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Illinois licensing requirements topic guide

Illinois broker examination rules

The exam has several clocks and they do different jobs. One controls how long education supports eligibility. One limits time inside each portion. One counts consecutive failures. Another starts after you pass and controls the license application. Put the correct event on the correct clock and most exam-rule questions become straightforward.

Last reviewed:

The short answer

The standard Illinois broker exam has 100 scored national questions in 150 minutes and 40 scored Illinois questions in 90 minutes. Pass national at 70 points and Illinois at 30 points, or 75%. Results are separate. PSI may add 5 to 10 unscored questions that still use exam time. Ordinary partial retests cover the failed portion while eligibility and credit remain valid. After four consecutive failures, a standard broker candidate who is not education-exempt must repeat 75-hour education, make a new exam application and take the entire exam. The license application has a separate one-year passing-score receipt rule; all requirements must also be met.

Reviewed for October 2026 against the identified PSI booklet dated June 24, 2026 and Illinois statutes and rules. Examination appears at Illinois I.E. The whole Licensing Requirements category has 4 of the 40 scored state broker questions, not a four-question quota for examination rules. This page covers the standard broker route. The education-repeat examples assume a candidate who is not education-exempt; PSI excludes education-exempt candidates from its listed repeat-education requirements. Endorsement, managing broker, leasing agent, instructor and approved accommodation arrangements have their own conditions.

Put each rule on the right clock

  1. Establish eligibility first. Use the approved education route or the applicable Illinois attorney alternative, minimum age, education credentials and required application. A fee payment alone is not approval.
  2. Start education validity at satisfactory completion of ALL required pre-license education. The two years do not restart with a new fee or failed attempt.
  3. Score each portion separately: national 70 of 100, Illinois 30 of 40. Do not average the results.
  4. Apply the ordinary failed-portion rule only while eligibility, credit and attempt rules allow it. After the fourth consecutive failure, follow the applicable new-application and full-exam reset; PSI excludes education-exempt candidates from its listed repeat-education requirements.
  5. Treat the passing-score receipt deadline as a separate license-application rule. Submit the application AND meet all requirements within the prescribed year. Apply promptly; do not assume passing extends every other qualification.
  6. Use the appointment rules for the delivery method actually booked. Center ID, arrival and physical-tool rules do not establish which digital tools a remote session enables.
  7. Preserve the score report and follow its instructions. A passing report is not a license or authority to begin sponsored brokerage work.
Current Illinois broker examination numbers
RuleCurrent figureExam meaning
National scored portion100 points in 150 minutesPass at 70 points
Illinois scored portion40 points in 90 minutesPass at 30 points, or 75%
Experimental itemsPossible 5 to 10Unscored but timed
Standard broker fee$58 in June 24, 2026 bookletVerify before payment
Education validity2 years after ALL required education is satisfactorily completeNot from scheduling, payment or first failure
Standard attemptsUp to 4Within education eligibility period
Ordinary partial failureRetake the failed portion while eligibility and credit remain validDo not invent a split-score expiry anniversary
Fourth failureRepeat 75 hours if not education-exempt; full exam resetNew exam application required
License application1 year from receipt of passing examination scoreSubmit AND meet all requirements; not automatic licensure
Appointment cancellationNotice received 2 days beforePreserves fee under current PSI rule
Old national scaled scoreScaled 75 corresponds to current raw 70%Not 75% raw
TutorialUp to 15 minutes outside exam timeNot a promise about total appointment length
Unused feeTest within 1 year after PSI receives the feeNo education extension

