The BOMA (Building Owners & Managers Association) Test is a big exam for those in commercial real estate management. It looks at important areas like facility operations, building measurement standards, and energy efficiency. If you pass, it shows you really know your stuff in the commercial real estate industry. So, it’s really valuable for property management pros. Practice with the free BOMA - Building Owners & Managers Association practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (11 questions with answer explanations).
Candidates preparing for fire life safety director can build exam confidence with our fire life safety director test 2026, which covers all key topics and question formats used in the real assessment.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (BOMI course exam) | 100 multiple-choice questions[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Number of questions (Ethics is Good Business ShortCourse exam) | 30 multiple-choice questions[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Number of questions (RPA/FMA Capstone exam) | 100 multiple-choice questions[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (BOMI course exam) | 2 hours[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (Ethics is Good Business ShortCourse exam) | 1 hour[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (RPA/FMA Capstone exam) | 2 hours[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Course exam administration) | $150 Exam Administration Fee[2] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (RPA/FMA Capstone exam) | $100 Capstone exam fee[2] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy (BOMI course exam) | Failed exam must be retaken; a fee applies in some cases[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity (Designation enrollment) | 7 years to complete a designation (plus optional 1-year extension)[3] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (BOMI course exam) | Timed, not proctored[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (RPA/FMA Capstone exam) | Proctored online via the BOMI Learning Portal[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility (BOMI course exam) | 6-month exam eligibility period[3] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Score release | Released only to the test taker and authorized BOMI staff[1] | BOMI International · Oct 25, 2026 |
Interactive BOMA - Building Owners & Managers Association resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
According to BOMI International, “A BOMI course exam has 100 multiple-choice questions, to be completed within two hours.”[1]
Prepare for the BOMA - Building Owners & Managers Association exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: Under BOMA standards, how is the 'Basic Rentable Area' of a floor calculated?
Answer: A. By adding the floor's occupant areas, amenity areas, and floor common areas
Explanation:
The correct answer is the first option. Under BOMA measurement standards, the Basic Rentable Area of a floor is built up from what is on that floor: the occupant areas, the amenity areas and the floor common areas, added together.
Multiplying gross area by an efficiency factor is wrong because it starts from the gross figure and applies a ratio instead of adding up the floor's own parts. Subtracting vertical penetrations from the exterior gross area describes a gross-area adjustment, not the build-up of rentable area. Dividing building rentable area by the number of floors gives an average, which says nothing about the actual floor.
Rule to remember: floor rentable area is the sum of the components on that floor, not a derived ratio or an average. See the Standards and Measurement set for more.
Question: What kind of Freon would you suggest for use in an apartment freezer?
Answer: A. R 12
Explanation:
In our question the keyed answer is R 12, an older refrigerant historically common in household refrigeration, including freezers. R 22 is the wrong choice here because it is associated with air conditioning rather than freezers. R 302 and R 202 are not standard household freezer refrigerants, so they are distractors.
Treat this as a recognition question about refrigerant types. R 12 is an older refrigerant that has been phased out of new equipment, so in real work the right choice always comes from the unit's nameplate, the manufacturer's data and current regulations. The rule to remember is to match the refrigerant to the equipment's rating label and to the application, and never to mix refrigerants. This is a maintenance-style question, so the Maintenance Test is the best place to practise similar items.
Question: What is 'tenant retention rate' and why is it a key performance metric for commercial building managers?
Answer: A. The percentage of lease renewals compared to total leases expiring, indicating the building's ability to keep existing tenants
Explanation:
The correct answer is the first option: tenant retention rate is the share of leases that renew compared with all leases that expire in the period. It matters because it shows whether the building keeps its existing tenants, which avoids vacancy, leasing commissions, tenant improvement costs and gaps in revenue.
The deposit option confuses retention with security deposits, which is a lease accounting matter. The service-request option describes a service-quality measure, not tenant retention. The termination-to-default ratio mixes two unrelated events and does not measure renewals at all.
Rule to remember: retention is renewals divided by expirations. When a question names a metric, check that the numerator and denominator match what the metric is meant to show. More items like this are in Tenant Relations and Customer Service.
Start with the official BOMI course material for the course you are taking, because the exam is based on it. Use these practice sets to find what you do not yet recall, not to learn the content from scratch.
Take a first set cold, with no notes, and write down every question you missed or guessed. Then match each miss to a chapter in your course text and reread that part before trying again. Pick sets that follow your course topic: Lease Administration, Financial Management and Reporting, Property Operations and Life Safety, or Asset Management and Property Valuation.
Because course exams are timed, practise at the same pace you will need on the day: read each question, answer, and move on instead of dwelling. Flag hard items and return to them. Read the explanation for questions you got right as well, since a lucky guess hides a gap.
Close to the exam date, run a mixed attempt from the main practice test and check the official exam page for your format, because a proctored Capstone exam differs from a course exam. Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions.
The BOMA (Building Owners & Managers Association) Test checks your skills in managing commercial real estate. It proves you know about facility operations, building sizes, and saving energy.
This test asks about many topics in managing commercial buildings. You need to understand different types of offices, how to handle leases, and ways to work well with tenants.
To take the BOMA Test, you need some education and work experience. The rules change depending on your degree, job history, and the training you’ve had. This makes sure everyone who gets certified knows a lot about managing property, checking buildings, and standards for measuring them.
The BOMA Test checks how well you understand the commercial real estate world. It looks at topics like saving energy, managing properties correctly, and making sure buildings are safe. The test has questions where you pick the best answer and others where you write a short essay. This lets you show what you know in different ways.
To do well on the BOMA Test, you should study study guides, take practice tests, and do some real-world work. BOMA International offers lots of help for students, like study materials and courses. But working in building management, checking buildings, and saving energy also really helps. This practical experience gives you a better shot at passing the test.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Validates your knowledge and skills objectively | Study materials can be expensive |
| Increases job market competitiveness | Exam anxiety can affect performance |
| Provides structured learning goals | Requires dedicated preparation time |
| Networking opportunities with other certified professionals | Retake fees apply if you don't pass |
Try these questions from our free BOMA - Building Owners & Managers Association practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
What does the BOMA 'Gross Measured Area' concept primarily help building owners accomplish?
Answer: A. Accurately report total building size for sale, insurance, and financing purposes
Gross Measured Area helps owners accurately document total building size, which is critical for insurance valuations, financing, and property sales.
BOMA recommends that building owners maintain measurement records using which type of drawings?
Answer: A. CAD or BIM drawings reflecting current as-built conditions
BOMA recommends using current as-built CAD or BIM drawings to ensure measurements accurately reflect the building's existing conditions.
What is a 'fire suppression system' activation protocol that building managers must know under BOMA emergency standards?
Answer: B. Immediately evacuate occupants, activate fire alarm, and contact 911 — never delay emergency services notification
BOMA life safety protocols require immediate evacuation, fire alarm activation, and 911 notification — delaying emergency services to assess the situation or control damage can cost lives.
Which BOMA initiative specifically helps building owners reduce energy consumption through benchmarking and best practices sharing?
Answer: A. BOMA 360 Performance Program
The BOMA 360 Performance Program is a building designation that recognizes commercial properties operating at the highest standards across six major areas including energy management and sustainability.
Take the full BOMA - Building Owners & Managers Association practice test
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