Pass Your North Dakota Real Estate Exam the First Time

North Dakota requires 90 hours of pre-licensing education. The exam tests mineral rights extensively - oil and gas rights are commonly severed from surface rights here. Understanding these 'split estates' is essential for your career!

Questions

140

100 NAT / 40 STATE

To Pass

70%

70% NAT / 75% STATE

Time Limit

4 Hrs

240 TOTAL MINUTES

Provider

PSI

NDREC

Pass your North Dakota Salesperson, Broker or Broker Associate License

North Dakota has some of the lowest exam volume in the country, which means fewer practice resources exist and the ones that do are rarely built for this state specifically.

The Bakken oil boom made mineral rights a regular topic on the North Dakota exam, and no national study material covers the severance rules and agricultural land regulations that the NDREC draws from. AI language models trained on national content have no framework for North Dakota’s specific regulatory structure, and generic platforms were not built for this state.

The License Professor is written by licensed North Dakota professionals who built questions around PSI state portion priorities. Every question on mineral rights, agricultural land requirements, and buyer brokerage procedures is grounded in North Dakota law.

North Dakota Sample Exams

Experience the real study interface — no account required.

Salesperson

Individuals new to real estate who want to start their career helping clients buy and sell property

Broker

Experienced professionals who want to operate independently or run their own brokerage

Broker Associate

Experienced salespeople who have passed the broker exam but prefer to continue working under another broker

Three Topics that Trip Up North Dakota Students Most

Agricultural Land Laws

In a state where agriculture dominates, the exam tests specific statutory requirements governing subdivided and out-of-state land sales, including registration and disclosure rules that don’t exist in more urbanized states.

Mineral Rights vs. Surface

North Dakota allows mineral rights to be severed from surface ownership — with the Bakken oil boom, the exam heavily tests that mineral rights do not automatically transfer with a deed unless specifically included.

Read the full breakdown →

Agency Disclosure Timing

Students fail because North Dakota’s rules on when and how to disclose brokerage relationships differ from the national norms taught in the general portion — the specific written timeline catches candidates off guard.

The North Dakota Real Estate License Professor includes specialized deep dives for each of these.

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North Dakota Real Estate Practice Questions

Sample questions from the North Dakota real estate exam — with answers and explanations.

1. A property owner rents only to members of their church. Which exemption might permit this practice?

  1. A.Religious organization exemption
  2. B.Private club exemption
  3. C.Owner-occupied exemption
  4. D.Mrs. Murphy exemption
Explanation: Religious organizations may restrict housing to members of their faith under the religious organization exemption, provided they do not discriminate on other protected bases such as race, color, or national origin.

2. A buyer requests an inspection contingency, but the seller refuses. What should the agent do?

  1. A.Accept the seller's refusal without informing the buyer
  2. B.Require the seller to allow inspection under North Dakota law
  3. C.Inform the buyer of inspection rights and explain risks of waiving contingency
  4. D.Advise the buyer to waive the contingency for a more competitive offer
Explanation: Agents must ensure buyers understand their right to conduct inspections and are fully informed about the risks associated with waiving inspection contingencies. While buyers and sellers can negotiate terms, agents have a fiduciary duty to promote informed decision-making.

3. A real estate broker's license in North Dakota could be revoked or suspended by the North Dakota Real Estate Commission for any of the following reasons EXCEPT:

  1. A.Convicted of a felony or a specified misdemeanor.
  2. B.Engaged in conduct that constitutes dishonesty or fraudulent conduct.
  3. C.Engaged in conduct that does not meet the generally accepted standard of expertise, care, or professional ability expected of real estate licensees.
  4. D.Two reliable witnesses have given sworn testimony that the broker is mentally ill.
Explanation: Under N.D.C.C. § 43-23-11.1, the Commission's enumerated grounds include felony/misdemeanor convictions, dishonest or fraudulent conduct, and conduct falling below the generally accepted standard of care -- a negligence/incompetence-equivalent clause. There is no distinctly enumerated "failure to supervise" ground and no mental-illness provision.
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More on North Dakota Licensing

Deeper reading on the topics that matter most for North Dakota candidates.

North Dakota Real Estate Exam Structure: What to Expect

The North Dakota Salesperson exam combines 100 national questions and 40 state-specific questions in 240 minutes (150 min national + 90 min state).

Question breakdown

National portion: 100 questions, 150 minutes, 70 correct to pass (70%)

Standard PSI national content.

ND portion: 40 questions, 90 minutes, 30 correct to pass (75%)

Topics:

  • ND license law (8-10 questions)
  • Mineral rights and split estates (6-8 questions)
  • Oil and gas leasing (4-6 questions)
  • Agricultural property (4-6 questions)
  • Agency disclosure (4-5 questions)
  • Trust accounts (3-4 questions)

Time management

240 minutes for 140 questions = about 103 seconds per question overall (150 min / 100 questions on the national portion, 90 min / 40 questions on the state portion). Generous.

Cost structure

  • Pre-licensing (90 hours): $400-$750
  • Exam: $134 flat (whether taking one or both portions)
  • License: $100
  • Background check: ~$40
  • Total: $674-$1,024

Retake rules

Retakes allowed. $134 flat (only the failed portion needs to be retaken).

If you're taking the Broker or Broker Associate exam

North Dakota's Broker and Broker Associate exams share the same structure: 130 questions (90 national + 40 state) in 240 minutes — a smaller national portion than the Salesperson exam's 100, but a higher, flat 75% passing threshold on both portions (national needs 75 of 90, state needs 30 of 40), versus the Salesperson exam's split 70% national / 75% state. Broker content shifts toward brokerage supervision and trust account management. Source: PSI NDREC Candidate Information Bulletin (rev. 10/1/2025), Examination Summary Table p.7.

Topics Covered on the North Dakota Real Estate Exam

National Exam Topics (100 questions)

  1. Property Ownership — Estates, deeds, easements
  2. Land Use Controls — Zoning, government powers
  3. Valuation — Three approaches, CMA
  4. Financing — Mortgages, FHA/VA, RESPA, TILA
  5. Agency — Agency relationships
  6. Contracts — Listing agreements, purchase contracts
  7. Closing — Closing procedures, prorations
  8. Practice — Working with buyers and sellers, fair housing, math

North Dakota State Exam Topics (40 questions)

  1. ND License Law (Chapter 43-23) — NDREC rules, license categories
  2. Mineral Rights and Split Estates — Subsurface ownership rights
  3. Oil and Gas Leasing — Bakken region practices
  4. Agricultural Property — Farm/ranch transactions
  5. Property Disclosures — ND-specific requirements
  6. Trust Accounts — Broker trust account rules

Why this list matters

Each state topic generates 4-10 questions. Mineral rights and split estates together generate 13-17 questions — a major chunk of the state portion.

What this list doesn't tell you

PSI writes scenario-based questions. Practice questions, not just topic review.

North Dakota Exam FAQ

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