The distinctions that matter

Illinois broker examination format, attempts and deadlines: key distinctions
DistinctionHow it worksWhat to notice
National 70% vs. Illinois 75%The national raw cutoff is 70 of 100 points. The Illinois cutoff is 30 of 40 points, or 75%. They are not the same standard.Which portion's result is being calculated?
Scored item vs. experimental itemScored items affect the result. Experimental items do not affect the result but still consume time and are not safe to skip.Extra question beyond the published outline total.
Combined performance vs. separate resultsPSI does not average national and Illinois into one pass. Each portion must independently meet its cutoff.Strong national score offered to offset a state miss.
Failed-portion retest vs. full resetBefore the reset and while eligibility and credit remain valid, repeat the failed portion. For a standard broker candidate who is not education-exempt, four consecutive failures trigger the applicable education, new-application and entire-exam reset.Attempt one through three versus after attempt four.
Two-year education clock vs. one-year application clockEducation is valid for two years after satisfactory completion of ALL required pre-license education. The separate application rule allows one year from receipt of a passing examination score to submit and meet all requirements. Neither sentence guarantees that every other qualification remains valid throughout that year.Course completion date versus passing-score receipt date.
Exam pass vs. license issuancePassing satisfies the examination requirement. IDFPR still reviews the license application and other qualifications, and active practice still requires sponsorship.Candidate begins showing property with a score report.
Cancellation deadline vs. exam eligibilityTwo-day cancellation notice preserves the appointment fee. It does not extend education validity or the statutory attempt period.Valid candidate cancels too late.
Test-center tool vs. remote toolA physical calculator and provided scratch paper are allowed at the test center under the booklet. Remote candidates may not use physical calculators or scratch paper.Same exam, different delivery method.
Diagnostic report vs. item reviewA failing report gives broad strength and weakness information by examination type. It does not disclose secure live questions or provide an answer-by-answer review.Candidate asks PSI for the missed items.
Old scaled 75 and current raw 70%For national broker only, PSI identifies today’s 70% raw cutoff as equivalent to the previously reported scaled 75. A scaled score of 75 is not the same statement as 75 correct out of 100.First ask whether the number is raw or scaled.
Exam time and total appointment time150 plus 90 equals 240 timed minutes for both portions. A tutorial of up to 15 minutes is outside exam time. Check-in and other appointment requirements are separate; this is not a guaranteed 240- or 255-minute visit.Timed questions versus everything around them.
Fee-use year and education validityPSI forfeits an unused examination fee if the candidate does not test within one year after PSI receives it. That fee clock does not restart the education-validity clock.Payment receipt versus satisfactory education completion.

Work through the facts

A national pass and Illinois miss

A first-attempt candidate earns 78 national points and 29 Illinois points. The candidate argues that 107 points out of 140 is more than enough overall.

  1. National requires 70 of 100, so 78 passes national.
  2. Illinois requires 75% of 40, which equals 30 points.
  3. The candidate earned 29 state points, so Illinois is failed.
  4. The portions are scored independently and cannot be averaged.
  5. Before any reset, the candidate follows the report and repeats only Illinois.

Answer: The candidate passes national and fails Illinois by one point. The combined 107 has no passing significance.

The experimental-question guess

A candidate sees an unfamiliar question and skips it because it must be one of PSI's unscored experimental items.

  1. PSI may include 5 to 10 experimental questions beyond the scored totals.
  2. Those questions do not affect the score but do use examination time.
  3. An unfamiliar question can just as easily be a scored item from the outline.
  4. Candidates cannot safely classify a live item from its difficulty or wording.
  5. Every question should receive a reasoned answer and difficult items can be flagged for review if the interface permits.

Answer: Skipping based on a guess is unsafe. Treat every item as scored and preserve time through pacing, not speculation.

The fourth Illinois failure

A standard broker candidate passed national on the first attempt but has now failed the Illinois portion on four consecutive attempts and wants to schedule Illinois alone a fifth time.

  1. The ordinary rule allows a failed-portion retest before the reset.
  2. The candidate has reached four consecutive failures.
  3. Section 5-35 and Rule 1450.420 require repeating broker pre-license education and filing a new examination application.
  4. The current PSI booklet states that the entire examination must then be taken.
  5. The fifth attempt begins a fresh sequence after eligibility is reestablished.

Answer: The candidate may not simply book Illinois alone again. The 75-hour, new-application, and entire-exam reset comes first.

The two clocks after a delayed exam

A standard candidate completed all required pre-license education 20 months ago, passes both portions and receives the passing examination score today. The candidate asks whether subtracting 20 from 24 months determines the passing-score application deadline. No assumption is made that every education document or other qualification automatically remains acceptable throughout a further year.

  1. The education rule starts at satisfactory completion of all required education, not the first exam attempt.
  2. The score-receipt application rule uses a different starting event.
  3. Do not subtract education months from the one-year passing-score period.
  4. The application must be submitted AND all licensure requirements met within the applicable year.
  5. This comparison does not approve an application after another qualification expires. Apply promptly and confirm any approaching education expiry against the actual record.

