New York Salesperson Exam Changes and Official Updates

The most important current points for a student are the move from 75 to 77 hours of qualifying education effective December 21, 2022, the expanded fair housing content, the current $15 exam fee and $65 initial license fee, the Department's current no-reciprocity rule, and the removal of the former $500 Property Condition Disclosure Act credit effective March 20, 2024. The required property disclosure form was updated again effective July 1, 2025.

Current status at a glance

This table reports what the Department currently publishes. It does not convert course hours into an exam blueprint.

Official source map

The Department of State's “Become a Real Estate Salesperson” page controls the current public exam instructions, duration, fees, identification list, score reporting and application route. The March 2026 Department compilation of the Real Estate License Law contains the current course-hour table and regulations. The Department's licensing-updates page records the fee increase and standardized operating procedure requirements. The salesperson FAQ confirms the current no-reciprocity position and education transition rules.

The New York Senate's current statutory text is used for Article 12-A and Article 14 changes.

What changed in the qualifying course?

December 21, 2022: 75 hours became 77 hours

The salesperson qualifying course increased from 75 instructional hours to 77. The Department's Real Estate Board reported that this change took effect December 21, 2022. The expansion reflected legislation requiring two additional hours of prelicensing fair housing education.

The current regulations allocate the 77 instructional hours across 19 subjects:

The regulations list a three-hour school final examination in addition to the 77 hours of instruction, making 80 scheduled hours in the approved course structure.

Course hours do not create a published state-exam distribution

The hour table governs approved qualifying education. It does not say the state exam will use the same proportion of questions. A six-hour course subject is not promised a particular number of state-exam items, and a one-hour subject should not be ignored.

Use the 19 subjects as your complete curriculum map, but don't read the hours as official exam weights. The Department has never published an exam blueprint that says so.

The school final and state exam are separate

The Department's current FAQ states that applicants complete a school-administered proctored examination in addition to the qualifying examination administered by the Department of State.

A student therefore passes two different checkpoints:

1. the approved provider's course final, which completes the qualifying course
2. the Department's salesperson examination, which is part of the licensing process

Passing one does not stand in for the other.

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What has not changed about the current state exam?

The current Department page still states that:

• the exam is multiple choice
• the exam is based on the 77-hour prelicensing curriculum
• applicants receive 90 minutes after instructions conclude
• scheduling and results are handled through eAccessNY
• results are reported as Pass or Fail
• a passing result remains valid for two years
• a person who fails may schedule another exam through eAccessNY

As of September 25, 2026, no Department notice announces a new format, an at-home remote exam, a published numerical score or an official weighting table.

Why this page does not state an exam question count

Many third-party pages state a fixed number of New York salesperson exam questions. The Department's current public salesperson exam page does not publish that count. It publishes the format and time limit.

The careful answer is:

The current official page confirms a multiple-choice exam with a 90-minute time limit. It does not publish an official question count.

That answer holds up even if a test form changes without notice, and it keeps you from building a pacing plan around a number nobody official has confirmed.

Why this page does not state a numerical passing score

The Department says results are reported as Pass or Fail and that applicants do not receive a numerical score. Its public page does not state a numerical passing percentage.

An old school policy, another state's cutoff or a prep company's target score is not New York's passing threshold. A personal practice target is fine, as long as you treat it as your own study goal and not the state's rule.

Current exam-day rules that students should recheck

The Department currently requires:

• current, government-issued, photo-bearing identification with a signature from its accepted list
• the “Summary of Your Submission” page produced when the exam was scheduled, including the candidate number

The current accepted-ID list includes several physical documents and New York Mobile ID at Albany, Buffalo, Hauppauge and New York City exam locations. Mobile ID acceptance is therefore location-specific on the current page.

The Department currently allows a calculator only when it is battery or solar powered, silent, nonprinting and without an alphabetic keyboard. Phones and other electronic devices must be turned off. Books, dictionaries, notes and other reference materials are not allowed.

Exam sites, closures and accepted technology can change faster than statutes. Reopen the Department page and the scheduled-exam summary shortly before the appointment.

Current fees and when they changed

Effective January 21, 2022, the salesperson initial and renewal license fee increased to $65. The Department explains that the increase applies to initial and renewal applications. Real Property Law section 441-b reflects a $55 salesperson fee plus a $10 fair housing surcharge.

