How to Get a West Virginia Real Estate License (2026): Steps, Costs, Exam and Timeline

To get a West Virginia real estate license, you finish a 90-hour pre-licensing course and pass a fingerprint background check. Then you apply to the West Virginia Real Estate Commission (WVREC) for approval and pass both parts of the Pearson VUE exam.

Within 90 days of passing, you apply for the license with a sponsoring broker. The official fees are $25 for the exam application, $59 for each exam part and $75 for the license, $218 in total. Tuition and the fingerprint cost are extra.

Every fact below comes from official sources: the Commission's website, rules and memos, the West Virginia Code and Legislature, and the Pearson VUE documents the Commission links to. All were read on 3 November 2026. Where official sources disagree, I say so and follow the Commission's rule.

Where I stand: I am a Realtor with Samson Properties, licensed in Virginia, DC, Maryland and West Virginia, and I run Jamil Academy, which sells training to agents. This guide is built from official pages only. The one product block near the end is my own.

What are the West Virginia real estate license requirements?

Short answer: be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, finish 90 hours of education, clear a fingerprint background check and pass both exam parts. You also need a sponsoring broker before the license is issued.

Sources: WVREC page for applicants who do not hold a license, WVREC education requirements page and W. Va. Code 30-40-11, read 3 November 2026.

The application itself asks for your Social Security number, every jurisdiction where you hold or held a professional license, and any criminal convictions, per W. Va. Code 30-40-11(a). Applications are online only: "We no longer accept paper applications."

Residency, and a pending bill

I found no residency requirement. Applicants who already hold a license elsewhere and live outside West Virginia upload an "Irrevocable Consent (non-residents of WV only)" form.

A 2026 bill, HB 4148, would require salesperson applicants to show they are a United States citizen or legally authorized to work in the United States. It passed the House 94 to 0 on 27 February 2026.

I could not confirm it became law, and the code section as displayed does not include it. Treat it as pending and ask the Commission.

Sources: WVREC page for applicants licensed in another jurisdiction, HB 4148 as passed by the House and the House roll call of 27 February 2026, read 3 November 2026.

My view: the eligibility bar is modest. The work is in the 90 hours, the exam and keeping your deadlines in line.

How to get a real estate license in West Virginia, step by step

Short answer: course, fingerprints, exam application, Pearson VUE exam, then the license application with your broker. The order matters, because the background check must come before you register for the exam.

• 1. Finish the 90-hour course with a Commission-approved provider, scoring 70% or higher in each subject. Keep the "Official Course Completion Certificate," not the student affidavit.
• 2. Get fingerprinted for the state and national background check through IdentoGO, using the Commission's service code 228Q6K.
• 3. Apply online to sit for the exam. Upload your completion certificate and driver's license, and pay the $25 exam application fee.
• 4. Wait for approval by email. If Pearson VUE's scheduling email has not come within 72 hours, contact [email protected].
• 5. Pass both parts of the exam, national and state, at $59 a part. You have 90 days or two attempts, whichever comes first.
• 6. Apply for the license within 90 days of passing. Upload proof of passing both parts and a Verification of Sponsoring Broker, and pay the $75 license fee.

Sources: WVREC page for applicants who do not hold a license and WVREC background check page, read 3 November 2026.

If you want the Realtor title as well as the license, that is a separate step through a Realtor association. My guide to becoming a Realtor covers it, with pre-licensing hours for other states.

My view: line up your fingerprint appointment while you finish the last course module. The check is only valid for 90 days, so do not do it months early.

What is the 90-hour pre-licensing course?

Short answer: 90 clock hours in four subjects, with an approved provider, in a classroom or online. You must score 70% or higher in each subject to be eligible for the exam.

Sources: WVREC education requirements page and 174CSR3 section 3.4.1 (effective 10 April 2024), read 3 November 2026.

A strong score in one subject does not make up for a weak one.

Online or classroom

Rule 174CSR3 allows pre-license courses in "distance education formats," with a 70% minimum on the final exam. The providers page adds: "All distance education courses must have ARELLO certification."

Sources: 174CSR3 sections 3.6.1 and 3.6.5 and WVREC providers and instructors page, read 3 November 2026.

Choosing an approved school

Choose a school on the Commission's current approved-provider list, linked from its education requirements page. I could read that list only in part, and the one complete list I found is marked "UPDATED 1/28/22", so I am not printing one here.

How long your course stays valid

The statute says the course "shall have been completed during the three-year period preceding the date of application." The Commission's FAQ agrees: "Three (3) years from the date of completion."

Courses taken before 9 June 2023 get five years, per the education page. An older page still says five years for everyone; I have followed the statute.

