How many questions are on the Illinois real estate exam?

Short answer:Prepare for 140 scored questions and the possibility of 145 to 150 questions appearing on screen. The difference is PSI's possible set of unscored experimental items.

Contracts is the largest national category, followed by agency and the practice of real estate. The published category counts add to 100.

These numbers are a study map, not a promise that questions will appear in a particular order. Build deeper command of contracts, agency, practice, property ownership, and financing, while still covering all eleven national categories.

For the tested concepts inside each category, use the national portion study guide.

The Illinois Real Estate License Act category represents 40% of the state portion. Additional laws and regulations and disclosures each contribute another 25%.

The 16 License Act questions make that category the clearest first priority, but the two 10-question categories together account for half of the Illinois score. Licensing requirements contribute four questions and should not be ignored.

Use the Illinois state portion study guide and the Illinois License Act guide to study the state rules in context.

PSI says examinations may contain 5 to 10 experimental questions. These questions are being evaluated for possible future use. They are not scored, and PSI does not identify them.

That creates an important distinction:

• Scored item count: 140 questions across the two portions.
• Possible presented item count: 145 to 150 when PSI includes experimental items.
• Possible scored points: 100 national points and 40 Illinois points.

Do not spend exam time trying to spot an experimental question. A strange or difficult item may still be scored. Make the best supported choice, flag it if the testing interface permits review, and keep your pace.

The current PSI summary assigns one point to each scored item. The national portion has 100 possible points and requires 70% raw. The Illinois portion has 40 possible points and requires 75%.

The portions are scored separately. A result of 80 national points and 29 Illinois points does not average into a pass. You would need to retake the Illinois portion. See the full Illinois passing-score guide for worked examples and an explanation of the older scaled score of 75.

The current PSI Candidate Information Booklet lists 150 minutes for the 100-question national portion and 90 minutes for the 40-question Illinois portion. That is 240 minutes across both portions before considering how PSI places any experimental items.

These averages are planning tools, not per-question limits. Bank time on straightforward questions so you can slow down for calculations, long fact patterns, and flagged items.

Start with the largest categories, then protect points across the full outline. A useful priority order is:

1. Illinois License Act: 16 state questions.
2. National contracts: 19 national questions.
3. National agency and practice: 25 questions combined.
4. Illinois laws and disclosures: 20 state questions combined.
5. All remaining national categories: 56 questions combined.

Do not confuse priority with permission to skip. Property management has only three national questions, but three recoverable points can matter near the cutoff. Calculations contribute seven national questions and can become efficient points when you practice the setup, units, and arithmetic.

The four-week study plan turns these weights into daily work, review, and timed practice.

If you pass national and fail Illinois, PSI requires you to repeat only Illinois. If you pass Illinois and fail national, you repeat only national. Your score report provides the result, diagnostic categories, and reapplication instructions.

Standard broker candidates may make up to four attempts during the two-year eligibility period. After a fourth failed attempt, the standard broker route requires repeating the 75-hour education and the entire examination. Other qualification routes can have different attempt rules.

Read the Illinois real estate exam retake guide before booking another appointment.

• PSI Illinois Candidate Information Booklet dated June 24, 2026
• PSI Illinois Real Estate test-taker page

PSI controls the examination outline, item totals, experimental questions, time limits, scoring, and appointment details. Your PSI confirmation controls the logistics for your appointment.