How to Request New York Real Estate Exam Testing Modifications

The request form is for applicants seeking arrangements because of a learning, physical, hearing, mental or psychological disability. It also lists wheelchair access and an “other” classification. Ask for the support you actually need and explain it clearly. Resist the urge to assume an ordinary eAccessNY appointment can be changed at the testing site.

What should you do first?

Use this order:

1. Do not book a regular salesperson exam appointment.
2. Call Licensing Services at 518-474-4429.
3. Download the current Special Testing Arrangements Request, form DOS-1591.
4. Mark Real Estate Sales under written examinations.
5. Identify the request classification that applies.
6. Describe the arrangement or auxiliary aid you need.
7. Gather the supporting documentation required by the form.
8. Submit the form and documentation to the official email or mailing address printed on the current form.
9. Monitor the phone number and email address you provided.
10. Follow the Exam Unit's instructions before treating an exam date as confirmed.

The Department does not publish a standard processing-time promise on the salesperson page or the request form. Start early enough to allow for review, questions and scheduling. “Early” is practical advice, not an official filing deadline.

Official source map

Three official sources answer different parts of the process:

• The New York State Department of State real estate salesperson page says people who require testing modifications should not schedule an exam and should call 518-474-4429. It links the current form and translated versions.
• The Special Testing Arrangements Request, DOS-1591 identifies who should use the form, what information it requests, the standard testing setting, documentation options and submission routes.
• The U.S. Department of Justice testing-accommodations guidance explains the broader federal principles for disability-related accommodations on licensing and other high-stakes examinations.

For this New York salesperson exam, begin with the Department of State's instructions and current form. Federal guidance adds context, but it does not replace the state request process or decide an individual request.

Who can use the Special Testing Arrangements Request?

The form says it is for an applicant seeking special testing arrangements due to a learning, physical, mental or psychological disability. Its classification section also lists:

• learning disability
• physical disability
• hearing disability
• mental disability
• psychological disability
• wheelchair access
• other

Mark every classification that accurately applies. If “other” is the best fit, use the space provided to identify it. The form does not ask a candidate to choose a diagnosis from a complete medical catalogue.

A request should connect the disability-related barrier to the testing arrangement needed. The purpose is not to make the examination easier. It is to make the examination accessible so the result measures the knowledge or skill the examination is intended to measure rather than the effect of a disability that is not itself being tested.

Which form should a salesperson candidate use?

Use the current Special Testing Arrangements Request, form DOS-1591, linked from the Department's salesperson page. On Part 2, select Real Estate Sales under Written Examinations.

The same form covers several Department of State license examinations. Selecting the correct examination matters because the Exam Unit needs to know which test and administration process to arrange. A New York real estate salesperson examination is written, not practical.

The current Department page also links translations of the request form in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian, Chinese and Bengali. Those translations can help a candidate understand and complete the request. Their availability does not establish the languages in which the salesperson examination itself is offered.

What information goes in each part of DOS-1591?

Part 1: Personal information

Print or type your:

• last name, first name and middle initial
• mailing address
• email address
• city, state and ZIP code
• daytime telephone number

Use contact information you check regularly. The form specifically explains that the phone number is important because the Department may need additional information or may call to make examination arrangements.

Part 2: Type of examination

Mark Real Estate Sales in the written-examinations list. Do not mark Real Estate Broker unless that is the separate examination you are actually requesting.

Part 3: Classification of request

Mark the classification or classifications that describe the basis of the request. Use “other” when needed and describe it accurately.

Part 4: Arrangements requested

State the specific change, aid or service you need. The form gives a reader and a scribe as examples of additional accommodations. Other possible accommodations in testing generally can include accessible seating, large print, screen-reading technology, breaks or permission related to medically necessary items, but the New York form does not publish a preapproved menu of every possible arrangement.

Describe the functional need, not just the label of a condition. A useful request answers three questions:

1. What testing barrier does the disability create?
2. What arrangement addresses that barrier?
3. How does that arrangement allow the examination to measure real estate knowledge fairly?

Do not request an item merely because it would be convenient. The form says the arrangement must be appropriate to the disability.

