How to Pass the Georgia Real Estate Exam on Your First Try

Georgia's real estate salesperson exam is longer than most states — 152 questions over 4 hours — and has a passing score of 72%. That's a tighter margin than the national average, and the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) content is heavily tested. Here's your complete guide to passing on the first try.

Georgia Exam: What You Need to Know

• Questions: 152 total — 100 national + 52 state
• Time: 4 hours total (separate timing for each section)
• Passing score: 72% on each section independently
• Administered by: PSI Services
• Pre-license requirement: 75 hours (25-hour pre-license course + 50-hour salesperson course)

Like Texas, both sections must be passed independently. Passing the national section doesn't save you if you fail the state section — and vice versa.

Georgia-Specific Topics That Are Always Tested

The Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC)

GREC is the six-member commission that licenses and regulates Georgia real estate professionals. Key facts: - 6 members: 5 must be licensed brokers with at least 5 years of experience; 1 must be a consumer member - Appointed by the Governor; serve 5-year terms - GREC operates under the Georgia Real Estate Commission and Appraisers Board - GREC can impose fines up to $1,000 per violation

Georgia License Requirements

For a salesperson license: - Must be 18 years old - 75 hours of GREC-approved pre-license education - Pass the PSI exam (national + state) - Pass a background check - Be affiliated with a licensed Georgia broker

Salesperson licenses expire on the licensee's birthday every 4 years. 36 hours of continuing education are required for renewal.

Georgia Agency Relationships

Georgia uses three agency relationships: seller's agent, buyer's agent, and dual agent. Georgia requires a Brokerage Engagements form — formally called the Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Agreement or Exclusive Seller Listing Agreement.

Dual agency in Georgia: Legal with informed written consent from both parties. Georgia law is specific about what a dual agent can and cannot disclose — a dual agent cannot reveal the buyer's maximum price to the seller, or the seller's minimum price to the buyer.

The Brokerage Relationships in Real Estate Transactions Act (BRRETA)

BRRETA governs agency relationships in Georgia. Key provisions: - Establishes duties for buyer's agents, seller's agents, and dual agents - Requires written brokerage agreements — verbal agreements are not enforceable under BRRETA - Defines when agency begins and ends - Specifies the duty to present all offers (even after a contract has been accepted)

BRRETA questions are some of the most commonly missed on the Georgia state exam. Know the specific duties for each agency type.

Georgia Property Disclosures

Georgia requires a Seller's Property Disclosure Statement for residential sales. Key points: - Seller must complete it honestly — knowingly false statements can lead to rescission and damages - The disclosure covers structural issues, water damage, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, pest damage, and legal issues - Georgia is a "buyer beware" (caveat emptor) state for commercial property — disclosure requirements apply primarily to residential

Georgia's Statute of Frauds

Real estate contracts in Georgia must be in writing to be enforceable. Oral listing agreements are not enforceable. This is tested in scenario questions — a licensee cannot sue for commission on an oral agreement.

Trust Account Rules

Georgia brokers must: - Maintain a separate trust (escrow) account for client funds - Deposit earnest money within a "reasonable time" (typically 3 business days) - Never commingle personal or business funds with client funds - Keep records for 3 years

Commingling — mixing client funds with broker funds — is a license law violation and one of the most tested topics on the Georgia state exam.

The Topics That Catch Georgia Candidates Off Guard

BRRETA agency duties: Most candidates know what agency relationships are but not the specific statutory duties under BRRETA. Georgia is a statutory agency state — the specific duties are codified.

License renewal and CE requirements: 36 hours of CE every 4 years, with a birthday expiration date. Georgia's 4-year cycle is longer than most states' 2-year cycles — candidates often confuse it.

Earnest money disputes: Georgia law requires brokers to hold disputed earnest money until there's a written release from both parties, a court order, or they interplead the funds in court. Brokers cannot decide on their own who gets the earnest money.

The Georgia Residential Mortgage Act: Georgia has its own mortgage regulations layered on top of federal law. High-cost home loans in Georgia have additional restrictions. This is lightly tested but can appear.

5-Week Study Plan for Georgia

Week 1: GREC and Georgia License Law - GREC membership, powers, disciplinary procedures - License types: salesperson, broker, associate broker - License requirements, renewal, CE hours - Trust account rules, commingling, conversion

Week 2: BRRETA and Agency - Three agency types and their specific statutory duties - Brokerage Engagements — written requirement - Dual agency — what can and cannot be disclosed - When agency begins and ends

Week 3: Contracts and Disclosures - Georgia contract requirements (Statute of Frauds) - Seller's Property Disclosure Statement - Georgia Association of REALTORS (GAR) contract forms - Earnest money disputes — the three ways to resolve

Week 4: National Topics - Property ownership, estates, deeds - Federal Fair Housing Act — seven protected classes - Mortgages and financing - Appraisal methods - Land use and environmental issues

Week 5: Practice Exams - Full 152-question mock exams (timed) - Target 77%+ on both national and state sections - Drill BRRETA scenarios and trust account rules - Review any topic where you're below 72%

Georgia Fair Housing

Georgia follows the federal Fair Housing Act (seven protected classes) and adds additional state protections. The Georgia Fair Housing Act covers the same seven federal classes but is enforced at the state level by the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity. Know the difference between federal and state enforcement.

Exam Day in Georgia

• Bring two valid IDs (one must be photo ID)
• PSI testing centers are throughout Georgia — schedule at PSI's website
• No calculators provided — basic real estate math should be memorized
• Results displayed immediately after exam
• If you fail one section, you can retake just that section within 12 months

Practice for the Georgia Exam

[CARealestate.com/states/georgia](https://carealestate.com/states/georgia) has Georgia-specific practice questions covering GREC rules, BRRETA agency scenarios, trust account handling, and all state exam topics. 5 free questions, no account needed. Upgrade for full access.

152 questions sounds intimidating. But BRRETA, trust accounts, and GREC rules make up a large portion of the state section — master those three areas and the state exam becomes much more manageable.