The current Department fee list is:

• $15 written examination
• $65 initial salesperson application
• $65 salesperson renewal
• $10 personal name or address change, with no fee for a name change resulting from marital status
• $10 duplicate license or registration request

Application fees are nonrefundable. School tuition and optional exam-preparation products are not Department exam fees.

Current application sequence

For a first-time applicant qualifying by exam, the current path is:

1. Complete approved qualifying education and the school final.
2. Schedule and pass the Department exam through eAccessNY.
3. Apply online through the existing eAccessNY account.
4. Enter the sponsoring broker and correct office information.
5. Pay the application fee.
6. Have the principal broker authorize the pending application.
7. Wait for Department review and issuance.

The exam result alone does not create a license. Broker authorization alone does not create one either. A person must wait for Department issuance and an active association before performing licensed activity.

Current reciprocity rule

The Department's current salesperson FAQ says New York does not have reciprocity with any other state.

An out-of-state license therefore does not by itself produce a New York salesperson license. A person who completed education outside New York may submit a written request for an education waiver with proof of course completion, a detailed topic-and-hours outline and a course description. A waiver is a Department evaluation of education, not reciprocal recognition of the other license.

Old reciprocity charts still circulate online. Check the live Department FAQ instead.

Fair housing changes that still affect study and practice

June 20, 2020: disclosure, posting and course-recording rules

New fair housing regulations took effect June 20, 2020. Department guidance explains three major requirements:

• A licensee must provide the Department's Fair Housing and Anti-Discrimination Disclosure (the New York State Housing and Anti-Discrimination Disclosure Form) upon first substantive contact with a prospective buyer, tenant, seller or landlord. The broker must retain the form for three years from issuance.
• Required fair housing notices must be displayed at broker offices, on covered websites and at open houses as the rule specifies.
• Approved fair housing education providers must create a complete audio and video recording of each fair housing course and retain it for one year.

The fair housing disclosure is not the section 443 agency disclosure. One informs consumers of anti-discrimination protections. The other explains the licensee's agency role.

2021 and 2022: continuing education changes

Starting July 1, 2021, the continuing education rules added required hours in ethical business practices (2.5) and recent legal matters (1), and ended the old 15-year broker exemption. In 2022, two hours each of implicit bias and cultural competency were added. The Department's current FAQ states that licensees generally must complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education, with required topics including fair housing, ethics, recent legal matters, implicit bias, cultural competency and agency. Attorneys admitted to the New York State Bar remain the stated exception to the continuing-education requirement.

This is a renewal rule, not part of the initial 77-hour course. A student should know the distinction because the license lifecycle begins after the initial license is issued.

December 21, 2022: stronger prelicensing fair housing content

The two-hour salesperson course expansion increased Human Rights and Fair Housing to six instructional hours in the current course table. The current curriculum also treats fair housing as a working responsibility across advertising, agency, screening and consumer service, not as an isolated vocabulary list.

April 20, 2022: standardized operating procedures

Every New York real estate broker must have standardized operating procedures addressing whether prospective homebuyers must show identification, sign an exclusive broker agreement or provide mortgage preapproval before receiving services.

The Department's update says that, beginning April 20, 2022:

• brokers must make the procedures publicly available as required
• a broker's public website and mobile application must display them
• covered agent and team sites must display them or link directly to the broker's posting
• broker offices must make them available
• amendments must be dated, notarized, archived and posted within the specified time
• licensees operating under the broker must follow the procedures

The amended law removed the earlier requirement to file the procedures with the Department, so “file every SOP with DOS” is a wrong answer under current law.

March 20, 2024: the $500 property disclosure credit ended

Chapter 484 of the Laws of 2023 changed the Property Condition Disclosure Act effective March 20, 2024.

The law:

• repealed the former $500 closing-credit alternative
• expanded the statutory disclosure form's flood-risk questions
• preserved existing causes of action and set out seller liability language for willful failure under section 465

An old exam-prep statement saying a seller can choose between the form and a $500 credit is no longer current.

The expanded form asks about FEMA flood areas, federal flood-insurance requirements, known federal disaster assistance, existing flood insurance, elevation certificates, flood claims and water damage from specified events.

July 1, 2025: a revised property disclosure form became required

The Department identifies DOS-1614-f, revised February 2025 and effective July 1, 2025, as the required Property Condition Disclosure Statement.

