What happens at an Illinois real estate exam test center?

Short answer: Plan for eight stages: arrival, identity, storage, security, seating, tutorial, examination, and checkout with score reporting. The center supplies the computer, one piece of scratch paper, and a pencil. You bring the qualifying ID and, if desired, a confirmed physical calculator.

1. Read the latest appointment confirmation.
2. Verify the address, suite, floor, date, start time, and time zone.
3. Inspect the ID for photo, signature, expiration, and exact name.
4. Confirm the physical calculator rule and check its battery.
5. Remove notes, bags, electronics, watches, and unnecessary valuables.
6. Map parking, building access, and a backup route.
7. Set a departure time that gets you inside 30 minutes early.

Do not depend on a guest waiting at the site. PSI prohibits accompanying people from waiting in the center, building, or on the property.

Enter the correct site early enough to find the check-in desk. PSI's 30-minute window is for sign-in, identification, and familiarization with the examination process.

Reaching the parking lot at the appointment time is late planning. Arrival after the examination start time invalidates the registration and forfeits the fee under the current booklet.

The late and missed Illinois PSI exam guide has a travel-buffer and recovery plan.

Present one current, valid, unexpired government-issued ID. It must contain a photograph and signature, and the first and last name must match the booking.

Improper identification stops the exam and forfeits the fee. Resolve uncertainty with the complete Illinois PSI ID guide before the cancellation deadline.

Phones, smartwatches, bags, wallets, food, drinks, gum, notes, writing tools, reference material, and other prohibited items cannot remain within reach or line of sight.

PSI directs candidates to place prohibited items in provided secure storage or return them to the vehicle. PSI does not accept responsibility for personal belongings. The simplest solution is to leave nonessential items at home.

Use the Illinois exam allowed-items checklist to pack correctly.

PSI can ask whether you possess prohibited items and can inspect clothing, pockets, glasses, and accessories. Candidates may be asked to:

• Empty and turn out pockets.
• Lift sleeve ends.
• Raise the bottoms of pant legs.
• Remove prohibited bulky or loose outerwear.
• Present eyeglass frames, tie tacks, or accessories for inspection.
• Store or remove an item that does not comply.

Wear a simple shirt or blouse under any outer layer and keep the rest of the outfit uncomplicated. Calm cooperation gets you to the actual exam faster.

PSI does not promise a calculator in the public booklet. If you want one, confirm the rule and bring the simplest suitable standalone device. Do not use a phone or smartwatch.

Before the scored examination, PSI displays an introductory tutorial. You may spend up to 15 minutes on it, and that time does not count as examination time. Sample questions follow so you can practice answering and reviewing.

Use the tutorial to confirm:

• How to select and change an answer.
• How to move to the next or previous item.
• How the review or flag function behaves.
• Where the timer and question count appear.
• How to enter a permitted question comment.

Do not rush through unfamiliar controls or use the tutorial to rehearse a memorized formula dump.

You use a mouse and keyboard. The broker exam has 100 scored national questions and 40 scored Illinois questions. The portion timers are 150 minutes for national and 90 minutes for Illinois. PSI can also include 5 to 10 unidentified, unscored experimental questions that use exam time.

National requires 70% raw, and Illinois requires 75%. The portions are scored separately. Use the timer and review controls shown in the interface rather than calculating a total from memory.

PSI provides a Comments link on the question-screen function bar. Use it to identify a substantive wording or content concern without spending excessive exam time.

PSI says examination-development staff analyze comments, but PSI does not respond to candidates individually. This is the only review of examination materials available to candidates.

Only with the proctor's permission, and only to use the restroom. PSI does not add extra examination time. Follow checkout and reentry directions and do not access a phone, notes, food, or other stored belongings.

Use the restroom before check-in and keep a small pacing buffer if a visit may be necessary.

• Giving or receiving assistance.
• Copying or communicating examination content.
• Using an outside reference, phone, computer, or application.
• Speaking aloud, reading questions aloud, or causing disruption.
• Leaving without proctor approval.
• Possessing a prohibited item.
• Obstructing the proctor's view or violating instructions.

PSI may pause or terminate an examination. Violations can disqualify results, prohibit future examinations, be reported to the sponsor, or lead to legal action.

1. End the examination through the official interface.
2. Read the score displayed onscreen.
3. Return the scratch paper and pencil.
4. Complete the administrator's checkout process.
5. Check email for the score report.
6. Print or retrieve reports from the Manage tab in your account.

If you fail, the emailed report includes diagnostic strengths and weaknesses by examination type. If you pass both portions, the report gives licensing instructions. A passing exam is not itself the Illinois license.

• PSI Illinois Candidate Information Booklet dated June 24, 2026
• PSI Illinois Real Estate Examination Program

Your appointment confirmation, test-center administrator, examination interface, score report, and current PSI rules govern the session.