Tennessee · affiliate broker · study guide
Tennessee real estate exam study guide, rule by rule
Study the Tennessee portion from the rules themselves. The state outline maps onto three texts: the Commission’s Rules of Conduct (chapter 1260-02), its licensing rules (1260-01) and the agency part of the Broker License Act. The PSI bulletin lists one text for the state portion, the Broker License Act. Below is the map from each exam area to its rule, in order of weight.
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Not affiliated with any state commission or test provider.
- 40state questions
- 12on advertising, the largest area
- 80national questions
- 60 hoursof school first
A study order by weight
- Advertising and firm rules, 12 questions. Read Rule 1260-02-.12 (advertising) end to end, then .33 (gifts and prizes) and .41 (teams). This is the one group where memorizing exact wording pays: “same size or larger,” “each page,” “one click away.” Practice: advertising and firm rules.
- Commission and licensing, 11. Rules 1260-01-.15 and .16 (E&O insurance), 1260-01-.01 (applications), and the parts of the Act on discipline and complaints. Practice: commission and licensing.
- Agency and special areas, 9. T.C.A. §§ 62-13-401 to -406 and Rule 1260-02-.36. Learn facilitator status first: the rest of Tennessee agency law hangs on it. Practice: agency and disclosure.
- Trust money and records, 8. Rule 1260-02-.09 (escrow accounts) and .40 (records). Short rules, many numbers. Practice: escrow and records.
Numbers worth memorizing
Each one is a rule, not a rule of thumb, and each comes up in the state outline:
- 21 days: how long the principal broker has to act on a written request for earnest money (Rule 1260-02-.09(9)).
- 3 years: how long transaction records are kept after closing (Rule 1260-02-.40).
- One click: the firm name and phone must be no further away than that on social media (Rule 1260-02-.12(6)).
- 2 years: the license cycle; renewal is every 2 years, $75.
- 1 year: the window from passing to applying for the license.
The national portion
The 80 national questions are the same subjects every state tests, and the PSI bulletin’s reading list for them is national principles textbooks. They are covered once on this site: start with the national portion study guide, and do the math early, since calculations are 7% of the national portion and reward practice more than reading.
How to use the practice questions
Take the state-portion practice test once before you start the rules, to see which group is weakest, and again at the end. Read the explanation of every option, including the ones you got right. The PSI bulletin suggests study sessions of 45 to 60 minutes.
Material and exam-day rules
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor practice test | PSI sells online national salesperson practice exams, paid per attempt; the bulletin lists none for the Tennessee state portion | PSI: Tennessee Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/1/2025) [1] | |
| State portion | 40 questions, 80 minutes | PSI: Tennessee Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/1/2025) [1] | |
| National portion | 80 questions, 160 minutes | PSI: Tennessee Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/1/2025) [1] | |
| Unscored questions | 5 to 10 experimental questions, not scored but timed | PSI: Tennessee Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/1/2025) [1] | |
| Testing time | 240 minutes: 160 national + 80 state | PSI: Tennessee Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/1/2025) [1] | |
| Candidate bulletin | Free PDF with both content outlines and the reading list | PSI bulletin | — |
| State law | Rules of the Commission and the Broker License Act, chapters 1260-01 and 1260-02 | Secretary of State | — |
The four state areas, one page each
- Commission, licensing and consumer protection 11 items on the exam
- Advertising and broker/affiliate rules 12 items on the exam
- Agency, disclosure and special areas 9 items on the exam
- Trust money and records 8 items on the exam
- Property ownership
- Land use controls
- Transfer of title
- Valuation and appraisal
- Contracts
- Agency
- Real estate practice
- Disclosures and environmental issues
- Financing
- Real estate math
Study Tennessee law on your phone
Practice on your phone
Tennessee affiliate broker: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with any state commission or test provider.
Sources
- PSI: Tennessee Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 7/1/2025) test-takers.psiexams.com · checked Oct 24, 2026
Studying for the Tennessee exam, quick answers
How do I study for the Tennessee real estate exam?
Treat it as two exams. Learn the national subjects from a principles course and the national portion pages, and learn the 40-question state portion from the Commission’s rules, heaviest area first: advertising and firm rules.
What is the hardest part of the Tennessee state portion?
There is no published data by area. By weight, advertising and firm rules matters most (12 questions), and the most Tennessee-specific is agency law, because licensees start as facilitators rather than agents.
Is a Tennessee real estate prep book enough?
Only if it was revised after the September 2025 rule changes. Check its licensing and conduct chapters against the current rules before you rely on it.