Answer: The two clocks have different starting events. The score-receipt rule does not by itself guarantee an extra year of education acceptance or individual eligibility.

The Monday cancellation

A candidate has a Monday appointment and sends cancellation notice on Sunday evening, then assumes the $58 fee will transfer to a new date.

  1. PSI requires cancellation notice to be received two days before the appointment.
  2. The booklet's own example says a Monday appointment requires notice by the previous Saturday.
  3. Sunday is too late under that current procedure.
  4. The examination fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable when forfeited.
  5. The candidate's underlying eligibility can remain valid even though the appointment fee is lost.

Answer: The late cancellation forfeits the fee. Losing the fee and losing exam eligibility are different outcomes.

The remote scratch-paper plan

A remote candidate places blank paper and a physical calculator beside the computer because both would be usable at a PSI test center.

  1. The booklet allows a physical calculator at a test center but not for remote proctoring.
  2. Test-center staff provide scratch paper and a pencil that must be returned.
  3. Remote candidates are not allowed scratch paper.
  4. No prohibited item may be within reach or line of sight.
  5. The candidate should complete the remote room setup using the remote rules before check-in.

Answer: Both items must be removed for the remote examination. Permission at a center does not carry over to remote delivery.

The old scaled-score screenshot

A student finds an older page saying national requires a scaled 75 and assumes the current 100-point national exam requires 75 correct answers.

  1. The current broker table says national 70% with 100 scored points.
  2. The footnote equates that raw standard with the older scaled 75.
  3. A reported scale is not interchangeable with percent correct.

Answer: Use the current 70-point national cutoff. Illinois still requires 30 of 40, or 75%.

Passing one portion does not settle every date

A candidate passed national in March and Illinois in September, then asks which result controls every expiry and application anniversary.

  1. The general rule allows one year from receipt of a passing examination score to apply and meet requirements.
  2. An ordinary partial retest also depends on valid eligibility and passed credit.
  3. These general statements do not settle a first-versus-last split-score receipt date in an individual record.

Answer: Use the official score reports and candidate instructions; do not assume September automatically resets every clock.

A paid fee near education expiry

All required education will reach its two-year limit soon. A candidate pays another $58 and assumes a new two-year education window begins.

  1. A payment is a fee event.
  2. Education validity runs from satisfactory completion of all required education.
  3. PSI’s separate one-year unused-fee rule does not renew education.

Answer: Payment does not extend education validity or guarantee an available eligible appointment.

Strong practice scores and weak reasoning

A learner repeatedly scores well on these questions but cannot explain why a late cancellation differs from a fourth consecutive failure.

  1. One concerns the appointment and fee; the other triggers the applicable education and exam reset.
  2. Repeat performance on familiar items can reflect memory rather than transfer.
  3. Explain the controlling event, then change the dates or portion results and solve again.

Answer: Use explanation and changed facts to find gaps. No score on this original set is a validated pass predictor.

The exact passing boundary

On an ordinary first standard-broker attempt, a candidate earns exactly 70 national points and 29 Illinois points. Education and passed credit remain valid.

  1. 70 / 100 = 70%, meeting the national raw cutoff.
  2. 29 / 40 = 72.5%, below the Illinois 75% cutoff of 30 points.
  3. The combined 99 / 140 cannot offset the Illinois miss.
  4. Under the ordinary partial-retest rule, follow the report and repeat Illinois.

Answer: National passes at its boundary; Illinois fails by one point.

One-year submission is only part of the requirement

Assume an official candidate record establishes the applicable score-receipt date. The candidate submits an application before that record’s deadline but assumes every missing licensure requirement can be completed after the year ends.

  1. The rule requires submission AND meeting all requirements within the prescribed year.
  2. A timely incomplete application is not a blanket extension.
  3. This exercise assumes an established official receipt date; it does not choose a first-versus-last date for split portions.

