West Virginia · WV
West Virginia Real Estate License Checklist (2026)
Every step, fee, and deadline on one page — designed to print cleanly to PDF and check off as you go.
Before you start
- You are at least 18 years old
- You hold a high school diploma or GED
- You can pass a criminal background check / fingerprinting
- Make sure everything was completed within the 5-year window before your application date.
Education
West Virginia requires 90 hours of pre-licensing education split into four specific subject blocks: Real Estate Principles and Practice (30 hours), Real Estate Law (20 hours), Real Estate Finance (20 hours), and Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours). All 90 hours must be completed within the five years before you apply.
- Confirm eligibility: 18 or older, high school diploma or equivalent, and — in the statute's words — trustworthy, of good moral character, and competent to transact business.
- Complete the 90-hour pre-license program through a Commission-approved provider: 30 hours of Principles and Practice, 20 hours of Real Estate Law, 20 hours of Finance, and 20 hours of Appraisal.
- Pass your school's course exams and get your Official Course Completion Certificate — the one showing your scores, not the student affidavit. You'll upload this with your exam application.
- Make sure everything was completed within the 5-year window before your application date.
Application & exam
- Complete the national fingerprint-based criminal background check first — schedule through the Commission's linked vendor, IdentoGO, using service code 228Q6K. The fee is about $45, paid to IdentoGO at your appointment (the exact amount is shown during IdentoGO enrollment; the state doesn't publish it).
- Submit the exam application online through the WVREC portal with the $25 exam application fee — the Commission no longer accepts paper applications. Upload your Official Course Completion Certificate and a copy of your valid driver's license.
- Once approved, Pearson VUE emails you authorization to test. You get 90 days OR two attempts (whichever comes first) before you'd have to reapply. The exam fee is $59.
- Pass both portions at 70%. Each pass certificate is good for 90 days, so don't sit on it.
- Within 90 days of passing, submit the online license application with proof of passing both portions, the signed Verification of Sponsoring Broker form, and the $75 salesperson license fee.
- Note on broker sponsorship: West Virginia requires an active sponsoring broker to issue your salesperson license — there's no inactive initial issuance like some states. Your license is held by your broker; you can move to inactive status later using the Commission's status-update form.
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education (90 hours across four courses) | $300–$650 | |
| Exam application fee (WVREC) | $25 | |
| Exam fee (Pearson VUE, per attempt) | $59 | |
| Fingerprint-based national background check (paid to IdentoGO) | ~$45 | |
| Salesperson license fee | $75 | |
| Estimated total | $505–$855 |
Key deadlines
- All 90 hours must be completed within the five years before you apply.
- Annual — every West Virginia license expires June 30, and salesperson renewal is $75 per year (late fees climb from $50 to $100 the longer you wait after July 1).
- Make sure everything was completed within the 5-year window before your application date.
- You get 90 days OR two attempts (whichever comes first) before you'd have to reapply.
- Each pass certificate is good for 90 days, so don't sit on it.
- Within 90 days of passing, submit the online license application with proof of passing both portions, the signed Verification of Sponsoring Broker form, and the $75 salesperson license fee.
- After that, the background check, exam application approval, testing, and license issuance can move quickly since everything is handled online; just watch the deadlines (90 days to test after approval, 90 days to apply after passing).
- If you fail, remember your authorization only covers two attempts within 90 days before you must submit a new $25 exam application.