RIRhode Island

Real estate exam prep

At a glance

The exam, in numbers.

Questions: 130 multiple-choice (80 national + 50 state)
Time: 240 minutes (4 hours)
Passing score: 70% on EACH section (56/80 national AND 35/50 state), scored independently
Pre-license education: 45 hours, DBR-approved, plus a mandatory 3-hour Lead Hazard Mitigation Course (48 hours total)
License type: Real Estate Salesperson (entry-level; brokers take a separate exam)
Administered by: Pearson VUE on behalf of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation
Format: computer-based testing at Pearson VUE centers in Rhode Island
Result: issued at the testing center; pass/fail per section with numeric score per section
Exam fee: $70 per attempt, paid to PSI at scheduling
Retake wait: none; reschedule with PSI as soon as a slot is available
Score validity: a passed section stays valid for 12 months while you retake the other
Sponsorship: an RI-licensed broker must employ the salesperson before the license issues

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

Rhode Island has the oldest housing stock in the United States by median structure age, and the public-health consequences shape the licensure framework. A meaningful portion of Rhode Island's residential property is pre-1978 construction subject to federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure requirements, and Rhode Island layers on additional state-specific lead-paint disclosure obligations that licensees must understand. The state codifies this in the licensing curriculum: every prospective real estate salesperson must complete a mandatory 3-hour Lead Hazard Mitigation Course in addition to the 45-hour pre-license curriculum, for a total of 48 hours of coursework before sitting for the exam. The Lead Hazard Mitigation Course is statutorily required (Rhode Island General Laws Title 23 Chapter 24.6 governs the underlying lead poisoning prevention framework, with licensee-specific obligations layered on through the real estate licensing chapter), and it's the only state-level mandatory specialty course required for a salesperson license in the country.

The exam is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Real Estate Division. The format is 130 multiple-choice questions over 240 minutes, scored as 80 national + 50 state. The passing standard is 70% on each section, scored independently (you need 56 correct of 80 national items AND 35 correct of 50 state items). The state portion at 50 items is heavier than the typical 40, reflecting the depth of Rhode Island-specific content the DBR tests.

This guide walks through the DBR Real Estate Division content outline, how to study for the lead-paint and tenant-protection content, and what exam day looks like at a Pearson VUE center.

Written by

Chris Reese

May 9, 2026

§ 01 What's tested

Rhode Island runs the exam in two scored sections, with the national portion (80 items) covering general real estate principles and the state portion (50 items) covering Rhode Island-specific licensing law and regulations. The state portion is anchored on Rhode Island General Laws Title 5 Chapter 20.5 and the DBR rules at 230-RICR-30-15.

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. Rhode Island candidates should know the state operates under a title-theory model with mortgages as the standard instrument, and the Rhode Island Real Estate Sales Disclosure Form layers on top of national disclosure content with specific lead-paint disclosure obligations.

State portion (50 scored items)

The state portion is anchored on RIGL Title 5 Chapter 20.5 and 230-RICR-30-15. The major topic areas:

License Law and DBR Real Estate Division. RIGL Title 5 Chapter 20.5, the Division's structure within the Department of Business Regulation, the salesperson-broker affiliation rules, the mandatory Lead Hazard Mitigation Course requirement, license issuance and renewal cycles, continuing education requirements, and the standards for license suspension and revocation.
Agency in Rhode Island. Rhode Island recognizes seller agency, buyer agency, dual agency (with informed written consent), and designated agency. The Mandatory Disclosure of Agency Relationships 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.
Lead-paint disclosure under federal and Rhode Island law. Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule (24 CFR 35) for pre-1978 housing, layered with Rhode Island Lead Hazard Mitigation Act requirements (RIGL Title 42 Chapter 128.1), which require additional landlord/seller obligations beyond the federal rule. The exam tests the licensee's role in ensuring compliance with both layers.
Rhode Island Real Estate Sales Disclosure Form. Required for most residential transfers, with specific entries for material defects, lead paint history, and prior repairs.
Trust accounts under DBR supervision. Rhode Island's escrow account rules require the broker to maintain a separate clients' funds account at a Rhode Island-chartered or federally chartered insured institution, with specific deposit-timing requirements under 230-RICR-30-15.
Rhode Island fair housing. Federal Fair Housing layered with the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act (RIGL Title 34 Chapter 37), which adds protected classes including sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and source of income.
Tenant protections. Rhode Island has detailed landlord-tenant protections under RIGL Title 34 Chapter 18, including security deposit rules, notice requirements, and lead-related habitability standards. The exam tests basics for licensees handling rentals.

Standout state-specific content

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

The mandatory Lead Hazard Mitigation Course and the layered lead-paint disclosure regime. No other state requires a specialty course like Rhode Island's 3-hour Lead Hazard Mitigation Course as a salesperson licensing prerequisite. The course content (and the underlying state lead-paint regulations) shows up in scenario questions on disclosure obligations, licensee duties, and habitability standards.
Tenant protections under Rhode Island's heavy landlord-tenant framework. Rhode Island's tenant protections (security deposit rules, notice requirements, habitability standards) are more elaborate than many states' rules. Candidates handling rental transactions find these tested in scenario form.

