This free Montana real estate practice exam helps you get ready for the Montana real estate salesperson licensing exam. You can take it right on this page, as many times as you like, with no account and no sign-up. Below the practice test you will find a plain-English guide to the real exam: who gives it, how many questions it has, how it is scored, what it costs, and what to study.

The information about the real Montana real estate exam on this page comes from the current Pearson VUE candidate handbook for the Montana Board of Realty Regulation. Rules and fees change, so always check the official handbook before you book your test.

A note about these questions: The practice exam below is our Montana state-law practice exam. It covers the Montana license law, Board rules and other state topics tested on the state portion of the Montana exam, such as licensing, agency duties and disclosures, trust accounts, advertising and unprofessional conduct. For the general real estate topics on the national portion, take our free national practice exam. You can also read the statutes and Board rules linked from the Montana Board of Realty Regulation website.

Still working toward your license? Our step-by-step guide on how to get a Montana real estate license covers the education, application, background check, fees and renewal rules.

About the Montana Real Estate Exam

The Montana real estate salesperson exam is the test you must pass before the Board of Realty Regulation will license you. It is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam with two separate parts: a national portion on general real estate principles and a state portion on Montana law. You must pass both parts.

Who administers the Montana real estate exam

The Montana Board of Realty Regulation has contracted with Pearson VUE to develop and give its licensing exams. That is a change from older guides, which described the exam as a PSI test given at PSI centers. If you read an older article that tells you to book with PSI, it is out of date. You now schedule the Montana real estate exam through the Pearson VUE Montana real estate page, where you can also download the candidate handbook and content outlines.

Montana real estate exam format at a glance

According to the January 2026 Montana candidate handbook, the salesperson exam is set up like this:

• National portion: 80 scored questions plus 5 unscored pretest questions, with 150 minutes allowed.
• State portion: 40 scored questions plus pretest questions (the handbook lists 10; the outline says 5 to 10), with 90 minutes allowed.
• Passing score: a scaled score of 75 on each portion.
• Fee: the handbook lists $95 for the national salesperson exam and $95 for the state salesperson exam.
• Delivery: at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE remote proctoring.

The pretest questions look exactly like scored questions and are mixed in throughout the test. You cannot tell which ones they are, so treat every question as if it counts.

How the Montana exam is scored

Pearson VUE uses several versions, or forms, of each exam. To keep things fair, it uses a statistical process called equating and reports your result on a scaled score from 0 to 100. The passing score of 75 is a scaled score set by the Board with Pearson VUE. It is not the same as “75 percent of the questions.” The handbook is clear that the scaled score is neither the number nor the percentage of questions you answered correctly.

When you finish, you get a score report marked pass or fail. If you pass, you will not see a number; you will get instructions for completing your license. If you fail, the report shows your numeric score and diagnostic information so you can see which topic areas need work. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question before time runs out.

Fees and Scheduling

What the Montana real estate exam costs

The Montana handbook lists a $95 exam fee for each portion of the salesperson exam: national and state. You pay Pearson VUE when you make your reservation, by credit card, debit card or voucher. Fees are not accepted at the test center, and they are non-refundable and non-transferable except under the change and cancellation policy. If you buy a voucher, it expires 12 months after it is issued.

The exam fee is separate from what you pay the Board. The Board’s salesperson page lists an $80 licensing fee, and you will also pay for your pre-licensing course. Check the Board’s salesperson license page for current fees and the application checklist, because those amounts can change.

How to schedule

You can book online through Pearson VUE or by phone. The handbook encourages you to book at least 48 hours ahead and says walk-in exams are not available. Before booking, have your legal name, address, email, phone number, date of birth, the name of the exam you want, and your preferred date and location ready.

The national and state portions are scheduled as separate exams, but you can take them on the same day. If you want to change or cancel, do it at least 48 hours before your appointment. If you give proper notice, you can move your fee to a new date or get a refund. If you cancel late or miss the exam, you are responsible for the fee. If you are absent or late because of illness, a death in the family, a disabling accident, a court date, military duty or a weather emergency, you can call Pearson VUE within 14 days to ask for an excused absence.

ID rules and test day

Montana candidates need two forms of current, signed identification. The primary ID must be government-issued with a photo and signature, such as a driver’s license, passport or military ID. The secondary ID needs a signature, such as a Social Security card or a debit or credit card. The names on both must exactly match the name you used to register. Pearson VUE does not accept IDs that are expired, even by one day.

