Skip to content
Pass Georgia
Real estate glossaryNational exam concept

Protected class

A protected class is a group defined by a characteristic that anti-discrimination law prohibits decision-makers from using as a basis for specified housing, credit, employment, or public-accommodation conduct.

Exam area: Practice of Real Estate

Download PDF

What does “protected class” mean in real estate?

A protected class is a group defined by a characteristic that anti-discrimination law prohibits decision-makers from using as a basis for specified housing, credit, employment, or public-accommodation conduct.

How is “protected class” different from the closest wrong answer?

Federal fair housing has seven listed class categories. ECOA, the ADA, and state or local laws have different coverage, terms, and protected bases.

What is the Georgia-specific rule?

For Georgia housing questions, start with the federal Fair Housing Act categories and then consider any additional law named in the stem. Do not invent a federal class from an unrelated fairness concern.

Worked exam example

Scenario

A property manager rejects an otherwise qualified applicant because the applicant has children, making familial status the prohibited basis.

What is the most common exam trap?

Trap correction

The law protects people from decisions based on covered characteristics, not properties or neighborhoods as protected classes themselves.

Original exam check

Apply the definition

A property manager turns down four applicants: a 70-year-old retiree, an unmarried adult, a full-time college student, and a parent with two young children. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, which denial raises a protected-class issue if it was based on that trait?

Mastery tracker

Do not mark this term complete until you can retrieve it.

0%

Progress is stored only in this browser.

Related terms to learn next

Recommended next complete lesson

Continue with Practice of Real Estate complete lesson. It places this term inside the full rule, worked examples, exam traps, and mixed practice required for mastery.