- You need 60/80 national points and 36/50 correct state answers to pass, not just an overall score.
- Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees is the single largest domain at 32%.
- The full exam is $63 ($55 to retake one portion), 125 scored items, and must be passed within a one-year eligibility window.
- Weighted national scenario items can score 0, 1, or 2 points - read every scenario twice before answering.
Exam Snapshot: The Numbers You Must Memorize
Before you touch a single practice question, lock down the mechanics of the South Carolina Real Estate Broker Exam (SCREB). The exam is governed by the South Carolina Real Estate Commission and administered through PSI testing centers, and every detail below comes straight from the PSI candidate bulletin updated July 1, 2024. Memorizing these numbers now prevents test-day surprises.
- Cost: $63 for the full exam, or $55 if you're only retaking one portion.
- Format: 125 scored items total - 75 national broker items and 50 state items - delivered as computer-based, closed-book testing.
- Timing: 120 minutes for the national portion, 80 minutes for the state portion.
- Extra items: 5 to 10 unscored experimental items may be mixed in without warning, so don't assume an oddly worded question is a glitch.
- Tools allowed: An approved nonprogrammable calculator - bring your own or confirm what the test center provides.
For a deeper walkthrough of the exact scoring thresholds, see our dedicated breakdown of the SCREB Passing Score 2026 guide, and for a full cost comparison including retake fees, check the SCREB Certification Cost 2026 breakdown.
All 16 Domains at a Glance
The SCREB blends ten national content areas, one calculations domain, and five South Carolina-specific domains. Knowing the weight of each domain tells you exactly where to spend your limited study hours.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1. Property Ownership | 10% |
| 2. Land Use Controls | 5% |
| 3. Valuation | 8% |
| 4. Financing | 9% |
| 5. Contracts | 19% |
| 6. Agency | 13% |
| 7. Property Disclosures | 7% |
| 8. Property Management | 5% |
| 9. Transfer of Title | 6% |
| 10. Practice of Real Estate | 12% |
| 11. Real Estate Calculations | 6% |
| 12. SC Real Estate Commission and Licensing Requirements | State portion |
| 13. Statutes Governing Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees | 32% of state portion |
| 14. SC Agency and Non-agency Relationships and Issues | State portion |
| 15. Additional South Carolina Statutes and Topics | State portion |
| 16. Closing Details | State portion |
Notice that Domains 1-11 make up the 75-item national portion, while Domains 12-16 make up the 50-item state portion. Contracts (19%) and Agency (13%) dominate the national side, while Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees dominates the state side at 32%. If you want the item-by-item breakdown of what each domain actually tests, our SCREB Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 16 Content Areas covers every subtopic in depth.
Domain 5: Contracts (19%)
The single heaviest national domain. Expect scenario-based questions on offer and acceptance, contingencies, addenda, breach and remedies, and contract termination.
- Know the difference between void, voidable, and unenforceable contracts
- Master contingency timelines and how they interact with closing dates
Domain 13: Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees (32% of state portion)
This is the largest domain on the entire exam. It covers licensee conduct rules, disclosure obligations, trust account handling, and prohibited acts under South Carolina law.
- Review the specific statutory duties owed to clients versus customers
- Study the disciplinary actions the Commission can take for violations
Scoring Mechanics: National vs. State Portions
One of the most misunderstood parts of the SCREB is how scoring actually works. This is not a single combined percentage - it's two separate hurdles.
- National portion: Worth 80 total points across 75 items. You need at least 60 of those 80 points to pass.
- State portion: 50 items, each worth one answer. You need at least 36 correct.
- Weighted scenarios: Some national scenario-based items are weighted and can score 0, 1, or 2 points depending on how completely you answer them - this is why partial understanding of a topic can still cost you points even if you select a "reasonable" answer.
- Eligibility window: Both portions must be passed within your one-year eligibility period, or you'll need to restart the qualifying process.
Key Takeaway
Because weighted items can award partial credit, don't just eliminate obviously wrong answers - think through which remaining option is the most complete, not merely the least incorrect.
If you passed one portion but not the other, you can retake just that section for $55, but remember the one-year clock is still running. For a full explanation of how the math behind these thresholds was built, read the SCREB Passing Score 2026 article, and if you're wondering how the two-part structure compares to how difficult candidates report it, our How Hard Is the SCREB Exam? guide walks through real difficulty factors.
