50-State Real Estate Broker Licensing Compliance Guide
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Virginia Real Estate License

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Licensing requirements for Virginia brokerage firms.

A business entity offering real estate brokerage services to the public typically must register with the real estate commission before conducting business activity. For assistance with licensing, please contact us to learn about our software and managed license services.

Company Licenses

Virginia Real Estate Company Licenses

Virginia Real Estate Branch Office License

Agency:Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Real Estate Board
Law:

Real Estate Board Licensing Regulations

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Sole Proprietors (non broker-owner)
  • General Partnerships
  • Associations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Corporations 
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No
Qualifying Individual Requirements:
  • There must be a prinicpal or supervising broker of the branch office 
  • The principal or supervising broker must complete the Branch Office Roster List prior to the expiration date of the branch office license
  • The supervising broker certification form must be completed by a Supervising Broker located more than 50 miles from the place of business or the branch office and there are licensees who regularly conduct business assigned to the Branch Office or place of business. 

Initial Registration

Form:

Branch Office Registration Application 

Filing Method:

Mail 

Agency Fee:

$190

Required Attachments:

Branch Office Supervising Broker Certification form

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$90

Due:

Biennially by the last day of the month of initial registration.

Before you Apply:

The principal or supervising broker must complete the Branch Office Roster List prior to the expiration date of the branch office license

Virginia Real Estate Business Entity License

Agency:Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Real Estate Board
Law:

Real Estate Board Licenseing Regulations

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Sole Proprietors (non broker-owner)
  • General Partnerships
  • Associations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Corporations 
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Notes:
  • "Real estate team" means two or more individuals, one or more of whom is a real estate salesperson or broker, who (i) work together as a unit within the same brokerage firm, (ii) represent themselves to the public as working together as one unit, and (iii) designate themselves by a fictitious name.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No
Qualifying Individual Requirements:
  • Business entities are required to have a supervsing broker or a principal broker
  • If the Supervising Broker listed above is an individual receiving a commission through the Business Entity or a member of the team, the Principal Broker must sign this application
Requirement Notes:

A Business Entity and Firm cannot operate as one business. Each must register with the SCC and hold a separate license.


If the business entity has been expired for more than 1 year, a new business entity license is required.


If an assumed/fictitious name is to be used, a copy of the certificate filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) pursuant to §59.1-69 of the Code of Virginia must be attached to this application.


All businesses in Virginia must be registered with the SCC (including all out-of-state businesses). Firms/Businesses shall be organized as a business entity under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia or otherwise authorized to transact business in Virginia. No person, partnership, limited liability company or corporation shall conduct or transact business in this Commonwealth under any assumed or fictitious name unless register with the Virginia SCC

Initial Registration

Form:

Business Entity Registration Application 

Filing Method:

Mail 

Agency Fee:

$210

Required Attachments:

If an assumed/fictitious name is to be used, a copy of the certificate filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) pursuant to §59.1-69 of the Code of Virginia must be attached to this application.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$90

Due:

Biennially by the last day of the month of initial registration.

Virginia Real Estate Firm License

Agency:Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Real Estate Board
Law:

Real Estate Board Licensing Regulations

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Sole Proprietors (non broker-owner) 
  • General Partnerships 
  • Associations 
  • Limited Liability Companies 
  • Corporations 
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Ownership Requirements:
  • Limited liability companies
    • Every managing member who actively participates in this firm's Virginia brokerage business must hold a license as a Virginia Real Estate Broker.
  • Corporations
    • Each officer who actively participates in the firm's Virginia brokerage business must hold a license as a Virginia Real Estate Broker. 
  • Sole proprietorships or partnerships
    • Required to have partners who actively participate in the firm's Virginia brokerage business hold a license as a Virginia Real Estate Broker 
  • Associations
    • Required to have associates who actively participate in the firm's Virginia brokerage business hold a license as a Virginia Real Estate Broker.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set
Qualifying Individual Requirements:

Each real estate firm is required to have a principal broker whose license is in good standing with the board in order to transact real estate business.

Initial Registration

Form:

Firm License Application

Filing Method:

Mail 

Agency Fee:

$250

Notes:
  • If Principal Broker resides in Virginia, you must have a Virginia Address
  • The email address provided above will be used for the Firm's online profile with DPOR. It can not be used by any other individual's license
    holder or other firms registered with DPOR or the Real Estate Board. The email address provided must be unique to this firm's license.
  • State law requires every applicant, who is not a sole proprietor or solely owned LLC, to provide a federal employer identification number. Sole proprietor or solely owned LLC who do not have a FEIN must provide a social security number or a control number issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Before you Apply:
Required Attachments:
  • Broker License Application
  • Concurrent Broker Application (if licensee works for more than one firm)
  • LLC's: Attach a copy of the Operating Agreement; not the Articles of Organization
  • Partnerships: Attach a copy of the Firm's Partnership Agreement and attach a copy of the certificate of Partnership issued by the State Corporation Commission. 
  • If an assumed/fictitious name is to be used, a copy of the certificate filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) pursuant to §59.1-69 of the Code of Virginia must be attached to this application.

Registration Renewal

Form:

Online

Agency Fee:

$160

Due:

Biennially by the last day of the month of initial registration.

Individual Licenses

Virginia Individual Real Estate Licenses

Virginia Real Estate Broker License

Agency:Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Real Estate Board
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Broker License Application

Agency Fee:

$210 to apply by examination or $85 to upgrade from salesperson license

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$80

Due:

Biennially

Virginia Real Estate Salesperson License

Agency:Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Real Estate Board
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Salesperson License Application

Agency Fee:

$170

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$65

Due:

Biennially

Learn about real estate licensing in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Associate Broker - Associate brokers are qualified to work independently as a broker, but choose to work under the authority of a designated broker.

On-Site Manager - A broker or salesperson who oversees the operations of a branch office under the authority of the designated broker.

Qualifying Broker/Designated Broker - An experienced and licensed real estate broker responsible for management and operation of a real estate firm.

Real Estate - Land, buildings, and their permanent improvements and fixtures. Also called "real property" in contrast to personal property.

Real Estate Agent - This term refers generally to any licensed real estate professional.

Reciprocity - Reciprocity makes it easier for out-of-state real estate firms to gain approval to operate in a foreign state by streamlining some licensing requirements.

Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO)
Offers a license verification database accross 43 jurisdictions.

NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association Agencies
Aid education, research, and advocacy efforts in the real estate industry.

National Association of Realtors
Real estate trade organization that provides information and resources for development of the real estate industry.

Urban Land Institute
Research and education association concerned with responsible land use and creating sustainable communities.

Revised April 29, 2022. Complete data last reviewed April 05, 2022.
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