Free Illinois Real Estate Practice Exam
Illinois practice exam with real exam-style questions covering national content and Illinois-specific state law. No signup required.
Illinois Real Estate Exam
Practice by IL Real Estate Topic
Target a specific area, or launch the full exam below
Real Estate Principles
Property ownership, contracts, agency, deeds, fair housing, and appraisal. Core national content.
Real Estate Finance
Mortgages, loan types, RESPA, TILA, title insurance, and closing costs.
Illinois State Law
IDFPR rules, Illinois Real Estate License Act, designated agency, Illinois agency disclosure, Residential Real Property Disclosure Act, and IL-specific regulations.
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Full Illinois Real Estate Practice Exam
National and state-specific questions mixed to match the real NJ exam structure.
About the Illinois Real Estate Exam
The Illinois real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Illinois's entry-level license is the broker license, and a separate managing broker license, with its own exam, exists for licensees who may be authorized to serve as a designated managing broker. Applicants must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and complete 75 hours of IDFPR-approved pre-license education, 15 of them situational and case studies. After licensing, a new broker must complete 45 hours of post-license education (three 15-hour courses) before the next broker renewal deadline.
The broker exam has two separately timed portions: 100 scored national questions (150 minutes) and 40 scored Illinois questions (90 minutes), 140 scored in total. The passing score is 70% on the national portion and 75% on the state portion, and a candidate who fails one portion repeats only that portion. PSI may add 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions, which count against exam time. A candidate has up to four attempts within a two-year eligibility period, and the PSI exam fee is $58.
Illinois Real Estate Exam Topic Breakdown
| Section | Questions / Weight | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| I. Property Ownership | 10% | Property types and conveyances, legal descriptions, encumbrances, forms of ownership |
| II. Land Use Controls | 5% | Government rights in land, government land-use controls, private controls |
| III. Valuation | 8% | Appraisals, estimating value, comparative market analysis |
| IV. Financing | 10% | Loan basics, types of loans, lending regulations and process |
| V. Contracts | 19% | General contract law, purchase and lease contracts, multiple offers and counteroffers |
| VI. Agency | 13% | Agency and non-agency relationships, agent duties, agency disclosures |
| VII. Property Disclosures | 7% | Property condition, environmental and government disclosures, material facts and defects |
| VIII. Property Management | 3% | Tenant duties, market analysis for rents, landlord and tenant rights |
| IX. Transfer of Title | 6% | Deed types, title insurance and searches, closing, special processes |
| X. Practice of Real Estate | 12% | Antidiscrimination, legislation and regulations, duties and responsibilities |
| XI. Real Estate Calculations | 7% | Transaction calculations, general concepts such as equity and loan-to-value |
| IL — I. Licensing Requirements | 10% (4) | Activities requiring a license, exemptions, types of licenses, eligibility and sponsorship, examination, renewal, post-licensing and continuing education, changes in address or name |
| IL — II. Illinois Real Estate License Act | 40% (16) | Agency relationships, advertising, sponsored licensee/sponsoring broker relationship, brokerage agreements, compensation, teams, handling of monies, disciplinary provisions, CMA/BPO requirements, purchase contracts and lease agreements |
| IL — III. Additional Illinois Laws & Regulations | 25% (10) | Ownership interests, activities exceeding the scope of licensing, transfer taxes, transfer of title, Plat Act, real estate taxes, Illinois Human Rights Act, Assistance Animal Integrity Act, Landlord Tenant Act, Commercial Broker Lien Act, Radon Resistant Construction Act |
| IL — IV. Disclosures | 25% (10) | Designated agencies and dual agency, notice of no agency relationship, licensee status, compensation sources, Residential Real Property Disclosure Act, environmental and other disclosures |
Weights are from PSI's Illinois Real Estate Examination Program candidate bulletin dated 6/24/2026. The national portion is 100 items, so each percentage equals its item count. The Illinois item counts in parentheses are the published percentages applied to 40 items. Topics the outline marks managing broker only are not on the broker exam.
What Makes the Illinois Exam Different
Broker is the entry-level license. An applicant for a broker license must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent, complete 75 hours of approved real estate instruction (15 of them situational and case studies), and pass the exam. No applicant may engage in licensed activity until a valid sponsorship has been registered with the Department (225 ILCS 454/5-27).
Designated agency is the default. Unless a written agreement between the sponsoring broker and the consumer provides otherwise, a licensee is considered to represent the consumer as a designated agent, and the sponsoring broker specifically designates the affiliated licensees who act for each client (225 ILCS 454/15-10 and 15-50).
Dual agency needs written consent. An individual licensee may act as a dual agent only with the informed written consent of all clients, presented when the brokerage agreement is entered into and confirmed when the clients sign an offer or contract (225 ILCS 454/15-45).
Agency disclosure timing. A licensee gives written notice of a designated agency relationship no later than beginning to work as the consumer's designated agent. A customer who is not a client must be told in writing that the licensee is not the customer's agent, in no event later than the preparation of an offer (225 ILCS 454/15-35).
Written agreements and automatic expiration. All exclusive brokerage agreements must be in writing. A written brokerage agreement must expire automatically within a definite period, and if the term is longer than one year the client must be able to terminate annually on no more than 30 days' written notice. An agreement without those terms is void (225 ILCS 454/15-75 and 10-25).
Escrow deadline. Escrow moneys accepted by a sponsoring broker must be placed in the escrow (special) account no later than the next business day after the transaction or receipt of the money, as the contract provides. The account must be at a federally insured depository, and personal funds may not be deposited in it (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1450.750).