Answer: Complete the requirements as well as submitting the application within the applicable period; filing alone is not a guarantee.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Both broker portions pass at 70%. The current PSI booklet uses 70% for national and 75% for Illinois.
  • A strong national result can offset an Illinois miss. The portions produce separate pass-fail decisions, so both cutoffs must be met.
  • The exam always contains exactly 140 total questions. There are 140 published scored items, and PSI may add 5 to 10 unscored experimental items.
  • An experimental question can be recognized and skipped. Candidates cannot safely identify it; answer every item as if it affects the score.
  • Failing one portion always means retaking both. Ordinarily only the failed portion is repeated until the fourth-failure reset applies.
  • Four failures lead to a fifth partial retest. For a standard broker candidate who is not education-exempt, repeat the 75-hour education, submit a new exam application, and retake the entire exam.
  • The education-validity clock restarts after each attempt. The two years run from satisfactory completion of all required pre-license education.
  • A pass score can be used for a license application forever. The candidate must apply and meet licensure requirements within one year after receiving the passing score.
  • The two-day cancellation window adds two days to exam eligibility. It is an appointment-fee rule, not an extension of education or statutory eligibility.
  • Remote and test-center security rules are identical. Remote testing bars physical calculators, scratch paper, and breaks that have different treatment at a center.
  • An old national scaled 75 means 75 correct answers today. PSI’s current national broker cutoff is raw 70%; the old scaled 75 is an equivalent reported scale, not a 75% raw requirement.
  • Passing guarantees a full extra year of every education document. The score-receipt rule is separate. All licensure requirements must be met; apply promptly and do not assume an automatic education extension.
  • A fee forfeiture proves how PSI counts a technical interruption or no-show. The published fee and four-failure rules do not establish a complete incident-counter algorithm. Use the official candidate record and instructions.
  • The remote calculator and writing tools must match the public tutorial. A public tutorial is not verification of a candidate’s enabled remote tools. The booklet’s physical-item prohibitions do not answer every digital-tool question.

Check your understanding

These are original teaching questions, not recalled or predicted PSI questions. Answer first, then explain why the other choices fail.

1. A candidate earns 72 national points and 29 Illinois points. What is the result?

  1. Fail national and pass Illinois
  2. Fail both because Illinois controls the entire exam
  3. Pass national and fail Illinois
  4. Pass both because the combined percentage exceeds 70%
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. Pass national and fail Illinois

National requires 70 of 100. Illinois requires 30 of 40. Separate scoring means the candidate keeps the national pass before a reset and retakes Illinois.

2. How do possible experimental questions affect a standard broker candidate?

  1. They add points but no time
  2. They are labeled so candidates can skip them
  3. They are unscored but use exam time
  4. They replace scored questions from the outline
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. They are unscored but use exam time

PSI may add 5 to 10 experimental questions beyond the published scored totals. They support future test development and still consume time.

3. A standard broker candidate fails the examination four consecutive times. What must happen before another attempt?

  1. Repeat the 75-hour pre-license education and submit a new exam application
  2. Repeat education only after the two-year period ends, regardless of four failures
  3. Keep the national credit and book Illinois alone indefinitely
  4. Submit a new exam application without repeating education
Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. Repeat the 75-hour pre-license education and submit a new exam application

This standard-route exercise assumes the candidate is not education-exempt. The four-failure reset requires new education and examination application; PSI excludes education-exempt candidates from its listed repeat-education requirements. PSI says the standard broker then takes the entire examination.

4. Which event starts the one-year deadline to apply for broker licensure?

  1. Satisfactory completion of all required pre-license education
  2. Receipt by PSI of the examination fee
  3. Receipt of the passing examination score
  4. Receipt of an appointment confirmation
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. Receipt of the passing examination score

The rule starts from receipt of a passing examination score and requires submitting the application AND meeting all requirements. It does not resolve which split-portion receipt date controls a particular candidate or automatically extend every other qualification.

5. Which item is permitted at a PSI test center under the current booklet but not during remote proctoring?

  1. A smart watch
  2. A personal notebook
  3. A mobile phone
  4. A physical calculator
Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. A physical calculator

The booklet allows physical calculators at test centers but not for remote exams. Phones, notebooks, and smart watches are prohibited.

6. What does an older national broker scaled score of 75 mean for the current raw-score requirement?

  1. It requires 75 correct national answers today
  2. It replaces the Illinois 75% cutoff with 70%
  3. It is equivalent to the current national raw 70% standard
  4. It combines both portions into one score
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. It is equivalent to the current national raw 70% standard

PSI expressly distinguishes the older scaled report from current raw scoring. National requires 70 of 100; Illinois requires 30 of 40.