Part 5: Supporting documentation

The form requires either:

• supporting documentation from a physician or another qualified professional, or
• evidence of prior accommodations from a school or another institution

Submit material that supports the relationship between the disability and the requested arrangement. The form itself does not prescribe a single required letter template, a universal recency rule or a fixed list of professional credentials.

What testing arrangements does the New York form identify?

The current form says all examinations with special testing arrangements will be administered to a reduced group in a separate, low-distraction area. It also states:

• written examinations receive one hour of extended time
• practical examinations receive 30 minutes of extended time
• additional accommodations, such as a reader or scribe, should be listed on the form
• arrangements must be appropriate to the disability

The New York real estate salesperson examination is a written examination. The ordinary salesperson page gives candidates 1 1/2 hours after instructions. Read together, the current public materials state that a salesperson written examination administered with special testing arrangements receives one additional hour. Confirm the exact start time, end time, site and approved arrangements in the instructions sent for your individual appointment.

Avoid inferring that every requested device, person, break pattern or format is automatically permitted. Write down the full request and wait for the Department's arrangement instructions.

What supporting documentation is useful?

The controlling New York checklist is short: documentation from a physician or another qualified professional, or evidence of prior accommodations from a school or institution.

Useful documentation should make the request understandable. Depending on the situation, it may identify:

• the professional or institution providing the record
• the disability or functional limitation relevant to testing
• how the condition affects reading, seeing, hearing, concentrating, writing, sitting, accessing the room or another testing activity
• the accommodation previously used or currently recommended
• why the requested support addresses the testing barrier

Do not add medical records that have no connection to the request merely to make the packet look larger. The Department of Justice guidance says documentation requests should be reasonable and limited to the need for the requested accommodation. It identifies recommendations from qualified professionals and proof of past testing accommodations as examples of supporting material.

The federal guidance also explains that the absence of a previous formal accommodation does not by itself prevent a first-time request. If you have no school accommodation record, follow the New York form's qualified-professional route and ask the Department what it needs for your circumstances.

How should a professional letter explain the need?

The Department's public salesperson materials do not publish a mandatory letter format. A clear letter can still reduce ambiguity. Ask the professional to focus on the requested testing support rather than supplying an unrelated treatment history.

A practical letter may include:

• the professional's name, credentials and contact information
• the basis for the professional's familiarity with the candidate
• the relevant disability or impairment
• the functional effect in a timed, multiple-choice testing setting
• the specific accommodation recommended
• the connection between that accommodation and the functional limitation

This is an organizational checklist, not an additional rule imposed by the Department. The Exam Unit decides what information it needs for the request.

Where do you submit the request?

The current form gives two routes. Submit the completed request and supporting documentation:

• by email to specialtesting@dos.ny.gov, or
• by mail to New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Exam Unit (Special Testing), P.O. Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001

Use the destination printed on the version of the form you are submitting. Forms and contact details can change. Reopen the official form immediately before sending rather than relying on an old downloaded copy.

If you use email, send the documents to the official address shown on the form and keep a copy of what you sent. Use a clear subject line with your name and examination type. Do not send passwords or unrelated sensitive records.

If you use mail, retain a copy of the completed packet and note when it was sent. The public form does not require a particular private delivery company or publish a mandatory tracking method.

Should you schedule through eAccessNY first?

No. The Department's instruction is direct: people who require testing modifications should not schedule an exam and should instead call 518-474-4429.

This differs from the ordinary route in the New York salesperson exam scheduling guide, where candidates use eAccessNY to choose an available appointment. A modification request begins with the Department, not with a regular seat that the candidate expects staff to change later.

If you already scheduled before realizing you need a modification, call Licensing Services. Do not cancel, reschedule or pay another fee based only on an unofficial recommendation. Ask the Department how to handle the existing appointment.

When should you submit the request?

Submit it before scheduling and early enough for the Exam Unit to review the packet, ask questions and arrange an appropriate setting. The current form and salesperson page do not publish a fixed turnaround time or a universal deadline measured in business days.