Sources: W. Va. Code 30-40-14, WVREC FAQ and WVREC education requirements page, read 3 November 2026.

My view: pick the format you will actually finish. Ninety hours is a real commitment, and the 70% bar applies to every subject.

How do the fingerprints and background check work?

Short answer: every applicant for an original license needs a state and national criminal background check, based on fingerprints, before registering for the exam. The results are valid for 90 days.

The statute says the check "shall be based on fingerprints submitted to the West Virginia State Police" or its agent, for forwarding to the FBI.

How to book it

The Commission's page says: "Click link to schedule and use service code 228Q6K." The link goes to IdentoGO. The code matters, because it sends "the results" "directly to the Real Estate Commission."

On cost, the statute says only: "The applicant shall pay the actual costs of the fingerprinting and criminal history record check." No official page I read gives a dollar amount, so check the fee when you book.

Sources: WVREC background check page, WVREC no-license page and W. Va. Code 30-40-11(f), read 3 November 2026.

The 90-day clock

The Commission says: "All criminal background checks expire after (90) days after the report issue date." Rule 174CSR1 says the records must be requested "no more than three (3) months" before the application is filed.

If you have a criminal record

Under 174CSR1 section 5.6, an applicant whose check shows a criminal history "must be approved by the Commission in order to be eligible for the examination."

West Virginia's general licensing law limits denials to convictions that bear "a rational nexus to the profession or occupation requiring licensure." It also opens a path after "A period of five years has elapsed from the date of conviction or the date of release from incarceration." Other conditions apply.

You can ask first. A person with a record "may petition the appropriate board at any time for a determination," and the board must answer "within 60 days." It may charge a fee.

Sources: 174CSR1 (effective 7 April 2026) and W. Va. Code 30-1-24, read 3 November 2026.

My view: if you have any record, file the petition before you pay for the course. Sixty days is a small wait compared with 90 hours of study.

What is the West Virginia real estate exam like?

Short answer: two separate Pearson VUE exams, national and state, at $59 each. Salespersons need 70% on each. The national part has 80 questions in 150 minutes, and the state part has 50 questions in 60 minutes.

Source: Pearson VUE, West Virginia Real Estate Commission Candidate Handbook, February 2026 (linked from the WVREC Licensing page), read 3 November 2026.

The handbook says the two parts "should be scheduled separately, but can be taken back to back." Scores are scaled from 0 to 100.

What each part covers

The state part, under an outline effective 1 January 2024, has five areas:

• Licensing: 17 questions.
• Real Estate Practice: 15 questions.
• General Powers and Duties of the Real Estate Commission: 9 questions.
• West Virginia Fair Housing: 5 questions.
• Agency Relationships: 4 questions.

The national part, under an outline effective 1 April 2025, is led by Real Estate Contracts and Agency with 16 questions. Real Estate Math Calculations has 7.

Source: Pearson VUE, West Virginia real estate examination content outlines, read 3 November 2026.

Pearson sells national practice tests for $19.95, but says "State-specific practice tests are not available." Before you book, work through a set of practice exam questions to find your weak areas.

Booking and test day

• Booking: reserve online at least 24 hours ahead, paying $59 per part by card. "Walk-in examinations are not available."
• Cancelling: at least 48 hours ahead, or you "will forfeit the examination fee."
• ID: one unexpired, government-issued photo ID with a signature, in a name that must "exactly match" your registration.
• Results: you get a pass or fail score report after the exam. Official reports are in your Pearson VUE account, and you submit passing reports to the Commission.

Sources: Pearson VUE West Virginia candidate handbook (February 2026) and West Virginia real estate page (last updated 4 March 2026), read 3 November 2026.

Taking it online

Pearson's OnVUE online option is allowed, with limits. The handbook says: "Candidates are allowed one attempt for life at each level, Sales or Broker." It adds: "Candidates are not allowed to retest via OnVUE."

So if you take a part online and fail it, plan to retake it at a test center.

Retakes and the approval window

You "need to retake ONLY the failed part," per the handbook. The Commission sets the time limit: "You have ninety (90) days OR two attempts (whichever comes first)" before you must reapply.

Rule 174CSR1 section 4.3 matches: approval is valid for three months and "no more than two (2) attempts." After that, you submit a new application, good for three months and two more exams.

To reapply, email [email protected] for a link, which should arrive "in 24-48 hours."

Sources: WVREC no-license page, WVREC retake information page and 174CSR1, read 3 November 2026.

Where the handbook disagrees

Pearson's quick reference allows "unlimited exam attempts within the one year authorization period," while its overview says 90 days or two attempts. I have followed the Commission's rule. No pass rates are published in any official source I read.

