Can You Take the New York Real Estate Exam Online?

What is the short answer?

The phrase online real estate exam can refer to three different things in New York:

1. an online 77-hour salesperson qualifying course
2. the school-administered proctored final at the end of that course
3. the New York State Real Estate Salesperson examination administered by the Department of State

Only the third item is the state licensing exam. The Department currently tells applicants to schedule that examination online through eAccessNY. Its published process then requires the candidate to bring a printed “Summary of Your Submission” and current accepted photo identification to the selected exam site. The Department also publishes a list of physical salesperson exam sites and rules for conduct at those sites.

Put together, those instructions describe an in-person exam. Nothing on the Department's pages offers a way to take the state salesperson exam from home by webcam. If DOS ever announces remote delivery, its live salesperson page and eAccessNY will say so first.

Official source map

The New York State Department of State salesperson page is the primary source for the online scheduling requirement, eAccessNY account, printed appointment summary, accepted identification, exam-site policies, $15 written-exam fee, 1.5-hour testing time and online results.

The Department's official salesperson exam-sites page publishes physical testing locations, addresses, late-arrival policy and emergency information. The salesperson frequently asked questions distinguishes the school-administered proctored exam from the Department-administered qualifying examination and explains eAccessNY functions.

The Department's Special Testing Arrangements Request, form DOS-1591-f, covers disability-related arrangements. It does not establish an ordinary at-home testing route. Part 159 of the Department's live distance education and examination rules concerns approved education providers and their live distance examinations. It should not be read as authorization to take the Department's state salesperson exam remotely.

What can you complete online?

A lot of the licensing process happens online, which is exactly why this question comes up so often.

The key distinction is simple: an online transaction around the exam is not an online delivery of the exam.

Reading is the first step

Turn what you read into something you can recall.

Start with the free website diagnostic to find a useful next subject. For a longer review routine, the Pass New York app keeps missed questions and study progress together. Download it free and explore the included features before deciding on full access.

Try the free diagnosticExplore the free app

Why does “schedule online” cause confusion?

The Department's salesperson page says applicants are required to schedule the exam online. Search results, course advertisements and casual conversations sometimes shorten that sentence to “the exam is online.” The shortened version changes its meaning.

Scheduling online means you use a portal to make an appointment. It does not describe where the test is administered. The same official page tells candidates to bring the printed page produced during scheduling to the exam site. It also provides site rules and links to the physical exam-site list.

Think of an airline ticket. Buying the ticket online does not mean the flight takes place in the browser. In the same way, the New York appointment is created online while the current standard exam is taken at the scheduled site.

What evidence shows that the standard state exam is site based?

The Department does not need to use the exact sentence “at-home testing is unavailable” for its current process to be clear. Its published instructions fit together as one site-based workflow:

1. The applicant creates or accesses an eAccessNY account.
2. The applicant schedules the salesperson examination online.
3. eAccessNY creates a Summary of Your Submission with the exam information and candidate number.
4. The Department instructs the candidate to print that page and bring it to the exam.
5. The candidate selects from available exam-site appointments.
6. The Department publishes physical site addresses.
7. The candidate presents current accepted government-issued photo and signature identification at the site.
8. Site policies govern calculators, phones, reference materials, bags, visitors, food and conduct.
9. The Department warns that a person arriving after the stated start time will not be admitted.
10. The result later appears online in eAccessNY.

Every step points to an in-person exam at the site you picked. A course provider's remote-proctoring page, another state's policy or an old forum post doesn't change the New York Department of State's process.

Is the 77-hour course the same as the state exam?

No. The qualifying course and state exam are separate requirements.

New York requires an approved 77-hour salesperson qualifying course. The school must also administer a proctored final examination under the rules governing its approved course format. Separately, the Department of State administers the New York State Real Estate Salesperson examination.

A student can therefore complete lessons online and still travel for a required exam. The exact travel depends on the course provider's approved final arrangement and the location selected for the state exam.

