VTVermont

Real estate exam prep

At a glance

The exam, in numbers.

Questions: 120 multiple-choice (80 national + 40 state)
Time: 240 minutes (4 hours)
Passing score: 75% scaled
Pre-license education: 40 hours, Vermont Real Estate Commission-approved
License type: Real Estate Salesperson (entry-level; brokers take a separate exam)
Administered by: PSI Services LLC on behalf of the Vermont Real Estate Commission (within OPR)
Format: computer-based testing at PSI centers in Vermont and the surrounding region
Result: issued at the testing center; pass/fail with scaled score
Exam fee: $110 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: a Vermont-licensed broker must employ the salesperson before the license issues

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

Vermont's Act 250 (codified at 10 V.S.A. Chapter 151) is a statewide land-use review law unique to Vermont. Enacted in 1970, Act 250 requires permits for substantial development on parcels above certain thresholds and creates a record of permit conditions that run with the land. For real estate transactions, this means the licensee handling a parcel that's been subject to Act 250 review needs to identify the existence of any Act 250 permit, the conditions tied to it, and any continuing compliance obligations the buyer will inherit. Vermont is the only state with a land-use review law of Act 250's structure, and the Vermont Real Estate Commission tests Act 250 disclosure mechanics in scenario form on the salesperson exam. A candidate who studied from generic national materials without Vermont's Act 250 overlay will miss scenario questions that turn on whether a parcel is subject to Act 250 review and what the licensee must disclose.

The exam is administered by PSI Services LLC on behalf of the Vermont Real Estate Commission, which sits within the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) in the Secretary of State's office (rather than as a freestanding commission as in most states). The format is 120 multiple-choice questions over 240 minutes, scored as 80 national + 40 state. The passing standard is 75% scaled.

Written by

Chris Reese

May 9, 2026

§ 01 What's tested

Vermont 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 Vermont-specific licensing law and regulations. The state portion is anchored on Vermont Statutes Title 26 Chapter 41 and the Real Estate Commission rules.

National portion (80 scored items)

The national portion follows PSI's standard 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. Vermont candidates should know the state operates under a title-theory model with mortgages as the standard instrument, and the Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure plus Act 250 disclosure layer on top of national disclosure content.

State portion (40 scored items)

The state portion is anchored on 26 V.S.A. Chapter 41 and the Vermont Real Estate Commission rules. The major topic areas:

License Law and the Vermont Real Estate Commission within OPR. The Commission's role within the Office of Professional Regulation, the salesperson-broker affiliation rules, license issuance and renewal cycles, continuing education requirements, and the standards for license suspension and revocation. The OPR-based governance structure means license discipline runs through OPR's administrative process rather than a freestanding commission, a structural distinction that affects appeals and hearings.
Agency in Vermont. Vermont recognizes seller agency, buyer agency, dual agency (with informed written consent), and disclosed dual agency. The Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure must be presented to a buyer or seller before specific real estate services are performed.
Vermont Property Disclosure. Required for most residential transfers, with statutory exemptions.
Act 250 land use review. Vermont's distinctive land-use review law: when Act 250 jurisdiction attaches, the permit requirements, the continuing-compliance obligations, and the licensee's role in disclosing Act 250 status to a buyer.
Trust accounts under Commission supervision. Vermont's escrow account rules require the broker to maintain a separate clients' funds account at a federally insured institution.
Vermont fair housing and the Vermont Fair Housing and Public Accommodations Act. Federal Fair Housing layered with the Vermont Fair Housing and Public Accommodations Act (9 V.S.A. Chapter 139), which adds protected classes including marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Standout state-specific content

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

Act 250 disclosure mechanics. No other state has a comparable statewide land-use review law. The exam tests when Act 250 jurisdiction attaches (acreage thresholds, district-by-district variations, certain commercial development categories), what the licensee must disclose, and what continuing-compliance obligations transfer to a buyer.
The OPR-based governance structure. Most state real estate licensing runs through a freestanding commission. Vermont's Commission sits within the Office of Professional Regulation, a structural distinction that affects how disciplinary proceedings work and where appeals route.

§ 03 How to study

Vermont's 40-hour pre-license course is short, which means it covers the content outline at a higher level of abstraction than longer-state pre-license courses. Candidates often arrive with vocabulary but not depth. The fix is volume on practice questions tied to both the national and state outlines, with extra reps on Act 250 mechanics and the OPR-based governance structure.

What works in Vermont is treating the 40-hour course as the introduction and the practice question bank as the actual study. Most who pass have worked through somewhere in the low thousands of practice questions before sitting, with concentrated reps on Act 250 disclosure scenarios and the Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure timing.