Arrive 30 minutes early. Staff will check your ID, take your photo, and ask you to sign a rules agreement. You can take a short computer tutorial before you start, and that time does not count against your exam time.

Online testing

The handbook describes OnVUE online proctoring as an option. To test from home you need a quiet, private room, a reliable computer with a webcam, and a strong internet connection. Review Pearson VUE’s OnVUE requirements well before test day and run its system check on the computer you plan to use.

Retakes and How Long Your Score Is Good

Failing one portion does not wipe out the other. According to the handbook, if you pass one part of the Montana real estate exam and fail the other, you only retake the part you failed. To retake, you make a new reservation online or by phone. You cannot book a retake at the test center.

Here are the time limits the handbook gives:

• Exam results: the handbook says three years, but the Board’s rule (ARM 24.210.611) requires you to apply for your license within 12 months of the exam or the results are no longer valid. Plan on the 12-month deadline.
• Authorization period: for salespersons, five years after passing the first education course required to sit for the exam.

The handbook does not list a cap on retake attempts, but each attempt means a new fee. If you are close to any deadline, contact the Board before you plan your next attempt. Our guide on what happens if you fail the real estate exam covers how to regroup and study smarter for a second try.

What’s on the Montana Real Estate Exam

Pearson VUE publishes a content outline for each portion. Use it as your study checklist. If a topic is on the outline, it can show up on your test.

National portion: 80 scored questions

The national salesperson outline, effective April 1, 2025, splits the 80 scored questions like this:

• Real property characteristics, legal descriptions and property use: 11 questions (real vs. personal property, fixtures, legal descriptions, land use controls, encumbrances).
• Forms of ownership, transfer and recording of title: 9 questions (estates, leases, liens, deeds, title transfer, recording).
• Property value and appraisal: 11 questions (value principles, the appraisal process, the three approaches to value, CMAs and broker price opinions).
• Real estate contracts and agency: 16 questions, the biggest section (contract elements and performance, sales contracts, agency creation and termination, duties to clients).
• Real estate practice: 10 questions (broker responsibilities, property management, fair housing, risk management).
• Property disclosures and environmental issues: 9 questions.
• Financing and settlement: 7 questions (loan types, lending laws, closing).
• Real estate math calculations: 7 questions.

Contracts and agency together carry more weight than any other area, so give them extra time. The math section is only 7 questions, but math also appears inside valuation and financing questions. Our real estate math guide walks through the formulas you need.

State portion: 40 scored questions

The Montana state content outline, effective January 1, 2025, lists these areas for salespersons:

• The licensing agency’s powers: 3 questions (investigations, hearings, appeals, sanctions, examination of records).
• Licensing: 3 questions (activities requiring a license, renewal, changes in license status or information).
• Requirements governing the activities of licensees: 28 questions. This is the heart of the state test: advertising and marketing, the broker and salesperson relationship, unprofessional conduct, compensation, disclosures (conflict of interest, property and agency), agency duties, handling documents and money, listings and buyer brokerage agreements, and illegal inducements and ethics.
• Additional topics: 6 questions (errors and omissions insurance, land description, common interest ownership and condominiums, landlord and tenant, foreclosure and redemption, and the statute of frauds).

Because 28 of the 40 state questions are about how licensees must behave, study the Montana statutes and the Board’s administrative rules on business standards closely. The Board of Realty Regulation’s rules are in the Administrative Rules of Montana, Title 24, Chapter 210, and its website lists current requirements.

How to Use This Montana Real Estate Practice Exam

A Montana real estate practice exam is most useful when you treat it as a diagnostic tool, not just a score. Here is a simple way to use the free practice test above:

• Take it cold first. Before you review anything, take the practice exam once to find your weak spots.
• Review every miss. For each wrong answer, write down the concept behind it, not just the right letter.
• Group your mistakes. Sort them by outline area, such as licensing, agency duties, disclosures or trust accounts.
• Study, then retest. Spend a few days on your weakest area, then retake the practice exam and compare.
• Practice timing. The real national portion gives you 150 minutes for 85 questions, a little under two minutes each. Practice at a steady pace.

Remember that our practice questions are similar in style to exam questions, but they are not actual exam questions. Pearson VUE’s questions are copyrighted and change from form to form. Your goal is to understand the concepts well enough to answer any version of the question.