7. Which event starts the two-year validity of approved pre-license education?

  1. Receiving the first appointment confirmation
  2. Paying the exam fee
  3. Satisfactory completion of ALL required pre-license education
  4. The first failed examination
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. Satisfactory completion of ALL required pre-license education

The statute and current education and examination rules use satisfactory completion of all required education, not a later payment or attempt.

8. A candidate passes national and fails Illinois on an ordinary early attempt, with valid education and passed credit. Which retest follows the published ordinary rule?

  1. Both portions in every case
  2. No retest because the combined average controls
  3. Illinois only
  4. National only
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. Illinois only

Before the reset and while the governing eligibility and credit remain valid, repeat only the failed portion.

9. For a Monday appointment, when does PSI’s own cancellation example require receipt of notice to preserve the fee?

  1. Monday morning
  2. Sunday evening
  3. The previous Saturday
  4. Two business days after the appointment
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. The previous Saturday

The booklet uses the previous Saturday. It says received two days before, not an interchangeable 48-hour or two-business-day rule. Voicemail is not acceptable cancellation.

10. What does paying another examination fee do to the original education-validity clock?

  1. Automatically restores expired education
  2. Extends it by one year
  3. Restarts it for two years
  4. Does not restart it
Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. Does not restart it

The unused-fee clock and education-validity clock have different starting events. Payment alone is not approval or a guaranteed appointment.

11. Which statement describes the post-pass application requirement?

  1. Begin showing property immediately with the score report
  2. Submit an application AND meet all requirements within the prescribed year from score receipt
  3. Treat passing as automatic license issuance
  4. Submit a blank application and complete every requirement whenever convenient
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. Submit an application AND meet all requirements within the prescribed year from score receipt

The application rule requires both submission and satisfaction of requirements. Sponsorship is required for active licensure; a report alone is not authority to practise.

12. What is the published timed total for both standard broker portions, excluding tutorial and check-in?

  1. 150 minutes
  2. 240 minutes
  3. 90 minutes
  4. A guaranteed 255-minute total visit
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. 240 minutes

150 national plus 90 Illinois equals 240 timed minutes. A tutorial of up to 15 minutes does not count against examination time, and appointment time can include other steps.

13. Does a public tutorial prove which digital calculator or writing tools a particular remote appointment enables?

  1. Yes, a strong practice score confirms the setup
  2. Yes, every delivery method must use identical tools
  3. No; confirm the actual appointment instructions and enabled tools
  4. Yes, a physical-item ban proves a particular digital substitute
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. No; confirm the actual appointment instructions and enabled tools

The booklet prohibits physical calculators and scratch paper for remote testing. That does not identify every currently enabled digital feature.

14. Which identity condition matches the booklet’s examination-site rule?

  1. A friend’s ID with the same address
  2. Any expired ID if the photograph resembles the candidate
  3. An accepted valid, unexpired ID with photo and signature, matching the scheduled name
  4. A fee receipt instead of an accepted ID
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. An accepted valid, unexpired ID with photo and signature, matching the scheduled name

The accepted document list matters as well as validity, signature, photograph and name match. Military ID is specifically not allowed for remote testing.

15. What does a failing diagnostic score report establish?

  1. The complete secure questions and correct answers
  2. Broad strengths and weaknesses and reapplication instructions
  3. A validated pass probability on the next attempt
  4. A guaranteed next-day appointment
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. Broad strengths and weaknesses and reapplication instructions

Use the official result and diagnostic categories. It is not an answer-by-answer disclosure of secure items, seat guarantee or predictive probability.

16. Which claim is supported by the public $58 broker fee listing?

  1. A late cancellation is always refundable
  2. The booklet lists $58, with no separate cheaper failed-portion tariff shown there
  3. An unused fee renews expired education
  4. Every future checkout will always charge $58
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. The booklet lists $58, with no separate cheaper failed-portion tariff shown there

Attribute the published fee to the June 24, 2026 booklet and verify the actual checkout before paying. No private checkout was inspected for this guide.

17. A candidate earns exactly 70 national points and 29 Illinois points on an ordinary first attempt. Which result follows?

