Virginia Real Estate Agent / Broker Continuing Education Requirements
Requirements Overview
The Virginia Real Estate Board requires 16 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal cycle for salespersons and 24 hours for brokers. For licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2026, mandatory salesperson topics total 11 hours: Ethics and Standards of Conduct (3 hrs), Fair Housing (2 hrs), Legal Updates and Emerging Trends (2 hrs), Real Estate Agency (2 hrs), and Real Estate Contracts (2 hrs). The remaining 5 hours are electives. Brokers add 6 hours of Broker Management and 2 hours of Broker Supervision.
HB 383/SB 330 increased Legal Updates, Agency, and Contracts each from 1 to 2 hours and reduced out-of-state CE credit from 8 to 5 hours for the same effective date. First-renewal salespersons follow a separate path: 30 hours of Post-License Education instead of standard CE.
Online self-study courses require a 70% passing grade and a notarized affidavit of completion. Providers report credits within 5 days directly to DPOR. Inactive licensees are exempt from CE but must complete requirements within two years before reactivating if inactive for 30 or more days.
Mandatory Topics
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics and Standards of Conduct | 3 | Every renewal | Required for all licensees (salespersons and brokers). Hours unchanged by HB 383/SB 330. |
| Fair Housing | 2 | Every renewal | Required for all licensees. Hours unchanged by HB 383/SB 330. |
| Legal Updates and Emerging Trends | 2 | Every renewal | Increased from 1 hour to 2 hours for licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2026 (HB 383/SB 330). |
| Real Estate Agency | 2 | Every renewal | Increased from 1 hour to 2 hours for licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2026 (HB 383/SB 330). |
| Real Estate Contracts | 2 | Every renewal | Increased from 1 hour to 2 hours for licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2026 (HB 383/SB 330). |
| Broker Management | 6 | Every renewal | Required for brokers only. Part of the additional 8 broker-specific hours. |
| Broker Supervision | 2 | Every renewal | Required for brokers only. Covers Virginia broker supervision requirements. |
First Renewal vs. Standard Renewal
Exemptions
- Inactive License — Inactive licensees are not required to complete CE for renewal.Licenses inactive for 30+ days require CE completion within two years before reactivation
- First Renewal Salesperson — First-renewal salespersons complete 30 hours Post-License Education instead of standard 16-hour CE.This is a substitution, not a true exemption — PLE hours replace CE hours
How You Can Complete Your CE
Provider Requirements
Only Board-approved providers and courses are accepted. Providers report credits within 5 days of completion directly to DPOR. Online self-study requires 70% passing grade and notarized affidavit. DPOR maintains an approved course list.
Tips for Virginia Real Estate Agents
- Check whether your license expires before or after June 30, 2026 — the mandatory hour breakdown changed significantly under HB 383/SB 330.
- Out-of-state CE credit is capped at 5 hours for licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2026 (down from 8), so plan most of your hours through Virginia-approved courses.
- Online self-study courses require both a 70% passing grade and a notarized affidavit — prepare for the notarization step.
- First-renewal salespersons complete 30 hours of Post-License Education, which is entirely separate from standard CE.