How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Virginia

In this guide you’ll learn all the details you need to know to get your license and become a real estate agent in Virginia.

You’ll learn the basic real estate licensing requirements in Virginia, information about the exam including pass rates and test prep, reciprocity rules, county by county breakdowns of the most expensive real estate in Virginia, and more.

Okay, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s start at the beginning.

Basic Virginia Real Estate Licensing Requirements

Getting a real estate license in Virginia is rather easy compared to other states. You only need a total of 60 classroom hours of commission-approved pre-licensing courses. In comparison, to get a license in Texas, real estate licenses require applicants to complete 180 hours of courses. Here’s a quick breakdown of the real estate licensing requirements in Virginia:

Pre-licensing Courses Required in Virginia

In order to get a real estate license in Virginia, you will need to complete 60 hours of real estate pre-licensing courses that will cover the following:

• 60-Hour Pre-Licensing Course Includes:
  • Virginia Law
  • Ownership, Valuation, And Brokerages
  • Mortgages, Lending Laws, And Other Consumer Based Themes

All New Salesperson Licensees Are Required To Complete A Board-Approved 30-Hour Post-License Education Course Within One Year Of Obtaining Their Licenses.

• 30-Hour Post-Licensing Course Includes:
  • Fair Housing, ADA And Civil Rights (2 Hours)
  • Real Estate Law And Regulations (8 Hours)
  • Ethics And Standards Of Conduct (3 Hours)
  • Current Industry Issues And Trends (2 Hours)
  • Agency Law (3 Hours)
  • Contract Writing (6 Hours)
  • Risk Management (3 Hours)
  • Escrow Requirements (3 Hours)

Virginia Real Estate Exam Information

If you work hard and take the courses seriously you should have no problem passing the exam. If you’re looking for help studying for the test, we recommend Real Estate Exam Scholar’s Exam prep course. They offer top-notch exam prep for an affordable price. Even better, they also offer a money back guarantee if you don’t pass on the first try.

Visit Real Estate Exam Scholar

Virginia Pre-Licensing Exam Questions

• Total of 120 multiple-choice questions (to be completed within 2.5 hours)
  • 80 questions on the national portion (56 correct required to pass)
  • 40 questions on the state-specific portion (30 correct required to pass)

What to Bring to the Exam

• 2 valid forms of ID with signatures. One ID must be a government-issued Photo ID
• Simple Functioning Calculator

Passing Score

You must earn a score of 70-75% or higher to pass the Virginia Real Estate Exam

Pass Rate

N/A

Virginia Real Estate License Fee

$170

Exam Fee in Virginia

$60

Education Requirements

You need to have at least a high school diploma or GED in order to apply for a license in Virginia.

Age

Applicants must be at least 18 of age or older

Residency

You must be a resident of the state of Virginia to be issued a license as a real estate salesperson.

Exemptions

Any active member of the Virginia Bar who is in good standing and qualified under the real estate license law is exempt from taking the real estate prerequisite course.

Criminal Background

You should have a clean criminal record in order to acquire a real estate salesperson license in Virginia. However, if you happen to have a felony or criminal record, discussing the situation with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation can help your case.

Online Real Estate Schools in Virginia

While taking your real estate pre-licensing course in person can be helpful, online courses are much cheaper and offer the exact same courses. Career WebSchool is a solid choice.

Visit Career Web School

Virginia Real Estate License Reciprocity and Portability

If you plan on working in states besides Virginia, then you need to know the real estate license reciprocity and portability laws for Virginia.

• Reciprocity: Virginia has reciprocity agreements with all states
  • If you are from another state and want to obtain a real estate license in Virginia by reciprocity, you need to have held the same license in that other state for at least 12 of the past 36 months.
• Portability: Physical Location

To learn more about real estate license portability in Virginia, check out our guide on real estate license reciprocity and portability here.

How to Choose the Right Real Estate Company to Work For in Virginia

Let’s face it. Choosing the right brokerage to work for in any state isn’t easy. In order to make your choice a little bit easier, check out our in-depth guide on choosing the right real estate company to work for.

Once you’ve finished reading the guide, check out our buyer’s guide comparing Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Century 21 here.

If you’re curious about which Virginia brokerages are the most successful, check out Real Trends list of the top real estate brokerages in Virginia for 2016 below.

Richmond

Virginia Beach/Norfolk

*Data from Real Trends Market Leaders 2016

Virginia Counties with Highest Average Listing Price and Highest Median Sales Price 2016

Let’s face it, higher listing prices mean higher commission checks! To get a sense of which counties offer the best opportunities for big bucks in Virginia check out this sales data from Trulia’s Virginia home price page below: