How to get a Real Estate License in Virginia

Virginia, the Old Dominion State! The Mother of States and Presidents! Home of the Mountaineers and the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia is also the birthplace of 8 former presidents and 4 of the first 5 Presidents of the U.S.A. Thank you, Wikipedia and Mr. May’s A.P. U.S. History class. 

But enough history class! You don’t need to be a history teacher to become a real estate agent in Virginia, although teachers can make great agents. You don’t even need a college degree to start your real estate career, although it will help if you study real estate.  This blog will cover how to get a Virginia Real Estate Sales Agent and Broker license and getting a license through reciprocity.  

Qualifications & Steps

To qualify to become a real estate sales agent is not difficult on paper. You must be 18 years of age and have a good moral character. The harder part is the pre-license education and knowledge check.

Virginia requires that all new sales agent applicants must complete 60 hours of qualifying pre-license education that includes a heavy emphasis on real estate law. “What other kind of law would it cover?” That’s a good question. You’ll learn about contract and property law, as well as licensing law and how a real estate company must operate in Virginia. You will also take a course final exam and pass with a score of at least 70% for sales agents and brokers.

You will take the licensing exam through PSI Exams.  Candidates must complete their pre-license education, apply to the Virginia Real Estate Board through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), and then take the state licensing exam.   

Getting a Virginia Brokers License

Getting the next level of real estate license is a similar process to getting your initial salesperson license. 

The process to become a broker is virtually the same as a sales agent. You will complete the pre-license education, pass the licensing exam, get your fingerprint background check, and then apply to the DPOR for your license. 

There are a few more wrinkles in the process to get a broker license: you must have been licensed as a salesperson for at least 3 full years of full-time work and completed 180 hours of broker courses. If you have both of those, you can then pass the state broker licensing exam, get your background check, and apply to DPOR. 

Virginia Waiver & Exemption

Virginia has one of the more unique licensing processes for people who are already licensed in other states. Currently, Virginia has no reciprocal agreements with any states. That doesn’t necessarily mean that a broker in another state can’t become a Virginia licensee. 

 If you are already licensed in any other state, you will still be subject to the same license requirements as a resident. However, Virginia may waive all or part of the education requirements for an applicant who was licensed in another state. They will examine each applicant on a case-by-case basis. If the education is substantially equivalent to Virginia in terms of hours, the Board may waive the education requirement for getting a license in Virginia. For brokers in other states, they still must be licensed for at least 3 years to get a Virginia broker license. Other state licenses will have to pass the state portion of the Virginia licensing exam.

If you have any questions about the Virginia Real Estate Board or thinking about a new career path with a real estate license, do not hesitate to contact our License Law specialists.