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How to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Virginia

Virginia licenses real estate agents statewide through the Real Estate Board.1 For the Real Estate Salesperson license you need at least 60 clock hours2 of education, a passing score on the Virginia Real Estate Board salesperson examination (state and national portions)2 and a criminal background check3. You renew every 2 years3 and complete at least 16 hours of continuing education3.

Last checked · 11 official sources

Who issues it

Real Estate Board

Training and experience

Training: at least 60 clock hours2

Exam

Virginia Real Estate Board salesperson examination (state and national portions)2

Fees the board lists

Exam fee: $602

Renewal

Every 2 years3, at least 16 hours of continuing education3

From another state

License by endorsement, Universal license recognition and Military service members and spouses43 Details

On this page
  1. Virginia real estate agent licenses
  2. Applies to every license level
  3. Who needs a Real Estate Salesperson license
  4. Requirements for a Real Estate Salesperson license
  5. How much a Real Estate Salesperson license costs
  6. How to apply
  7. Renewal and continuing education
  8. Moving to Virginia with a license from another state
  9. Real Estate Broker
  10. Check a license or report a problem
  11. Laws and rules
  12. Rule changes since January 2024
  13. Common questions
  14. Real estate agent licenses in other states

Virginia real estate agent licenses

Virginia issues 2 real estate agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

LicenseWhat it coversTraining or experienceExamApplication or license fee
Real Estate SalespersonPerforms the duties of a real estate broker for compensation while employed by or affiliated with a broker1Training 60 clock hours2Yes5$2103
Real Estate BrokerFor compensation, sells, buys, negotiates, leases or rents real estate for others, or deals in real estate contracts on two or more occasions in 12 months; may operate a sole proprietorship or act as a salesperson for another broker1Training 180 clock hours2
Experience 36 months3		Yes6$2653

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Virginia real estate agent license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Requirements

Minimum age
18 years old3
High school diploma or GED
Required3
Background check
Background check required3
Fingerprints required26
Applicants disclose misdemeanours involving fraud/dishonesty, sexual offenses, non-marijuana drug distribution or battery within five years, and all felonies; the Board may deny under Va. Code 54.1-204.3
Social Security number
Social Security number or Virginia DMV control number required56

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Exam fee$602PSI–
Transfer application$903Real Estate BoardMoving an active license to a different firm (no fee for moves between branches of the same firm, 18VAC135-20-70(B)(3)). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Activation application$903Real Estate BoardActivating an inactive license. Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

Renewal

How often
Every 2 years3
When it expires
Expires two years from the last day of the month of issue3
Approved courses
Board-approved courses (classroom, correspondence or distance learning); keep proof three years3
Exemptions
Inactive licensees need no CE to renew3
Military deployed: CE may be completed within six months after release3
Illness or undue hardship waivers at Board discretion1
Carryover: excess hours earned in the last six months of a term carry into the next term3
If it expires
Renewal not completed (fee received) within 30 days of expiry requires the reinstatement fee; reinstatement is possible up to one year after expiry, after which the person must re-qualify as a new applicant.3
No practice on an expired license; the 30-day window is not an extension4
Inactive licenses must still be renewed (same fee) but need no CE4
Licenses inactive for more than three years must meet current pre-license education to activate3

From another state

Route
Military service members and spouses
What the board says
Military spouses: expedited processing and a temporary 12-month license (Va. Code 54.1-119); service members and spouses: portability under the SCRA; veterans: credit for military training (54.1-118)4

Who needs a Real Estate Salesperson license

Performs the duties of a real estate broker for compensation while employed by or affiliated with a broker1

Work that does not need this license:

  • Owners or lessors (and their regular employees) dealing in their own property1

Other rules on who may do this work:

  • Attorneys performing their duties1
  • Receivers, bankruptcy trustees, administrators, executors and court-ordered sales1
  • Licensed auctioneers selling real estate at public auction for the owner, bidding open no longer than 48 hours1

