DC PROPERTY MANAGER EXAM – EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALE | 2027 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. In the District of Columbia, a property manager generally acts as an agent for
whom in matters pertaining to property management?
A. The tenant
B. The District government
C. The property owner
D. The lending institution
Rationale: A property manager acts as an agent for the owner in matters pertaining to property
management and performs those responsibilities under the owner’s direction.
2. Which requirement currently applies to an applicant seeking a District of
Columbia Property Manager license?
A. Completion of a 135-hour broker prelicensing course
B. Passing both the general and DC portions of the Property Manager examination
C. Passing only the DC portion of the salesperson examination
D. Two years of experience as a licensed salesperson
Rationale: The District’s licensing information states that Property Manager applicants must
pass both the general and DC portions of the Property Manager examination. A broker-level
education or salesperson experience requirement does not replace this requirement.
3. Which statement best describes the current prelicense education requirement for
a DC Property Manager applicant?
A. A mandatory 60-hour course is required
B. A mandatory 90-hour course is required
C. A mandatory 135-hour course is required
D. Prelicense education is not currently required
,Rationale: The District states that prelicense education is currently not required for property
managers, although applicants may choose approved property-management education for
preparation.
4. After passing the required Property Manager examination, within what period
must the applicant submit the license application to the Commission?
A. 30 days
B. 90 days
C. Six months
D. One year
Rationale: The District specifies that a Property Manager applicant who passes the required
examination must submit the license application and required fees within six months of passing.
5. Which government body is responsible for regulating and licensing real estate
professionals, including property managers, in the District of Columbia?
A. Department of Housing and Community Development
B. Department of Buildings
C. Office of the Tenant Advocate
D. District of Columbia Real Estate Commission
Rationale: The DC Real Estate Commission administers the licensing framework for real estate
professionals, including property managers. Other agencies have separate housing, building, or
tenant-protection responsibilities.
6. A property manager receives a fee for managing residential real estate on behalf
of an owner. Which relationship most accurately describes the manager’s role?
A. Trustee
B. Agent
C. Mortgagee
D. Beneficiary
,Rationale: Property management commonly involves an agency relationship in which the
manager performs authorized management functions for the owner in exchange for
compensation.
7. Which activity is most consistent with the ordinary responsibilities of a property
manager?
A. Issuing judicial orders
B. Creating municipal legislation
C. Managing property operations on behalf of an owner
D. Determining federal tax policy
Rationale: Property managers perform operational and administrative functions for property
owners. They do not exercise governmental legislative or judicial authority.
8. An owner authorizes a manager to collect rent, coordinate maintenance, and
communicate with tenants. These activities primarily arise from the manager’s:
A. Personal ownership interest
B. Mortgage rights
C. Agency authority
D. Tax-exempt status
Rationale: The manager’s authority comes from the agency relationship and the scope of
authority granted by the property owner.
9. Which action would most clearly exceed a manager’s authority if the owner has
not granted such authority?
A. Scheduling routine maintenance
B. Communicating with a tenant about a repair
C. Collecting authorized rent
D. Selling the owner’s property without authorization
Rationale: A property manager must act within the authority granted by the owner. A major
transaction such as selling the property generally requires specific authority that cannot simply
be assumed from ordinary management responsibilities.
, 10. A property manager discovers that an owner’s instructions conflict with an
applicable housing requirement. What should the manager do first?
A. Ignore the regulation because the owner is the client
B. Follow the instruction and document it later
C. Comply with the applicable legal requirement and address the conflict with the owner
D. Transfer the responsibility to the tenant
Rationale: An agency relationship does not authorize a manager to violate applicable law. Legal
and regulatory requirements take precedence over conflicting owner instructions.
11. Which District agency administers significant aspects of rental housing and
condominium laws?
A. District of Columbia Real Estate Commission
B. Department of Buildings
C. Department of Housing and Community Development
D. Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Rationale: DHCD’s Housing Regulation Administration administers facets of the District’s
rental housing and condominium laws, including important rental-housing requirements.
12. The Rental Housing Act of 1985 is particularly associated with which area of
District housing regulation?
A. Commercial zoning only
B. Mortgage underwriting
C. Residential rental housing and rent regulation
D. Federal income taxation
Rationale: The Rental Housing Act of 1985 establishes important requirements affecting
residential rental housing, including rent-control and rental-accommodation administration.
13. Which District regulation title contains many of the housing regulations applicable
to rental properties?
