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

Graphic showing Utah map with a red house icon indicating the median house cost of $960,154, alongside an upward trending arrow and a smaller figure of $191,535.

All applicants for a real estate sales agent license in Utah must take the state’s comprehensive real estate exam to prove knowledge and competency.

Real Estate Exam Structure

The exam consists of 130 questions and applicants have four hours to complete the test.

The first section includes 80 questions on general real estate knowledge, while the second section consists of 50 questions specific to the state.

Real Estate Exam Content

The first section of the real estate exam covers real estate practices and principles,1 and includes the following topics:

  • Real Estate Math Calculations
  • Financing and Settlement
  • Property Disclosures and Environmental Issues
  • Real Estate Practice
  • Real Estate Contracts and Agency
  • Property Value and Appraisal
  • Real Property Characteristics
  • Forms of Ownership, Transfer and Recording of Title

The second section of the exam covers state-specific information,1 and includes the following topics:

  • Licensing
  • Real Estate Office Procedures
  • Property Management
  • Definitions
  • Licensee Practice
  • Real Estate Education, Research and Recovery Fund
  • Enforcement
  • Additional State Topics
  • Closing Statements

How Much Does It Cost To Take the Utah Real Estate Test?

It costs $59 to take the exam,1 and this fee is paid directly to testing company Pearson Vue. All applicants must schedule the exam at least 24 hours before arriving at the testing center.

A score of 70 percent on each section is required to pass.

All test takers must arrive 30 minutes early for the exam and should be prepared with two forms of ID. Applicants should also bring their Candidate Education Certificate, which serves as documentation that the 120-hour coursework has been completed.

No personal items can be taken into the testing facility. You have up to 48 hours before your exam appointment to change or cancel the appointment, at which time you can request a refund or reschedule the exam to another day.

Applicants who wish to get fingerprinted after the exam should schedule this service when scheduling the exam and must bring $12 to cover the costs of this service.

What Happens if I Fail the Exam?

If you don’t pass both sections of the exam on your first try, you can take the section you failed again. You do not have to take both sections again, and can just retake the one you need to pass.

You must wait 24 hours before attempting to retake the section and pay the $59 fee each time. You have six months to pass both sections of the exam, and if you fail to do so within that period, you will have to retake both sections.

Practice Tests and Important Information

The state does not offer sample questions on practice tests for the exam. Pearson does provide some key information the company suggests that all test takers memorize in preparation for the exam:3

  • There are 43,560 square feet on one acre
  • There are 5,280 feet in one mile

This information is not shown on the exam and can be helpful when attempting to solve real estate math questions while taking the test.

Applicants can also purchase an online practice test from Pearson.6 This test only covers general real estate knowledge and does not cover the state-specific portion of the test.

Pearson charges $19.95 for this practice exam.

Pearson also provides a list of study resources and textbooks that can help applicants prepare for the exam. Notes and books from the 120-hour real estate course are also useful study tools for the exam.

5-Step Process For Filing Your Utah Division of Real Estate License Application

The state’s Division of Real Estate lays out simple steps for applicants pursuing a new real estate sales agent license, making it easy for anyone to complete the application process.

How To File Your Utah License Application in 5 Simple Steps

All applicants for a Utah real estate license follow the same five simple steps:

  1. Complete a 120-hour real estate education class
  2. Schedule the exam with Pearson Vue
  3. Take and pass the exam with a score of 70 or higher
  4. Complete fingerprinting requirements
  5. Submit the application and required fees to the state’s Division of Real Estate

Expenses and Charges for Utah Division of Real Estate

A new real estate license in the Beehive state requires a $157 non-refundable application fee.1 This fee consists of:

  • $100 application fee
  • $12 recovery fund fee
  • $40 fingerprint processing fee
  • $5 FBI RAPBACK fee (cost of FBI background check)

This application fee is in addition to the following expenses:

  • The cost of real estate coursework
  • Pearson exam fee of $591
  • Pearson fingerprinting fee of $121
  • Cost of private fingerprinting if you get your prints taken at a facility other than Pearson

Application for National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Membership (At Your Discretion)

There is no requirement that real estate agents in any state join the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), but some choose to join to partake in the many benefits of NAR membership. These benefits include continuing education and training opportunities, networking, the chance to participate in community outreach events, and access to countless professional resources that can help agents succeed.