  1. Pass national and fail Illinois by one point
  2. Pass both because the scores can be averaged
  3. Fail both because national needs 75 raw points
  4. Fail national but pass Illinois
Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. Pass national and fail Illinois by one point

National meets its 70-point raw cutoff. Illinois needs 30 of 40, so 29 fails that portion. A combined average cannot replace either result.

18. Which statement correctly distinguishes the tutorial from the timed portions?

  1. The tutorial, up to 15 minutes, does not count against exam time
  2. Check-in is guaranteed to fit inside the national 150 minutes
  3. The tutorial adds 15 minutes to each portion’s answering time
  4. Both portions plus all check-in always finish in exactly 240 minutes
Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. The tutorial, up to 15 minutes, does not count against exam time

The timed portions total 240 minutes. The tutorial allowance is outside that time; check-in and total appointment duration are separate.

19. Under Rule 1450.420’s stated examination-application route, what does the current Illinois attorney alternative change?

  1. It eliminates every application and age condition
  2. It proves every out-of-state attorney is eligible
  3. It is an alternative to the stated approved 75-hour education proof, not an automatic exam waiver
  4. It automatically waives the examination itself
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. It is an alternative to the stated approved 75-hour education proof, not an automatic exam waiver

The rule identifies current admission to practise law by the Supreme Court of Illinois as an alternative education-qualification route. Other applicable conditions remain; do not extend it to all attorneys everywhere.

20. A candidate submits an incomplete license application within the score-receipt year but leaves required qualifications unmet past the deadline. What does the general rule require?

  1. Only payment of the original examination fee
  2. Only a sponsor interview during the year
  3. Only the date a blank application was started
  4. Both submission and meeting all licensure requirements within the prescribed year
Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. Both submission and meeting all licensure requirements within the prescribed year

Section 5-35 and Rule 1450.430 require submission AND satisfaction of requirements. An application timestamp alone is not a blanket extension or approval.

Common questions

How many questions are on the Illinois real estate broker exam?

The current PSI summary lists 100 scored national items worth 100 points and 40 scored Illinois items worth 40 points. PSI may also administer 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions in addition to the published totals. Experimental items use exam time but do not affect the score.

What score do you need to pass the Illinois broker exam?

You need 70% on the national broker portion and 75% on the Illinois state portion. With the published point totals, that corresponds to 70 of 100 national points and 30 of 40 Illinois points. The portions are scored separately, so a high score on one cannot offset a failing score on the other.

How much time do you get for the Illinois broker exam?

The June 24, 2026 PSI booklet gives 150 minutes for the 100-item national portion and 90 minutes for the 40-item Illinois portion. A tutorial of up to 15 minutes does not count against examination time. Candidates should still read the duration and portion details on their own appointment confirmation because scheduling interfaces can change.

Are there unscored questions on the Illinois broker exam?

Possibly. PSI says a small number, generally 5 to 10, may be added as experimental questions. They are not scored but do count against the time limit. Because candidates are not given a dependable way to identify them, the sound strategy is to answer every item as if it counts.

Do you retake both portions if you fail one portion?

Not during the ordinary partial-retest stage. If you fail only national or only Illinois, PSI says you repeat only the failed portion. The passed portion remains credited while the candidate stays within the governing eligibility and attempt rules. After the fourth consecutive failure, the education and full-exam reset applies to the standard broker path.

How many times can you take the Illinois broker exam?

A standard broker candidate has up to four attempts during the two-year education eligibility period. If the examination is failed four consecutive times, the standard candidate who is not education-exempt must repeat the 75-hour pre-license education and complete a new examination application before testing again. PSI excludes education-exempt candidates from its listed repeat-education requirements; the applicable official category and instructions still control. PSI states that the entire examination is then required.

How long is Illinois broker pre-license education valid for the exam?

Approved broker pre-license education is valid for two years after satisfactory completion of all required pre-license education. The attempt allowance operates within that eligibility period. Once the education expires, the candidate must reestablish eligibility under the current requirements.

How long do you have to apply for an Illinois broker license after passing?

Rule 1450.430 gives one year from receipt of a passing examination score to submit the application AND meet all licensure requirements. Section 5-35 terminates examination credit if those conditions are missed. Apply promptly. Do not treat the score rule as an automatic extension of education or every other qualification. If portions were passed on different dates, this general guide does not choose a first-versus-last receipt anniversary or promise that the later result resets all credit; use the official record and instructions.

