- 125 scored questions: 75 national (80 points) plus 50 Kentucky, with 150 and 90 minutes respectively.
- You need 75% on each portion separately - a high national score never offsets a low state score.
- Contracts is the largest national domain at 19%; Brokerage Activities and Requirements leads the Kentucky side.
- Fail one portion and you get four months to pass both, or you retake both from scratch.
Exam Mechanics at a Glance
Before diving into content review, lock the exam's structure into memory. The Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KREC) contracts with PSI to deliver the broker exam, and it is administered as a computer-based, multiple-choice test split into two distinct portions that are scored - and passed or failed - independently.
| Component | Questions | Time | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Portion | 75 scored (80 points) | 150 minutes | 75% |
| Kentucky Portion | 50 scored | 90 minutes | 75% |
On top of the 125 scored items, PSI may slip in 5-10 unscored experimental questions that look identical to graded ones - there's no way to identify them, so treat every question as if it counts. A silent, nonprogrammable calculator is permitted, which matters for the real estate calculations you'll face on the national side.
For a deeper walkthrough of how these two portions interact and what "passing" actually requires numerically, see the KY-REB Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass breakdown.
National Portion Domain Cheat Sheet
The national outline PSI uses took effect October 1, 2023, and it's organized into 11 weighted domains. Memorize the weights below - they tell you exactly where your study hours should go.
Contracts - 19%
The single largest national domain. Expect heavy coverage of offer and acceptance, contingencies, contract remedies, and the elements that make agreements enforceable.
- Know the difference between void, voidable, and unenforceable contracts
Agency - 13%
Fiduciary duties, types of agency relationships, and disclosure obligations show up throughout both the national and Kentucky portions, so mastery here pays double.
Practice of Real Estate - 12%
Covers day-to-day brokerage operations, advertising rules, and general practice standards tested at the national level.
Property Ownership - 10%
Estates, interests, and forms of ownership; a foundational domain that supports questions in Transfer of Title and Land Use Controls.
Financing - 9%
Loan types, mortgage instruments, and lending calculations - a domain where your calculator skills matter most.
Valuation - 8%
Appraisal approaches and factors influencing value; pairs well with the math-heavy Real Estate Calculations domain.
Property Disclosures - 7%
Material fact disclosure obligations at the national level, distinct from Kentucky's own disclosure statutes.
Transfer of Title - 6%
Deeds, closing processes, and title transfer mechanics.
Real Estate Calculations - 6%
Commission splits, prorations, and area calculations - bring your nonprogrammable calculator and know your formulas cold.
Land Use Controls - 5%
Zoning, easements, and government restrictions on property use.
Property Management - 5%
Landlord-tenant fundamentals and management responsibilities at the national level.
For candidates who want the full topic-by-topic breakdown of all 17 areas - national and Kentucky combined - the KY-REB Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 17 Content Areas article expands each one in detail.
Kentucky Portion Domain Cheat Sheet
The 50-question Kentucky portion covers six state-specific domains built around KREC statutes and administrative regulations. This is where the cumulative 2025 first-time pass rate lagged the national portion, so it deserves proportionally more review time relative to its question count.
Brokerage Activities and Requirements
The largest Kentucky domain. Expect detailed questions on broker responsibilities, supervision duties, trust account handling, and office requirements under Kentucky law.
- Study escrow and trust fund rules closely - they're a favorite testing area
Real Estate Commission
KREC's structure, authority, and disciplinary powers over licensees.
Requirements for a License
Education, experience, and application mechanics specific to Kentucky licensure - closely tied to eligibility rules covered below.
License Law Requirements for Contracts
How Kentucky statutes govern contract language, forms, and required disclosures within agreements.
Disclosures and Agency Issues
State-specific agency disclosure rules layered on top of the national Agency and Property Disclosures domains.
Property Management
Kentucky's own landlord-tenant and management statutes, separate from the national Property Management domain.
Eligibility & Application Snapshot
You can't sit for the broker exam without meeting KREC's prerequisites. Confirm these before you schedule anything with PSI:
- At least 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED
- Two years of experience working at least 20 hours per week as a licensee
- Either 21 academic credits (including 12 in real estate and 3 in Brokerage Management) or 336 approved classroom hours (including 48 in Brokerage Management)
- FBI background-check process initiated before scheduling the exam
- Application to KREC submitted within 60 days after passing both exam portions
Key Takeaway
Start your FBI background check early - it must be initiated before you can even schedule with PSI, and processing delays can push back your entire exam timeline.
Every one of these prerequisites, plus documentation tips, is covered in more depth in KY-REB Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Retake Rules You Cannot Afford to Miss
Passing scores are earned per portion, not as a combined average. That creates a specific trap for candidates who ace one side and barely miss the other.
This rule changes how you should prioritize review. If you're stronger on national content, don't neglect the Kentucky portion just because it "feels" easier conceptually - a 44.00% first-time state pass rate cumulative through December 1, 2025, signals it deserves real, dedicated attention rather than a quick skim the night before.
For a candid assessment of how the two portions compare in actual difficulty, read How Hard Is the KY-REB Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Post-Exam Licensing Upkeep
Passing the exam is a milestone, not a finish line. Once you're an active licensee, KREC requires ongoing compliance:
- 6 CE hours annually, including 3 law hours
- The Kentucky Core Course once every four years
- Active E&O insurance maintained at all times
- License renewal by March 31 of even-numbered years
Build these dates into your calendar now - missing a CE deadline or renewal window creates avoidable friction after you've already cleared the harder hurdle of the exam itself. If you're weighing whether the license and ongoing obligations are worth the effort long-term, Is the KY-REB Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 walks through the tradeoffs, and KY-REB Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown lays out the full cost picture beyond the $100 exam fee.
Last-Week Review Schedule
In the final stretch before test day, structure your remaining hours around domain weight rather than personal comfort. Heavier domains earn more review blocks; lighter ones get a single confirmation pass.
Contracts & Agency
- Drill contract elements, remedies, and fiduciary duty scenarios - these two domains carry the heaviest national weight (19% and 13%)
Brokerage Activities and Requirements
- Focus on trust accounts, supervision, and office requirements - the largest Kentucky domain
Calculations, Financing, Valuation
- Practice math problems with your actual calculator to build speed for the 150-minute national session
Kentucky Statutes Review
- Run through Requirements for a License, Contracts, and Disclosures domains one final time
For a full first-attempt strategy that goes beyond this final week, see the KY-REB Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And once you're ready to test your recall under timed conditions, run full-length practice sessions on our practice test platform to simulate both the 150-minute national and 90-minute Kentucky sessions.
FAQ
125 scored questions total - 75 national questions worth 80 points and 50 Kentucky questions - plus up to 5-10 unscored experimental questions mixed in.
You need 75% on each portion separately. A strong national score does not compensate for a weak Kentucky score, or vice versa.
You have four months from that attempt to pass both portions. If you don't pass both within that window, you must retake both from scratch.
$100 per attempt through PSI, the testing administrator contracted by the Kentucky Real Estate Commission.
Contracts at 19% is the largest national domain, and Brokerage Activities and Requirements is the largest Kentucky domain - both deserve outsized review time.
Keep this page bookmarked as your quick-reference sheet, and pair it with focused practice questions on the main KY-REB practice test hub as exam day approaches.