Educational Resources: Take New York Real Estate Sample Tests, Application Steps and Tips

The state real estate test, known as the New York Real Estate Salesperson exam, requires an eAccessNY account to register. You can create an account for free on the eAccessNY website.

You must have a form of ID to take the in-person exam, with available options a valid driver’s license, foreign passport, certificate of United States citizenship, INS ID, Employment Authorization Card from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, passport, military ID, IDNYC Card, or non-driver state ID.

The exams are administered in person throughout the state as follows: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Franklin Square, Hauppauge, New York City, Plattsburgh, Pomona, Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica. The addresses for each testing location are available from the New York Department of State website.¹

The New York Real Estate Salesperson exam consists of 75 questions. The curriculum you learned when enrolled in your 77 hours of pre-licensing education should prepare you adequately for the exam.

Here is an overview of the test material:

• Property management
• Investment and commercial properties
• Cooperatives and condominiums
• Taxes and insurance
• Fair housing
• Valuation
• Environmental and construction issues
• Land use
• Finance
• Contracts
• Legal issues
• Law of agency
• State license regulations and laws

You must answer 70 percent of the questions correctly to earn a passing grade.

To help you do that, here are some sample questions.²

1. A broker should always provide their clients with:

A. Accounting
B. Confidentiality
C. Honesty and fairness
D. Loyalty

The answer is C, honesty and fairness.

2. Real Property Law 443 disclosure only applies to:

A. Commercial properties
B. Mortgage-financed properties
C. All real estate transactions
D. Leasing or selling one-to-four-unit properties

This answer is D, leasing or selling one-to-four-unit properties.

Step-By-Step Guide for NYC Department of Finance Real Estate License Application Submission

After passing the New York Real Estate Salesperson Exam, you must complete and send in the Real Estate Salesperson Application through the New York State of Opportunity Division of Licensing Services and the NY Department of Finance.

You can view, download, and print the form or complete it online,³ save it, and send it in.

Here are the steps required to complete the Real Estate Salesperson Application:

Step 1: Choose Your Qualification

You can only register for DOS-approved qualifying education, a salesperson license, a previous license, or as an attorney admitted to the NYS bar. If you apply for more than one role, complete two separate versions of the form.

Step 2: Input Applicant Information

Next, type or fill out all the fields in the Applicant Information section. You must include your first and last name, middle initial, and applicable suffix.

Input your home address, birth date, social security number, phone number, email address, and DMV ID. If you’ve had a prior broker or real estate license in New York and are reviving it, type in the license number or UID.

Step 3: Provide Business Information

The third section is for your sponsoring broker. Type or write their business name, including any LLC or Inc. included as part of the name.

Next, input their physical address and their daytime phone number.

You also need their Office License and Unique ID number. Ask the broker to affirm this statement: “I am sponsoring this application in accordance with the Real Property Law, §441.(d).”

They must sign and date this section.

Step 4: Answer Legal Questions

Now, it’s back to you, the aspiring real estate agent. You are asked three yes/no questions.

Here they are:

• “Have you ever been convicted of a crime that is a misdemeanor or felony?”
• “Are there any criminal charges (misdemeanor or felony) pending against you in any court?”
• “Has any license or permit issued to you or a company in which you are or were a principal ever been revoked, suspended or denied?”

If you answer yes to any of the above questions, you must send relevant documentation, including court record copies.

You must print and sign your name and date the form, affirming the truth of your statements.

Step 5: Education

You must prove you received 77 hours of pre-license education by inputting the school’s name and getting a signature from a school coordinator affirming you completed the course.

Step 6: Pay the Fee and Send the Form

Next is a review of questions in the five prior sections with checkmarks. You must check each.

You can also become an organ donor, which is optional. All other responses on the Real Estate Salesperson Application are not.

If you miss even one of the sections, your form will not be processed.

Send your application fee to New York State, Department of State Division of Licensing Services, P.O. Box 22001, Albany, New York 12201-2001.

Joining the NYC Department of Finance Association of Real Estate Agents: Expenses and Charges

The application fee to apply for your real estate license is $65.

Requesting Inclusion in the National Association of Realtors® (NAR)

Millions of Realtors® nationwide join the National Association of REALTORS®,⁴ or NAR, as it’s the largest trade association in the country.

NAR has been a premier real estate agent resource for over 100 years, with millions of members at various stages of their real estate careers joining.

As a member of NAR, you can take advantage of many benefits designed to springboard your real estate career, even in a jam-packed state such as New York.

Here are some to expect upon joining:

• Your Own Domain: As a NAR member, you unlock professional domain access for your web addresses, choosing from real estate and Realtor® addresses. An included Free Professional Website is customizable from the ground up so you don’t have to hire a web designer to get your dream website online.

• Property Data: The exclusive property data at your fingertips is courtesy of the REALTORS® Property Resource or RPR. An RPR Mobile app for members allows you to review property data before a client meeting or after to provide them with rich insights that will make their buying or selling journey more fruitful.

• Business Rewards: Joining NAR automatically enters you into the Member Value Plus or MVP program, unlocking up to 24 business rewards throughout the year.

• Skill Growth: You never stop learning as a real estate agent, even when you’re done with your pre-licensing education. NAR equips you with the tools and resources you need to further your real estate education.

• Exclusive Events: NAR members can attend yearly networking events like The REALTOR® Experience, NAR NXT, and the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo for exclusive networking opportunities and insights.

NAR members pay per year, with the prices increasing between 2023 and 2024. According to NAR, new members can join in 2023 for $150 and $156 in 2024.

If you’re a broker rather than a real estate agent, you must pay the dues times the number of employees in your office who aren’t members.

The fees for joining NAR are the same nationwide.

What’s the Average Timeline for the Real Estate Application?

How long does it take to become a real estate agent in New York?

That depends on how you decide to proceed. If you’re swift about it, you can hold a license and begin working as a real estate agent or broker in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island in about six months.

You must commit 77 hours to your pre-licensing education, with no way around that. Most pre-licensing educational facilities offer instruction online so you can slot the schooling into your schedule.

In that regard, you can set the pace. You might commit to pushing through the 77 hours quickly or take your instruction in smaller installments as you balance other areas of your life, such as a full-time or part-time job or a college education.

Once you complete the 77 hours of instruction and pass the Real Estate Salesperson exam, you can wait up to 12 months from the time you pass to send in your licensing application.

Therefore, it can take at least a year before you hold a license and are ready to get started working.

How Hard Is Getting a Real Estate License in New York?

The Real Estate Salesperson Exam is designed to plumb the depths of your realty knowledge to ensure you’re equipped to handle clients buying and selling property. It’s not difficult if you pay attention during your pre-licensing education.

You should also study independently to help you prepare for the test. You can find study resources on PSI’s website and elsewhere.

However, only review materials from verified sources. The average pass rate of attendees taking the New York Real Estate Salesperson Exam is 70 percent, so you have a good chance of earning a passing grade.