PassProfessor’s South Dakota program is part of the expanding PassProfessor catalog. The 18,799-question South Dakota practice bank is built to PSI’s current broker associate outlines, and enrollment opens soon. Join the notify list and we will email you when enrollment opens — then use this guide to plan your path to the exam.
This program is part of the expanding PassProfessor catalog — join the notify list and we’ll email you when enrollment opens.
The South Dakota exam, in one paragraph
South Dakota licenses its entry-level real estate agents as broker associates — there is no salesperson license — and the licensing exam is administered by PSI Services LLC under contract with the South Dakota Real Estate Commission. The combined examination has two separately scored portions: a national (general) portion of 90 items in 150 minutes, scored on 100 points, and a South Dakota state portion of 52 items in 120 minutes, scored on 52 points. PSI’s examination summary table publishes the passing standard as 75% on each portion. Before the exam you complete 116 classroom hours of Commission-approved pre-licensing education, and after passing you have just 60 days to file your license application with the Commission.
Who can take the South Dakota broker associate exam?
PSI’s candidate bulletin states the requirements for obtaining a South Dakota broker associate license directly. You must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a citizen of the United States or a resident of South Dakota.
- Be competent to transact the business of a licensee in a manner as to safeguard the interest of the public.
- Have successfully completed at least 116 classroom hours in a course of study approved by the Commission.
- Pass both the state and national portions of the examination.
- Submit the completed license application form furnished by the Commission within 60 days of passing the last portion of the examination.
One exception the bulletin notes: if you are currently licensed in another state, you are not required to provide proof of education.
Grounds for denial. The Commission may deny a license application when, among the conditions the bulletin lists, the applicant has been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; has been disciplined by a regulatory agency in relation to another regulated license; has made deliberate misstatements, omissions, or misrepresentations on the application; has a current and unpaid judgment; or has failed to satisfy the education or other requirements of the chapter. The Commission’s licensing pages point to SDCL 36-21A-33 for the statutory grounds. If any of these could apply to you, resolve the question with the Commission before you invest in the 116 hours — approval of the application is a step in the licensing sequence, not a formality after it.
Where the broker associate sits in South Dakota’s license family. The broker associate works under a responsible broker. Advancing to responsible broker requires two years of active service plus a 24-hour responsible broker course, and the responsible broker examination includes additional content beyond the broker associate exam described here — this guide covers the broker associate examination only. South Dakota also licenses property managers (40 hours of Fundamentals of Property Management), residential rental agents, and auctioneers under their own requirements; those are separate licenses with separate examinations, not steps on the broker associate path.
PassProfessor note: our program is exam preparation only. It does not provide any of the 116 hours of pre-licensing education credit — you take those hours from a Commission-approved school.
The exam, piece by piece
The combined examination is one registration with two portions, each built from its own PSI content outline. You may sit the portions together as the combined examination, and each portion is scored on its own: pass one and fail the other, and you retake only the one you failed.
| Portion | Items | Points | Time | Passing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National (general) | 90 | 100 (scenario-based items score up to 2 points each) | 150 minutes | 75% |
| South Dakota state | 52 | 52 | 120 minutes | 75% |
The national portion (90 items, 150 minutes)
PSI’s national content outline for this examination is organized into eleven areas, published with percentage weights. The weights below are the outline’s own — they tell you where the 90 items concentrate.
| National outline area | Weight |
|---|---|
| I. Property Ownership | 10% |
| II. Land Use Controls | 5% |
| III. Valuation | 8% |
| IV. Financing | 9% |
| V. Contracts | 19% |
| VI. Agency | 13% |
| VII. Property Disclosures | 7% |
| VIII. Property Management | 5% |
| IX. Transfer of Title | 6% |
| X. Practice of Real Estate | 12% |
| XI. Real Estate Calculations | 6% |
Three structural facts shape how you should prepare:
- Contracts is the exam’s center of gravity. At 19%, it outweighs the next two areas combined territory — contract law, purchase and lease contracts, contingencies, and remedies. Agency (13%) and Practice of Real Estate (12%) follow, so the three areas together carry 44% of the national portion.
