Getting your West Virginia Real Estate License is the first step to becoming a real estate agent in West Virginia. Nowadays, this process can be done almost entirely online. You will still need to take your West Virginia real estate license exam in person, but the rest of the process can be completed entirely online!

This article outlines how to become a real estate agent in West Virginia in an easy to understand, step-by-step manner. You’ll learn how much it will cost, how long it will take, what is on the exam, and much more.

How to Become a Real Estate Agent in West Virginia

Becoming a real estate agent in West Virginia is as simple as getting your license, finding a broker sponsor, and getting to work selling real estate! As long as you fulfill the below requirements, you are already on your way to your goal.

West Virginia Real Estate License Requirements

The requirements to become a real estate agent in West Virginia are:

• Be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Must have a high school diploma or GED

How to Get Your Real Estate License in West Virginia

Step 1. Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

West Virginia requires that real estate sales agents complete 90 hours of pre-license coursework prior to sitting for their exam. This coursework will consist of four classes.

These four required classes are:

• 30 hours of Real Estate Principles and Practice
• 20 hours of Real Estate Law
• 20 hours of Real Estate Finance
• 20 hours of Real Estate Appraisal

Most people choose to take their pre-license education course online. The majority of online courses are self-paced and include study materials like real estate practice exams and flashcards. Some also come with a “guarantee” that you will pass the exam on your first attempt if you complete their course. These benefits are all dependent on the education provider and package you choose, so be sure to get the course that best suits your needs.

Remember that the point of these courses isn’t just to check a box and complete a requirement, but rather to prepare you to pass your exam and become a better agent.

West Virginia does not require the final pre-license exam to be supervised by a proctor. This is not the same as the state exam. This test is provided by your pre-license education company and is an indication that you have completed and retained the information from your pre-license education course.

In most cases, you can take this test in your own home, but you must have a proctor overseeing you when sitting for the test. When purchasing your real estate pre-license course, check to see if a proctor is included in your education package.

Step 2. Fingerprinting and Background Check

All applicants for a salesperson license are required to submit to a state and national criminal background check prior to the approval of the application. All criminal background checks must be completed and received at the West Virginia Real Estate Commission before or on the determined examination deadline for the applicant to be eligible for the next available scheduling.

To schedule an appointment, go to the IdentoGO site and key in the 228Q6K service code.

You need to fill out the application for the background check form and take it with you to your appointment.

The fee to complete your fingerprinting services is $45.75.

Completing and turning in your fingerprints will begin the background check process. The West Virginia Real Estate Commission will review any findings in your background report to ensure your eligibility. During this process, they may reach out to you to provide additional information or documentation to clear up any findings.

For those who have criminal offenses or judgments against them, there’s a possibility that you may not be eligible for a real estate license in West Virginia. If this is the case, make sure to submit all documents related to your conviction.

Step 3. West Virginia Real Estate License Exam

Applicants must submit an application and required documentation to the West Virginia Real Estate Commission to determine their eligibility to take the licensing examination. There is a $25 application fee.

You should mail the exam eligibility application to the following address:

West Virginia Real Estate Commission 
300 Capitol Street, Suite 400 
Charleston, WV 25301

Once you received the notification of your eligibility from PSI, you can now take the West Virginia Real Estate Exam.

The fee to take the exam is $96 per attempt.

The West Virginia Real Estate Exam consists of 150 questions. This includes 100 for the National section and 50 for the State section.

You will have 210 minutes (4 hours) to complete the entire exam. The National section time is 150 minutes (2.5 hours), and the State section time is 60 minutes (1 hour).

A passing score for the West Virginia Real Estate Salesperson Exam is 70/100 on the National section and 38/50 on the State section.

After you pass both sections of the licensing examination, you may apply for a license with the West Virginia Real Estate Commission by submitting the appropriate form (page 13 of the candidate information handbook). If you do not achieve a passing score, your score report will include diagnostic scoring information.

You can register to take your exam on the PSI West Virginia Real Estate page. On this page, you will find some other helpful resources as well, including the Candidate Handbook and Content Outline.

Step 4. Real Estate License Application

After passing the state exam, you can now apply for your real estate license in West Virginia.

To apply, submit the completed and notarized license application letter included in the WV Real Estate Commission Candidate Handbook (page 13) to the following address:

West Virginia Real Estate Commission 
300 Capitol Street, Suite 400
Charleston, WV 25301

Be sure to attach the original examination certificate you received from PSI after the exam and a check or money order in the amount of $75 for the license application fee.

Step 5. Application Review

Once you’ve passed your exam, you will only need to wait for your background report to come back as a pass. In most cases, this process should take between 3-5 business days. After this, you should receive an email from the West Virginia Real Estate Commission with a license document. If you have any questions at this point, you should contact WVREC at (304) 558-3555.

Congratulations! 

Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve put in a lot of work and effort and deserve a celebration!

Step 6. Real Estate License Sponsorship

Part of your application process is to be certified by a sponsoring broker. This form can be found in your Candidate Information Handbook (page 13) and should be signed by your sponsoring broker.

If you don’t have a broker to work with yet, check out StateRequirement Jobs for a real estate salesperson opening in your area.

WVREC – West Virginia Real Estate Commission

Mailing Address: 

West Virginia Real Estate Commission
300 Capitol Street, Suite 400 Charleston
West Virginia 25301

Phone: (304) 558-3555

Email: Contact Us Form

Website: https://rec.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx