Guides › Updated 2026-10-31

How to Schedule Your Real Estate Exam: Pearson VUE vs PSI by State

TL;DR. Your exam is delivered by Pearson VUE, PSI, or the state itself, depending on where you are licensing. Find your state in the lists below, then follow the same general steps: get eligible, create an account, pay, pick a date, and prepare for test day. Anything about ID or rescheduling should be checked in your candidate handbook.

GablePrep is an independent study tool. We are not affiliated with any real estate commission, Pearson VUE or PSI, and we are not a pre-licensing course. This guide is general, so your state’s handbook decides.

Which provider runs your exam?

According to the candidate handbooks and bulletins we read (accessed 2026-10-31):

Pearson VUE (23): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

PSI (26): Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

State-run: California (the DRE gives its own exams at DRE sites) and New York (the Department of State exam unit, scheduled through eAccessNY).

Two cautions. First, Vermont uses PSI for the national portion, while its state jurisprudence portion is handled by the state within the license application. Second, providers change. Some prep sites still say PSI for Texas or Louisiana, but the current handbooks list Pearson VUE. Always go to your regulator’s page and follow the link to the provider it names.

Generic steps to schedule

The order differs by state, but most candidates go through the same stages.

Confirm your license type and requirements. Some states use different titles for the entry-level license, and our requirements checklist covers this.
Complete the pre-licensing course if your state requires it before testing. Colorado’s rules, per our notes, say the exam must be taken after education or it will not count. Washington’s bulletin requires both courses before booking.
Apply to the regulator if required. Pennsylvania candidates apply through the state system first, then register with Pearson VUE. Florida candidates apply to DBPR for authorization first. Louisiana has an authorization step before booking.
Create an account with the provider and find your state’s exam. Use the exact legal name that appears on your ID.
Choose your portions. If your state splits the exam, check whether you can book both together and whether the fee covers both.
Pay the fee. Some fees are forfeited if you do not test within a set period, such as one year in several states, so read the terms before you pay.
Pick a date and test center. If remote proctoring is offered, the handbook will say so.
Save your confirmation and read the test-day instructions.

Details that vary

Lead time. Indiana, for example, asks for reservations 48 hours ahead in the handbook notes we read, not the 24 hours common elsewhere. Check yours.
Fees. Pearson VUE’s Wyoming handbook lists a different price for remote testing than for a test center, per our notes. Do not assume a single price.
Language. Rhode Island’s handbook says the Spanish version is available at physical test centers only. Pennsylvania’s Pearson page lists Spanish outlines, but verify delivery.
Retake bookings. In Indiana, a failed candidate needs a new reservation and cannot rebook at the test center, per our notes.

ID, rescheduling and what to bring

We deliberately keep this general, because rules differ by provider and state, and they change.

ID requirements: check your candidate handbook. Names must generally match your registration, but read the exact rules.
Rescheduling and cancellation deadlines and fees: check your candidate handbook before you pay.
Calculators, scratch paper and prohibited items: check your candidate handbook. Rules vary, and some states differ on calculators.
Arrival time: check your candidate handbook. California’s DRE, for one, asks candidates to arrive 30 minutes early.

Test-day preparation

Do a dry run of the route, or test your computer and room if testing remotely.
Sleep, eat and bring only what the handbook allows.
Keep your confirmation and ID together the night before.
Plan pacing from the handbook’s time limit. For example, Texas allows 150 minutes for the national portion and 90 minutes for the state portion, per the handbook we read.

Next step

Your state page lists the provider and the key exam facts we verified. Try the Texas page as an example, then take a free state quiz to see where you stand. The GablePrep app can help with longer practice before your date.

Take the free state quiz

Frequently asked questions

Is my real estate exam given by Pearson VUE or PSI?

It depends on your state. In the handbooks and bulletins we read (accessed 2026-10-31), Pearson VUE is listed for 23 jurisdictions and PSI for 26. California and New York run their own exams. Some prep sites are out of date, so confirm with your regulator.

Do I book the exam before or after I finish my course?

It varies by state. Some require course completion or regulator approval before you can book, and some are strict about order. Check your state's handbook for the exact sequence.

What ID do I need on exam day?

Check your candidate handbook. ID rules differ by provider and state, and names must match your registration. Texas, for example, requires ID in English.

Can I take the exam online?

Some states allow remote proctoring through the provider, and some do not. For example, Rhode Island's handbook says its Spanish version is available at physical test centers only. Check your state's handbook.

Sources

Independent exam prep. Not affiliated with any state real estate commission or testing provider. Not an approved pre-licensing course. Not legal advice. Facts verified on 2026-10-31; always confirm with your state’s official handbook.

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