ALAlabama

Real estate exam prep

At a glance

The exam, in numbers.

Questions: 120 multiple-choice (80 national + 40 state)
Time: 210 minutes (3 hours 30 minutes)
Passing score: 70% on EACH section (56/80 national AND 28/40 state), scored independently
Pre-license education: 60 hours, AREC-approved
License type: Salesperson (entry-level; the broker tier and the Qualifying Broker designation come later)
Administered by: Pearson VUE on behalf of AREC
Format: computer-based testing at Pearson VUE centers across Alabama
Exam fee: $77 per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE at scheduling
Retake wait: none; you can reschedule as soon as Pearson VUE has an open slot
Score validity: a passed section stays valid for 6 months while you retake the other
Result: issued at the testing center; pass/fail per section with numeric score per section
Sponsorship: an AREC-licensed broker (the firm's Qualifying Broker) must employ the salesperson before the license issues

Alabama real estate exam: format, score, what to expect in 2026

Every real estate company operating in Alabama is required to have a designated Qualifying Broker, a specific licensee within the firm who carries statutory responsibility for the company's compliance with Alabama Real Estate Commission (AREC) rules, including supervision of affiliated salespersons, trust account compliance, and the firm's overall license-law adherence. The Qualifying Broker designation is distinct from the broker tier itself; it's a firm-level role assigned to one broker per company, and the Alabama statute attaches specific personal liability to it. Combined with the Alabama Vacation Rental Practice and Disclosure Act, which adds Gulf Coast-specific disclosure obligations for licensees handling short-term rental and second-home transactions in the Gulf Shores / Orange Beach corridor, Alabama's regulatory layer is heavier than the salesperson exam's modest 60-hour pre-license requirement might suggest.

The exam is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of AREC. The format is 120 multiple-choice questions over 210 minutes, scored as 80 national + 40 state. The passing standard is 70% on each section, scored independently (you need 56 correct of 80 national items AND 28 correct of 40 state items).

This guide walks through the AREC content outline, how to study for the Qualifying Broker and Vacation Rental content, and what exam day looks like at a Pearson VUE center.

Written by

Chris Reese

May 9, 2026

§ 01 What's tested

Alabama runs the exam in two scored sections, with the national portion (80 items) covering general real estate principles and the state portion (40 items) covering Alabama-specific licensing law and regulations. The state portion is anchored on Alabama Code Title 34 Chapter 27 and the AREC rules at Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 790-X.

National portion (80 scored items)

The national portion follows the Pearson VUE national real estate outline. Topic areas: real property characteristics, ownership and title, value and appraisal, contracts and agency, real estate practice, disclosures and environmental issues, financing and settlement, and math. Alabama candidates should know the state operates under a title-theory model with mortgages as the standard instrument, and the Alabama Residential Property Disclosure (limited "as-is" obligations under Alabama's caveat-emptor doctrine) layers on top of national disclosure content in many scenario questions.

State portion (40 scored items)

The state portion is anchored on Ala. Code Title 34 Chapter 27 and AAC Chapter 790-X. The major topic areas:

License Law and AREC. Title 34 Chapter 27, AREC's structure and powers, the Salesperson / Broker / Qualifying Broker tier framework, license issuance and renewal, continuing education requirements, and the standards for license suspension and revocation.
Qualifying Broker statutory responsibilities. Each Alabama real estate company must designate one Qualifying Broker carrying personal statutory responsibility for the firm's compliance with AREC rules, supervision of affiliated salespersons, trust account compliance, and advertising. The exam tests the Qualifying Broker's duties and the consequences when the firm fails to comply.
Agency in Alabama. Alabama recognizes single agency, dual agency (with informed written consent), and limited consensual dual agency. The Real Estate Brokerage Services Disclosure form must be presented to a buyer or seller at the first practical opportunity. The exam tests the disclosure timing and the duties owed under each relationship.
Alabama Vacation Rental Practice and Disclosure Act. Specific to short-term rental and vacation property transactions, particularly along the Gulf Coast (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and adjacent coastal communities). Adds licensee disclosure obligations for properties used as vacation rentals, including known restrictions, HOA limitations, and prior rental history. The exam tests the basics for licensees handling these transactions.
Alabama Caveat Emptor doctrine and disclosure obligations. Alabama is one of the few remaining caveat emptor states for residential real estate. The seller's affirmative disclosure obligations are limited; the buyer is generally responsible for due diligence. The licensee's disclosure obligations are statutorily defined and tested.
Trust accounts under AREC supervision. Alabama requires the Qualifying Broker to maintain a separate Real Estate Trust Account at an Alabama-chartered or federally chartered insured institution. AREC rules specify deposit timing, commingling prohibitions, and reporting obligations. The Qualifying Broker is personally responsible for compliance.
Alabama fair housing. Federal Fair Housing layered with the Alabama Code provisions on housing discrimination.

Standout state-specific content

Two Alabama content areas almost always confuse candidates who studied from generic national materials:

The Qualifying Broker designation. Most states have a salesperson-broker tier. Alabama adds a firm-level Qualifying Broker designation that carries personal statutory liability for the firm's compliance. The exam tests scenario questions that turn on the Qualifying Broker's specific role versus that of an affiliated broker who isn't designated.
The caveat emptor doctrine plus the Vacation Rental Act. Alabama's general caveat emptor framework limits seller disclosure obligations in most residential transactions, but the Vacation Rental Practice and Disclosure Act adds specific licensee obligations for vacation rental and short-term rental transactions. The interaction (when caveat emptor applies versus when the Vacation Rental Act overrides) is testable.

