How does an out-of-state real estate agent get a Virginia license?

If you hold a license in another state, you don’t have to start over with Virginia’s full pre-license course. Virginia offers two paths: licensure by reciprocity and, under a newer state law, universal license recognition. Either way, expect to pass a Virginia exam, submit fingerprints and a background disclosure, and apply to the Virginia Real Estate Board through DPOR, the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Agents licensed in DC, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee or West Virginia have the simplest route.

Keeton & Co publishes this article and recruits agents. Every requirement below comes from Virginia’s statute, the Real Estate Board’s regulations or DPOR’s current application, linked throughout. Confirm anything specific to your license directly with DPOR before you apply.

What are the two paths for an out-of-state agent?

	Reciprocity	Universal license recognition
Source	18VAC135-20-35(E)	Va. Code § 54.1-205 and 18VAC135-20-65
Your current license	Obtained by passing an exam substantially equivalent to Virginia’s	Current, valid, similar scope of practice and in good standing with no pending complaints
Time licensed	No minimum stated	At least one year, unless you’re licensed in a neighboring state
Education	Substantially equivalent to Virginia’s (60 hours of principles for salespersons, per DPOR’s form)	Met through your other state’s exam and education, training or experience requirements
Discipline	Must report any action by any board	No discipline involving harm to the public, probation, suspension or revocation
Virginia exam	Pass the exam on Virginia license law and regulations within 12 months before applying	The board’s regulation lists passing the Virginia Real Estate Exam (see the neighboring-state note below)
Fee	Reciprocity fee	Reciprocity fee

The “neighboring state” definition in § 54.1-205 covers the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. Agents licensed there don’t face the one-year minimum. There’s one wrinkle worth knowing: § 54.1-205(D) tells the Real Estate Board to recognize neighboring-state licenses “without examination,” while subsection (E) lets boards require an exam on state law if other applicants take it, and the board’s regulation, 18VAC135-20-65(A), lists passing the Virginia Real Estate Exam as a condition. Plan on taking the Virginia exam unless DPOR tells you otherwise.

There’s a third, narrower route in § 54.1-205: if you worked at least three years as a salesperson or broker in a jurisdiction that doesn’t license the profession, that experience can count toward Virginia’s qualifications, but you’ll take every exam required of initial applicants.

What does it cost?

The Real Estate Board’s fee schedule, 18VAC135-20-15, lists:

License by reciprocity	Fee	Recovery fund assessment	Total
Salesperson	$210	$20	$230
Broker	$265	$20	$285

DPOR’s current salesperson application (form A490-0225SLIC, version dated 07/01/2026) shows a $244.50 fee and explains that, under the 2026 House Bill 30, DPOR charges a technology fee of $7.25 per year. Check the current form when you apply, and budget separately for the exam fee, fingerprinting and any education you need.

What goes in the application?

Based on DPOR’s salesperson application and the qualifications in 18VAC135-20-30:

1. Basic qualifications. At least 18, with a high school diploma or equivalent.
2. Certification of licensure or letter of good standing from each state where you’re licensed. DPOR requires originals prepared by the state board, dated within 60 days of when DPOR receives your application. They must show your license number, initial licensure date, expiration date, how you got licensed, and any closed disciplinary actions.
3. Education documentation if you’re applying by reciprocity, such as a transcript or education certification showing 60 hours of principles of real estate substantially equivalent to Virginia’s.
4. Exam results. Exam information comes from PSI, the board’s testing vendor. The reciprocity rule requires passing within 12 months before you submit a complete application.
5. Fingerprints and criminal history disclosure. Under 18VAC135-20-30, applicants submit to fingerprinting and disclose all felony convictions and certain misdemeanor convictions within five years.
6. Your sponsoring firm. To be issued an active license, the application includes the firm’s information and the principal or supervising broker’s signature. Without a firm, you’ll be issued an inactive license.

Can you get a Virginia broker license by reciprocity?

Yes, with more to show. Under 18VAC135-20-35(E)(4), a broker applicant by reciprocity must have substantially equivalent education and must have been actively engaged for 36 of the preceding 48 months, verified by someone with direct knowledge of your activities. “Actively engaged” is defined in 18VAC135-20-10 as an average of at least 40 hours a week of licensed activity. Our guide on how to become a broker in Virginia covers the in-state path.

What changes once you’re licensed in Virginia?

• Post-license education. 18VAC135-20-95 requires a salesperson renewing a Virginia license for the first time to complete 30 hours of post-license education within the first year. Ask DPOR how that applies to you if you came in by reciprocity or recognition.
• Continuing education if you keep both licenses. Under 18VAC135-20-101(C), salespersons active in multiple jurisdictions still complete 16 hours per Virginia term, including 11 mandatory Virginia board-approved hours, but may substitute education from their other jurisdiction for the five elective hours. Brokers have a parallel rule. Our Virginia CE guide breaks down the 11 required hours.
• Virginia contracts and agency law. Expect a learning curve on Virginia’s forms, disclosures and agency rules even if you’ve practiced for years elsewhere.
• Compensation rules. As a Virginia salesperson, you’re paid through your principal broker. See who can pay a Virginia agent.

Which path should you choose?

If you…	Likely path
Hold a license in DC, MD, NC, KY, TN or WV	Universal license recognition, neighboring-state route
Have held another state’s license for a year or more with a clean record	Universal license recognition or reciprocity; compare which documents you can produce fastest
Were licensed in another state for less than a year, and it’s not a neighboring state	Reciprocity, if your exam and education are substantially equivalent
Have discipline on your record	Talk to DPOR first; both paths look at prior board actions
Are a broker	Broker by reciprocity, with 36 of 48 months of verified active experience

The board can waive education and experience requirements at its discretion under § 54.1-2105, so if your situation doesn’t fit neatly, ask.

Picking a brokerage while you relocate

Your application needs a principal broker’s signature to be active, so most relocating agents choose a firm before they apply. Ask how a brokerage helps with the transition, how fast you can get access to the MLS and Virginia forms, and what the full fee schedule is.

For reference, Keeton & Co’s Individual Agent Commission Plan as published on keetonco.com/join on November 10, 2026, runs from 70/30 to 92/8 with a $20,000 annual cap, then 100% with a $200 transaction fee per deal, plus transaction coordination at $387 per deal and technology at $75 a month, with no E&O or office fee. Those are costs, not earnings, and nobody can promise what you’ll close in a new market. We have offices in Glen Allen, Charlottesville and Lynchburg, and our guide to working more than one Virginia market may help if you’re deciding where to base your business.

If you’re planning a move to Virginia and want to talk through licensing timing and brokerage fit, reach out to our team for a confidential conversation.