Requirements for a Real Estate Salesperson license

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Education or training
At least 60 clock hours2
Principles of Real Estate course, 60 class/clock hours (or 4 semester hours), passed before the exam3
Who may teach it: Board-approved pre-license course (accredited college, adult distributive-education high school or equivalent school)1
Alternative: Board may waive education when equivalent education or experience is shown1
Experience
No experience requirement for salespersons7
Exam
Virginia Real Estate Board salesperson examination (state and national portions)2
Given by: PSI4
When you can take it: After passing the 60-hour Principles course3
State portion2
National portion2
Time limit: Exam must be passed within 12 months before a complete application is filed3
Exam waived: Applicants already licensed elsewhere (unexpired) take only the state portion7
Residency or citizenship
Non-residents may be licensed; each non-resident applicant files an irrevocable consent to service of process on the DPOR Director1
Also required
Must affiliate with a licensed firm or sole proprietorship to hold an active license; otherwise an inactive license is issued5
Also required
Must report prior disciplinary actions by any licensing body3

How much a Real Estate Salesperson license costs

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Initial license fee$2103Real Estate BoardLicense by education and examination; plus $20 Recovery Fund assessment (total $230). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Recovery Fund Assessment$201Real Estate BoardAll initial salesperson licenses (by exam or reciprocity). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Application fee$2305Real Estate BoardTotal due with the initial application (by exam or reciprocity), payable to the Treasurer of Virginia. Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
License by endorsement or reciprocity$2303Real Estate BoardTotal incl. $20 Recovery Fund; also the universal-license-recognition fee (18VAC135-20-65). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Salesperson or broker license as a business entity$2853Real Estate BoardOptional business-entity salesperson license (incl. real estate teams, Va. Code 54.1-2106.1(D)). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

How to apply

  1. Complete a Board-approved 60-hour Principles of Real Estate course.7
  2. Register with PSI and pass the state and national portions of the salesperson exam (scores are valid one year).7
  3. Get fingerprinted at a Virginia PSI test site or a Fieldprint location; the full application must reach the Board within 45 days of the background check.2
  4. Print, complete, sign and mail the Salesperson License Application (Form A490-0225SLIC) with the $230 fee payable to the Treasurer of Virginia, within one year of the first exam.5 Form (PDF, dpor.virginia.gov)5
  5. Complete 30 hours of post-license education within the first year to keep the license active.3
Temporary or provisional license
No general temporary license; military spouses licensed elsewhere may get a temporary 12-month license4

Renewal and continuing education

Renewal fee
$1003
Continuing education
At least 16 hours each renewal period3
Required topics
First renewal only: 30-hour post-license curriculum within the first year (2 fair housing/ADA/civil rights, 6 law and regulations, 3 ethics, 2 industry trends, 3 agency, 6 contract writing, 3 risk management, 3 escrow, 2 finance)4
Later renewals: 11 of 16 hours mandatory: 2 fair housing, 3 ethics, 2 agency, 2 contracts, 2 legal updates incl. flood zones/NFIP; 5 elective3
Late renewal
Reinstatement fee: $1553 (renewal not completed within 30 days of expiry (up to one year))

Renewal planner

Enter the expiration date printed on your Virginia Real Estate Salesperson license. The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.

Moving to Virginia with a license from another state

These are the routes the Real Estate Board publishes for the Real Estate Salesperson license. The other real estate agent licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Route
License by endorsement
What the board says
License by reciprocity: hold a current salesperson license elsewhere, pass the Virginia (state) portion of the exam, show a 60-hour Principles course and certifications from every state licensed4
Conditions
Certifications of licensure from every state ever licensed, dated within 60 days7
Certifications must be dated within 60 days7
Fee
$2303
Route
Universal license recognition
What the board says
Universal license recognition (18VAC135-20-65): licensed in a neighbouring state, or in another state after an exam and education, with no harmful discipline; pass the Virginia Real Estate Exam3
States on Virginia's list
District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia8
This is the list of states whose licenses Virginia accepts for this route. It does not say those states accept a Virginia license.
Conditions
Neighbouring-state licensees (DC, MD, NC, KY, TN, WV): current license in good standing, fingerprints, no harmful discipline, reciprocity fee, pass the Virginia exam3
Applicants from states that do not license: three years' experience makes them exam-eligible but they must pass all initial-applicant exams3
Fee
$2303

