership, agency, contracts, state laws, and practice rules. A fixed passing score of 70 is required to earn your Ohio license. Free practice questions and a full study plan are below.
- Questions
- 120 items (80 National, 40 State) plus 5-10 unscored experimental questions
- Time limit
- 180 minutes (120 minutes National, 60 minutes State)
- Passing score
- 70
- Cost
- $81 application fee + $63 examination fee
- Format
- multiple-choice
- Delivery
- Computer-based testing at PSI test centers or via remote online proctoring
- Calculator
- Only non-programmable calculators that are silent, battery-operated, do not have paper tape printing capabilities, and do not have a keyboard containing the alphabet will be allowed.
- Prep time
- ~60 hours
Exam overview
The Ohio Real Estate Salesperson exam is designed to verify that licensing candidates possess the minimum knowledge necessary to safely and legally practice real estate within the state. Administered by PSI, the exam is divided into two distinct sections: a National portion testing broad real estate concepts, and a State portion focusing strictly on Ohio laws, rules, and regulations. To pass, candidates must demonstrate a strong command of critical areas, particularly the General Principles of Agency and the Practice of Real Estate. These two domains alone account for nearly half of the examination, encompassing Ohio's specific licensing rules, fiduciary duties, fair housing laws, and the handling of trust accounts. A solid grasp of real estate mathematics and contracts is also heavily tested. Studying for a dual-part exam requires a strategic approach that balances national practices with Ohio-specific statutes. Only Ever maps every domain to 15-minute study topics, allowing you to systematically progress through complex subjects like financing and title transfer without feeling overwhelmed. By aligning your preparation closely with this official content outline, you can enter the testing center with confidence.
Exam domains & weighting
Each domain's share of the exam — study deepest where the weight is highest. Open one for how to study it and its objectives.
How to study this domain
Focus on the legal distinctions between real and personal property, and how items convert from one to the other (fixtures). Master the different types of estates (fee simple vs. life estates) and understand how encumbrances like liens and easements affect property rights.
Key objectives
- Real and Personal Property Conveyances
- Legal Property Descriptions
- Measuring Structures and Land
- Liens, Easements, and Encumbrances
- Surface, Subsurface, Air, and Water Rights
- Basic Types of Ownership and Tenancy
- Common-Interest, Trusts, and Business Ownership
Readiness self-check
Tick off everything you can confidently explain. Anything left unchecked is your study list — tap “Review” to jump straight into that domain.
Readiness
0 / 11
Quick reference
Essential Real Estate Formulas
Formulas you must memorize for the Real Estate Calculations portion of the exam.
Commission
Sales Price × Commission Rate
Net Operating Income (NOI)
Gross Income - Operating Expenses
Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate)
Net Operating Income ÷ Current Market Value
Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV)
Loan Amount ÷ Property Value (or Sales Price, whichever is lower)
Area of a Rectangle/Square
Length × Width (in square feet)
Key Real Estate Acronyms
Common acronyms related to federal laws and practices found on the exam.
- RESPA
- Real Estate Settlement Procedures ActGoverns settlement costs and prohibits kickbacks.
- TILA
- Truth in Lending ActRequires disclosure of credit terms and APR.
- TRID
- TILA-RESPA Integrated DisclosureCombines the disclosures required by TILA and RESPA.
- CMA
- Comparative Market AnalysisAn estimate of value used by agents, distinct from an appraisal.
- ECOA
- Equal Credit Opportunity ActProhibits credit discrimination based on race, color, religion, etc.
Frequently asked questions
Good to know
- Candidates are given 15 minutes before the exam begins to complete a computer tutorial; this time does not count against the 180-minute test limit.
- The exam includes 5 to 10 unscored 'experimental' pretest questions intermixed with the real questions.
- Candidates must pass both the National and State portions within a 12-month eligibility period.
- If a candidate fails one portion (National or State), they only need to retake the failed portion within their 12-month window.
- Two forms of identification are required at the test center, including one government-issued photo ID with a signature.
Reading isn’t remembering.
Ohio's exam pairs the national real estate core with a heavy 40-question state section — ORC Chapter 4735 license law, the Ohio Real Estate Commission's rules, a distinctive agency disclosure statement, and the Canon of Ethics — and most materials muddle the two.
Only Ever teaches the shared national core once, then layers Ohio state law — the Division and Commission's powers and the Real Estate Recovery Fund, licensing and education requirements, license law on advertising, employment and compensation, trust/special accounts and record-keeping, listings and offers, property management and rentals, agency creation and the agency disclosure statement, and licensee duties and the Canon of Ethics — as focused 15-minute topics.