South Dakota Practice Test → Fair Housing

South Dakota Fair Housing
Practice Questions & Answers (2026)

Fair housing is tested on every real estate exam in the country, but South Dakota candidates must know both federal and state-level protections. While South Dakota enforces the seven federal protected classes (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability), the South Dakota Real Estate Commission also tests how these protections apply in South Dakota-specific rental, sales, and advertising scenarios. Steering, blockbusting, redlining, and discriminatory advertising are all tested — and candidates who think they know fair housing cold often miss the state-specific extensions or the nuanced application scenarios. Review every question here carefully.

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South Dakota Fair Housing — Practice Questions & Answers

137 questions on Fair Housing from the South Dakota real estate question bank. First 10 are free — sign up to unlock all 137.

Q1. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on which protected classes?

A.Race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability
B.Race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and income
C.Race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and sexual orientation
D.Race, color, religion, national origin, familial status, disability, and marital status

Explanation

The federal Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended) prohibits discrimination based on seven protected classes: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability (handicap).

Q2. Steering is a Fair Housing violation that involves:

A.Refusing to show properties in certain neighborhoods based on protected class
B.Directing buyers toward or away from neighborhoods based on their protected class
C.Setting different qualification standards for different protected classes
D.Failing to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled persons

Explanation

Steering is the illegal practice of guiding prospective buyers or renters toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race, religion, national origin, or other protected characteristics.

Q3. Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following is a permitted exception for familial status?

A.A retirement community that limits residency to those 55 and older with at least 80% of units occupied by a qualifying person
B.A landlord who personally prefers not to rent to families with children
C.Any private housing complex with fewer than 10 units
D.Single-family homes sold without the use of an agent

Explanation

Housing qualifying as 'housing for older persons' under the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA) is exempt from the familial status protections. This includes communities where at least 80% of occupied units have one person age 55 or older.

Q4. Blockbusting is best described as:

A.Refusing to make loans in minority neighborhoods
B.Inducing homeowners to sell by suggesting that minority groups are moving into the neighborhood
C.Showing properties only in neighborhoods matching the buyer's race
D.Advertising properties using coded language to target specific groups

Explanation

Blockbusting (also called panic selling) is the illegal practice of inducing homeowners to sell by making representations that members of a protected class are moving into the neighborhood, causing property values to decline.

Q5. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on all of the following EXCEPT:

A.Race and color
B.National origin
C.Occupation
D.Familial status

Explanation

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. Occupation is not a protected class under federal law.

Q6. South Dakota's state fair housing law provides additional protections beyond federal law for which class?

A.Age (over 40)
B.Marital status
C.Sexual orientation
D.Political affiliation

Explanation

South Dakota's human rights laws include marital status as an additional protected class in housing, providing broader protections than the seven federal protected classes.

Q7. Steering in real estate refers to:

A.Directing clients toward or away from neighborhoods based on protected class characteristics
B.Helping buyers navigate the home inspection process
C.Providing neighborhood demographic reports to clients
D.Refusing to show a property due to the seller's instructions

Explanation

Steering is the illegal practice of guiding buyers or renters toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race, religion, national origin, or other protected class characteristics.

Q8. Blockbusting is the illegal practice of:

A.Zoning agricultural land for commercial use without notice
B.Inducing homeowners to sell by predicting that protected classes will move into the area
C.Building new homes that fail to meet ADA accessibility standards
D.Refusing mortgage loans in certain neighborhoods

Explanation

Blockbusting (also called 'panic selling') involves encouraging homeowners to sell by suggesting that protected class members are moving into the area, exploiting fears to profit from rapid turnover.

Q9. Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following is a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability?

A.Allowing a guide dog in a no-pets building
B.Providing free renovation of a bathroom
C.Exempting the tenant from all lease terms
D.Installing an elevator at the landlord's full expense

Explanation

Allowing a service or assistance animal in a no-pets policy building is a classic example of a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act for persons with disabilities.

Q10. A South Dakota landlord refuses to rent to a family with children. This may violate:

A.Only state law
B.Only federal Fair Housing Act
C.Both federal Fair Housing Act (familial status) and South Dakota law
D.Neither, because landlords can choose tenants

Explanation

Refusing to rent to families with children (under 18) violates the federal Fair Housing Act's prohibition on familial status discrimination, and may also violate South Dakota human rights law.

Q11. Which of the following is an example of redlining?

A.A lender refuses to make loans in certain neighborhoods based on racial composition
B.A broker draws boundary lines on a map to show school districts
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