North Carolina Real Estate Exam Practice: Your Complete Guide

Getting ready for the North Carolina real estate exam? This guide gives you everything you need: an easy-to-understand overview of the exam, a breakdown of the topics, and study strategies that actually work.

Passing the exam takes more than just memorization. You need to practice with real questions, understand how the concepts apply under North Carolina law, and use proven methods that boost long-term memory and confidence on test day.

What You Need to Get Your Real Estate License in North Carolina

To qualify for a North Carolina real estate license, you must:

• Be 18 or older
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Be a U.S. citizen or legally present and authorized to work in the U.S.

Once you meet these requirements, you’ll need to:

• Complete a 75-hour broker pre-licensing course from an approved school
• Pass the North Carolina real estate exam, which includes two parts
• Submit your license application online and pay the required fee
• Complete a criminal background check
• Schedule your test with Pearson Vue and pay the exam fee
• Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID to the exam

In North Carolina, all new licensees start as Provisional Brokers, not sales agents. As a Provisional Broker, you’ll work under a Broker-in-Charge until you finish 90 hours of post-licensing education.

How Many Questions Are on the NC Real Estate Exam?

The whole exam includes 140 multiple-choice questions:

• 80 questions from the national portion
• 60 questions from the North Carolina portion

You will have 2.5 hours for the national section and 2 hours for the state section, totaling 4.5 hours.

Topics Covered in the Exam:

Here’s what you’ll need to know to pass the exam with confidence:

National Topics: 

You will need to study this national categories:      

• Real Property
• Ownership
• Valuation
• Contracts & Agency
• Real Estate Practice
• Property Disclosures
• Financing
• Real Estate Math

North Carolina Topics

You will also need to master these state-specific topics:

• Licensure
• Agency
• Supervision/Compensation
• Brokerage Practice
• Taxes/Insurance
• Contracts/Closing
• Landlord/Tenant
• Other North Carolina Laws

To pass, you need to answer at least 70% correctly on each section:

• 56 out of 80 on the national part
• 42 out of 60 on the state part

For a detailed list of what is tested, refer to the NCREC candidate handbook and visit the North Carolina Real Estate Commission website.

Is the North Carolina Real Estate Exam Hard?

It is—but with the right plan, you can absolutely handle it.

Many test-takers find it challenging because of:

• Legal and financial terms that can be complex
• North Carolina’s specific real estate laws
• Limited time to answer each question

Regular practice questions, flashcards, and mock exams are essential. The key is to study strategically, not just extensively.

Best Ways to Study for the NC Real Estate Exam

The following study strategies are really effective for both portions of the exam: 

• Take North Carolina-Specific Practice Exams: Use realistic practice exams that focus on the content required by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
• Use Flashcards to Learn Key Terms: Flashcards help reinforce definitions, legal concepts, and exam vocabulary such as encumbrances, fiduciary duty, and title theory.
• Study the NC Real Estate Manual Thoroughly: The Real Estate Manual is your primary resource for state-specific laws and rules. Focus on brokerage relationships, license law, trust account handling, and disciplinary procedures.
• Review Your Missed Questions Strategically: Don’t just move on from wrong answers. Take time to understand why you missed them and revisit the related topic. This helps build long-term retention and improve your test performance.

Lexawise offers all these proven study methods in one place: custom quizzes by topic, vocabulary flashcards to master key terms, smart practice exams that adjust to your level, detailed study guides, a math formula sheet, and a progress tracker that indicates when you’re truly prepared to pass.

Your North Carolina Real Estate Exam Study Plan

Use this timeline to stay organized and confident:

• Weeks 1–3: Focus on completing your 75-hour pre-licensing course. Pay attention, and take good notes.

• Weeks 4–5: Start working through full-length practice exams. Review your results and highlight areas where you’re struggling.

• Weeks 6–7: Dive deeper into your weaker subjects and review North Carolina-specific content like license law and agency relationships.

• Week 8: Use this time for a light review. Take a couple of timed practice tests, revisit key concepts, and go over your flashcards.

Plan on setting aside at least 6 to 8 weeks to prepare. It’s not about cramming—it’s about building absolute confidence in the material.

Final Tips for Success

As exam day approaches, keep these last-minute strategies in mind: 

• Take practice quizzes regularly
• Review both correct and incorrect answers
• Get plenty of rest the night before exam day
• Arrive at the testing center early
• Use built-in tools to flag and revisit difficult questions

Ready to start? Take your Free Practice Test now and unlock expert tools designed for North Carolina candidates.