- Scenario-based items change the scoring. The national portion includes scenario-based questions that can present more than four options, from which you select the one best answer; each option is weighted 0, 1, or 2 points based on the completeness and accuracy of the solution. A partially right choice can earn partial points — and a merely plausible choice can earn none. This is why the portion’s 90 items produce 100 points.
- Calculations are a defined slice, not a surprise. Real Estate Calculations is a named 6% area covering transaction calculations, prorations, transfer fees, PITI estimates, loan-to-value, discount points, and return measures. The math is bounded and practicable.
The South Dakota state portion (52 items, 120 minutes)
The state outline is short and entirely South Dakota law. PSI publishes it by item count rather than percentage:
| State outline area | Items |
|---|---|
| Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission | 4 |
| Licensing Requirements | 6 |
| Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees | 42 |
| Total | 52 |
The shape matters: 42 of the 52 items — over 80% of the state portion — sit in a single area, the statutory requirements governing what licensees do: agency relationships and agreements, trust accounts and earnest money, disclosures, advertising, records, and prohibited conduct under SDCL chapter 36-21A and the Commission’s rules. A candidate who studies “South Dakota law” as three equal topics will be badly mis-weighted; the portion is, in practice, one large applied-law section with a licensing and Commission-powers frame around it.
Experimental questions
In addition to the items specified in the content outlines, PSI’s bulletin states that a small number — 5 to 10 — of “experimental” questions may be administered during the examination. They are not scored, but they do count against your examination time, and they are not identified. PSI uses them to develop future examinations. There is no strategy that identifies them; the only correct approach is to answer every question as if it counts and to pace for more questions than the scored totals suggest.
The passing standard, explained
PSI’s examination summary table publishes the passing standard as 75% for each portion, and the Commission’s license-types page likewise lists an exam score of 75% for the broker associate license. Two features of that standard deserve attention, because candidates routinely misread both.
First, the portions are separate hurdles. There is one combined registration, but there is no combined score. A national performance well above 75% does not pull a 70% state performance up to a pass. Budget your preparation — and your readiness check before booking — portion by portion.
Second, on the national portion, 75% is a percentage of points, not of questions. Because scenario-based items are weighted 0, 1, or 2 points and the portion totals 100 points from 90 items, “I need about 68 of 90 right” is only a rough mental model, not the scoring rule. Partial credit on scenario items also means the portion rewards the best available course of action over a merely defensible one — a distinction worth practicing, because scenario items are written so that several options can look appropriate while only one is the most complete resolution.
Your score report. Your score is displayed on screen at the end of the examination, and a score report is handed to you at the test site. If you fail a portion, the score report includes diagnostic information indicating your strengths and weaknesses — that diagnostic breakdown, read against the outline tables above, is the starting point for a retake plan targeted at the areas that actually cost you the pass.
Fees and registration, step by step
Keep the payments separate in your mind — the exam fee and the license application fee go to different places at different times.
| Payment | Amount | Paid to | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination fee | $105 — for one portion alone, or for the combined state + national examination | PSI | When you register |
| License application fee (broker associate) | $225, per the Commission’s fee schedule | South Dakota Real Estate Commission | After you pass, with your application (within 60 days) |
Examination fees are not refundable or transferable, and PSI’s bulletin warns that your examination fee will be forfeited if you do not test within one year of the date PSI receives it.
The sequence, in order:
- Complete the 116 hours at a Commission-approved school. The Commission’s exam page adds a second education clock: broker associate license applications must be made within two years of completing the pre-licensing courses.
- Register with PSI. The fastest route is online at test-takers.psiexams.com/sdre: create an account (your Candidate ID is your full first and last name, and it must match your government-issued ID exactly), choose a test center, date, and time, and pay the $105 fee by credit card — the Commission’s exam page confirms registration requires credit-card payment of $105. Telephone scheduling is available at 855-557-0623 if you need a registrar or an ADA accommodation.
- Take the examination at your scheduled center (see test day, below). You receive your score on screen and a printed score report at the site.
- Apply for the license — promptly. Submit the completed application form furnished by the Commission, with the application fee, within 60 days of passing the last portion. The Commission states the consequence plainly: if an individual does not file an application within that time frame, any rights to that passing score are forfeited.
- Affiliate and begin. A broker associate practices under a responsible broker; your license becomes working authority once the Commission approves the application and your association is in place.