My view: book both parts back to back once you are ready. Two attempts in 90 days is tighter than it sounds if a retake needs real study.

How do you apply for the license with a sponsoring broker?

Short answer: within 90 days of passing, complete the online license application, upload proof of passing both parts and a Verification of Sponsoring Broker, and pay $75. You cannot hold an active salesperson license without a broker.

The Commission's page says: "You have ninety (90) days to apply for a license once you pass the exams." It adds: "Each pass certificate is good for ninety (90) days."

Rule 174CSR1 section 4.7 says the same in months. It adds: "The Commission may grant a one-time extension up to three (3) months to pay the license fee if good cause" is shown.

Sources: WVREC no-license page and 174CSR1 (effective 7 April 2026), read 3 November 2026.

Why you need a sponsoring broker

The statute defines a salesperson as "a person employed or engaged by or on behalf of a broker" who works "under the direct supervision of a broker." The broker form is posted as the Verification of Sponsoring Broker.

Source: W. Va. Code 30-40-4, read 3 November 2026.

You do not need a broker to sit the exam. You need one at the license application stage. I found no official provision for issuing a brand-new salesperson license straight to inactive status. If you have no broker yet, ask the Commission.

A new rule, section 174-1-21 on broker supervision, took effect on 4 June 2026, per a Commission news item of 27 May 2026. Under section 21.1, the Commission may "revoke, suspend, or otherwise sanction a broker who fails to supervise."

Processing time and contacts

The Commission does not publish a processing time for new licenses. The time frames it does give include the 72-hour Pearson email and a 24 to 48 hour wait for a reapplication link.

The Commission is at 2006 Quarrier Street, Building 14, Charleston, WV 25311, phone 304-558-3555. The licensing email is [email protected].

My view: interview brokers during the course, not after the exam. A 90-day window goes quickly if the broker decision is still open.

How much does a West Virginia real estate license cost?

Short answer: $218 in official fees if you pass each exam part the first time, plus course tuition and the fingerprint check. Neither tuition nor the fingerprint fee is published on an official page.

Sources: WVREC schedule of fees ("Beginning January 1, 2023"), WVREC application portal and the Pearson VUE handbook (February 2026), read 3 November 2026.

If you are already licensed elsewhere

You take only the state part, so the official fees are $25 + $59 + $75, or $159 by my arithmetic. Add the background check and other states' certification fees, which I did not verify.

Retakes

Each part you retake adds another Pearson fee. The handbook calls it "the reexamination fee" and gives no amount, so I assume $59. Failing one part once brings the total to $277; failing both once brings it to $336.

The first-year catch

Every license expires on June 30, whatever date it was issued. A license issued in March runs only to June 30. I found no rule that prorates the first fee, so budget another $75 for that first renewal.

Other fees you may meet

Sources: WVREC schedule of fees and 174CSR2 (effective 10 April 2024), read 3 November 2026.

The application portal says "The WV.gov price includes $5.00 per application" and $3.00 per renewal. I could not tell whether that is inside the $25 and $75 or added on top. I found no recovery or guaranty fund fee in the fee rule.

My view: the official fees are small. Your real budget decisions are the course, any exam prep and what your brokerage charges, none of which I could verify.

Plan your cost and timeline with the calculator

Short answer: at 10 study hours a week, a new applicant finishes the 90 hours in about 9 weeks and pays $218 in official fees. Change the inputs to see your own numbers.

How the planner counts

• Course time: 90 hours divided by your weekly hours, rounded up to whole weeks. Agents licensed elsewhere skip pre-licensing.
• Exam: two parts for a first license, the state part only if you are licensed elsewhere. Each failed part adds one $59 retake.

My view: run it with one failed part. If you pass both the first time, you finish under budget.

How long does it take, and which deadlines apply?

Short answer: mostly as long as the 90 hours take you, plus the exam and the license application. At 10 hours a week the course alone is 9 weeks. The Commission sets deadlines for each later step but publishes no processing time.

Sources: WVREC no-license page, WVREC background check page, 174CSR1 and the Pearson VUE handbook (February 2026), read 3 November 2026.

My view: treat the course, fingerprints and exam as one project. The 90-day background check and 90-day exam window reward a tight sequence.

When does the license expire, and what are the late fees?

Short answer: every West Virginia license expires on June 30, every year, whatever date it was issued. Salesperson renewal costs $75 and opens on May 1. Late fees run from $50 to $100, and after December 31 the license is cancelled.

Rule 174CSR1 says: "The license year begins on July 1 and ends June 30." And: "All licenses expire on June 30 regardless of the date the license was issued." The statute ties the license to the fiscal year in the same way.