Residential Real Property Disclosure Act. For property improved with one to four residential dwelling units, the seller must deliver the disclosure report before the signing of a contract. If a report disclosing a material defect is delivered after all parties have signed, the buyer may terminate within 5 business days after receipt and recover the earnest money (765 ILCS 77/5, 20, and 40(a)).
Sample Illinois Real Estate Exam Questions
1. Under the rules implementing the Illinois Real Estate License Act, a sponsoring broker who accepts escrow moneys must place them in the escrow account no later than:
2. A seller of a single-family home delivers the Residential Real Property Disclosure Report to the buyer after both parties have signed the purchase contract. The report discloses a material defect. The buyer may terminate the contract within:
3. Under the Illinois Real Estate License Act, an individual licensee may act as a dual agent only with:
Study Tips for the Illinois Real Estate Exam
Illinois's entry-level license is the broker license, so expect the terms broker, managing broker, and sponsoring broker throughout the state portion. PSI's current bulletin for the Illinois exam is dated June 24, 2026.
The Illinois Real Estate License Act is 40% of the state portion (16 of 40 questions). Disclosures and Additional Illinois Laws are 10 questions each, and Licensing Requirements is 4. Know that designated agency is the default, that dual agency needs informed written consent, and when the Residential Real Property Disclosure Report must be delivered.
The two portions are scored separately, at 70% on national and 75% on state, so the state portion has the higher bar. You repeat only the portion you failed, but after a fourth failed attempt you must retake the 75-hour education and the entire exam. Once you pass, you must apply to IDFPR within one year.
Licensing in a nearby state? See the Indiana real estate practice exam or the Wisconsin practice exam. National content is covered in our national real estate practice exam.
How to Get Your Illinois Real Estate License
There are four steps to get your Illinois real estate broker license.
Steps to Get Your Illinois Real Estate License
| Step | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Pre-License Education | Complete 75 hours at an IDFPR-approved school, 15 of them situational and case studies. You must be at least 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent. Approved education is valid for two years after you complete it. |
| 2. Register with PSI | Create a PSI account, upload your course certificate for PSI's approval, and then schedule the exam. The broker exam fee is $58, and it is forfeited if you do not test within one year of payment. |
| 3. Licensing Exam | Take the national portion (150 minutes) and the Illinois portion (90 minutes). You need 70% on the national portion and 75% on the state portion. |
| 4. Apply & Register a Sponsor | Apply to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation within one year of passing. Your license cannot be used until a sponsoring broker's sponsorship is registered with the Department. Finish 45 hours of post-license education before the next broker renewal deadline. |
Illinois Real Estate License Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| License type | Broker (a separate managing broker license also exists) |
| Pre-license education | 75 hours (valid for 2 years) |
| Exam | 100 scored national + 40 scored Illinois questions, plus 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions |
| Time limit | National 150 minutes; Illinois 90 minutes (separately timed) |
| Passing score | 70% national; 75% state |
| Retakes | Up to four attempts in a 2-year eligibility period; only failed portions are repeated |
| Exam fee | $58 (to PSI) |
| After passing | Apply to IDFPR within one year of passing |
| Post-license education | 45 hours (three 15-hour courses) before the next broker renewal deadline |
| Exam provider | PSI |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation |
Verified against PSI's Illinois Real Estate Examination Program candidate bulletin (6/24/2026), IDFPR's real estate licensing page, and the Real Estate License Act of 2000 (225 ILCS 454). PSI's web listing says the exam takes 3.5 hours, but the bulletin lists 150 plus 90 minutes, which this page follows. IDFPR's license application fee is not listed because we could not confirm it; fees change, so check with IDFPR and PSI.
Our free Illinois real estate practice exam covers both national and state content. You can also try the national real estate practice exam or the real estate exam study guide.
Interested in where this license leads? See our guide to real estate careers — including salary ranges, how to break in, and what the career looks like day to day.
Frequently Asked Questions — Illinois Real Estate Exam
How many questions are on the Illinois real estate exam?
The Illinois broker exam has 140 scored multiple-choice questions: 100 national (150 minutes) and 40 Illinois-specific (90 minutes), timed separately. PSI may also include 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions, which count against exam time.
What is the passing score for the Illinois real estate exam?
You need 70% on the national portion and 75% on the state portion, and you must pass both. If you fail one portion, you repeat only that portion.
Is there a salesperson license in Illinois?
Illinois's entry-level license is the broker license. The exam outline lists broker, managing broker, and residential leasing agent license types. A broker must have a registered sponsorship before practicing.
What is the difference between a broker and a managing broker in Illinois?
A managing broker is a licensee who may be authorized to assume the responsibilities of a designated managing broker (225 ILCS 454/1-10). PSI's bulletin lists a separate managing broker exam, with eligibility that includes an active Illinois broker license, an active real estate license for 2 of the past 3 years, and a 45-hour managing broker pre-license course.
How many hours of education does Illinois require?
Illinois requires 75 hours of pre-license education, 15 of them situational and case studies, and the education is valid for two years. A new broker must also finish 45 hours of post-license education (three 15-hour courses) before the next broker renewal deadline.
What happens if I fail the Illinois exam four times?
A candidate has up to four attempts during the two-year eligibility period. After a fourth failed attempt, you must retake the 75-hour pre-license education and the entire exam.
When must an Illinois seller give the disclosure report?
Under the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act, the seller must deliver the report before the signing of a contract. If a report disclosing a material defect arrives after all parties have signed, the buyer may terminate within 5 business days after receipt.