Use the course-versus-state-exam comparison before enrolling if those two tests are still blending together. It explains who administers each exam, what each one proves and which result belongs in the licensing process.

Can an approved school give its final online?

The answer depends on the school's approved delivery and examination arrangement.

Part 159 defines live distance education and a live distance examination for approved real estate education. A live distance examination uses simultaneous audio and video so the student and proctor can view and communicate with each other. The approved entity must receive the Department's required approval for that examination method.

That rule applies to a school-administered examination. It does not say that a student may use a school platform, a private remote-proctoring service or the school's webcam process for the Department-administered state exam.

Before paying for a course advertised as online, ask the provider in writing:

• Is the exact salesperson course currently approved by the New York Department of State?
• Is it asynchronous distance learning or live distance education?
• How is the school final administered?
• Is a physical trip required for the school final?
• If the school final is remote, does the provider have the required approval for that method?
• Which identification, device, room and retake rules apply?
• Does the provider clearly distinguish its final from the state examination?

The site's course-format comparison explains the practical differences among asynchronous, live remote and classroom study.

Where do you take the state exam?

You take it at the location shown in the scheduled appointment. The Department currently publishes salesperson exam sites in several parts of New York, but a public location list is not the same as appointment inventory.

Use two sources in this order:

1. Review the Department's current exam-sites page for public location information.
2. Use eAccessNY to see which site, date and time combinations are actually available to you.

Don't plan your trip around an address copied from an old article. Locations, rooms, dates and availability change. The Summary of Your Submission and “View Scheduled Exam Details” record control the appointment you made.

For current identification, confirmation, calculator and site rules, read the New York salesperson exam-sites and ID guide.

How do you schedule the in-person state exam online?

Use eAccessNY, the Department's licensing portal. A new applicant creates an account, establishes a permanent password, signs in, chooses “Apply to Take an Exam,” accepts the current policies and follows the portal prompts. An existing user should use the account already connected to the record instead of making a duplicate account.

Before submitting, verify:

• salesperson exam, rather than broker exam
• candidate name
• site and address
• date and start time
• current fee
• the portal's current appointment policies

After scheduling, print and save the Summary of Your Submission. The Department currently requires the printed page at the exam site. You can also use “View Scheduled Exam Details” in eAccessNY to review the appointment.

The complete click-by-click process is in How to Schedule the New York Real Estate Salesperson Exam.

Can you take the exam from another state?

Not remotely. There is no at-home option for candidates living outside New York, so you schedule an available New York exam site and plan the trip.

Suppose Maya lives in New Jersey, takes an approved online course and wants to sit for the state exam from her apartment. Her course location does not change the Department's state-exam process. She can schedule through eAccessNY from New Jersey, but the appointment itself will identify a New York exam site. She should compare travel time, transportation, identification and the stated start time before paying for the appointment.

An out-of-state education waiver is a different issue. A waiver can affect how an applicant meets the qualifying-education requirement. It does not create a published remote state-exam route. New York's current FAQ also says the Department does not have reciprocity with another state.

Can you use a laptop, tablet or webcam for the state exam?

No. You travel to the selected site and follow that site's testing rules.

Don't bring a laptop, tablet or webcam expecting to use it for the exam. The Department's current site policy says cellular phones, beepers and other electronic devices must be turned off during the examination. It also restricts reference materials and large bags. There is no published instruction telling a standard candidate to install remote-proctoring software, perform a room scan or connect a personal webcam for the state salesperson exam.

That silence is telling. A real switch to remote delivery would come with instructions on identity checks, equipment, security and conduct. The Department's instructions instead send candidates to exam sites.

Does a testing modification let you take the exam at home?

Don't count on it. Testing modifications address access needs connected to a learning, physical, mental or psychological disability. They are not a convenience option.