The Commission's FAQ says "The renewal period begins on May 1 of each year." Its home page showed "Renew Your License Here, Starting May 1st 2026!"

Sources: 174CSR1 sections 3.1 and 8.1, W. Va. Code 30-40-17, WVREC FAQ and the WVREC home page, read 3 November 2026.

Late renewal and cancellation

Sources: WVREC schedule of fees, 174CSR2 (effective 10 April 2024) and 174CSR1 sections 8.2 and 8.3, read 3 November 2026.

An older Commission fee page, still online, shows a different late schedule. I have used the current page and the 2024 rule. Inactive licenses renew too: "You have to renew your license on time every year regardless of status."

My view: set a reminder for May 1 every year. With a fixed June 30 date for everyone, there is no personal anniversary to lose track of.

Do new licensees need continuing education?

Short answer: not for the first renewal, if you were licensed by passing both exam parts. After that, 7 hours each fiscal year. I found no post-licensing course requirement.

Rule 174CSR1 section 8.5.a covers a licensee who qualified "by passing both the national and state licensing examinations." That licensee "is exempt from the continuing education requirement for their first renewal if the licensee renews on or before June 30" of that fiscal year.

The rule does not spell out every case, such as a license issued in late spring. If you passed only the state part, ask whether the exemption applies to you.

Ongoing continuing education

• Hours: "every licensee is required to complete seven (7) hours of continuing professional education for each fiscal year."
• Timing: "the courses must be taken during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year" of renewal.
• Course length: "The minimum length of a continuing education course will be three (3) hours."
• Topics: no mandatory topics are listed for salespersons. Brokers and associate brokers include 3 hours of broker-level education.
• Your broker checks: "It is the responsibility of the broker to confirm that all licensees under his or her supervision comply with this requirement."

Sources: WVREC continuing education page, W. Va. Code 30-40-16, 174CSR1 sections 8.4 and 8.5 and 174CSR3 section 3.5.3, read 3 November 2026.

Inactive licensees and non-residents

The FAQ says: "If you are renewing as inactive, you do not have to provide seven (7) hours of continuing education." To reactivate, you complete 7 hours, plus a fee if you join a new brokerage.

Non-residents must meet the CE rule too, though comparable home-state credit can count where reciprocal.

My view: seven hours a year is light. Spread it across the year and pick courses you can use, not only the cheapest three-hour block.

Already licensed in another state? How to add West Virginia

Short answer: if you hold a current license in another state and passed a comprehensive exam there, you skip pre-licensing and the national part. You take the West Virginia state part, clear the background check and join a West Virginia broker.

The Commission's page for this route says: "If licensed in another jurisdiction NO Pre-Licensing Education is required." Its requirements are:

• "Have a current salesperson license in another state and passed a comprehensive licensing examination."
• "Pass the state portion of the licensing exam."
• "Provide a Certification of Licensure (license history) from every state you are licensed." It is valid for 60 days.
• "Obtain a sponsoring broker with an active West Virginia Broker License."
• "Submit fingerprints for national criminal history check, which is only valid for 90 days."

You also upload a copy of your driver's license and, if you live outside West Virginia, the Irrevocable Consent form. Rule 174CSR1 section 7.7 gives you three months from passing to apply.

Sources: WVREC page for applicants licensed in another jurisdiction, WVREC Licensing page and 174CSR1 section 7, read 3 November 2026.

Formal agreements: Florida, and Kentucky no longer

The Commission's reciprocity page lists one agreement, with Florida. I could not open the agreement document, so I cannot tell you its terms.

Kentucky used to have one. A Commission memo to the Kentucky Real Estate Commission, dated 20 November 2024, explains what changed. It says HB 3203 took effect on 9 June 2023 and requires every brokerage to have a West Virginia physical address.

It concludes: "This means our reciprocity agreement dated 2021 is null and void." An older Commission page still describes a Kentucky route. Do not rely on it; ask the Commission.

Sources: WVREC reciprocity page and WVREC memo of 20 November 2024, hosted by the Kentucky Real Estate Commission, read 3 November 2026.

Virginia, Maryland, DC, Pennsylvania and Ohio

I found no state-specific agreement for any of these on the Commission's site. Agents from them follow the general route above: state part only, background check, certification of licensure and a West Virginia broker.

One wrinkle: the statute and rule 174CSR1 section 7.1 tie recognition to the other state offering "the same privilege to West Virginia licensees." The Commission's page does not. Confirm for your state.

Source: W. Va. Code 30-40-15 and 174CSR1, read 3 November 2026.