Eligibility Checklist Before You Register
The SCREB isn't open to every licensee - broker eligibility has specific prerequisites that trip up candidates who assume the exam works like the salesperson exam.
- Be at least 21 years old
- Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
- Pass an initial criminal background check
- Complete 60 commission-approved broker education hours, split into Unit IIIA and Unit IIIB
- Generally document five years of active associate licensure within the preceding seven years
Every one of these requirements is detailed further, including documentation tips, in SCREB Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. If you're still confirming which testing windows are open near you, the SCREB Exam Dates 2026 guide lists scheduling logistics through PSI.
High-Yield Topics Ranked by Weight
With limited study time, prioritize based on point value, not personal comfort with a topic. Here's the ranking that should drive your review order:
- Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees (32% of state portion) - the largest single domain on the exam
- Contracts (19% of national portion) - the heaviest national domain
- Agency (13% of national portion) - fiduciary duties, disclosure, and dual agency scenarios
- Practice of Real Estate (12% of national portion) - day-to-day licensee conduct and business practices
- Property Ownership (10%) - estates, forms of ownership, and encumbrances
Rounding out the list, Financing (9%), Valuation (8%), Property Disclosures (7%), Transfer of Title (6%), Real Estate Calculations (6%), Land Use Controls (5%), and Property Management (5%) fill out the remaining national points, while the state-side Commission and Licensing Requirements, Agency and Non-agency Relationships, Additional South Carolina Statutes, and Closing Details domains round out the state portion alongside the dominant Statutes domain.
Final-Week Review Plan
In the last stretch before your test date, structure your review around domain weight rather than working front-to-back through a textbook. This isn't a full study system - just a final-week sequencing plan that matches the SCREB's own weighting.
Statutes and Agency
- Drill Domain 13 (Statutes Governing Licensees and Non-Licensees) and Domain 6 (Agency) since together they represent the two heaviest concentrations of points across both portions
Contracts and Practice of Real Estate
- Work timed scenario sets on Domain 5 and Domain 10, focusing on weighted-item reasoning since these questions can award partial credit
Calculations and Financing
- Practice with your approved calculator on Domain 11 and Domain 4 until formulas require no hesitation
Full timed simulation
- Take a full-length practice run split into a 120-minute national block and an 80-minute state block to mirror actual PSI timing
You can build and time these practice blocks on our practice test platform, which mirrors the national and state item counts so you get comfortable with the pacing before test day. For a broader look at preparation strategy beyond this final week, see the SCREB Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
After You Pass: Licensing and Renewal Facts
Passing the SCREB is the milestone, but it isn't the finish line. South Carolina broker licenses renew on a biennial cycle, and the requirements are specific enough to plan for in advance.
- 10 continuing education hours required per renewal cycle
- At least 4 of those hours must be from mandated coursework
- A background check is required every third renewal cycle
Key Takeaway
Set a calendar reminder at the start of each two-year cycle so your CE hours - including the mandated 4 - are finished well before your renewal deadline, not scrambled together in the final weeks.
Curious whether the time and cost of becoming a broker actually pays off long-term? Our Is the SCREB Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 article and the companion SCREB Salary Guide 2026 both dig into that question in more detail. And if you want to see how your target pass rate compares against reported outcomes, the SCREB Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows article lays out what's publicly known.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 125 scored items: 75 national broker items in 120 minutes and 50 state items in 80 minutes. Unscored experimental items (5-10) may also appear without being identified.
You need at least 60 of 80 possible points on the national portion and at least 36 correct answers out of 50 on the state portion. Both must be passed within your one-year eligibility period.
The full exam costs $63. If you only need to retake one portion after passing the other, the retake fee is $55.
Statutes Governing the Activities of Licensees and Non-Licensees is the largest single domain at 32% of the state portion, followed by Contracts at 19% of the national portion - prioritize both early in your review.
Generally yes. Broker applicants must document five years of active associate licensure within the preceding seven years, complete 60 commission-approved hours across Unit IIIA and Unit IIIB, pass a background check, be at least 21, and hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
Keep this page bookmarked as your one-glance reference, and pair it with focused practice runs on our SCREB practice test platform so the domain weights above translate into real exam-day confidence.