- The DE-RE-B has 145 total questions: 80 scored general items and 50 scored state items, plus unscored pretest items.
- Domain 11 (Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees) carries the heaviest state weight at 34%.
- You must score 70 on both the general and state portions separately to pass - one strong score cannot offset a weak one.
- Domain 4 (Real Estate Contracts and Agency) is the largest general-portion domain at 18.75%.
How the DE-RE-B Exam Is Structured
Before diving into content areas, it helps to understand the shape of the exam itself. The Delaware Real Estate Broker Exam is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the Delaware Real Estate Commission, part of the Division of Professional Regulation. It's closed-book and computer-delivered at a physical test center - no notes, no reference sheets, and no financial calculators (a silent, nonprinting, non-alphabetic calculator is allowed).
The exam is split into two distinct portions that are scored independently:
- General/National portion: 80 scored items + 5 unscored pretest items
- Delaware state portion: 50 scored items + 10 unscored pretest items
That's 145 total questions delivered in a four-hour window. Domains 1-8 live inside the general portion; Domains 9-13 live inside the state portion. You need a scaled score of 70 on each portion to pass - for the full mechanics of how that scaled score is calculated, see our DE-RE-B Passing Score guide.
Domains 1-8: The National/General Portion
The general portion tests real estate fundamentals that apply broadly, based on the national outline effective April 1, 2025. These eight domains make up the 80 scored items on your exam.
Domain 1: Real Property Characteristics, Legal Descriptions, and Property Use (12.5%)
Covers land descriptions, fixtures, appurtenances, and zoning/land-use classifications.
- Metes-and-bounds vs. lot-and-block description reading
- Distinguishing real property from personal property
Domain 2: Forms of Ownership, Transfer, and Recording of Title (10%)
Focuses on how title is held and conveyed.
- Tenancy types (joint tenancy, tenancy by the entirety, etc.)
- Deed types, recording priority, and constructive notice
Domain 3: Property Value and Appraisal (12.5%)
Valuation approaches and the factors appraisers weigh.
- Sales comparison, cost, and income approaches
- Depreciation and highest-and-best-use analysis
Domain 4: Real Estate Contracts and Agency (18.75%)
The single largest general domain - expect the heaviest concentration of questions here.
- Listing agreements, purchase agreements, and contract elements
- Agency relationships, fiduciary duties, and disclosure obligations
Domain 5: Real Estate Practice (15%)
Day-to-day brokerage operations and professional conduct.
- Advertising rules and fair housing application in practice
- Property management and brokerage relationship basics
Domain 6: Property Disclosures and Environmental Issues (11.25%)
Seller disclosure duties and environmental hazard awareness.
- Lead-based paint and other federally regulated disclosures
- Environmental hazards affecting marketability
Domain 7: Financing and Settlement (10%)
Mortgage instruments and the closing process.
- Loan types, qualifying ratios, and financing documents
- Settlement statement line items and prorations
Domain 8: Real Estate Math Calculations (10%)
Applied math you'll need to compute under time pressure - without a financial calculator.
- Commission splits, proration, and area calculations
- Loan-to-value and simple appreciation/depreciation math
Notice that Domains 4, 5, and 3 together account for nearly half of the general portion. If your study time is limited, that's where the return is highest. Our DE-RE-B Study Guide walks through how to sequence these domains for maximum retention before test day.
Domains 9-13: The Delaware State Portion
The state portion is built from Delaware's own outline, effective June 1, 2020, and covers the 50 scored items unique to practicing in this state. This is where generic national-exam prep falls short - you cannot pass this portion by studying a different state's rules or a different credential's material.
Domain 9: Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission (8%)
Structure and authority of the Delaware Real Estate Commission.
- Commission composition and disciplinary powers
- Rulemaking authority under the Division of Professional Regulation
Domain 10: Licensing Requirements (6%)
How salesperson and broker licenses are granted, renewed, and maintained.
- Continuing education hours required per renewal cycle
- License renewal timing
Domain 11: Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees (34%)
The largest domain on the entire exam. This single domain carries more weight than any other domain in either portion.
- Escrow and trust account handling rules
- Recordkeeping, supervision, and licensee conduct statutes
Domain 12: Additional State Topics (32%)
A dense, broad domain covering supplementary Delaware-specific rules and practices not captured elsewhere.
- State-specific disclosure and transaction rules
- Delaware property tax and settlement nuances
Domain 13: Broker Only (20%)
Content exclusive to broker candidates - see the deep dive below.
Key Takeaway
Domains 11 and 12 together account for two-thirds of the entire state portion. If you only have time to master two state domains deeply, make it these.
