How do you get a Virginia real estate license, and when should you choose a brokerage?

To get a Virginia real estate license you complete 60 hours of pre-license education, pass the state and national exam and clear a background check. Then you hang your license with a sponsoring brokerage, and that choice shapes your first year more than most new agents expect.

Confirm the current requirements with the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation before you enroll; this post is a general overview.

What are the steps to get licensed?

First comes the education: 60 hours of pre-license coursework. Then you pass the exam, which has a state and a national portion. A background check is part of the process too.

Our school, ImpactRE, runs that course. You don’t have to take it with us, but if you plan to join Keeton & Co, it’s the simplest path.

Why should you talk to brokerages before you pass the exam?

Because the license is only the start. Passing the exam doesn’t give you clients, a calendar or a plan for your first 90 days.

If you wait until you pass, you’ll be choosing in a hurry. If you’ve already compared brokerages during the course, you can start the day your license is active, with onboarding scheduled.

What should a new agent look for in a brokerage?

Ask what happens in the first week, the first month and the first year. Who trains you? Who answers when a contract confuses you? Where will your first appointments come from? What does the brokerage handle so you don’t have to?

Compare brokerage models on facts. Our guide on how to choose a brokerage in Richmond covers how to run your numbers, and our look at a new agent’s first year shows what to expect.

What does Keeton & Co offer new agents?

Keeton & Co has offices in Glen Allen, Forest (Lynchburg) and Charlottesville, and is independent, with no franchise royalty. It also offers sponsored licensing seats for people who plan to hang their license here.

Onboarding starts with a monthly orientation at the Short Pump or Lynchburg office, where your license is transferred, MLS and lockbox access are set up and your CRM is built. Weeks two to four cover contracts, agency and disclosure with a managing broker, and you shadow live appointments before running your own. After that, an experienced agent is paired with you to work your first transactions, and weekly live training continues.

Every agent gets KAI, an AI assistant built only for Keeton & Co, plus a full-service transaction coordinator and marketing support. The optional Lead Service has our Inside Sales Team set appointments on your calendar. Our standard plan is published here; Lead Services plan details are shared privately during a confidential conversation with our team.

What should I do next?

If you’re in the course or thinking about starting, start a confidential conversation so your first day is planned before the exam. Questions first? Contact us. Written by Daniel Keeton, broker.