In order to kickstart your real estate career in West Virginia, it’s essential to obtain a West Virginia Real Estate License. However, despite the fact that the application process is mainly completed online nowadays, many applicants can still find it quite confusing and complicated.
For this reason, this How to Get a Real Estate License in West Virginia article will break down the main steps involved in the licensing process, covering everything from educational requirements to exam preparation and having your fingerprints taken.
Recommended: Interested in getting started? We recommend The CE Shop’s online study packages, which come with a money-back guarantee and a 30% discount (promo Code “TRUiC”).
West Virginia Real Estate License
In order to get your West Virginia real estate license and start working in the real estate industry, there are several key steps you’ll need to complete, including:
- Ensuring You Meet the Licensing Eligibility Requirements
- Completing the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
- Qualifying For the Exam
- Passing the West Virginia Real Estate Exam
- Finalizing your License Application
In the sections below, we’ve explored each of these steps in more detail.
Step 1: Meet the West Virginia Real Estate License Requirements
Before continuing ahead with your application for a West Virginia real estate license, you’ll first need to confirm that you’re actually eligible for one by ensuring you meet the following prerequisites:
- You must be at least 18 years of age
- You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent
- You must be known for your trustworthiness, good moral character, and business competence
Note: West Virginia does not currently have full reciprocity agreements with any other state. However, if you hold a real estate license from another state, you will be exempt from the National portion of the state licensing exam but will still need to pass the state-specific portion.
Step 2: Complete the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
In addition to the general requirements outlined above, there are certain educational prerequisites you’ll be expected to meet in order to be able to apply for a West Virginia real estate license.
In particular, you’ll be expected to complete a total of 90 hours of pre-licensing education from an institution approved by the West Virginia Real Estate Commission.
The pre-licensing education must be completed within five years of the date of your application and must include the following topics:
- Real Estate Principles and Practice (30 hours)
- Real Estate Law (20 hours)
- Real Estate Finance (20 hours)
- Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours)
Important
Even though completing the courses is mandatory, it would be a mistake to think of this step as just “checking a box”. This is because your pre-licensing education is what will prepare you to both pass your exam and become a better real estate agent.
For this reason, we always encourage our readers to invest in high-quality and reliable courses, as their study materials (like real estate practice tests and flashcards) can be invaluable during the exam prep stage.
On top of this, some of the top courses also offer money-back guarantees in the event that you do not pass your exam on your first attempt after taking their course.
Recommended Course
Interested in getting started? We recommend The CE Shop’s online study packages, which come with a money-back guarantee and a 30% discount (promo Code “TRUiC”).
Keep in mind that you will need to achieve a minimum score of 70% on the final exam for each of these course areas to be able to qualify for the West Virginia real estate licensing exam.
Step 3: Qualify For the Exam
After completing the required prelicensing education, you’ll be ready to move on to obtaining the required authorization to sit for the state licensing exam.
This can only be completed online through the West Virginia Real Estate Commission Online Application System by paying a $25 processing fee.
Along with your online application, you will need to:
- Submit your fingerprints: To trigger a national background check, you’ll need to submit your fingerprints to IdentoGO — the state’s designated vendor. To do this, you’ll need to visit IdentoGO’s website, choose a location, and enter the correct Service Code (228Q6K). This process incurs a processing fee of $45.75, which is paid directly to IdentoGO
- Attach all necessary documents: You will need to include your Official Course Completion Certificate — which verifies that you have completed the required pre-licensing education — and a copy of a valid driver’s license to serve as proof of your identity and residency
Once you submit your online application, along with the necessary fingerprints and documents, the Commission will meticulously review your submission to verify that all requirements are met.
Upon confirming the completeness and accuracy of your application, the Commission will grant you approval to schedule your licensing exam through the designated state vendor.
Note: Once your application is approved, you will receive an email from the testing vendor within 72 hours containing instructions on how to schedule your exam. If you don’t receive this email, you’ll need to contact the commission at REClicensing@wv.gov.