A Simple Study Plan for the Montana Exam

How long you need depends on your background, but a structured plan beats cramming. Here is a four-week plan you can stretch or shrink. For more on timing, see how long you should study for your real estate exam.

Week 1: Baseline and vocabulary

Take the practice exam above to get a baseline. Then build your vocabulary. Many wrong answers come from misreading terms like “encumbrance,” “easement appurtenant,” “novation” or “estoppel.” Work through our list of real estate terms and make flashcards for anything new.

Week 2: Contracts, agency and ownership

Focus on the largest national sections. Learn the elements of a valid contract, the difference between void and voidable, the types of agency, and when agency ends. Then cover estates, forms of co-ownership, deeds and recording.

Week 3: Valuation, financing, math and practice

Learn the three approaches to value and when each is used. Review loan types, RESPA, TILA and the closing process. Do math problems daily: area, commission splits, prorations, loan-to-value and capitalization rate. Then review fair housing and property management rules.

Week 4: Montana law and full practice tests

Spend most of this week on the state outline. Read the Board rules on business standards, agency disclosures, trust money and advertising. Retake the Montana practice exam above, then take our free national practice exam and other free practice exams under timed conditions. If you are still missing the same kinds of questions, go back to those topics before test day.

Montana Real Estate Practice Exam Questions

Try these sample questions. They cover general real estate topics that appear on the national portion of the Montana real estate exam. Answers and explanations follow each one.

A seller lists a home for $320,000 and accepts an offer of $310,000. The total commission is 6%, and the listing brokerage keeps half. How much does the listing brokerage receive?

Answer: $9,300. The commission is based on the sale price, not the list price: $310,000 × 0.06 = $18,600. Half of that is $9,300.

A 17-year-old signs a purchase contract for land. Is the contract void or voidable?

Answer: Voidable. A contract with a minor is generally voidable at the minor’s option. A contract for an illegal purpose, by contrast, is void from the start and cannot be enforced by either side.

A buyer’s agent learns that the buyer can pay more than the offer price. May the agent share that with the seller?

Answer: No. An agent owes the client confidentiality. Telling the seller the buyer’s top price would breach the agent’s duties to the buyer.

An investment property produces $48,000 in net operating income. Similar properties sell at an 8% capitalization rate. What is its estimated value?

Answer: $600,000. Value equals net operating income divided by the capitalization rate: $48,000 ÷ 0.08 = $600,000.

A tenant installs shelving in a rented store to display merchandise. What are the shelves most likely to be considered?

Answer: Trade fixtures. Items a commercial tenant installs for business use are trade fixtures, which the tenant may usually remove before the lease ends, as long as any damage is repaired.

Under the Montana candidate handbook, if you pass the national portion but fail the state portion, what must you retake?

Answer: Only the state portion. The handbook says candidates who pass one part and fail the other need to retake only the failed part.

Montana Real Estate Exam FAQ

How many questions are on the Montana real estate exam?

The salesperson exam has 120 scored questions in total: 80 on the national portion and 40 on the state portion. Each portion also includes unscored pretest questions that you cannot tell apart from scored ones.

What score do you need to pass the Montana real estate exam?

You need a scaled score of 75 on each portion. Because it is a scaled score, it does not mean you must answer exactly 75% of the questions correctly. You must pass the national and state portions separately.

Can you take the Montana real estate exam online?

Yes. The current Montana handbook describes OnVUE online proctoring, which lets you test from a private room with a webcam and a stable internet connection. You can also test at a Pearson VUE test center.

Is the Montana real estate exam hard?

It is a professional licensing exam, so it takes real preparation. The state portion is especially focused on licensee conduct, which many students underestimate. For an honest look at the challenge and how to prepare, read how hard is it to pass the real estate exam.

Key Takeaways

• Montana’s real estate exam is given by Pearson VUE, not PSI.
• The salesperson exam has 80 national and 40 state scored questions, with 150 and 90 minutes.
• You need a scaled score of 75 on each portion, and you only retake a portion you fail.
• The handbook lists a $95 fee for each portion and the Board requires you to apply within 12 months of passing (the handbook’s three-year figure does not override the Board’s rule).
• The state portion is mostly about licensee conduct: advertising, disclosures, agency duties and handling money.
• Use the Montana real estate practice exam above to find weak areas, then study the official content outline.

Ready to keep going? Take the Montana real estate practice exam above again, then try our free national practice exam for more practice on the general portion. Every exam on the site is free, with no account needed.