How to become a broker and real estate agent in West Virginia

To obtain a WV salesperson license, you must be at least 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent, complete a 90-hour Commission-approved pre-licensing course (scoring 70% or higher in each subject area), and pass a National Criminal Background Check through IdentoGo using service code 228Q6K (valid for 90 days). You submit the exam application online with your Official Course Completion Certificate and a copy of your valid driver's license, and the West Virginia Real Estate Commission reviews it before Pearson VUE emails you to schedule the exam. You have 90 days or two attempts (whichever comes first) to pass both the national and state portions of the exam at 70% or higher, after which you have 90 days to submit an online license application that includes proof of passing both portions and a Verification of Sponsoring Broker.

West Virginia salesperson applicants must complete 90 clock hours of pre-licensing education in a Commission-approved course. The 90 hours consist of 30 hours of Real Estate Principles and Practice, 20 hours of Real Estate Law, 20 hours of Real Estate Finance, and 20 hours of Real Estate Appraisal. The applicant must score 70% or higher in each subject area to be eligible to sit for the licensing exam. The course must be completed within the 3-year period preceding the application date, or within 5 years if taken before June 9, 2023.

Yes, the West Virginia Real Estate Commission approves online pre-licensing providers. Distance education courses may satisfy the 90-hour salesperson pre-licensing requirement if approved in advance by the commission. The state's approved-education list includes providers categorized as online, hybrid, and in-class.

The West Virginia real estate licensing exam is a computer-based exam administered by Pearson VUE under contract with the West Virginia Real Estate Commission. The salesperson exam consists of 80 scored national questions and 50 state-specific questions, with 150 minutes allotted for the national portion and 60 minutes for the state portion. The passing score is 70% for the salesperson exam and 75% for the broker exam. Candidates must apply to the West Virginia Real Estate Commission first and receive authorization to test before scheduling with Pearson VUE.

Yes, Pearson VUE offers OnVUE online proctoring as an option for the West Virginia real estate licensing exam, in addition to in-person testing centers. Candidates receive an authorization-to-test email from Pearson VUE after the West Virginia Real Estate Commission approves the exam application. Appointments may be scheduled up to 24 hours before the desired test date, subject to availability.

Every licensee must complete 7 hours of Commission-approved continuing education per fiscal year, with each hour equaling 50 minutes of instruction. Brokers and associate brokers must include 3 of those 7 hours from broker-level education curriculum approved by the commission, beginning fiscal year 2024. CE must be completed during the fiscal year preceding the renewal for which the licensee is applying.

To become a real estate broker in West Virginia, you must be at least 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent and have held a salesperson license for a minimum of 2 years. You must complete 180 clock hours of broker pre-licensing education (or 90 hours if you already hold a WV salesperson license), pass a National Criminal Background Check, and document 20 closed transactions in the 2 years before applying or 40 over any period. The exam application requires Official Course Completion Certificates, a copy of your driver's license, an Affidavit of Broker's Recommendation, and a Closed Transactions Form. After passing both portions of the exam, you must submit an online license application with your pass certificates, a Subordination Resolution, and a Trust Fund Form or Waiver, and register with the WV Secretary of State's Office as a member or officer of your company.

A real estate agent is anyone who earns a real estate license, whether as a salesperson, an associate broker, or a broker. A real estate broker has completed education beyond the agent level and passed a broker's license exam, which allows a broker to work independently or hire agents. Agents must work under the supervision of a sponsoring broker and cannot practice independently. An associate broker has earned a broker's license but chooses to work under the management of another broker rather than operating independently.

A real estate agent is anyone who earns a real estate license from the state licensing authority. A REALTOR® is a licensed agent who has joined the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) through a local association and must uphold NAR's Code of Ethics. Only NAR members may use the REALTOR® designation. Joining a local association automatically provides membership in the state and national associations.

To become a REALTOR®, you must first hold a real estate license, then join a local REALTOR® association, which automatically enrolls you in the state and national associations. In West Virginia, joining a local WV board provides membership in the West Virginia Association of REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) through a single combined dues payment. NAR national dues are $156 per year for 2027, plus a $45 special assessment for the consumer advertising campaign. Members must agree to abide by NAR's Code of Ethics, and only NAR members may use the term "REALTOR®."