The Maine real estate exam is administered by Pearson VUE. Candidates may schedule the exam by visiting the site, or by calling Pearson VUE at 877-543-5220.

Current Processing Timeframes: The Maine Real Estate Commission usually processes licenses in 5-10 business days.

Salesperson Exam

• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and:
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Must have a reputation for honesty, truthfulness, fair-dealing, and competency
• Must complete (with a minimum grade of 75%) a Commission-approved pre-license course called The Sales Agent Course
• Must provide the original Course Completion Certificate at the testing facility 
• Must undergo a background check ($21)
• Must pay exam fee ($85)
• Must pay license fee ($100)
• Successfully pass the sales agent exam

Associate Broker License

• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and:
• Must have high school diploma or equivalent
• Must have a reputation for honesty, truthfulness, fair-dealing, and competency
• Must have practiced as a licensed Sales Agent for 2 years
• Must satisfactorily complete (with a minimum final grade of 75%) The Associate Broker Course and provide an original transcript with license application 
• Must submit a fully completed license application no more than 30 days before the day the Sales Agent license expires and within 5 years of the date of issuance of the original Sales Agent License
• Pay the license fee ($100)
• There is no additional exam for the associate broker license

Broker License

• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and:
• Must have high school diploma or equivalent 
• Must have a reputation for honesty, truthfulness, fair-dealing, and competency
• Must have been licensed as an associate broker affiliated with a real estate brokerage agency for 2 years within the 5 years immediately preceding the date of application, must submit evidence of satisfactory completion of a qualifying educational program which covers the maximum competencies defined in the Commission-approved model entitled The Designated Broker Course.
• Must submit the application for licensure within 1 year of completion of this educational program
• Pay the license fee ($100)
• There is no additional exam for the broker license

Sales Associate Examination: The exam consists of a general portion, which has 80 questions, and a portion on Maine law that consists of 40 questions. Candidates are allowed 4 hours to complete the exam.

The exam consists of multiple-choice questions and is given on computer. It can be taken at the following locations: Bangor, Presque Isle, Westbrook, and in the following locations in Massachusetts: Boston, Concord, and Woburn.

• Sales Associate Content Outline (content outline can be found on pages 16-18)
• Real Estate Candidate Content Outline for Maine Law (page 19)

I. NATIONAL (GENERAL) PORTION

• 1. Property Ownership
  
  • Real vs. personal property; fixtures
  • Estates in land (freehold, leasehold)
  • Forms of ownership (joint tenancy, tenancy in common, etc.)
  • Encumbrances (liens, easements)
• 2. Land Use Controls and Regulations
  
  • Zoning and building codes
  • Private controls (deed restrictions, HOA covenants)
  • Environmental regulations
  • Government rights in land (taxation, eminent domain, police power, escheat)
• 3. Valuation and Market Analysis
  
  • Appraisal concepts and methods (cost, sales comparison, income)
  • Competitive Market Analyses (CMA)
  • Influences on value (economic, social, governmental)
• 4. Financing
  
  • Types of loans (conventional, FHA, VA)
  • Mortgage terminology (mortgage, deed of trust, note)
  • Lending process and credit laws
  • Sources of financing (primary vs. secondary markets)
• 5. General Principles of Agency
  
  • Nature and types of agency (seller, buyer, dual)
  • Fiduciary duties (confidentiality, loyalty, disclosure, etc.)
  • Creation and termination of agency
  • Responsibilities to clients vs. customers
• 6. Property Disclosures
  
  • Property condition and environmental disclosures
  • Material facts and defects
  • Federal disclosure requirements (lead-based paint, etc.)
• 7. Contracts
  
  • Essential elements of a valid contract
  • Types of real estate contracts (listing, sales, buyer representation)
  • Offers, counteroffers, acceptance
  • Termination and breach of contract
• 8. Leasing and Property Management
  
  • Types of leases (gross, net, percentage)
  • Landlord-tenant laws
  • Property manager’s duties
  • Lease provisions, termination, and eviction
• 9. Transfer of Title
  
  • Deeds (general warranty, special warranty, quitclaim)
  • Title insurance, title searches
  • Public records, recording
  • Closing procedures and settlement statements
• 10. Practice of Real Estate
  
  • Fair housing laws and anti-discrimination
  • Advertising regulations and best practices
  • Ethical practices, anti-trust laws
  • Escrow accounts, trust funds
• 11. Real Estate Calculations
  
  • Prorations (taxes, rents, insurance)
  • Commissions, net proceeds, and closing costs
  • Amortization, loan-to-value ratios, points

II. MAINE-SPECIFIC PORTION

• 1. Maine Real Estate Commission and Licensing
  
  • Commission’s authority and structure
  • License types (sales agent, associate broker, broker)
  • License eligibility, renewal, continuing education
  • Disciplinary actions, investigations, complaints
• 2. Agency Relationships in Maine
  
  • Required agency disclosures and agreements
  • Dual agency and designated agency rules
  • Fiduciary duties and client vs. customer distinctions
  • Written agency agreements, termination of agency
• 3. Maine Statutes, Regulations, and Rules
  
  • Maine Revised Statutes (relevant to real estate practice)
  • Commission rules regarding advertising, signage, team names
  • Handling trust/escrow accounts and financial record-keeping
• 4. Maine-Specific Contracts and Forms
  
  • Sales contracts, listing agreements, buyer representation
  • Mandatory disclosures (property condition, lead, radon, etc.)
  • Earnest money requirements
  • Statute of frauds in Maine
• 5. Property Management and Rental Laws in Maine
  
  • Security deposit rules
  • Tenant-landlord statutes
  • Eviction process in Maine
  • Property management agreements
• 6. Maine-Specific Disclosure Requirements
  
  • Residential property disclosure laws
  • Water, septic, environmental hazard disclosures
  • Lead-based paint (federal + Maine rules if applicable)
• 7. Fair Housing and Consumer Protection in Maine
  
  • Protected classes under federal and Maine law
  • Penalties for non-compliance
  • Maine Human Rights Act specifics
• 8. Additional Topics in Maine Real Estate Practice
  
  • Subdivision laws and land use controls
  • Shoreland zoning and local municipal ordinances
  • Timeshare regulations (if applicable)
  • Conservation easements, farmland protections

There are multiple versions of the real estate exam, with questions of varying degrees of difficulty. To ensure that no candidate has an unfair advantage or disadvantage, a statistical procedure known as equating is used to correct for differences in difficulty. The examination score is reported as a scaled score of 0 to 100. 

Sales Associate Examination: A passing grade is 75% or higher.

All candidates are required to bring 2 forms of valid identification. The name on the identification must be an exact match to that on the registration. The primary form of identification must be government-issued and include a photograph and a signature. The secondary identification must include a valid signature.

The primary identification can be any of the following:

• Government-issued Driver's License
• US Department of State Driver's License
• US Learner's Permit (plastic card only with photo and signature)
• National/State/Country Identification card
• Passport
• Passport card
• Military ID
• Military ID for spouse or dependent
• Alien Registration card

Secondary identification can be any of the following:

• US Social Security card
• Debit or Credit card
• Any form of ID on the primary list 

• Maine Real Estate Candidate Handbook 
• Maine Real Estate Commission
• Maine real estate license guide
• Maine real estate exam guide