The revised form retains 56 numbered items and includes the expanded flood section. It also points users to New York State Department of Health information on septic-system operation and maintenance.

This was a form update. It did not restore the repealed $500 credit, turn the statement into a warranty or require the seller under Article 14 to conduct an inspection.

March 2026: current license-law compilation

The Department published a March 2026 Real Estate License Law compilation. It is the best consolidated Department source for Article 12-A and the applicable regulations at this checkpoint.

A new compilation date does not mean every section changed in March 2026. It means students should prefer the current compilation over an older PDF when checking regulation text, course hours and cross-references. For a statute that may have changed after compilation, compare it with the current New York Senate text.

Proposed legislation is not a current exam rule

A bill can have a sponsor, bill number, committee assignment and proposed effective date without becoming law. A bill that passed one chamber is still not necessarily law. Likewise, an adopted statute may require a later effective date or implementing form before it changes what a student should do.

Before treating a proposal as current:

1. Check its status on the New York Senate or Assembly site.
2. Confirm that it passed both houses.
3. Confirm gubernatorial action or another valid path to enactment.
4. Read the chapter law and effective date.
5. Check whether the Department changed its form, regulation, FAQ or curriculum.

Two real examples as of September 25, 2026: S8870/A9518, which would raise the salesperson experience needed for a broker license from two years to four consecutive years, and S10274/A10679 (the Fair and Transparent Real Estate Listings Act), which would require public marketing of most residential listings. Both passed the Senate and Assembly on June 1, 2026, and neither had been signed as of that date. Neither is current law, and neither belongs in the current-rule table above. Check the New York Senate bill page and the Department of State before relying on either.

How to tell whether an online “update” is reliable

Use this five-part test:

1. Is the source official?

Prefer the Department of State, New York Senate current statutes, New York State Register, Division of Human Rights and other responsible government agencies.

2. Is the date a publication date or an effective date?

A law signed in one year can take effect later. Study the effective date.

3. Is the page describing the course or the state exam?

Course hours, school finals and provider policies should not be relabeled as state-exam specifications.

4. Is the statement about an applicant or a licensee?

The 77-hour requirement applies before initial licensure. The 22.5-hour continuing-education requirement applies to renewal. Mixing them creates false study advice.

5. Does the official current page still support the claim?

Old forms and cached articles remain online. Compare them with the live Department page and current law.

What students should change in their study plan

Use the full 19-subject curriculum

Build a checklist from all 19 subjects. Do not study only license law, agency and math.

Give fair housing its current depth

Study federal, state and local protections, steering, blockbusting, discriminatory advertising, disability accommodations and modifications, source-of-income issues, standardized operating procedures, the fair housing disclosure and enforcement consequences.

Learn rules as decisions

For each topic, be able to answer:

• Who owes the duty?
• To whom is it owed?
• What action is required or prohibited?
• When must it happen?
• What document or record proves compliance?
• What exception changes the result?

Mark changed rules visibly

Create a short “old versus current” sheet:

Worked exam-update scenarios

Scenario 1: fixed question count

A commercial page states an exact state-exam question count but does not cite a current Department source.

Treat that number as unofficial. The current Department page confirms multiple choice and 90 minutes but does not publish a question count.

Scenario 2: 75-hour student

An applicant completed the former 75-hour course and wants a license now.

The current Department instructions describe an additional two-hour fair housing and/or implicit-bias course for that transition route, subject to the course-validity rules.

Scenario 3: reciprocal license

A person licensed in another state assumes New York will issue a salesperson license without further review.

The current Department FAQ says there is no reciprocity. The person may request an education waiver with the required proof, but that is not automatic license recognition.

Scenario 4: $500 credit

A seller wants to omit the Property Condition Disclosure Statement and give the buyer $500 at closing.

That credit alternative was repealed in 2024. Apply the current Article 14 requirements and exemptions.

Scenario 5: course hour used as weighting

A student predicts that Commercial and Investment Properties must make up a fixed fraction of the state exam because the course assigns it ten hours.

That is not an official weighting. The table governs course instruction.

Scenario 6: SOP filed with the state

A question says every broker must send each standardized operating procedure to the Department.

The later amendment removed the filing requirement. The broker still has posting, availability, amendment and archive duties.

Scenario 7: proposed bill treated as law

A social post quotes a bill's proposed effective date and says the exam changed that morning.