§ 03 How to study

Rhode Island's 48-hour coursework requirement (45 pre-license + 3 Lead Hazard Mitigation) covers the national and state outlines, but the exam tests applied judgment in scenario questions that pull from RIGL Title 5 Chapter 20.5, the lead-paint disclosure regime, agency rules, and the trust account compliance requirements simultaneously.

What works in Rhode Island is volume on practice questions tied to both the national and state outlines, with extra reps on the lead-paint disclosure scenarios, the Mandatory Disclosure of Agency Relationships timing, and the tenant protection rules. Most who pass have worked through somewhere in the low thousands of practice questions before sitting.

Passd's Rhode Island question bank is organized by both national and state content areas, with per-area accuracy tracked so you know whether your weak spot is lead-paint disclosure, agency, tenant protections, 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 Rhode Island:

Read the Mandatory Disclosure of Agency Relationships form. DBR publishes it. The first-practical-opportunity timing rule is testable in scenario form.
Drill the layered lead-paint disclosure regime. Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule + Rhode Island Lead Hazard Mitigation Act requirements interact in ways the exam tests. Knowing federal rules alone isn't enough.
Memorize the tenant protection basics. Security deposit rules, notice requirements, and habitability standards under RIGL Title 34 Chapter 18 show up in scenario questions on rental transactions.

§ 04 What to expect on exam day

The Rhode Island salesperson exam is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers in Rhode Island and the surrounding metro (Providence, Warwick, and additional centers). You schedule directly through Pearson VUE after the DBR Real Estate Division has approved your pre-license and Lead Hazard Mitigation 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 DBR 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: DBR application, broker employment confirmation, fingerprint and background check, and the license fee. Candidates who fail one section can retake just that section, paying the per-section fee.

§ 05 Common mistakes

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

Skipping the Lead Hazard Mitigation Course. The 3-hour course is statutorily required, and the DBR will reject the salesperson application without proof of completion. Candidates who completed the 45-hour pre-license course but skipped the lead-paint course lose time when the application is rejected at filing.
Studying only federal lead-paint disclosure rules. Rhode Island's Lead Hazard Mitigation Act adds state-specific obligations beyond the federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule. The exam tests the layered regime.
Missing the Mandatory Disclosure of Agency Relationships timing. The form must be presented at the first practical opportunity. Late delivery is testable misconduct.
Underestimating the tenant protection content. Rhode Island's landlord-tenant framework is more elaborate than many states'. Candidates handling rental transactions find scenarios on security deposits, notice requirements, and habitability standards on the exam.
Underestimating the 50-item state portion. Most candidates split study time proportional to a 40-item state portion. Rhode Island's 50 items at 70% means 35 correct is the threshold, with more breadth and more chances to lose points.
Showing up without an unexpired ID or with a name mismatch. Pearson VUE turns candidates away for ID problems.

§ 02 Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the Rhode Island real estate salesperson exam?

130 multiple-choice questions: 80 on the national portion and 50 on the Rhode Island state portion.

How is the exam scored?

70% required on EACH section, scored independently. You need 56 correct of 80 national items AND 35 correct of 50 state items. Failing one section means failing the exam.

How long is the exam?

240 minutes (4 hours) total.

Why does Rhode Island require a separate Lead Hazard Mitigation Course?

Rhode Island has the oldest housing stock in the United States by median structure age, and the state's elevated focus on lead-paint exposure is reflected in the licensing framework. The 3-hour Lead Hazard Mitigation Course is a statutory requirement on top of the 45-hour pre-license curriculum, and the DBR enforces it at the application stage.

Where do I take the exam?

At a Pearson VUE testing center in Rhode Island (Providence, Warwick, and additional centers).

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

48 hours total: 45 hours of DBR-approved pre-license coursework plus the mandatory 3-hour Lead Hazard Mitigation Course. Both must be completed at approved Rhode Island schools before submitting the salesperson application.

Is the Lead Hazard Mitigation Course tested directly on the exam?

The course content (lead-paint disclosure obligations, mitigation standards, the licensee's role) shows up in state-portion scenario questions. The exam tests the substance, not the procedural fact that the course was taken.

Can I retake just the section I failed?

Yes. Pearson VUE allows retakes of the failed section only, with a per-section fee.

How much is the Rhode Island exam fee?

$70 per attempt, paid to PSI when you schedule. Each retake is the same amount.

How long must I wait between retakes?

There's no statutory waiting period in Rhode Island. You can reschedule with PSI as soon as a slot is available.

How long is my passing score valid?

A passed section stays valid for 12 months. If you pass national but fail state (or vice versa), you have 12 months to pass the failed section before you have to re-test everything.

Ready to see how prepared you are?

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

Start the Rhode Island diagnostic