California Real Estate Exam Pass Rate: What the DRE's Data Shows
The DRE publishes real numbers every month in its Comparative Production Statistics (form RE 149): exams scheduled, exams administered, and the percentage passed. Most articles quoting a California pass rate have never opened the report.
Here's what the current one says — and the two honest caveats that change how you should read it.
Updated · Facts cited to the California DRE — sources at the end of this page.
The short answer
53% of California salesperson exams administered in fiscal year 2025–26 (30,063 exams, July through June) ended in a pass, per the DRE's RE 149 report — 52% in June 2026 alone. The figure counts every attempt including retakes; the DRE publishes no first-attempt rate, and none can be derived from this data.
The official numbers
Two movements inside the table, reported without speculation about their causes: the pass rate has crept up across three fiscal years (48% → 51% → 53%), and exam volume has fallen by roughly a third from 46,412 to 30,063.
| Period | Administered | % Passed |
|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 2,612 | 52% |
| Fiscal year 2025–26 (Jul–Jun) | 30,063 | 53% |
| Fiscal year 2024–25 | 32,013 | 51% |
| Fiscal year 2023–24 | 46,412 | 48% |
Two caveats before you compare it to anything
- It's attempt-based, not candidate-based. A person who fails twice and passes on the third try contributes two fails and one pass. The DRE publishes no first-attempt figure, and one cannot be derived from these totals — without knowing how retakers perform, the first-attempt rate could sit on either side of 53%. We won't invent it.
- It's not comparable to other states' numbers. Texas, for instance, publishes a first-attempt, both-portions rate (56% over the current window). Comparing that number to California's attempt-based 53% tells you about the statistics, not about which exam is harder.
No per-topic difficulty data exists for California
Unlike Texas — where Pearson VUE publishes quarterly per-category averages — the DRE releases no public breakdown of which subject areas candidates fail. Any article ranking 'the hardest parts of the California exam' with percentages is guessing. The weights and your own measured performance are the only honest guides.
What a coin-flip pass rate means for how you prepare
The data itself says one thing: with a 70% bar, roughly half of all sittings — retakes included — end in failure, at $100 per sitting. What it can't say is whether you are in the passing half. That's a question about you, and only measurement answers it.
PassDeed's free diagnostic estimates your readiness across the full DRE outline in about 15 minutes and reports a Readiness Score with a stated confidence range, plus the evidence behind every area estimate — a measured read before the fee, not after.
Where these numbers come from
- DRE Comparative Production Statistics, form RE 149, June 2026 edition — published monthly at dre.ca.gov; figures above read directly from the report on July 27, 2026.
- The DRE also publishes fiscal-year examinee statistics pages (exams administered by month). This page is reviewed when new RE 149 editions post; if you're reading this far from mid-2026, check the source directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate for the California real estate exam?
Per the DRE's RE 149 report for June 2026, 53% of the 30,063 salesperson exams administered in fiscal year 2025–26 were passed; June 2026 alone was 52%. The figure counts all attempts, including retakes.
What is the first-attempt pass rate in California?
Nobody outside the DRE knows. Its statistics count exams administered, not candidates, and a first-attempt rate cannot be derived from attempt-based totals — so any specific first-attempt number you see quoted for California is unsourced.
Is the California real estate exam harder than other states'?
The published statistics can't answer that: California reports an attempt-based pass rate while states like Texas report first-attempt rates, so the numbers measure different things. What is documented: 150 questions, a 70% bar, and about half of all sittings failing.
Which part of the California exam do most people fail?
The DRE publishes no per-area failure data, so nobody outside the DRE knows. What's knowable is the weighting — Practice of Real Estate and Disclosures (25%) and Laws of Agency (17%) dominate — and your own per-area percentages if you fail, which is what to act on.
Find out exactly where you stand
The free diagnostic measures you against every blueprint domain — the same content areas as your exam's score report — in about 15 minutes, and reports a Readiness Score with a stated confidence range. No card required.
Sources
- DRE — Comparative Production Statistics RE 149, June 2026 (PDF)
- DRE — Licensee and Examinee Statistics (index)
Fees, rules, and statistics above were verified against these sources on the update date shown at the top of the page. Rules change — always confirm current requirements with the California DRE before acting.
Keep reading: Failed the CA Exam: What Next · Reading the DRE Score Report · California Exam Cost, Itemized · California exam prep
PassDeed is not affiliated with or endorsed by TREC, FREC, the DBPR, the California DRE, Pearson VUE, or any state regulatory body. Passing standards are set by each state. Verify current requirements at trec.texas.gov (Texas), myfloridalicense.com (Florida), or dre.ca.gov (California).