Passd's Vermont question bank is organized by both national and state content areas, with per-area accuracy tracked so you know whether your weak spot is Act 250, agency disclosure, the Property Disclosure, 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 Vermont:

Drill Act 250 disclosure scenarios. When jurisdiction attaches, what the permit conditions look like, what runs with the land, and what the licensee must disclose. The exam tests these in detail.
Read the Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure form. The OPR publishes it. The before-specific-services timing rule is testable.
Plan to score above 75% raw on practice mocks. The scaled scoring methodology means margin matters; aim for clear distance above 75%.

§ 04 What to expect on exam day

The Vermont salesperson exam is administered at PSI testing centers in Vermont (Burlington, Rutland) and at additional PSI centers in nearby New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York. You schedule directly through PSI after the OPR 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 OPR 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 with a scaled score. Candidates who pass move into the licensure phase: OPR application, broker employment confirmation, fingerprinting, and the license fee. Candidates who fail can register for a retake.

§ 05 Common mistakes

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

Skipping Act 250 content. Vermont's land-use review law is unique, and the exam tests it in detail. Generic national materials don't cover it.
Treating the 40-hour course as full preparation. Vermont's pre-license is one of the shortest. The exam tests applied judgment that the short course can't drill in depth.
Missing the Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure timing. The form must be presented before the licensee provides specific real estate services. Late delivery is testable misconduct.
Confusing dual agency with disclosed dual agency. Vermont recognizes both, with different consent rules. The exam tests the distinctions.
Underestimating the Vermont Fair Housing Act overlay. State-level protections include marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity beyond the federal list.
Showing up without an unexpired ID or with a name mismatch. PSI turns candidates away for ID problems.

§ 02 Frequently asked questions

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

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

How is the exam scored?

75% scaled. PSI applies the scaling per the Vermont Real Estate Commission's published methodology.

How long is the exam?

240 minutes (4 hours) total.

What is Act 250 and how does it affect Vermont real estate transactions?

Act 250 is Vermont's statewide land-use review law (10 V.S.A. Chapter 151), enacted in 1970. It requires state-level permits for substantial development above certain acreage and use thresholds. Permit conditions run with the land, which means a buyer of a parcel that's been subject to Act 250 review may inherit ongoing compliance obligations. The licensee handling a transaction involving an Act 250-regulated parcel is responsible for identifying the permit's existence, the conditions attached, and disclosing the status to the buyer. The exam tests these mechanics in scenario form.

Where do I take the exam?

At a PSI testing center in Vermont (Burlington, Rutland) or at PSI centers in nearby New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York.

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

40 hours of Vermont Real Estate Commission-approved coursework, completed at an approved school before submitting the salesperson application.

Can I retake just the section I failed?

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

Why does Vermont's regulator sit within the Office of Professional Regulation?

Vermont consolidates licensing across 50+ professions under the Office of Professional Regulation in the Secretary of State's office, rather than running each profession's licensing through a freestanding board or commission. The Vermont Real Estate Commission still exists as the rulemaking and disciplinary body for real estate, but disciplinary proceedings, hearings, and appeals route through OPR's administrative process. The structural distinction affects exam content because the disciplinary procedure tested on the state portion reflects OPR mechanics rather than a standalone-commission structure.

What's the next step after passing the Vermont salesperson exam?

Submit the Vermont OPR application, secure broker employment confirmation, complete fingerprinting and background check requirements, and pay the license fee. The license issues after OPR verifies all requirements. New salespersons begin practicing under their employing broker's supervision and complete continuing education on the Commission's standard renewal cycle.

Are there exemptions from Act 250 review?

Yes. Act 250 jurisdiction attaches based on acreage, use category, and location. Single-family homes on parcels below certain thresholds, prior-platted subdivisions, and certain agricultural uses are commonly exempt. The licensee's role is to identify whether jurisdiction attached for a specific parcel and disclose what the public record shows; specialty Act 250 analysis involves Vermont land-use attorneys and the Natural Resources Board.

How does the Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure differ from agency forms in other states?

The Vermont Mandatory Consumer Disclosure explains the agency relationships available in Vermont, the duties owed under each, and the consumer's right to choose representation. The form must be presented before the licensee performs specific real estate services. The structure is similar to other states' brokerage relationships disclosures, but the Vermont version is published by the OPR and reflects Vermont-specific agency rules including the consent mechanisms for disclosed dual agency.

How much is the Vermont exam fee?

$110 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 Vermont. 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 Vermont-specific Passd Score plus which Real Estate Commission content areas need work. Free, no credit card.

Start the Vermont diagnostic