The Department tells a person who requires testing modifications not to schedule an ordinary exam first. The candidate should call 518-474-4429 and follow the Department's current instructions. Form DOS-1591-f asks about the examination, requested arrangement and supporting documentation.

The form says written exams with special arrangements receive one hour of extended time in a reduced group in a separate, low-distraction area, and it lets you list other needs such as a reader or scribe. The Department evaluates the request and coordinates the testing process. The published materials do not state that every requested arrangement will be approved, and they do not create a standard at-home route.

Use the full testing-modifications guide to understand the form, documentation and order of steps. Contact the Department for a decision about an individual request.

What should you expect at the physical exam site?

The Department currently requires:

1. current government-issued signature identification that is photo-bearing and appears on its accepted list
2. the printed Summary of Your Submission from eAccessNY

The exam is multiple choice and based on the official 77-hour salesperson curriculum. The Department allows 1.5 hours after the instructions conclude. Its public salesperson page does not publish a numerical passing score, question count or subject-by-subject distribution.

Only a battery- or solar-powered calculator that is silent, nonprinting and does not contain an alphabetic keyboard is permitted. The Department bars books, dictionaries, other reference materials, large bags and briefcases from the testing room. Visitors, guests and children are not permitted at the site.

The Department also says no one will be admitted after the specified starting time. Plan for the building entrance, security, parking, public transportation and the actual room, not just the drive to the address.

For a start-to-finish walkthrough, read What Happens on New York Real Estate Exam Day.

What happens online after the exam?

The result is posted in eAccessNY as Pass or Fail. The Department does not provide a numerical score and does not give results over the phone. Its public guidance says results are made available online as soon as possible after the Exam Unit receives and scores them, without promising a fixed posting time.

If the result is Pass, the candidate can move to the license-application process after meeting the remaining requirements, including sponsorship by a New York licensed real estate broker. If the result is Fail, the candidate can schedule another exam through eAccessNY.

This is another place where wording matters. Seeing the result online does not mean the exam was administered online.

How can you verify the format before paying?

Use this five-source check:

1. Open the current Department salesperson page and read the “Written Exam” section.
2. Open the official exam-sites page.
3. Sign in to eAccessNY and review the actual appointment choices.
4. Read the current Summary of Your Submission and exam policies before the appointment.
5. Contact Division of Licensing Services at 518-474-4429 if the official sources do not answer a format or accessibility question.

When evaluating a third-party statement, ask:

• Does it refer to the qualifying course, school final or state exam?
• Does it link to a current Department source?
• Does it describe scheduling online or testing online?
• Is it discussing New York or another state?
• Does it have a date?
• Is it selling a course, proctoring service or exam-prep product?

If a claim can't answer those questions, don't base travel or licensing decisions on it.

What are the most common misconceptions?

“The website says schedule online, so I take it online”

No. The online instruction describes how the appointment is made. The Department's remaining instructions describe check-in and testing at the selected site.

“My 77-hour course is online, so both exams are online”

No. Course delivery, the school final and the Department's state exam are separate questions. Confirm the school's approved final arrangement, then schedule the state exam through eAccessNY.

“A remote school final is the New York State exam”

No. A school final is administered by the approved education provider. The state examination is administered by the Department of State and is a separate licensing requirement.

“A private proctor can supervise my state exam at home”

No. The Department offers no such option, and a private service can't create one by advertising remote proctoring.

“I can choose any address on the exam-sites page”

No. The appointment available in eAccessNY and shown on your confirmation identifies where and when you are scheduled. A listed site may not have an appointment that fits your date.

“Testing modifications mean automatic home testing”

No. The Department reviews disability-related requests under its own process. Call before scheduling and follow the instructions for DOS-1591-f.

“Another state offers remote testing, so New York must do the same”

No. Each licensing authority controls its own examination. Use current New York Department of State sources for the New York salesperson exam.

“An online result proves the test was online”

No. eAccessNY is used for scheduling, appointment details, results, retakes and the standard online application. Those portal functions do not determine where the exam was delivered.