Rescheduling. You may cancel and reschedule an appointment without forfeiting your fee if your cancellation notice is received 2 days before the scheduled examination date. A voicemail or email message is not an acceptable form of cancellation — use the PSI website or speak directly with a PSI customer service representative. If a test center closes for severe weather or another emergency, PSI will reschedule your examination and will attempt to contact you.
Retakes and score validity
- Retake only what you failed. Candidates who pass one portion and fail the other need to retake only the section they failed — they do not need to retake the entire combined exam.
- No same-day rebooking. It is not possible to make a new examination appointment on the same day you have taken an examination, because results must be processed and reported. PSI’s bulletin gives the practical example: a candidate who tests unsuccessfully on a Wednesday can call on Thursday and retest as soon as Friday, depending on space availability. The examination fee applies to the new appointment.
- Score validity is governed by the 60-day application rule. Your passing score is your ticket to apply — and the Commission forfeits the rights to that score if the completed application is not filed within 60 days of passing the last portion. Treat the application as part of the exam process, not as paperwork to get to eventually.
- The education clock runs in parallel. Broker associate applications must be made within two years of completion of the pre-licensing courses, per the Commission’s exam page. A candidate who passed long after finishing the 116 hours should check both clocks before booking a retake.
Test day
- Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. That time covers sign-in, identification, and orientation. If you arrive late, you may not be admitted, and you will forfeit your examination registration fee.
- Bring one form of identification. It must match the name you scheduled with, and it must contain your signature and photo and be valid and unexpired. PSI’s bulletin lists acceptable forms: a state-issued driver’s license or identification card, a U.S. government-issued passport, U.S. military identification, a U.S. alien registration card, or a Canadian government-issued ID.
- Expect strict security procedures. Reference materials and electronic devices of any type — phones, cameras, smart watches, handheld calculators, and the rest of PSI’s prohibited list — may not be within your reach or line of sight during the exam; hats or headgear not worn for religious reasons are also prohibited, along with bulky outerwear. During check-in you may be asked to empty and turn out your pockets. Giving or receiving assistance, or communicating examination content, terminates the examination and is reported to the Commission. Companions may not wait inside the testing center.
- You may be given scratch paper and a pencil, which you return at check-out. Once seated, you may leave the room only for the restroom and only with the proctor’s permission — and you receive no extra time for it.
- The tutorial is free time — use it. Before the examination begins, an on-screen tutorial (up to 15 minutes) walks you through the format, with sample questions; that time does not count against your examination time. One question appears on screen at a time, minutes remaining display at the top, and you may return to earlier questions and change answers while time remains.
- Locations. The Commission lists broker associate testing in Madison, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls; PSI’s bulletin also lists centers in Watertown and Fargo, North Dakota, and notes that PSI has centers in many other regions and the exam may be taken at any of them. Choose the center when you schedule.
- Results are immediate. Your score displays on screen when you finish, and your score report is handed to you at the site. If you passed both portions, your 60-day application clock is already running — start the application steps above promptly.
How to study for this exam
The outlines are the syllabus — PSI publishes exactly what the examination covers, area by area, with the weights and item counts above. A plan built on that structure:
- Weight your time the way the outlines do. Contracts (19%), Agency (13%), and Practice of Real Estate (12%) carry 44% of the national portion between them. On the state side, one area — statutory requirements governing licensees — carries 42 of 52 items. A study plan that spreads time evenly across every heading is a plan to be over-prepared on 4-item areas and under-prepared on the ones that decide the result.
- Give South Dakota law its own block, early. The state portion is over a third of the scored exam, it is a separate pass/fail hurdle, and its content — Commission powers, licensing rules, agency and trust-account requirements under South Dakota statute — exists nowhere in national textbooks. Candidates who prepare from national materials alone walk in underprepared for 52 items.
- Practice scenario judgment, not just recall. National scenario-based items ask for the best course of action and score options 0, 1, or 2 points. Working through scenarios — and learning to rank a good answer against the best one — is a different skill from memorizing definitions, and the portion’s points live in that difference.
- Drill the calculations until the setup is automatic. Real Estate Calculations is only 6% of the national portion, but its topics (prorations, PITI, loan-to-value, points, transfer fees) are mechanical: once the setup is learned, these are the most reliably winnable items on the exam.