A sensible planning sequence is:

• request the modification while studying, not on the final night
• confirm that the supporting record addresses the arrangement requested
• confirm that your phone number and email are correct
• keep copies of the packet
• allow time to answer a follow-up question
• wait for the Department's scheduling instructions

Do not choose an exam date first and build the request around it. The available date for an individually arranged administration may not match the ordinary eAccessNY inventory.

What happens after you submit the packet?

The form explains that the Department needs a daytime phone number so it can contact the applicant for more information or to make examination arrangements. The salesperson page tells modification applicants to call instead of scheduling.

The public real estate materials do not promise a specific response method, processing period or approval outcome. Monitor both the phone number and email address you provided, including voicemail and spam folders. If you need a status update, use the Department's current Licensing Services contact rather than calling an examination building.

When the Department contacts you, confirm:

• the examination type is Real Estate Sales
• the approved arrangement
• the date and starting time
• the location and accessibility details
• what identification and confirmation material to bring
• whether any approved device, medication, aid or support person requires a special instruction

Keep the appointment communication with your exam-day documents.

How can you describe a request clearly?

Avoid a vague sentence such as “I need help with the exam.” Describe the barrier and the requested response.

Example: reading-related request

“Because of the documented disability described in the attached record, I am requesting the testing arrangement recommended by my qualified professional for a timed written examination.”

Then name the arrangement precisely. Do not copy an example that does not match your documentation.

Example: mobility-related request

Identify the access need, such as wheelchair access or an accessible testing station, and any related seating or room requirement. Ask the Department to confirm the site arrangement before travel.

Example: reader or scribe

State whether you are requesting a reader, a scribe or both, and explain how the request relates to the documented testing barrier. The form specifically lists a reader and scribe as examples of additional accommodations.

These examples show structure, not wording required by the Department. Use your own facts and the recommendation or prior-accommodation evidence that supports your request.

What mistakes cause avoidable confusion?

Scheduling a standard appointment first

This conflicts with the Department's published instruction. Start with the call and request process.

Selecting the wrong examination

The form lists both Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Sales. A salesperson candidate should mark Real Estate Sales under written examinations.

Naming a condition without naming an arrangement

The Exam Unit needs to understand what change, auxiliary aid or service is requested. Complete Part 4 specifically.

Requesting an arrangement without supporting documentation

Part 5 is marked required. Attach documentation from a physician or another qualified professional, or evidence of prior accommodations from a school or institution.

Assuming a translated form means a translated exam

The Department provides translations of DOS-1591. That fact does not answer which exam languages are available. Ask the Department directly if language affects the support you need.

Relying on an old copy of the form

Use the version linked from the current salesperson page. Check the revision, email and mailing address again before submission.

Sending more private information than the request needs

Provide documentation relevant to the accommodation. Keep copies and use the official submission channel printed on the form.

Treating general web advice as an individual decision

Only the Department can confirm how it will administer your modified salesperson examination. A school, tutor or preparation website cannot approve the request.

What should you bring to the arranged examination?

Follow the individual instructions from the Exam Unit first. The ordinary salesperson rules still provide a useful baseline: current accepted photo-bearing signature identification, the required appointment confirmation, and only permitted exam-day items.

Review the current New York exam-site and ID rules after the Department confirms the appointment. If the approved arrangement involves equipment, medication, food, a reader, a scribe, breaks or another item outside the ordinary rules, rely on the written arrangement instructions rather than bringing it without confirmation.

The exam-day guide can help with arrival and conduct. Keep the arranged-testing communication with your identification and other required documents.

Frequently asked questions

Can I request extra time for the New York real estate exam?

The current Special Testing Arrangements Request says written examinations administered with special testing arrangements receive one hour of extended time. Do not schedule first. Call 518-474-4429 and submit DOS-1591 with the required supporting documentation.

Does the salesperson exam modification form cost money?

The current salesperson fee table lists a $15 written-exam fee but does not list a separate fee for DOS-1591 or special testing arrangements. Follow the Department's individual scheduling and payment instructions. Avoid inferring that every expense associated with obtaining documentation is covered.

Can I ask for a reader or scribe?