A. Title 5
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALE | 2027 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. In the District of Columbia, a property manager generally acts as an agent for
whom in matters pertaining to property management?
A. The tenant
B. The District government
C. The property owner
D. The lending institution
Rationale: A property manager acts as an agent for the owner in matters pertaining to property
management and performs those responsibilities under the owner’s direction.
2. Which requirement currently applies to an applicant seeking a District of
Columbia Property Manager license?
A. Completion of a 135-hour broker prelicensing course
B. Passing both the general and DC portions of the Property Manager examination
C. Passing only the DC portion of the salesperson examination
D. Two years of experience as a licensed salesperson
Rationale: The District’s licensing information states that Property Manager applicants must
pass both the general and DC portions of the Property Manager examination. A broker-level
education or salesperson experience requirement does not replace this requirement.
3. Which statement best describes the current prelicense education requirement for
a DC Property Manager applicant?
A. A mandatory 60-hour course is required
B. A mandatory 90-hour course is required
C. A mandatory 135-hour course is required
D. Prelicense education is not currently required
,Rationale: The District states that prelicense education is currently not required for property
managers, although applicants may choose approved property-management education for
preparation.
4. After passing the required Property Manager examination, within what period
must the applicant submit the license application to the Commission?
A. 30 days
B. 90 days
C. Six months
D. One year
Rationale: The District specifies that a Property Manager applicant who passes the required
examination must submit the license application and required fees within six months of passing.
5. Which government body is responsible for regulating and licensing real estate
professionals, including property managers, in the District of Columbia?
A. Department of Housing and Community Development
B. Department of Buildings
C. Office of the Tenant Advocate
D. District of Columbia Real Estate Commission
Rationale: The DC Real Estate Commission administers the licensing framework for real estate
professionals, including property managers. Other agencies have separate housing, building, or
tenant-protection responsibilities.
6. A property manager receives a fee for managing residential real estate on behalf
of an owner. Which relationship most accurately describes the manager’s role?
A. Trustee
B. Agent
C. Mortgagee
D. Beneficiary
,Rationale: Property management commonly involves an agency relationship in which the
manager performs authorized management functions for the owner in exchange for
compensation.
7. Which activity is most consistent with the ordinary responsibilities of a property
manager?
A. Issuing judicial orders
B. Creating municipal legislation
C. Managing property operations on behalf of an owner
D. Determining federal tax policy
Rationale: Property managers perform operational and administrative functions for property
owners. They do not exercise governmental legislative or judicial authority.
8. An owner authorizes a manager to collect rent, coordinate maintenance, and
communicate with tenants. These activities primarily arise from the manager’s:
A. Personal ownership interest
B. Mortgage rights
C. Agency authority
D. Tax-exempt status
Rationale: The manager’s authority comes from the agency relationship and the scope of
authority granted by the property owner.
9. Which action would most clearly exceed a manager’s authority if the owner has
not granted such authority?
A. Scheduling routine maintenance
B. Communicating with a tenant about a repair
C. Collecting authorized rent
D. Selling the owner’s property without authorization
Rationale: A property manager must act within the authority granted by the owner. A major
transaction such as selling the property generally requires specific authority that cannot simply
be assumed from ordinary management responsibilities.
, 10. A property manager discovers that an owner’s instructions conflict with an
applicable housing requirement. What should the manager do first?
A. Ignore the regulation because the owner is the client
B. Follow the instruction and document it later
C. Comply with the applicable legal requirement and address the conflict with the owner
D. Transfer the responsibility to the tenant
Rationale: An agency relationship does not authorize a manager to violate applicable law. Legal
and regulatory requirements take precedence over conflicting owner instructions.
11. Which District agency administers significant aspects of rental housing and
condominium laws?
A. District of Columbia Real Estate Commission
B. Department of Buildings
C. Department of Housing and Community Development
D. Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Rationale: DHCD’s Housing Regulation Administration administers facets of the District’s
rental housing and condominium laws, including important rental-housing requirements.
12. The Rental Housing Act of 1985 is particularly associated with which area of
District housing regulation?
A. Commercial zoning only
B. Mortgage underwriting
C. Residential rental housing and rent regulation
D. Federal income taxation
Rationale: The Rental Housing Act of 1985 establishes important requirements affecting
residential rental housing, including rent-control and rental-accommodation administration.
13. Which District regulation title contains many of the housing regulations applicable
to rental properties?
A. Title 5