Starting from scratch in a neighboring jurisdiction instead? See my step-by-step Virginia licensing guide, my Maryland real estate license guide or my guide to the DC salesperson license.

Moving to West Virginia

The Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 offers a license without an exam to someone who "Establishes residence in this state" and is licensed in good standing elsewhere. Boards may still require a state law exam, and the portal asks you to call the Commission first.

Sources: W. Va. Code 30-1-27 and WVREC application portal, read 3 November 2026.

My view: for an agent already licensed nearby, adding West Virginia is mostly one 50-question exam and paperwork. Order the certification of licensure last, because of its 60-day limit.

How do you become a West Virginia real estate broker?

Short answer: two years as a licensed salesperson, 180 hours of education (or 90 more hours if you hold a West Virginia salesperson license) and the broker exam. Here is a brief outline.

Sources: W. Va. Code 30-40-12, WVREC education requirements page, WVREC schedule of fees and the Pearson VUE handbook (February 2026), read 3 November 2026.

The education page gives broker courses a five-year validity window, while the statute appears to use three years. Confirm before you count an older course.

My view: get two solid years as a salesperson first. Brokers now carry explicit supervision duties under section 174-1-21.

Do West Virginia agents need E&O insurance?

Short answer: I found no state requirement. West Virginia's license law and the Commission's rules I reviewed do not require salespersons to carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance.

I checked key sections of the license law, rules 174CSR1, 174CSR2 and 174CSR3, and the Commission's main pages. Insurance appears only in the trust account rules. Your brokerage may have its own policy, so ask.

My view: no state rule does not mean no risk. Know whose policy covers your work before your first contract.

Where do West Virginia salespersons work?

Short answer: the Commission's FY 2024 annual report lists 4,066 salespersons at offices in West Virginia counties, by my count from its county table. That is not a statewide total. The table has no out-of-state rows and prints no total.

Source: WVREC Annual Report FY 2024 (dated 17 December 2024), table "FY 2024 Licensees by County", read 3 November 2026. Sums are my arithmetic.

The same table sums to 824 brokers and 352 associate brokers. No FY 2025 report was posted, and I could not open the October 2026 rosters.

My view: the five counties above hold more than half of the salespersons in the table. Where you work shapes which brokers you can join.

What I could not verify

These are the gaps I hit while checking sources. Be careful with any page that fills them with a confident number.

• Course tuition. No school price could be confirmed.
• The fingerprint fee. The statute says applicants pay the actual cost; no official page gives it.
• The full approved school list. The current list was only partly readable, and the older one is dated January 2022.
• The Florida agreement. The document would not open.
• Kentucky applicants. The 2021 agreement is void, but an older page still lists a Kentucky route.
• HB 4148. It passed the House; I could not confirm it became law.
• Starting as inactive. I found no rule on issuing a new license without a broker.
• Processing time. Not published.
• The $5 WV.gov fee. Unclear whether it is inside the $25 and $75 or added on top.
• The retake fee. Pearson names a reexamination fee without an amount; I assume $59.
• Pass rates. None published in the sources I read.
• Current licensee counts. The October 2026 rosters would not open.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to get a real estate license in West Virginia?

The official fees are $25 for the exam application, $59 for each of the two Pearson VUE exam parts and $75 for the license, $218 in total. Course tuition and the fingerprint check are extra.

How long does it take to get a West Virginia real estate license?

Mostly as long as the 90 hours take you. At 10 hours a week that is about 9 weeks. The Commission publishes no processing time for new licenses.

What score do you need to pass the West Virginia real estate exam?

Salespersons need 70% on each part, according to Pearson VUE's candidate handbook. If you fail one part, you retake only that part, within your approval window.

Can I take the West Virginia real estate exam online?

Yes, through Pearson VUE's OnVUE, with limits. The handbook allows one online attempt for life at each level, Sales or Broker, and retakes cannot be taken online.

Does West Virginia have real estate reciprocity?

If you hold a current license elsewhere and passed a comprehensive exam, you skip pre-licensing and the national part and take the state part. The Commission lists one agreement, with Florida.

Do I need fingerprints for a West Virginia real estate license?

Yes. Applicants for an original license complete a state and national background check, based on fingerprints, before registering for the exam. The Commission points to IdentoGO with service code 228Q6K.

When does a West Virginia real estate license expire?

Every license expires on June 30, whatever date it was issued. Salesperson renewal costs $75 a year and opens on May 1. Late fees run from $50 to $100.

Is there post-licensing education in West Virginia?

I found no post-licensing requirement. New licensees who passed both exam parts are exempt from CE for their first renewal, then need 7 hours each fiscal year.