What is the safest action for each situation?

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the New York real estate salesperson exam at home?

No. As of September 25, 2026, the New York Department of State does not offer an at-home salesperson exam. You schedule online through eAccessNY and take the exam in person at the site shown in your appointment.

Is the New York real estate exam remotely proctored?

No. Remote proctoring may be part of an approved school's final exam, but the school final is separate from the Department-administered state exam.

Is the New York real estate course available online?

Yes. An approved provider can offer the 77-hour salesperson qualifying course through an approved asynchronous or live distance format. Verify the school, exact course and delivery method through current Department records.

If my course is online, where do I take the school final?

Ask the approved provider. It depends on the provider's approved course and exam method; online lessons don't automatically mean a remote final.

Do I schedule the state exam online?

Yes. The Department requires applicants to use an eAccessNY account to schedule the salesperson exam online.

Where do I take the New York state exam?

Take it at the site listed in your scheduled appointment and Summary of Your Submission. Check the current official exam-sites page and the live eAccessNY appointment record.

Can I take the state exam on a laptop?

No. There is no personal-laptop option. You test at the selected exam site under that site's rules.

Does New York use Pearson VUE or PSI for this exam?

The Department's current salesperson instructions direct applicants to eAccessNY and Department exam sites. Do not create an appointment through a third-party testing company unless the Department's current official page expressly directs you there.

Can I take the exam while I am outside New York?

You can use eAccessNY from anywhere to schedule and check results, but you must travel to the New York exam site in your appointment to take the test.

Can testing accommodations include remote testing?

The Department decides each request individually, so don't assume any specific arrangement. Call 518-474-4429 before scheduling and submit form DOS-1591 with supporting documentation.

What do I bring to the exam site?

Bring the printed Summary of Your Submission and current government-issued signature identification that is photo-bearing and appears on the Department's accepted list. Recheck the live list before the appointment.

How long is the state salesperson exam?

The Department currently allows 1.5 hours after the instructions conclude.

Is the exam multiple choice?

Yes. The Department describes the written salesperson examination as multiple choice and based on the 77-hour prelicensing curriculum.

Do I receive the result online?

Yes. eAccessNY displays Pass or Fail after the Exam Unit receives and scores the examination. The Department does not provide a numerical score.

Can I retake the exam online?

You can schedule another attempt online through eAccessNY after a Fail result. The retake itself follows the Department's current site-based standard process.

Could New York add remote state testing later?

It could, and if it does the Department's salesperson page and eAccessNY will say so.

What should you do next?

If you are ready to book, use the exam-scheduling guide and confirm the current appointment details in eAccessNY. If the course final and state exam are still easy to confuse, review the course-versus-state-exam guide before acting.

Then work through the 19-subject study guide, use free practice to locate weak areas and prepare for the exam format New York currently publishes.

Sources and verification notes

DOS describes online scheduling followed by testing at the selected site. It doesn't publish a sentence that says “no at-home testing”; our answer comes from the full official workflow, which offers no remote option.

1. New York State Department of State, Become a Real Estate Salesperson. Online scheduling, eAccessNY, testing modifications, printed confirmation, identification, site policies, results, exam format, timing and fee.
2. New York State Department of State, Real Estate Salesperson Exam Sites. Current public testing locations, addresses, late-arrival notice and emergency guidance.
3. New York State Department of State, Real Estate Salesperson Frequently Asked Questions. Separate school and state examinations, account functions, scheduling, results and licensing questions.
4. New York State Department of State, Special Testing Arrangements Request, DOS-1591-f. Eligibility, requested arrangements, supporting documentation and Department coordination.
5. New York State Department of State, Part 159 live distance education and examination rules. Rules for approved real estate education providers that distinguish a provider's live distance examination from the state examination.

This article provides general exam-logistics information. The live Department pages, eAccessNY appointment record and individualized Department instructions control if a policy, site or testing arrangement changes.