How much is the Illinois broker examination fee in 2026?

The June 24, 2026 PSI booklet lists $58 for the broker examination, with no separate cheaper failed-portion tariff shown there. Fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. PSI forfeits an unused fee if the candidate does not test within one year after PSI receives it. Cancellation notice must be received two days before the appointment; the booklet’s Monday example uses the previous Saturday. A voicemail is not an acceptable cancellation. Verify the actual amount before paying; no checkout or future fee was confirmed here.

Are these official PSI exam questions?

No. These are original teaching questions about public rules, not recalled or supplied PSI questions. The identified PSI booklet is dated June 24, 2026, and the official statute and rule readings were reviewed for October 2026 with the source bounds stated below. No result here is a validated readiness cutoff, pass probability or guarantee.

Is the national passing score 70 or 75?

For the current standard national broker exam, it is 70% raw, or 70 of 100 scored points. PSI’s footnote says that is equivalent to the older scaled score of 75. Scaled 75 does not mean 75 correct answers today. Illinois remains 75% raw, or 30 of 40 points.

Can I use a calculator and scratch paper at home?

The booklet allows physical calculators at test centers but prohibits them for remote proctored exams. It provides center scratch paper and a pencil to be returned at checkout, while remote candidates may not have scratch paper. Do not bring your own paper to override that distinction. The publication does not verify which digital calculator or writing tool your appointment enables; confirm the actual remote instructions before choosing the delivery method.

What ID should I bring, and when should I arrive?

For an examination site, the booklet calls for arrival 30 minutes before the appointment and one accepted identification document matching the scheduled name. It must be valid and unexpired, with photo and signature. Read the accepted document list; do not assume any document with a government logo suffices. The list specifically excludes military ID for remote testing. Follow the actual remote check-in instructions rather than importing the center arrival process.

Does passing let me start working as an Illinois broker?

A passing report satisfies the exam requirement; it is not a license. IDFPR must receive the application, required fee and documents and determine that the requirements are met. Proof of sponsorship is required when seeking an active license. Do not begin brokerage activity merely because a score report or sponsorship interview exists.

Must I complete approved education before taking the broker exam?

For the standard education route, complete the required approved 75 hours before testing and satisfy the application qualifications, including the minimum age of 18 and the stated secondary-education credential. Rule 1450.420 also identifies current admission to practise law by the Supreme Court of Illinois as an alternative to that education proof. It is not an automatic waiver of the examination or every other requirement, and it does not cover every lawyer licensed elsewhere. An exam-prep app is not approved pre-license education.

Can I take a break during the examination?

The booklet’s center procedure permits leaving the examination room only to use the restroom with the proctor’s permission and gives no extra exam time. Its remote procedure says breaks are not allowed. If you cannot test without a break, do not assume a remote session will accommodate it automatically; use the approved arrangement for your needs. A public practice interface does not override the actual appointment rules.

Is there a fixed waiting period before a retake?

The identified booklet gives reapplication instructions and eligibility and attempt limits, but it does not establish a general fixed waiting period that this page can promise. The absence of a stated fixed wait is not a guarantee of a next-day slot, immediate approval or available seat. Follow the actual score report, eligibility record and scheduling confirmation. A fee-forfeiture event does not by itself establish how every technical incident is counted.

Do these four-attempt rules apply to every Illinois examination category?

No. This page focuses on the standard broker route. The booklet separately lists broker endorsement candidates as having unlimited testing during their two-year eligibility period. That is not permission for a standard candidate to relabel the application. Endorsement has its own statutory conditions, and the older reciprocity pathway should not be assumed to control a new 2026 application. Use the category actually approved by the official process.

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Official sources and scope

Reviewed October 29, 2026. The source list separates current official indexed readings from identified earlier readings and the retained June 24, 2026 PSI booklet. Some direct rule requests failed; that is not a successful download. The public PSI portal returned a JavaScript shell. No candidate account, appointment, checkout or enabled remote tool was inspected. Split-portion score dates and current remote digital tools remain questions for the candidate’s official instructions, not assumptions in this guide.

This is exam preparation, not advice for a specific transaction. State law and the applicable facts control. Our editorial and corrections process explains how to report an issue.

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