Virginia Real Estate License · Education

Virginia Real Estate License Course

Everything to know about the required 60-hour Principles of Real Estate pre-license course before you enroll.

60 Class/Clock HoursVREB-Approved Providers OnlyProctored Final Exam

RealReady is an independent guide. Confirm current provider approval status directly with DPOR before enrolling.

RealReady Virginia · Independent Guide
Course Snapshot
Course namePrinciples of Real Estate
Hours60 class/clock
FormatsClassroom, live-online, self-paced
Final examProctored, required
Next stepPSI state exam
Independent planning snapshot — verify current status with the official source.

The 60-hour Principles of Real Estate course

Virginia uses a single pre-license course, not a stack of separate classes or "levels."

Course
Principles of Real Estate
The single required pre-license course.
Hours
60 class/clock hrs
VREB-approved provider required.
Final exam
Proctored
Cannot be taken unmonitored, even online.

What the course covers

The Virginia pre-license course, commonly branded Principles of Real Estate, covers real estate principles, property law, contracts, agency relationships, and Virginia-specific statutory material. It is a single 60 class/clock hour course, not a split into separate "fundamentals" and "practice" courses the way some neighboring states structure pre-licensing.

Classroom vs. self-paced formats

VREB-approved providers offer the course in live classroom, live-online, and self-paced online formats. Whichever format you choose, the course final exam must be proctored with identity verification — it cannot be completed unmonitored, even in a self-paced course. See the online course guide for what to verify about a provider before enrolling.

Choosing a provider

Before enrolling, confirm the provider currently appears on DPOR's list of Board-approved pre-license course providers, that the specific course listing carries the correct hour count, and that the format (classroom, live-online, or self-paced) fits how you actually study. Course approvals can expire or change, so verify current status directly with DPOR rather than relying on a provider's own marketing claims.

After the course

Passing your course's proctored final exam earns you a certificate of completion, which is what makes you eligible to register for the state exam with PSI. See the VA real estate license exam guide for what happens next.

Course traps to avoid

The course final exam is not the state exam
Passing your provider's proctored final only makes you eligible for the separate PSI state licensing exam — it is not itself a license requirement satisfied.
One 60-hour course, not several
Virginia's salesperson pre-license education is a single 60-hour course. Be cautious of marketing that implies you need multiple separate pre-license "levels" to qualify for the exam.

Frequently asked questions

Official Sources