§ 03 How to study

Alabama's 60-hour pre-license course covers the national and state outlines, but the exam tests applied judgment in scenario questions that pull from Title 34 Chapter 27, the Qualifying Broker rules, the Vacation Rental Act, and the caveat emptor framework simultaneously.

What works in Alabama is volume on practice questions tied to both the national and state outlines, with extra reps on the Qualifying Broker statutory responsibilities, the Vacation Rental Act disclosure mechanics, and the caveat emptor / disclosure interaction. Most who pass have worked through somewhere in the low thousands of practice questions before sitting.

Passd's Alabama question bank is organized by both national and state content areas, with per-area accuracy tracked so you know whether your weak spot is the Qualifying Broker rules, agency disclosure, the Vacation Rental Act, or finance before booking the exam. Your Passd Score updates as you answer and gives a single read on whether the test is in reach yet. Tier details are on the pricing page.

A few specific things help in Alabama:

Read the Real Estate Brokerage Services Disclosure form. AREC publishes it. The first-practical-opportunity timing rule is testable in scenario form.
Memorize the Qualifying Broker statutory duties. The personal-liability angle is a recurring exam topic. Knowing the role exists isn't enough; the exam asks scenario questions about specific responsibilities and consequences.
Study the Vacation Rental Act if the candidate's market includes the Gulf Coast. The specific licensee disclosure obligations for vacation rentals are testable and easy to lose points on if studied superficially.

§ 04 What to expect on exam day

The Alabama salesperson exam is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers across Alabama (Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Huntsville, and additional locations). You schedule directly through Pearson VUE after AREC has approved your pre-license course completion and authorized you to test.

On exam day:

Arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Late arrivals can be turned away.
Bring two forms of valid signature identification, one of them government-issued with photo (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID). Names must match the AREC application.
Personal items go in a locker. Phones, smart watches, study materials, food, and bound notes stay outside the testing room.
Calculators are permitted with restrictions: silent, battery-operated, non-printing, and without an alphabetic keypad.
The exam is closed-book.

Results print at the testing center after the exam, showing pass or fail per section plus your numeric score on each. Candidates who pass move into the licensure phase: AREC application, Qualifying Broker employment confirmation, fingerprinting, and the license fee. Candidates who fail one section can retake just that section, paying the per-section fee.

§ 05 Common mistakes

Alabama candidates who fail the exam tend to fail in a handful of specific ways:

Treating Qualifying Broker as a generic broker title. The Qualifying Broker is a firm-specific designation with statutory personal liability. Candidates who treat the role as interchangeable with any broker miss the scenario questions on supervisory duties and trust account compliance.
Skimming the Vacation Rental Act. Alabama's Vacation Rental Practice and Disclosure Act adds specific licensee obligations that don't exist in most other states' regulatory frameworks. Candidates studying from generic national materials miss these.
Importing affirmative-disclosure mental models from other states. Alabama is a caveat emptor jurisdiction; the seller's general affirmative disclosure obligation is more limited than in states with a Disclosure Act. The exam tests where the line is drawn and when the licensee's separate disclosure obligations kick in.
Confusing dual agency with limited consensual dual agency. Alabama recognizes both, with different consent rules. The exam tests the distinctions in scenario form.
Showing up without an unexpired ID or with a name mismatch. Pearson VUE turns candidates away for ID problems. Names on the IDs must match the AREC application exactly.
Skipping the Qualifying Broker trust account responsibilities. AREC trust account compliance flows through the Qualifying Broker personally. The exam tests the responsibility chain in scenario form.

§ 02 Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the Alabama real estate salesperson exam?

120 multiple-choice questions: 80 on the national portion and 40 on the Alabama state portion.

How is the exam scored?

70% required on EACH section, scored independently. You need 56 correct of 80 national items AND 28 correct of 40 state items.

How long is the exam?

210 minutes (3 hours 30 minutes) total.

What's a Qualifying Broker?

A specific licensee within an Alabama real estate company who carries statutory personal responsibility for the firm's compliance with AREC rules. Every Alabama real estate company must designate one Qualifying Broker. The Qualifying Broker's role is distinct from the broker tier itself and includes supervision of affiliated salespersons, trust account compliance, and advertising compliance.

Where do I take the exam?

At a Pearson VUE testing center in Alabama (Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Huntsville, and additional locations).

What pre-license education do I need before the exam?

60 hours of AREC-approved coursework, completed at an approved school before submitting the salesperson application.

Do I need to know the Vacation Rental Act if I'm not on the Gulf Coast?

The Act is testable on the state portion regardless of where you plan to practice. It's part of the AREC-approved curriculum and the exam content outline. Even if your eventual market is inland, the test will ask about it.

Can I retake just the section I failed?

Yes. Pearson VUE allows retakes of the failed section only, with a per-section fee. There's no statutory waiting period; you can reschedule the failed section as soon as Pearson VUE has an open slot.

How long is my passing score valid?

A passed section stays valid for 6 months. If you pass national but fail state (or vice versa), you have 6 months to pass the failed section before you have to re-test everything.

How much is the Alabama exam fee?

$77 per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE when you schedule. Each retake is the same amount.

Ready to see how prepared you are?

The Passd diagnostic is 20 questions across every major topic, and shows your Alabama-specific Passd Score plus which AREC content areas need work. Free, no credit card.

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