- MA-RES is the Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson Exam, delivered by PSI Services LLC for the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons.
- The exam has 120 scored questions total: 80 general questions in 150 minutes and 40 Massachusetts-specific questions in 90 minutes.
- Passing requires 70% on both the general portion and the state portion separately.
- Candidates need 40 hours of approved prelicensing education plus three endorsements before sitting for the exam.
What Is MA-RES?
MA-RES stands for the Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson Exam - the licensing test every prospective real estate salesperson in Massachusetts must pass before they can legally represent buyers, sellers, landlords, or tenants in the Commonwealth. It is not a voluntary professional certification you add to a resume after the fact; it is a mandatory gateway exam tied directly to state licensure through the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure.
If you're comparing this page to other "MA-RES" content you've seen elsewhere online, be careful - the acronym is shared by other credentials in completely unrelated fields. Everything on this site refers exclusively to the Massachusetts real estate salesperson license exam. For a broader breakdown of what the credential covers and how it's structured, see our MA-RES Certification overview and the companion piece on MA-RES Meaning.
Who Administers the Exam
Two bodies govern the process. The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons, housed within the Division of Occupational Licensure, sets the licensing requirements, reviews applications, and issues the Board Educational Certificate that proves you've completed the required coursework. PSI Services LLC is the third-party testing vendor that builds, schedules, and proctors the actual exam - whether you sit at a physical PSI test center or take it via remote online proctoring from home.
This two-body structure matters practically: your prelicensing education and endorsements are handled through the Board's application process, while your test date, testing rules (including the ban on personal calculators - PSI supplies an on-screen calculator), and score reporting all come from PSI. Understanding this split helps you know where to direct questions about eligibility versus questions about scheduling or test-day logistics.
Exam Format and Structure
The MA-RES is a multiple-choice exam split into two distinct portions, taken back-to-back in a single four-hour appointment:
- General Portion: 80 scored questions, 150 minutes
- Massachusetts Portion: 40 scored questions, 90 minutes
That totals 120 scored questions in four hours. On top of those, PSI embeds 5-10 unscored experimental questions that look identical to real questions but don't count toward your score - they simply use up exam time while PSI tests future questions. You won't know which questions are experimental, so every question deserves your full attention.
Key Takeaway
Because the two portions are scored separately and each requires 70%, a strong general-portion score cannot offset a weak Massachusetts-portion score, or vice versa. Treat them as two exams you must each pass independently.
For a deep dive into exactly how many points you need and how the scoring boundary works, read MA-RES Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass. If you're still deciding when to schedule, check MA-RES Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for how PSI's calendar works.
The 20 Content Domains
MA-RES content is organized into 20 domains split across the two portions. Eleven domains fall under the General Portion and carry published weight percentages; nine domains make up the Massachusetts State Portion, which is not broken into published percentages but is still tested comprehensively.
General Portion Domains (with weights)
Contracts - 19%
The single largest domain on the entire exam. Candidates must understand contract formation, essential elements, contingencies, and how purchase and sale agreements function in real transactions.
- Highest point value of any topic - prioritize accordingly
Agency - 13%
Covers fiduciary duties, types of agency relationships, and disclosure obligations between agents and clients.
Practice of Real Estate - 12%
Day-to-day professional conduct, listing procedures, and general brokerage practice.
- Property Ownership - 10%
- Financing - 10%
- Valuation - 8%
- Property Disclosures - 7%
- Real Estate Calculations - 7%
- Transfer of Title - 6%
- Land Use Controls - 5%
- Property Management - 3%
Massachusetts State Portion Domains
The Massachusetts-specific domains cover: Duties and Powers of the Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons, Licensing Requirements, Requirements Governing Licensees, Contracts, Consumer Protection Laws, Environmental Issues and Hazardous Materials, Massachusetts Fair Housing Law, Landlord Tenant Law, and Additional Topics.
Requirements Governing Licensees
This is the largest domain within the Massachusetts portion. It addresses licensee conduct rules, record-keeping obligations, and how the Board enforces standards specific to Massachusetts practitioners - distinct from general national agency concepts tested in the general portion.
- Expect heavy emphasis on Massachusetts-specific rules that don't appear in generic real estate textbooks
Because the state portion blends law, consumer protection, and fair housing content unique to Massachusetts, memorizing generic real estate terminology isn't enough. For a full walkthrough of all 20 domains with study emphasis for each, see MA-RES Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 20 Content Areas.