Yes, the form gives a reader and scribe as examples of additional accommodations that may be requested. List the specific arrangement and provide supporting documentation. The arrangement must be appropriate to the disability.

What proof does New York require?

The form requires documentation from a physician or another qualified professional, or evidence of prior accommodations from a school or another institution. The Department may contact you for additional information.

Is an IEP or Section 504 plan useful?

It can be evidence of a prior accommodation from a school or institution. Federal guidance treats prior formal accommodations as meaningful evidence. Submit the relevant material and follow the Exam Unit's instructions for your request.

What if I never had accommodations in school?

The New York form also accepts supporting documentation from a physician or another qualified professional. Federal guidance explains that a first-time request is not excluded merely because no formal school accommodation existed.

Can I submit the request by email?

Yes. The current DOS-1591 form says the completed form and supporting documentation may be emailed to specialtesting@dos.ny.gov. Recheck the live form before sending.

Can I book a regular exam while waiting?

The Department says people who require testing modifications should not schedule an examination and should call 518-474-4429 instead. Follow that direction unless the Department gives you a different instruction for your case.

How long will approval take?

The current salesperson page and DOS-1591 do not publish a standard turnaround time. Submit a complete request before scheduling, monitor your contacts and respond promptly to the Exam Unit.

Are all modification exams in a separate room?

The form says examinations with special testing arrangements are administered to a reduced group in a separate, low-distraction area. Confirm the actual site and room instructions for your appointment.

Does a translated request form mean I can take the exam in that language?

No. A translated administrative form does not establish exam-language availability. Ask the Department directly about the examination and any disability-related communication support you need.

Will the result show that I received an accommodation?

The Department's salesperson page reports results as Pass or Fail without a numerical score. Federal testing-accommodation guidance says accommodated scores should be reported the same way as other scores and should not be flagged because an accommodation was used.

A final submission checklist

• I have not scheduled an ordinary appointment.
• I called 518-474-4429 and checked the current process.
• I downloaded DOS-1591 from the official salesperson page.
• My name, mailing address, email and daytime phone number are readable and current.
• I marked Real Estate Sales under written examinations.
• I marked the accurate request classification.
• I described the exact arrangement requested.
• I attached documentation from a qualified professional or evidence of prior institutional accommodations.
• The documentation connects the testing barrier to the arrangement.
• I used the official email or mailing address printed on the live form.
• I kept a complete copy.
• I will wait for and follow the Exam Unit's scheduling instructions.

What to do next

After submitting the request, continue studying from the 19-subject New York study guide while monitoring the contact details you provided. When the Exam Unit confirms the appointment, use the exam-day guide and the current site and ID checklist to prepare without overriding any special instructions in your arrangement notice.

If English is not your first language, use the second-language study method. Language learning and disability-related testing modifications are separate issues, so ask the Department which process applies to the support you need.

Sources and verification notes

This guide was checked on August 27, 2026. Forms, contact information and testing procedures can change. Open the Department's current salesperson page and DOS-1591 immediately before submitting a request.

1. New York State Department of State, Become a Real Estate Salesperson. Instruction not to schedule before requesting a testing modification, Licensing Services phone number, exam format and timing, current form links, translations and salesperson fees.
2. New York State Department of State, Special Testing Arrangements Request, DOS-1591. Eligible request categories, examination selection, standard low-distraction setting, extended-time statement, additional-arrangement examples, supporting documentation and submission routes.
3. New York State Department of State, Real Estate Salesperson Frequently Asked Questions. Ordinary eAccessNY scheduling and exam-account workflow, used to distinguish the standard process from an individually arranged examination.
4. U.S. Department of Justice, ADA Requirements: Testing Accommodations. Federal guidance on licensing examinations, testing access, reasonable documentation, prior accommodations, first-time requests, qualified professionals and score reporting.
5. U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations. Regulatory context for examinations and courses, auxiliary aids, modifications and reasonable documentation.

This article provides general educational information about the published request process. It does not provide medical or legal advice and does not decide whether a particular arrangement will be approved. The New York State Department of State's current form and individual instructions control the request and appointment.