- The NRED-S is a $100 combination exam: 80 national questions in 2 hours 30 minutes, 40 Nevada questions in 1 hour 30 minutes.
- You need 75% on both the national and state portions separately - one strong score can't cover for the other.
- Agency and Duties Owed, License Practice, Disclosures, and Contracts together make up 87% of the Nevada state portion.
- 120 hours of pre-licensing education is mandatory, including 18 hours specifically on Nevada law.
Exam Snapshot: Format, Fee, and Time Limits
Before you memorize a single fact, lock in the shape of the exam itself. The NRED-S is governed by the Nevada Real Estate Division and delivered as a computer-based, multiple-choice combination exam through Pearson VUE, with OnVUE remote testing available for eligible portions. The $100 fee covers both portions in one sitting, and the exam totals 120 scored questions split into two distinct blocks.
- National/General portion: 80 scored questions, 5 unscored pretest items, 2 hours 30 minutes
- Nevada State portion: 40 scored questions, 5-10 unscored pretest items, 1 hour 30 minutes
- Passing threshold: 75% required on each portion independently
- Calculator: Built-in on-screen calculator provided; personal calculators are prohibited
Because each portion is scored on its own, a candidate can't offset a weak Nevada score with a strong national score, or vice versa. This is the single most important structural fact on this cheat sheet, and it should shape how you split your remaining study time. For a deeper breakdown of how scoring actually works, see our complete passing score walkthrough.
National/General Portion: 8 Domains at a Glance
The 80 scored national/general questions are drawn from eight content domains that mirror real estate fundamentals tested across most U.S. jurisdictions, adapted here for Nevada's specific exam blueprint. Unlike the Nevada portion, these domains don't carry published percentage weights in the official materials, so treat them as equally important unless your practice results show otherwise.
Domain 1: Real Property Characteristics, Legal Descriptions, and Property Use
Covers physical vs. legal descriptions, metes and bounds, government survey systems, and land use regulation.
- Know the difference between land, real property, and personal property
Domain 2: Forms of Ownership, Transfer, and Recording of Title
Tests estates in land, concurrent ownership, deeds, and recording priority.
- Memorize the elements of a valid deed and the recording "race" concept
Domain 3: Property Value and Appraisal
Focuses on the three approaches to value and the factors that influence market value.
- Practice sales comparison adjustments until they're automatic
Domain 4: Real Estate Contracts and Agency
Covers contract elements, listing agreements, and agency relationships at a national level.
- Distinguish bilateral vs. unilateral contracts and void vs. voidable
Domain 5: Real Estate Practice
Day-to-day brokerage operations, fair housing, and advertising rules.
- Review protected classes under federal fair housing law
Domain 6: Property Disclosures and Environmental Issues
Environmental hazards, material fact disclosure, and seller obligations.
- Know common hazard categories: lead, mold, radon, asbestos
Domain 7: Financing and Settlement
Loan types, qualifying ratios, and closing procedures.
- Compare conventional, FHA, and VA financing basics
Domain 8: Real Estate Math Calculations
Commission splits, prorations, loan-to-value, and area calculations.
- Drill proration and commission math until it takes under 60 seconds per problem
Want the full breakdown of subtopics inside each domain, plus sample question phrasing? Our complete guide to all 16 content areas goes far deeper than a cheat sheet can.
Nevada State Portion: Weighted Domains
This is where the cheat sheet earns its keep. Unlike the national portion, the Nevada state portion publishes exact percentage weights for each of its eight domains - and the imbalance is dramatic. Four domains account for 87% of the entire state portion.
| Nevada State Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Duties and Powers of the Commission | 2% |
| Licensing Requirements | 3% |
| Agency and Duties Owed | 20% |
| License Practice | 24% |
| Disclosures | 20% |
| Contracts | 23% |
| Record Keeping | 3% |
| Special Topics | 5% |
Key Takeaway
Spend the majority of your Nevada-specific study time on License Practice (24%), Contracts (23%), Agency and Duties Owed (20%), and Disclosures (20%). Together these four domains carry roughly 9 out of every 10 state-portion questions.