Domain Weight Breakdown
Here's the full picture side by side, with weights calculated from Pearson VUE's official scored item counts:
| Domain | Portion | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Real Property Characteristics, Legal Descriptions & Use | General | 12.5% |
| 2. Forms of Ownership, Transfer, and Recording of Title | General | 10% |
| 3. Property Value and Appraisal | General | 12.5% |
| 4. Real Estate Contracts and Agency | General | 18.75% |
| 5. Real Estate Practice | General | 15% |
| 6. Property Disclosures and Environmental Issues | General | 11.25% |
| 7. Financing and Settlement | General | 10% |
| 8. Real Estate Math Calculations | General | 10% |
| 9. Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission | State | 8% |
| 10. Licensing Requirements | State | 6% |
| 11. Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees | State | 34% |
| 12. Additional State Topics | State | 32% |
| 13. Broker Only | State | 20% |
For a look at how these weights translate to actual difficulty on test day, see How Hard Is the DE-RE-B Exam? and the underlying pass data in our DE-RE-B Pass Rate breakdown.
Domain 13: Broker-Only Content
Domain 13 exists because you're not sitting for the salesperson exam - you're testing for a broker license, which comes with additional legal and supervisory responsibility. At 20% of the state portion, it's too large to treat as an afterthought.
This domain assumes you already understand baseline agency and statutory rules from Domains 4 and 11, then layers on broker-specific obligations:
- Supervisory responsibility for salespersons and office staff
- Escrow account management at the broker level
- Office licensing and branch office compliance requirements
- Broker-level recordkeeping and audit obligations
Also worth knowing: no more than three exam attempts are permitted before you're required to repeat the prelicensing course, and a full broker license additionally requires three years of active practice along with compliance with office, supervision, and escrow requirements. This makes Domain 13 preparation less about memorizing new facts and more about internalizing how supervisory accountability changes your legal exposure.
Registration, Fees, and Eligibility Mechanics
Domain content is only half the battle - the administrative mechanics trip up candidates too. Here's what you're paying and when:
- Exam fee: $88, paid to Pearson VUE for the closed-book computer-delivered exam
- State application fee: $248
- Real Estate Guaranty Fund fee: $25
Once licensed, renewal falls on April 30 of even-numbered years, and you'll need 21 continuing-education hours per full biennial cycle to stay current. For a complete cost breakdown including these fees in context, read DE-RE-B Certification Cost 2026. If you're still confirming you meet the baseline eligibility criteria before spending on fees, cross-check DE-RE-B Requirements first, and if you're weighing whether the whole process is worth pursuing given your career goals, our ROI analysis covers that decision directly.
Scheduling Your Review Around the 13 Domains
Rather than studying domains in numerical order, sequence your review by weight and dependency. Domains 4 and 11 anchor everything else - contracts/agency concepts from Domain 4 reappear inside statutory rules in Domain 11, and Domain 13's broker duties build directly on both.
Foundational General Domains
- Domain 4 (Contracts and Agency) - highest weight, start here
- Domain 5 (Real Estate Practice) and Domain 3 (Appraisal)
Remaining General Domains
- Domains 1, 2, 6, 7 - property, title, disclosures, financing
- Domain 8 math drills, practiced without a financial calculator
Heavy State Domains
- Domain 11 (Statutory Requirements) - largest single domain overall
- Domain 12 (Additional State Topics)
Broker-Specific and Light State Domains
- Domain 13 (Broker Only) and Domains 9-10
- Full-length timed practice covering both portions
A short daily review cycle using spaced repetition on statute-heavy Domain 11 flashcards works particularly well, since that domain rewards memorized specifics more than conceptual reasoning. For a condensed reference you can run through in the final days before your Pearson VUE appointment, keep our DE-RE-B Cheat Sheet handy, and confirm your test center scheduling window using DE-RE-B Exam Dates 2026. You can also run full domain-tagged practice sets on the main practice test platform to see exactly where your weak domains are before you commit to a testing date.
Key Takeaway
Study Domain 11 and Domain 4 first - together they represent the two largest single domains across both portions of the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Domain weights are percentages of scored items within each portion - for example, Domain 11 at 34% represents roughly a third of the 50 scored state items, while Domain 4 at 18.75% represents roughly a fifth of the 80 scored general items.
No. You need a scaled score of 70 on the general portion (Domains 1-8 combined) and a separate scaled score of 70 on the state portion (Domains 9-13 combined) - scoring is by portion, not by individual domain.
Domain 13 is broker-only content and appears on the DE-RE-B exam regardless, since the exam itself is the Delaware Real Estate Broker Exam. It's a required 20% of the state portion for every candidate sitting for this exam.
Domain 11 (Statutory Requirements Governing the Activities of Licensees) at 34% and Domain 4 (Real Estate Contracts and Agency) at 18.75% are the two largest single domains across the two portions - prioritize these first.
Yes, but only a silent, handheld, nonprinting calculator without an alphabetic keypad is allowed at the test center. Financial calculators are prohibited, so practice Domain 8 calculations using a basic calculator only.