Eligibility and Registration Mechanics
Before you can sit for the MA-RES, you must meet several concrete requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Complete 40 hours of Board-approved prelicensing education
- Obtain the Board Educational Certificate confirming that coursework
- Secure three endorsements from unrelated individuals (not relatives or business partners)
- Pass both exam portions within two years of completing your prelicensing course
That two-year clock is important. If you pass one portion but fail the other, you only need to retake the failed portion - but you must do so before the two-year eligibility window closes, or your passing score on the completed portion expires and you'll need to start over. For the full eligibility breakdown, see MA-RES Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Fees and Costs
The MA-RES involves two separate charges: a $31 application fee and a $56 examination fee. These are distinct line items - the application fee goes toward processing your eligibility paperwork with the Board, while the examination fee covers your PSI test appointment. Budgeting for both, plus your prelicensing course tuition, gives you the full financial picture before you commit to a test date. For a complete cost breakdown including course expenses, visit MA-RES Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $31 |
| Examination Fee | $56 |
Scoring and Retake Rules
You need 70% on the general portion and 70% on the Massachusetts portion - separately. There is no averaging between the two. If you pass the general portion but fall short on the Massachusetts portion (or the reverse), you retake only the failed section, provided you're still within the two-year window measured from your prelicensing course completion date.
This structure changes how you should prepare. If your background gives you a natural edge in one portion - say, you've studied general real estate principles before but are new to Massachusetts-specific law - you can't lean on that strength to compensate on test day. Both scores stand alone. Read more about how test-takers experience this split-scoring format in How Hard Is the MA-RES Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, and see aggregate outcome data in MA-RES Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
After You Pass: Licensing and Renewal
Passing the MA-RES is not the final step - it's the trigger for license issuance. Once licensed, your initial term runs no less than two years and no more than three years, with the exact expiration tied to your birthday. To keep an active license, you'll need to complete 12 continuing-education hours before renewal. Building this into your calendar early prevents a last-minute scramble as your renewal date approaches.
Key Takeaway
Your license term length depends on your birthday relative to your licensure date, not a fixed calendar cycle - check your specific expiration date as soon as you're licensed.
Who Takes the MA-RES and Why
Anyone seeking to work as a licensed real estate salesperson in Massachusetts - whether joining a residential brokerage, a commercial team, or a property management firm that requires licensure - must pass this exam. It's the entry credential for the profession in the state, meaning brokerages hiring new agents will require proof of an active MA-RES-derived license before extending an offer or allowing you to represent clients in transactions.
Because the license underlies actual employment, many candidates also research the practical upside of earning it before investing the time and course fees. If you're weighing whether the licensing path fits your career goals, Is the MA-RES Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and MA-RES Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis lay out the considerations, and MA-RES Jobs covers where licensed salespersons typically find work once credentialed.
A Realistic Prep Approach
Given the domain weighting, your study time shouldn't be split evenly across all 20 domains. Contracts alone carries nearly a fifth of the general portion's weight, and Requirements Governing Licensees anchors the Massachusetts portion - both deserve outsized attention relative to lighter domains like Property Management (3%) or Land Use Controls (5%).
High-Weight General Domains
- Contracts (19%), Agency (13%), Practice of Real Estate (12%)
- Drill contract terminology and fiduciary duty scenarios daily
Remaining General Domains
- Property Ownership, Financing, Valuation, Disclosures, Calculations, Transfer of Title, Land Use Controls, Property Management
- Practice real estate math problems since Calculations questions require applied formulas, not just memorization
Massachusetts State Portion
- Focus heavily on Requirements Governing Licensees, Fair Housing Law, and Landlord Tenant Law
- Review Board duties and consumer protection statutes specific to Massachusetts
Timed practice matters as much as content review, since you're managing 150 minutes for 80 questions and then 90 minutes for 40 questions in the same sitting - pacing habits built during study directly affect performance on exam day. For a structured week-by-week plan built around this exact format, see the MA-RES Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. When you're ready to test your recall under timed conditions, our practice test platform mirrors the split-portion structure so you can rehearse both the general and Massachusetts sections separately.
Before test day, many candidates also like a condensed reference for last-minute review - our MA-RES Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts summarizes the highest-yield facts across all 20 domains in one page.
Frequently Asked Questions
MA-RES stands for the Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson Exam, the licensing test administered by PSI Services LLC on behalf of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons. For more naming context, see What Does MA-RES Stand For?
There are 120 scored questions total: 80 in the general portion and 40 in the Massachusetts-specific portion. An additional 5-10 unscored experimental questions may also appear, using exam time but not affecting your score.
No. Personal calculators are prohibited. PSI provides an on-screen calculator built into the testing software for use during both portions of the exam.
You only need to retake the portion you failed, as long as you do so before the two-year eligibility period (measured from your prelicensing course completion) expires.
Candidates can test at a physical PSI test center or opt for remote online proctoring, giving flexibility for those who prefer testing from a private location.