The low-weight domains - Duties and Powers of the Commission, Licensing Requirements, Record Keeping, and Special Topics - still deserve a pass, but don't let them eat into time better spent on the big four. If you're unsure how difficult these Nevada-specific domains feel relative to the national portion, our difficulty guide breaks that down candidate by candidate.
120-Hour Education Checklist
You can't sit for the NRED-S without completing approved pre-licensing education. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and complete 120 total hours, broken into four required courses:
- 45 hours - Real Estate Principles
- 45 hours - Real Estate Law (must include 18 hours specifically on Nevada law)
- 15 hours - Contracts
- 15 hours - Agency
On top of coursework, candidates must satisfy fingerprint and background check requirements before licensure is finalized. If you're still confirming whether you meet every prerequisite, our eligibility and prerequisites guide walks through each requirement in order.
Registration and Retake Mechanics
Understanding how scores expire and how retakes work can save you from an avoidable licensing delay. Three mechanics matter most:
- 12-month score validity: Passing national and state results used for licensure must be dated within the last 12 months.
- Split-pass window: If you pass one portion but not the other, you have 12 months from that pass to clear the remaining portion.
- Independent scoring: Because each portion needs its own 75%, a retake only requires you to resit the portion you failed - not the whole exam.
Testing happens at Pearson VUE test centers nationwide, with OnVUE remote proctoring available for eligible portions - useful if a testing center isn't convenient to your schedule. For exact scheduling windows and how far in advance to book, check testing windows, deadlines, and scheduling. And if you're budgeting beyond the $100 exam fee for education and licensing costs, the complete pricing breakdown covers the full financial picture.
Final-Week Review Priorities
In the last stretch before test day, resist the urge to restart your entire study plan. Instead, sequence your remaining hours around the exam's actual weight distribution.
Nevada Heavyweights
- Re-drill License Practice, Contracts, Agency and Duties Owed, and Disclosures - the 87% of the state portion
National Math and Financing
- Refresh Real Estate Math Calculations and Financing and Settlement formulas, since these are calculation-heavy and easy to rush under time pressure
Low-Weight Nevada Domains
- Quick pass through Duties and Powers of the Commission, Licensing Requirements, Record Keeping, and Special Topics
Full Timed Simulation
- Run one full national-portion timed set (2 hr 30 min) and one full state-portion timed set (1 hr 30 min) using the built-in calculator only
This sequencing works because it mirrors the actual point distribution you'll face on test day rather than treating all 16 domains as equal. For a fuller multi-week plan built around this same weighting logic, see the first-attempt study guide.
Quick-Reference Comparison Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Governing body | Nevada Real Estate Division |
| Test delivery | Pearson VUE (OnVUE available for eligible portions) |
| Exam fee | $100 (combination exam) |
| Total scored questions | 120 (80 national + 40 Nevada) |
| National time limit | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Nevada time limit | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Passing score | 75% on each portion separately |
| Pre-licensing education | 120 hours total |
| Score validity for licensure | 12 months |
| Minimum age | 18 |
Bookmark this table alongside the NRED-S practice test platform so you can cross-check facts while you drill questions - the two together make a fast pre-exam review loop.
FAQ
Two separate scores. You need 75% on the national/general portion and 75% on the Nevada state portion independently - a high score on one does not compensate for a low score on the other.
License Practice (24%), Contracts (23%), Agency and Duties Owed (20%), and Disclosures (20%) together make up 87% of the state portion, so prioritize those four first.
No. A built-in on-screen calculator is provided during the exam, and personal calculators are prohibited at the testing center.
You have 12 months from the date you passed the first portion to pass the remaining one. Both passing scores must be within 12 months of each other for licensure purposes.
Yes. Applicants must complete 120 hours of approved pre-licensing education - 45 hours Real Estate Principles, 45 hours Real Estate Law (including 18 hours of Nevada law), 15 hours Contracts, and 15 hours Agency - plus fingerprint and background requirements, before sitting for the exam.
Keep this page open during your final review sessions, and pair it with focused practice questions on our NRED-S practice test site to confirm you've actually internalized these weights and mechanics - not just read them.