Members are also allowed to call themselves Realtors®, which is a registered trademark owned by NAR that can only be used by its members.

The National Association of REALTORS® operates under a three-way agreement, which means that anyone who joins a local real estate association is automatically a member of both their state real estate association and the NAR.4 A full list of local real estate associations in the state can be found here.5

Because Kane, Sanpete, and Millard counties don’t have their own local boards, real estate agents in those counties can join as “at-large” members of the state’s Association of REALTORS®.6

Each local association in the state has its own membership process and dues. As an example, the Salt Lake Board of REALTORS® allows anyone to join within 30 days of obtaining a real estate license in the state.7

Annual dues for the first year, including the “new entry fee,” are $1,576.8

How Much Time Can I Expect To Invest in the Real Estate Application?

Starting a career as a licensed real estate agent in any state requires a time investment thanks to the significant pre-exam education requirements in the state.

How Long Does Real Estate School Take?

All applicants for a real estate license must start by completing the required real estate education. This consists of a 120-hour program, but how long it takes to complete this requirement is largely up to you.

Self-study programs may allow you to finish the coursework in a month, while online and live classroom courses could take several months. You must apply for your license within one year of completing the course.2

How Long Is the Real Estate Test?

The state’s real estate exam lasts four hours. If you don’t pass both sections on the first try, you have six months to retake the incomplete section.

If you can’t pass it within six months, you will have to retake and pass both sections. After failing the exam, you must wait 24 hours before making another attempt.2

After passing the exam, you have 90 days to submit your application for a license.2

How Long Does It Take To Complete the Real Estate Licensing Application?

By the time you’re ready to complete your license application, you’re almost at the finish line. You’ve already taken care of the time-consuming parts of the process, like completing real estate coursework and passing the exam.

Completing the application and submitting it online should take only a few hours. Once it has been submitted, applicants must wait for the Division of Real Estate to review the application and receive background check results before a license will be issued.

Status updates can be found by logging into the website.9

 

How Can I Update My License Records If I Switch Brokerages?

The state’s Real Estate License Management System, or RELMS,10 allows licensed agents to make changes to their profiles online. This includes updating personal information, requesting a copy of the license, or changing the brokerage they are affiliated with.

References

1Pearson VUE. (2023). Test-taker home. Pearson VUE. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://home.pearsonvue.com/Test-takers.aspx>

2Utah Division of Real Estate. (2023). Real Estate – Apply for a Sales Agent License. Utah Division of Real Estate. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://realestate.utah.gov/real-estate/licensing/sales-agent/>

3Pearson VUE. (2023, January). Utah Real Estate Candidate Handbook. Pearson VUE. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://home.pearsonvue.com/getattachment/2eee821d-bff2-4cde-8fe4-437c850a327e/Utah%20Real%20Estate%20Candidate%20Handbook.aspx>

4National Association of REALTORS®. (2023). How to Become a REALTOR®. National Association of REALTORS®. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://www.nar.realtor/membership/how-to-join-nar>

5Utah Association of REALTORS®. (2023). Related Organizations. Utah Association of REALTORS®. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://utahrealtors.com/uar/related-organizations/>

6Utah Association of REALTORS®. (2023). Become a Member. Utah Association of REALTORS®. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://utahrealtors.com/uar/become-a-member/>

7Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. (2023). Membership – Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://slrealtors.com/members/>

8Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. (2023). SALT LAKE BOARD OF REALTORS® FEE SCHEDULE 2023-2024. Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://slrealtors.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-24-FEE-SCHEDULE-v.-2.pdf>

9Utah Division of Real Estate. (2023). Welcome to MyLicense e-Government. Login with your Utah eGov Account. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://dre-egov.commerce.utah.gov/eGov/Login.aspx>

10State of Utah. (2023). Log in with Your Utah.gov Account. Utah.gov. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from <https://secure.utah.gov/account/log-in.html>