Check enactment, actual effective date and Department implementation before changing the answer.

Common misconceptions

“The state publishes an official question distribution”

Not on its current public salesperson exam page. The 77-hour allocation is a course syllabus.

“A Pass result means the applicant can begin immediately”

No. A passing result is one licensing requirement. The application and active broker association still matter.

“Current rules are all in one PDF forever”

No. Statutes, regulations, forms and Department instructions can update on different dates.

“Any change in real estate law changes the state exam immediately”

Not necessarily. The law may fall outside the curriculum, have a future effective date or await implementation. Students should know the current law relevant to the published syllabus without inventing a new exam specification.

“The 77-hour course includes the three-hour final”

The current regulatory table lists 77 hours of instruction and a separate three-hour final, for 80 total scheduled hours.

Frequently asked questions

Did the New York real estate salesperson exam change in 2026?

No. As of September 25, 2026, the Department of State has announced no new salesperson exam format. It is still a 90-minute multiple-choice exam based on the 77-hour curriculum.

How many questions are on the New York salesperson exam?

The New York Department of State does not publish an official question count for the salesperson exam. Any specific number you see on a third-party site is unofficial.

What score is needed to pass the New York salesperson exam?

New York does not publish a numerical passing score. The Department of State reports salesperson exam results only as Pass or Fail.

Is the New York salesperson course 75 or 77 hours?

It is currently 77 hours of instruction. The increase from 75 hours took effect December 21, 2022. The approved course structure also lists a separate three-hour school final.

How long is the New York salesperson exam?

The New York salesperson exam allows 90 minutes (1 1/2 hours), starting after the exam instructions conclude.

How much does the state exam cost?

The New York salesperson exam fee is $15 per attempt. The initial license application is a separate $65 fee.

How long is a passing result valid?

A passed salesperson exam result is valid for two years.

Does New York have real estate license reciprocity?

The Department says it currently has no reciprocity with another state. An applicant may request an education waiver where appropriate.

Is the $500 property disclosure credit still available?

No. It was repealed effective March 20, 2024.

Where should I check for the next exam change?

Use the Department's “Become a Real Estate Salesperson,” “Important Updates: Licensing,” current Real Estate License Law and salesperson FAQ pages. Check the New York Senate current statutes for enacted changes.

What to study next

Start with what the New York salesperson exam tests, then review the 77-hour curriculum guide and exam overview. Use the 19-subject study guide and free practice sampler after marking the outdated rules listed above.

Sources and verification notes

It reports confirmed rules, effective changes and the Department's current published exam information. It does not treat course-hour allocations as exam weights or pending legislation as law. Because exam sites, accepted ID, forms and portal instructions can change, students should reopen the linked Department pages shortly before acting.

1. New York Department of State, Become a Real Estate Salesperson. Current exam format, duration, score reporting, result validity, identification, fees and application process.
2. New York Department of State, Real Estate License Law, March 2026. Current Article 12-A and regulatory compilation, including the 77-hour subject table.
3. New York Department of State, Important Updates: Licensing. Standardized operating procedures, 2022 license fee increase and current form notices.
4. New York Department of State, Real Estate Salesperson FAQ. School final, older-course transition routes, continuing education and current no-reciprocity statement.
5. New York Department of State, 2022 Real Estate Board meeting summary. Effective dates for the salesperson course increase and expanded fair housing education.
6. New York Department of State, fair housing guidance for real estate licensees. First-substantive-contact disclosure, posting and record requirements effective June 20, 2020.
7. New York Department of State, Real Estate Continuing Education Update. Required ethics and recent-legal-matters education and removal of the former long-service broker exemption.
8. New York Real Property Law section 441-b. Current salesperson and examination fee provisions.
9. New York Real Property Law section 442-h. Standardized operating procedure authority and related licensee duties.
10. New York Real Property Law section 462. Current Property Condition Disclosure Statement and flood questions.
11. New York Real Property Law section 465. Current disclosure liability language after repeal of the credit provision.
12. New York Department of State, current Property Condition Disclosure Statement. Required form effective July 1, 2025.
13. New York State Senate, S8870 (2025-2026 session). Pending broker-experience bill and its status.
14. New York State Senate, S10274 (2025-2026 session). Pending Fair and Transparent Real Estate Listings Act and its status.

This article provides general educational guidance. It does not reproduce live examination content or provide legal advice.