Virginia real estate classes: 60-hour pre-licensing course guide

Virginia requires every salesperson license applicant to complete a 60-hour Board-approved course called "Principles of Real Estate" before sitting for the state licensing exam. Real estate classes meeting this requirement are approved in three formats: online, classroom, and correspondence. The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) maintains a published roster of more than 100 approved schools, from national online providers to Virginia community colleges and REALTOR® associations.

What the Virginia 60-hour pre-licensing course covers

The required pre-licensing course covers both national real estate principles and Virginia-specific law, preparing students for both sections of the state licensing exam. Board-approved courses address property law, brokerage, finance, contracts, agency, and Virginia license regulations. The DPOR Real Estate Board^[1] lists the course under the topic "Pre-Lic Principles & Practices of RE."

The standard topic areas include:

• Real estate licensing law and qualifications: Virginia license law, Board regulations, and licensee qualifications
• Virginia agency law: agency relationships, fiduciary duties, and disclosure requirements
• Fair housing: federal and Virginia fair housing law, prohibited practices, and protected classes
• Property ownership and land use: estates in land, encumbrances, government controls, and zoning
• Valuation and market analysis: appraisal methods, market conditions, and property valuation
• Real estate finance: loan types, mortgage instruments, and settlement calculations
• Contracts and disclosures: contract elements, purchase agreements, and required disclosures
• Transfer of title: deeds, title insurance, and the closing process
• Practice of real estate: brokerage operations, trust accounts, escrow, and ethical standards

The Board does not mandate specific hour allocations for individual topics within the required coursework. It approves each course as a complete package covering the content tested on both exam portions.

Online, classroom, and correspondence course formats

The Board has approved three delivery methods for the 60-hour requirement: online, classroom, and correspondence, all listed on the DPOR approved courses list^[2]. All three formats satisfy the same 60-hour requirement and produce the same eligibility to sit for the state exam.

Online courses are self-paced and delivered through a web-based platform. Students log in, progress through modules, and complete the required coursework remotely. Online is the most common format among national providers and offers the most flexibility for students with full-time jobs. The online delivery system tracks and enforces a minimum amount of seat time to comply with the 60-hour requirement.

Classroom courses are scheduled, in-person sessions led by an instructor. The Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS® (NVAR)^[3], for example, offers a 60-hour classroom course over 11 days. Classroom courses follow a fixed schedule, so students complete the 60 hours on the school's timeline rather than their own.

Correspondence courses are print-based, self-study programs. Students receive course materials by mail and complete assignments independently. Fewer schools offer this format; the DPOR list shows seven approved correspondence providers, compared with more than 20 each for online and classroom.

Some schools, such as Aspire Real Estate School, offer the same 60-hour course in multiple formats, letting students choose the delivery method that fits their schedule.

How to find a Board-approved real estate school in Virginia

The Virginia DPOR publishes a list of approved pre-licensing courses^[2] on its website, organized by format and provider. Every approved school carries a certification number and an expiration date, and courses must be re-approved periodically. Current expiration dates range from December 2026 through December 2029.

The approved schools roster^[4] spans approximately 50 pages and includes more than 100 approved institutions across several categories:

To verify that a school is Board-approved, check the DPOR course list for the school's certification number and course expiration date. A school not on the DPOR list has not been approved, and coursework from an unapproved school will not satisfy the pre-licensing requirement.

Comparing Virginia pre-licensing course providers

Pre-licensing course prices in Virginia vary depending on the provider and package tier, with course access periods from 6 to 12 months. Online self-paced courses are generally the most affordable option, while packages that include live instruction or exam prep tools cost more. All providers listed below are approved by the Virginia Real Estate Board per the DPOR approved courses list^[2].

RealEstateU offers its 60-hour course online for $149 with 12 months of access, including audio lessons and PDF transcripts, with exam prep materials available as add-on packages. NVAR's classroom course costs $275 over 11 days. Other providers' base course prices vary, with higher-tier packages adding study guides, exam prep tools, and career resources. Access periods matter: if you need more than 6 months to complete the coursework, choose a provider like RealEstateU or Moseley that offers 12-month enrollment.

Some Virginia schools offer free or discounted pre-licensing courses for qualifying students, and individual providers may offer installment or financing options for their students.

Completing the pre-licensing course: final exam and certificate

After finishing the 60-hour coursework, students must pass a proctored final exam administered by the school to receive a certificate of completion. Virginia-approved schools typically administer the final exam in a proctored setting, and students must achieve a passing score set by the school before the certificate is issued.

Once a student passes the final exam, the school reports the completion to PSI and issues an electronic certificate. That certificate makes the student eligible to register for the Virginia salesperson licensing exam. The DPOR licensing process guide^[5] notes that "exam scores are only valid for one year, and then they expire," so applicants should plan to complete the remaining licensing steps within that window.

For practice before the licensing exam, PSI publishes exam preparation materials specific to Virginia, and many course providers include practice questions in their higher-tier packages.

Virginia real estate school exam pass rates (2024)

The Virginia DPOR publishes annual exam pass rates by school^[6], broken down by the state and national portions of the salesperson exam. In 2024, the overall pass rate for the state portion was 43.0% (4,020 passed out of 9,347 tested), and the national portion was 36.4% (2,617 passed out of 7,178 tested).

Pass rates reflect how each school's students performed on the state licensing exam, not the difficulty of the course. Schools with higher pass rates may have stronger exam preparation components or a student population with more relevant background knowledge. These figures are one factor to consider when choosing a school, alongside format, price, and course access period.

Once you select a Board-approved school from the DPOR list, enroll in the 60-hour Principles of Real Estate course in your preferred format, complete the coursework within the provider's access period, and pass the final exam to earn your certificate. That certificate makes you eligible to register for the PSI salesperson licensing exam.