- Practice at full length, against both clocks. 90 items in 150 minutes and 52 items in 120 minutes are different pacing problems, and unscored experimental items consume time on top of both. Full generated practice exams at the real weights build pacing alongside knowledge; short quizzes build only one of the two.
- Check readiness portion by portion. Book the real exam when your full-simulation results sit comfortably above 75% on the national portion and on the state portion, measured separately — a strong blended score can hide a state portion sitting below its own line.
This program’s South Dakota practice bank (18,799 questions — 12,656 on the national outline areas and 6,143 on the South Dakota state areas) is built area-by-area on these same outlines. The South Dakota Real Estate Exam Prep program page shows the full coverage table — and the notify list there will email you when enrollment opens.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the South Dakota real estate exam? The broker associate examination has 142 scored items: 90 on the national (general) portion and 52 on the South Dakota state portion. PSI may also administer 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions, which count against your time but not your score.
What is the passing score for the South Dakota exam? 75% on each portion, separately, as published in PSI’s examination summary table. On the national portion that is 75% of 100 points — scenario-based items can be worth up to 2 points each — not a fixed number of correct answers.
Does South Dakota offer a salesperson license? No. The entry-level license is the broker associate. The responsible broker license is the next step, requiring two years of active service as a broker associate and a 24-hour responsible broker course, and its examination includes additional content.
How many hours of education do I need before the South Dakota exam? At least 116 classroom hours in a course of study approved by the South Dakota Real Estate Commission. Candidates currently licensed in another state are not required to provide proof of education, per PSI’s candidate bulletin.
How much does the South Dakota real estate exam cost? The examination fee is $105, paid to PSI when you register — the same $105 whether you take one portion or the combined state and national examination. It is non-refundable and non-transferable. After you pass, the Commission’s fee schedule lists a $225 broker associate license application fee.
How do I register for the South Dakota exam? Register with PSI online at test-takers.psiexams.com/sdre or by phone at 855-557-0623. You create an account using your full first and last name as your Candidate ID — it must match your government-issued ID exactly — choose a center, date, and time, and pay by credit card.
Where is the South Dakota exam given? By computer at PSI test centers. The Commission lists Madison, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls; PSI’s bulletin additionally lists Watertown and Fargo, North Dakota, and notes the examination may be taken at PSI centers in other regions of the United States.
What happens if I fail one portion? You retake only the portion you failed. You cannot book the new appointment on the same day you tested; PSI’s example is a Wednesday failure, a Thursday call, and a retest as early as Friday if space is available. Your score report’s diagnostic information shows your strengths and weaknesses to guide the retake preparation.
How long is my passing score valid? The operative rule is the application deadline: the Commission requires your completed license application within 60 days of passing the last portion of the examination, and rights to a passing score are forfeited if you miss that window. Broker associate applications must also be made within two years of completing the pre-licensing courses.
Can I reschedule my exam? Yes — without forfeiting your fee, if your cancellation notice is received at least 2 days before the scheduled examination date. Voicemail and email do not count as cancellation; use the PSI website or speak with a PSI representative directly.
What should I bring on test day? One form of identification that matches your scheduled name and carries your signature and photo, valid and unexpired — a state driver’s license or ID card, U.S. passport, U.S. military ID, U.S. alien registration card, or Canadian government-issued ID are on PSI’s list. Leave everything else behind: phones, calculators, reference materials, and similar items are prohibited in the testing room.
When do I get my results? Immediately. Your score is displayed on screen at the end of the examination and a score report is handed to you at the test site. If you failed, the score report includes diagnostic information about your strengths and weaknesses.
Are the experimental questions identified? No. PSI administers 5 to 10 experimental questions to develop future examinations; they are not scored, they are not marked, and they still consume examination time. Answer every question as if it counts.
Disclaimer
PassProfessor is an independent exam-preparation provider and is not affiliated with the South Dakota Real Estate Commission, PSI Services LLC, or any state agency or exam vendor. This guide is general information about the South Dakota broker associate licensing exam, current as of October 2026; South Dakota Real Estate Commission and PSI publications govern if anything here differs from them. This guide is not pre-licensing education and provides no education credit.