Michigan real estate exam
Format, passing score, fees and what to study — compiled from the official candidate handbook and state sources, with a link and a confidence level for every fact. Last verified 2026-10-31.
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Michigan exam format and requirements
| Fact | Value | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons | Official source | Link |
| Exam provider | PSI Services LLC Bulletin copyright 2026, updated 7/6/2026. | Official source | Link |
| National-portion questions | 80 Derived: bulletin shows one combined 115-question exam (115 points); Michigan-specific outline items total 35, leaving 80 national. Bulletin also adds 1-10 unscored experimental items. | Secondary source | Link |
| State-portion questions | 35 Sum of itemized Michigan state-outline counts (3+5+10+5+12 = 35); equals 115 total minus 80 national. | Secondary source | Link |
| Exam time (minutes) | 180 Single sitting: 180 minutes for salesperson (210 for broker). Not timed per portion. | Official source | Link |
| Passing score | 70% (raw 80 of 115) on the single combined exam | Official source | Link |
| Exam fee (USD) | $79 $79; fee expires after 1 year. Older LARA guide cited $76. | Official source | Link |
| Pre-licensing hours | 40 LARA Salesperson Licensing Guide: 40 hours of approved prelicensure education; certificate uploaded in MiPLUS to become exam-eligible (Exam Candidate ID issued by email). | Official source | Link |
| Languages | English Exam in English; candidates may bring a word-to-word translation dictionary. Bulletin itself includes a Spanish translation (candidate information/content outline) but no Spanish exam is described. | Secondary source | Link |
“Official source” = read in a state agency page or the exam provider’s candidate handbook on 2026-10-31. Anything marked “Vendor claim” or “Not verified” should be confirmed before you rely on it. Fees and formats change.
What this means for your study plan
- Time per question: about 1.6 minutes each (180 minutes ÷ 115 questions). Practice at that pace.
- Where people lose points: math word problems, wording traps (NOT/EXCEPT), and state rules that differ from the national rule. Our formula sheet covers the math.
- Good to know: Unlike most PSI states, Michigan uses ONE combined timed exam (115 q / 180 min) with a single raw-score cutoff (80). Exam eligibility is authorized by LARA (via MiPLUS) before registering with PSI. Michigan state references include the Occupational Code, MI Administrative Code, Right to Farm Act, Land Division Act.
State-portion topics published for Michigan
- Duties and Powers of the Department and State Board (3 items)
- Licensing Requirements (5 items)
- Statutory Requirements Governing Activities of Licensees (10 items): advertising, commissions, disclosures/conflict of interest, documents, monies & trust accounts, record keeping, inducements, closing responsibilities
- Contractual Relationships (5 items): agency relationships in MI (transaction coordinator, designated, dual), broker/salesperson relationship, service provision agreements
- Additional State Topics (12 items): Land Division Act (private road disclosure), Michigan fair housing (Elliott-Larsen, PDCRA), Landlord-Tenant/Truth in Renting, State Transfer Tax, Condominium Act, MSHDA, antitrust, Right to Farm, land contract changes (Dodd-Frank)
Sample Michigan practice questions
Original questions written from the law, each with an explanation and a citation. Michigan-specific questions are coming soon; these samples come from the national portion.
Buyer Lena signs the seller's counteroffer at her kitchen table but decides to sleep on it and never delivers it or tells anyone she signed. The next day, the seller withdraws the counteroffer and accepts another buyer's offer. Lena then produces her signed copy. Under general principles,
- Lena has a contract, because she signed before the seller withdrew the counteroffer
- Lena has a contract, because a signed acceptance needs no delivery
- the seller is bound to both buyers and may choose one to perform
- Lena has no contract, because her acceptance was never communicated
Answer: D. When an offer invites acceptance by a return promise, the offeree must communicate the acceptance or at least send it; a signature kept at home is not an acceptance. Because Lena never sent or communicated hers, the seller was free to revoke and contract with someone else. Purchase forms commonly reinforce this by requiring delivery of the signed acceptance.
Topic: Contracts & Leasing · Source: Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 56 (acceptance by promise; necessity of notification to offeror); § 42
Under the general rule, the implied warranty of habitability applies to
- commercial and residential leases equally
- commercial leases only, because businesses need sound buildings
- sales of vacant land, but not leases of any kind
- residential leases, but generally not commercial leases
Answer: D. The implied warranty of habitability developed to protect residential tenants and is now recognized for residential leases by statute or case law in nearly every state. Most courts have declined to extend it to commercial leases, where the parties are presumed able to bargain over repairs. It has nothing to do with sales of vacant land.
Topic: Contracts & Leasing · Source: Javins v. First National Realty Corp., 428 F.2d 1071 (D.C. Cir. 1970); Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act § 2.104(a)
Under an installment land contract, the buyer has made every payment due, including the last, but the seller has not yet delivered the deed. The contract is best described as
- executed, since the buyer has finished paying the full purchase price
- executory, since the seller still owes delivery of the deed
- unenforceable, since legal title has not yet passed to the buyer
- void, since the buyer holds only an equitable title in the land
Answer: B. A contract is executed only when all parties have fully performed. Even if the buyer has paid in full, the seller's duty to deliver the deed is still unperformed, so the contract remains executory until that happens. The buyer's equitable title does not make the contract void or unenforceable.
Topic: Contracts & Leasing · Source: Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 235 (effect of performance as discharge of duty)
Try the full 20-question Michigan quiz
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Michigan real estate exam?
The Michigan exam format we found is 80 national questions plus 35 Michigan questions (115 in total) in 180 minutes. Confirm in the official handbook before exam day.
What is the passing score for the Michigan real estate exam?
70% (raw 80 of 115) on the single combined exam (Official source).
How much does the Michigan real estate exam cost?
The exam fee we found is $79, paid to PSI Services LLC. Fees change, so check the current handbook.
How many pre-licensing hours does Michigan require?
40 hours for the entry-level license, according to the sources below. Pre-licensing education must come from a state-approved school; GablePrep is exam prep and is not an approved course.
Official sources for Michigan
- Regulator: Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
- Exam provider: PSI Services LLC
- Official candidate handbook / content outline
Independent exam prep. Not affiliated with any state real estate commission or testing provider. Not an approved pre-licensing course. Not legal advice.