RE-NATIONAL · Syllabus & Exam Outline 2026
US Real Estate Salesperson (National)
Exam-aligned study paths built from the PSI national content outline — the nationally-tested core every U.S. state shares — in retention-first 15-minute topics.
- Format
- Multiple choice
- Delivery
- Test Center or Online Proctored (availability varies by state)
- Prep time
- ~62 hours
Exam overview
The US Real Estate Salesperson (National) examination evaluates a candidate's readiness to operate as a licensed real estate professional. This state-neutral core exam covers fundamental principles, practices, and federal laws applicable across the United States. Successfully passing this portion is a critical step in obtaining your state real estate license, as it represents approximately 60% of the overall testing requirement in many jurisdictions. The examination is notoriously broad, requiring candidates to demonstrate proficiency in eleven distinct content areas. The most heavily weighted domains include Contracts (19%), General Principles of Agency (13%), Practice of Real Estate (12%), and Property Ownership (10%). Mastery of these topics ensures you can ethically represent clients, navigate complex legal agreements, and comply with strict federal regulations such as the Fair Housing Act and RESPA. To make your preparation more manageable, Only Ever maps every domain in this syllabus to 15-minute study topics. By breaking down complex subjects like title transfers, appraisals, and real estate mathematics into bite-sized lessons, you can systematically master the national core concepts and confidently approach test day.
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 distinguishing between real and personal property, and how titles are held (severalty vs. concurrent ownership). Create flashcards to memorize the various encumbrances, easements, and liens. Ensure you can identify the three main methods of legal land description.
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 / 12
Quick reference
Essential Real Estate Acronyms
Common abbreviations found in the financing and land use sections of the exam.
- LTV
- Loan-to-Value RatioRatio of a loan to the value of an asset purchased
- PMI
- Private Mortgage InsuranceRequired on conventional loans with less than 20% down
- PITI
- Principal, Interest, Taxes, and InsuranceComponents of a standard mortgage payment
- RESPA
- Real Estate Settlement Procedures ActProtects consumers from abusive settlement practices (kickbacks)
- TRID
- TILA-RESPA Integrated DisclosuresConsolidated lending disclosure requirements and timelines
- CMA
- Comparative Market AnalysisMethod to estimate property value based on recent sales
- CC&Rs
- Covenants, Conditions, and RestrictionsRules established by developers or HOAs governing land use
Fair Housing & Prohibited Conduct
Key discriminatory practices prohibited under the Fair Housing Act.
Blockbusting
Inducing panic selling by claiming minorities or protected classes are moving into the neighborhood.
Steering
Channeling prospective home buyers toward or away from specific neighborhoods based on their race, religion, or protected status.
Redlining
Refusing to make mortgage loans or issue insurance in specific geographical areas for reasons other than applicant qualifications.
Frequently asked questions
Good to know
- The national portion constitutes approximately 60% of most states' licensing exam requirements.
- This exam covers only state-neutral concepts; per-state license laws and commission rules are assessed separately.
- Topics specifically designated as 'BROKER ONLY' in the overarching PSI outline are intentionally excluded from this salesperson-level exam.
Reading isn’t remembering.
National real estate prep is padded with state-specific noise, so you waste time on rules that don't apply where you're getting licensed.
Only Ever distills the PSI national content outline into structured 15-minute topics, so you master the shared national core once — then layer your state's rules on top.