- The exam has 80 national questions (90 minutes) and 30 Maryland questions (30 minutes), plus unscored pretest items.
- You need 56/80 national and 21/30 Maryland - both scored at 70%.
- Contracts (19%) is the largest national domain; Brokerage Relationships leads the Maryland portion.
- The exam costs $44 through PSI; the original license fee is $98, renewal is $78 effective April 27, 2026.
Quick Facts Snapshot
Before you dive into another study session, use this page as a compressed reference for the Maryland Real Estate Salesperson Exam (MD-RES). It's not a substitute for full preparation - for that, see our MD-RES Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt - but it's the kind of one-glance sheet you can pull up the morning of your test at PSI to confirm you have the numbers straight.
The Maryland Real Estate Commission, housed under the Maryland Department of Labor, sets licensing policy, while PSI Services LLC administers the actual computer-based exam. The test splits into two scored sections: 80 national questions in 90 minutes and 30 Maryland-specific questions in 30 minutes. Scattered throughout are 1 to 10 unscored experimental items - you won't know which ones they are, so treat every question as if it counts, because it uses your allotted time regardless.
| Component | Question Count | Time Allowed | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Portion | 80 scored questions | 90 minutes | 56/80 (70%) |
| Maryland State Portion | 30 scored questions | 30 minutes | 21/30 (70%) |
| Experimental Items | 1-10 unscored | Embedded in above time | Not scored |
National Portion Domains at a Glance
The national portion covers eleven domains that mirror the broader body of real estate knowledge tested across many states, but weighted specifically for this exam. Knowing the weight of each domain tells you where to put your hours.
Domain 5: Contracts (19%)
The single largest domain on the entire national portion. Expect heavy coverage of listing agreements, purchase contracts, contingencies, contract termination, and remedies for breach.
- Understand the essential elements required for a valid contract
- Know the difference between voidable and void agreements
- Be comfortable with contingency clauses and how they affect closing
Domain 6: Agency (13%)
The second-heaviest national domain, testing fiduciary duties, types of agency relationships, and disclosure obligations between agents, brokers, and clients.
- Memorize the fiduciary duties owed to a principal
- Distinguish single agency, dual agency, and subagency scenarios
Domain 10: Practice of Real Estate (12%)
Covers day-to-day professional conduct, advertising rules, fair housing application in practice, and general business operations of licensees.
The remaining national domains - Property Ownership (10%), Financing (10%), Valuation (8%), Property Disclosures (7%), Real Estate Calculations (7%), Transfer of Title (6%), Land Use Controls (5%), and Property Management (3%) - round out the national portion. Even the smaller-weighted domains can appear as several questions on a given form, so don't skip them entirely just because they carry less percentage weight. For a full breakdown of every content area with subtopics, see our MD-RES Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 17 Content Areas.
Maryland State Portion Domains at a Glance
The 30-question Maryland section is where out-of-state study materials fail candidates the most, because these six domains are unique to Maryland licensing law and Commission rules.
Domain 14: Brokerage Relationships
The largest domain within the Maryland state portion. This is where Maryland's specific rules on agency disclosure, buyer and seller representation, and broker-agent relationships live.
- Know how Maryland defines and requires disclosure of brokerage relationships
- Understand the duties owed under each type of representation recognized in Maryland
Domain 12: Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission
Tests your knowledge of what the Maryland Real Estate Commission can investigate, discipline, and regulate.
Domain 13: Licensing Requirements
Covers exactly the kind of eligibility rules discussed later in this cheat sheet - age, education hours, application deadlines, and renewal cycles.
Rounding out the Maryland portion are Domain 15 (Supervision), Domain 16 (Business Conduct), and Domain 17 (Ethics). Together these six domains test whether you understand Maryland's regulatory framework, not just generic real estate concepts. Because this section carries a hard 30-minute clock for 30 questions - roughly one minute per question - familiarity with Maryland-specific terminology needs to be automatic, not something you reason through slowly during the test.
Key Takeaway
Don't assume strength on the national portion will carry you through the Maryland section. Dedicate separate review blocks to Domains 12 through 17, especially Brokerage Relationships, since it's the largest Maryland-specific domain.