Step 4: Pass the West Virginia Real Estate Exam
The next step you’ll need to complete is to pass the West Virginia real estate exam, which is administered by Pearson VUE.
The exam is divided into two parts: a national section with 80 scored questions and a state-specific section with 50 scored questions.
In order to schedule your real estate exam, you’ll need to head over to the Pearson VUE website and make an online reservation. If this is your first time using the platform, you’ll be required to create an account, after which you’ll be shown step-by-step instructions on how to complete the reservation.
The exam fee is $55, and you will have 150 minutes to complete the national section and 60 minutes for the state section.
Keep in mind that you’re allowed 90 days or two attempts — whichever comes first — to pass the exam. If you’re not able to pass the exam in this time, you’ll be required to resubmit your application.
Step 5: Finalize your License Application
After successfully passing both the national and state-specific portions of the exam, the next step you will need to complete is to finalize and submit your completed license application.
To do this, you will need to visit the West Virginia Real Estate Commission Online Application System and complete the following steps:
- Click on “Start Application for License”
- Fill out all required information
- Upload a copy of your exam results
- Pay the required $75 salesperson licensing fee
At this stage, you will also need to demonstrate your affiliation with a state-licensed broker, which you can do by completing the Verification of Employing Broker form and attaching it to your application.
Step 6: Application Review
If you’ve managed to get this far, congratulations! With your application submitted and all the other licensing requirements satisfied, you should, in most cases, be contacted by the West Virginia Real Estate Commission within ten business days regarding an update to your license application.
Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve put in a lot of work and effort and deserve a celebration!
West Virginia Real Estate License Renewal
In order to keep your license valid and continue working as a real estate sales agent, you’ll need to renew your license annually.
You can renew your salesperson license online from May 1st to June 30th through the West Virginia Real Estate Commission’s Online License Renewal System for a fee of $75.
If you miss this window, you’ll still be able to renew from July 1 to August 31 but will also be required to pay an additional late fee of $50 — bringing the total to $125.
It should be noted that in order to keep your license active, you will need to complete seven hours of Commission approved continuing education each year.
We always encourage our readers to think of the post licensing course they take as an investment in their future career — higher quality, more reliable course content is a central part of ensuring you continue to grow professionally.
Recommended: Interested in getting started? We recommend The CE Shop’s online study packages, which come with a money-back guarantee and a 30% discount (promo Code “TRUiC”).
West Virginia Real Estate Commission
Mailing Address:
300 Capitol Street, Suite 400
Charleston West Virginia 25301
Phone: (304) 558-3555
Fax: (304) 558-6442
Email: Contact Us Form
Website: https://rec.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx
West Virginia Real Estate License FAQ
How long does it take to become a real estate agent in West Virginia?
It typically takes a few months to become a real estate agent in West Virginia. This includes the time it takes to complete the required 90-hour real estate pre licensing course, pass the state licensing examination, and submit your real estate salesperson license application.
How much does it cost to get a real estate license in West Virginia?
To get a real estate agent license in West Virginia, you will need to pay a $25 exam authorization fee, a $45.75 fingerprinting fee, a $55 examination fee, and a $75 licensing fee.
You will also need to budget for the required pre license course, which varies in cost depending on the provider you select.
Is the West Virginia real estate exam hard?
The West Virginia real estate exam is generally considered a challenging test due to its comprehensive coverage of both national and state-specific real estate practices.
For more information on the final exam, you can have a look at our How to Get a Real Estate License in West Virginia guide.
Does West Virginia have reciprocity with Virginia for a real estate license?
West Virginia does not currently have full reciprocity agreements with Virginia or any other state.
Having said that, if you currently hold an active real estate license in another state, you will be exempt from the National portion of the state licensing exam and will only need to pass the state-specific portion.
What’s the first step to becoming a real estate agent in West Virginia?
The first step for aspiring real estate agents in West Virginia is to enroll in a certified by the WVREC real estate school, and complete 90 hours of pre-licensing education.
Interested in finding out more? You can check out our state specific How to Get a Real Estate License guide.