Real Estate Broker

For compensation, sells, buys, negotiates, leases or rents real estate for others, or deals in real estate contracts on two or more occasions in 12 months; may operate a sole proprietorship or act as a salesperson for another broker1

Requirements

Education or training
At least 180 clock hours2
180 class/clock hours of Board-approved broker courses: Real Estate Brokerage plus three broker-specific courses (Appraisal, Finance, Law), or two of them plus one broker-related course; the salesperson Principles course does not count2
Who may teach it: Board-approved courses, or equivalent college courses of at least 45 class/clock hours or 3 semester hours with a monitored final exam; original or certified transcripts required2
Alternative: Reciprocal applicants: the Board's chart credits other states' broker education (e.g. CA, PA, TX meet the full 180 hours)9
Alternative: Board may waive education or experience when equivalent is shown1
Experience
At least 36 months3
Actively engaged as a salesperson (average 40 hours/week) for 36 of the 48 months before applying, verified by the principal or supervising broker3
Supervision: Experience verified by the principal or supervising broker on the Virginia Experience Verification form3
License you must hold first: Salesperson license (active) during the qualifying period3
Exam
Virginia Real Estate Board broker examination (state and national portions)2
Given by: PSI4
When you can take it: After passing the 180 hours of broker courses3
State portion2
National portion2
Time limit: Exam must be passed within 12 months before a complete application is filed3
Exam waived: Currently licensed out-of-state brokers take only the state portion7
Residency or citizenship
Resident brokers must keep a place of business in Virginia; non-residents file a consent to service of process1
Business requirements
Business entities (other than sole proprietorships) need a firm license, and every participating officer/member must be a licensed broker1
Business requirements
Sole-proprietor or only broker must designate another broker to wind up business for up to 180 days on death or disability1
Business requirements
Principal brokers opening a firm attach a firm application7

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Initial license fee$2653Real Estate BoardPlus $20 Recovery Fund assessment (total $285). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Recovery Fund Assessment$201Real Estate BoardNew broker licensees (by exam or reciprocity). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Application fee$2853Real Estate BoardTotal due with a new broker application. Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
License by endorsement or reciprocity$2853Real Estate BoardNot refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
VA Salesperson upgrading to Broker$1203Real Estate BoardCurrent Virginia salesperson upgrading (no Recovery Fund assessment). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Broker concurrent license$1953Real Estate BoardEach additional firm a broker is active with (18VAC135-20-50); renewal $80, reinstatement $180. Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Exchange to salesperson license$1203Real Estate BoardNot refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Firm license$3703Real Estate BoardBusiness entity acting as a real estate firm (separate firm license; renewal $240). Broker-owned sole proprietorships need no firm license (18VAC135-20-20(A); Va. Code 54.1-2106.1(A)). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026
Branch office license$2653Real Estate BoardEach branch office (renewal $135). Not refundable. Effective April 1, 2026

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

How to apply

  1. Complete 180 hours of Board-approved broker courses and 36 of the last 48 months of full-time salesperson experience.7
  2. Pass the state and national portions of the broker exam through PSI.7
  3. Get fingerprinted unless you are a Virginia salesperson upgrading.6
  4. Mail the Broker License Application (A490-0225BLIC) with the experience verification form, transcripts and fee ($285, or $120 to upgrade a Virginia salesperson license) within one year of the first exam; add a firm application if opening a firm.6 Form (PDF, dpor.virginia.gov)6
Temporary or provisional license
No general temporary license; military spouses may get a temporary 12-month license4

Renewal

Renewal fee
$1203
Continuing education
At least 24 hours each renewal period3
Required topics
19 of 24 hours mandatory: 8 supervision and brokerage management (2 on broker supervision law), 2 fair housing, 3 ethics, 2 agency, 2 contracts, 2 legal updates incl. flood zones/NFIP; 5 elective3
Late renewal
Reinstatement fee: $1803 (renewal not completed within 30 days of expiry (up to one year))

From another state

Route
License by endorsement
What the board says
Broker by reciprocity: current broker license elsewhere; pass the Virginia state portion; 36 of 48 months' experience; 180 hours of substantially equivalent broker education; certifications from all states4
Conditions
Broker education credited per the Board's state chart9
Certifications of licensure from every state ever licensed, dated within 60 days7
Experience verified by someone with direct knowledge3
Fee
$2853
Route
Universal license recognition
What the board says
Universal license recognition (18VAC135-20-65) for brokers licensed in a neighbouring state or another state; pass the Virginia Real Estate Exam3
States on Virginia's list
District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia10
This is the list of states whose licenses Virginia accepts for this route. It does not say those states accept a Virginia license.
Conditions
Neighbouring-state licensees (DC, MD, NC, KY, TN, WV): current license in good standing, fingerprints, no harmful discipline, reciprocity fee, pass the Virginia exam3
Applicants from states that do not license: three years' experience makes them exam-eligible but they must pass all initial-applicant exams3
Fee
$2853

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a real estate agent in Virginia, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Virginia is on the Virginia license lookup page.

Look up a license
dpor.virginia.gov11
File a complaint
dpor.virginia.gov4

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Rule changes since January 2024

  • November 1, 2026: Universal license recognition rule amended (43:3 VA.R.); other-state licensees now need one year of licensure.3
  • July 1, 2026: DPOR Technology Fee of $7.25 per year added to certain fees (2026 HB 30), through June 30, 2030.4
  • April 1, 2026: 18VAC135-20 reorganized; new fee schedule section 18VAC135-20-15 took effect.3

Common questions

How long does it take to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Virginia?

The rules set at least 60 clock hours2 before you can be licensed. The board does not publish how long it takes to process an application.

Can I transfer my real estate agent license to Virginia?

The Real Estate Board publishes these routes for the Real Estate Salesperson license: license by endorsement4 and universal license recognition3. Conditions and forms.

How often do you renew a Real Estate Salesperson license in Virginia?

Every 2 years3. Continuing education: at least 16 hours3. The renewal fee is $1003.

Real estate agent licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. Code of Virginia Title 54.1 Chapter 21 Real Estate Brokers, Sales Persons and Rental Location AgentsVirginia General AssemblyChecked November 6, 2026
  2. Real Estate Pre-License Education and ExamVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationChecked November 6, 2026
  3. 18VAC135-20 Virginia Real Estate Board Licensing RegulationsVirginia General Assembly (Virginia Administrative Code)Checked November 6, 2026
  4. Real Estate BoardVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationChecked November 6, 2026
  5. Real Estate Salesperson License Application A490-0225SLICVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationDated October 1, 2024Checked November 6, 2026
  6. Real Estate Broker License Application A490-0225BLICVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationDated October 1, 2024Checked November 6, 2026
  7. How to Apply for a Salesperson/Broker LicenseVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationChecked November 6, 2026
  8. Real Estate Salesperson Universal License Recognition ApplicationVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationDated October 1, 2024Checked November 6, 2026
  9. Chart of Broker Pre-License Education CreditVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationDated May 5, 2016Checked November 6, 2026
  10. Real Estate Broker Universal License Recognition ApplicationVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationDated October 1, 2024Checked November 6, 2026
  11. License LookupVirginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationChecked November 6, 2026