Scoring & Passing Thresholds
Both portions require a 70% score, but the raw numbers differ because the sections have different lengths:
- National portion: 56 correct out of 80 scored questions
- Maryland portion: 21 correct out of 30 scored questions
Since 1-10 unscored experimental questions are mixed into your exam time without identification, your actual seat time may feel slightly longer relative to the scored question count - this is normal and doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. If you want a deeper walkthrough of exactly how the numeric thresholds work and what a "failing by one question" scenario looks like, read MD-RES Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Eligibility & Application Mechanics
The MD-RES isn't something you can register for cold. The Maryland Real Estate Commission requires several boxes checked before you can even sit for the exam:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be of good character and reputation
- Complete 60 hours of Commission-approved prelicensing education
- Pass both exam portions within one year of finishing that prelicensing course
- Apply for your license within one year after passing the exam
- Affiliate with a licensed Maryland broker to actively practice
These deadlines stack on top of each other, so timing matters. If you finish your 60-hour course but delay scheduling your exam, the clock is already running. Likewise, passing the exam doesn't mean you're licensed automatically - you still have to file the license application within a year. For the full eligibility breakdown including documentation requirements, see MD-RES Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Fees & Renewal Numbers
Budgeting for MD-RES involves more than just the exam fee. Here's the full financial picture based on current figures:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| PSI computer-based exam | $44 |
| Original salesperson license | $98 |
| License renewal (effective April 27, 2026) | $78 |
Renewal also requires 15 continuing-education hours. If you were initially licensed as a salesperson on or after October 1, 2023, your first renewal must follow the mandatory 15-hour curriculum set by the Commission rather than a self-selected elective mix. For a complete cost breakdown including prelicensing course pricing considerations, visit MD-RES Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Final Week Review Plan
If you're within seven days of your exam date, don't restart your studying - triage it. This isn't a generic cramming template; it's built around the specific domain weights above so your remaining hours go to the sections with the most scored questions.
Contracts & Agency
- Drill Domain 5 (Contracts, 19%) scenario questions - the largest single domain
- Review fiduciary duties under Domain 6 (Agency, 13%)
Maryland State Portion
- Focus on Domain 14 (Brokerage Relationships), the largest Maryland domain
- Review Domain 12 (Commission powers) and Domain 13 (Licensing Requirements)
Mid-Weight National Domains
- Property Ownership (10%), Financing (10%), Practice of Real Estate (12%)
- Run timed practice sets to simulate the 90-minute national clock
Light Review & Logistics
- Skim Real Estate Calculations (7%) formulas
- Confirm PSI appointment time, ID requirements, and testing center address
Notice this plan spends zero dedicated days on Property Management (3%) or Land Use Controls (5%) - not because they're unimportant, but because in a limited final week, allocating time proportional to domain weight is the higher-yield strategy. For a full-length study plan that isn't compressed into a week, go back to MD-RES Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
Calculation Reminders
Domain 11, Real Estate Calculations, sits at 7% of the national portion but trips up candidates disproportionately because math questions take longer to solve than recall questions. A few reminders worth keeping fresh:
- Commission splits: always confirm whether the question asks for the total commission, the broker's share, or the individual agent's share after the split.
- Proration problems: know whether the seller or buyer is responsible for the day of closing based on the scenario given.
- Loan-to-value and down payment math: convert percentages to decimals carefully before multiplying.
- Square footage and area problems: watch for irregular shapes that require breaking a property into rectangles or triangles.
Because these questions take longer per item than a straightforward recall question, budget your 90 minutes on the national portion so you're not rushing the last stretch of questions because you lingered on math early. Practicing under realistic timed conditions - not just answering calculation questions in isolation - is one of the best ways to build this pacing instinct. You can run full timed simulations on our practice test platform to get a feel for the actual pressure of the clock.
Key Takeaway
Don't let calculation questions consume disproportionate time. If a math problem is taking more than roughly a minute and a half, flag it, move on, and return if time allows.
Who This Exam Opens Doors With
Passing the MD-RES and completing licensure lets you affiliate with a licensed Maryland broker - brokerages ranging from large regional firms to small independent shops actively look for newly licensed salespersons to bring onto their teams. Whether that career path makes financial sense for you depends on factors like brokerage commission splits, market conditions, and your own time investment, which we cover in MD-RES Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis and Is the MD-RES Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026. If you're still exploring what a license actually unlocks day to day, our overview at MD-RES Jobs is a good next stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
You'll answer 80 scored national questions in 90 minutes and 30 scored Maryland questions in 30 minutes, plus up to 10 unscored experimental questions mixed into that time.
You need 70% on each section separately: 56 out of 80 correct on the national portion and 21 out of 30 correct on the Maryland portion.
Contracts at 19% is the largest national domain, and Brokerage Relationships is the largest domain within the Maryland state portion - both deserve extra review time.
The PSI exam fee is $44. The original salesperson license fee is $98, and renewal is $78 effective April 27, 2026, with 15 continuing-education hours required per renewal cycle.
You must pass both exam portions within one year of completing your 60-hour approved prelicensing course, and then apply for your license within one year of passing.
Keep this cheat sheet bookmarked as a quick-reference companion, but pair it with deeper review sessions using timed practice exams on marylandrealexam.com so the numbers above turn into instinct rather than memorized trivia by test day.