Virginia Real Estate Broker Exam - State Portion

How to Pass the Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion Exam

You don't have to guess how to prepare for the Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion exam. This guide lays it out: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics on the test, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and a study plan you can follow. PSI gives the exam.

Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion Exam Basics

Here's what the official bulletin says about the exam:

On exam day

• You must present one valid, non-expired, signature-bearing photo ID from the accepted list, matching the name you registered under.
• Arrive at the examination center at least 30 minutes before your appointment.
• The examinations are closed book and reference materials of any kind are prohibited, although a word-to-word translation dictionary without pictures or definitions may be brought.
• Handheld calculators are prohibited at the examination.
• Test center candidates receive an LCD writing tablet for notes, remote candidates may not have scratch paper, and a wide list of personal items and electronic devices is prohibited.

Study references listed in the bulletin (not allowed in the exam room)

• Virginia Real Estate License Laws
• Virginia Real Estate Board Regulations
• Virginia Fair Housing Law
• Virginia Fair Housing Regulations
• Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act
• Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act
• Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Regulations
• Virginia Condominium Act
• Virginia Condominium Regulations
• Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
• Virginia Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act
• Common Interest Community Management Information Fund
• Property Owner's Association Act

Scheduling, changes and retakes

• You schedule by registering online at PSI's website or by calling PSI at (855) 340-3910.
• You must be approved to take the examination in one of three ways before scheduling: through your education provider, by reciprocity with an uploaded current license, or with an uploaded letter from the Board.
• You can cancel and reschedule without forfeiting your fee if PSI receives your cancellation notice two days before the scheduled examination date, by website or by phone (not voicemail or email).
• If you miss your appointment, arrive after the start time, cancel late, or lack proper ID, your registration is invalid and your fee is forfeited.
• Your score appears on screen at the end of the examination and a score report is emailed, with a diagnostic report by topic if you fail.
• You cannot rebook on the same day you tested, may be able to retest within two business days if space allows, and need only retake the portion you failed.
• After passing, you must submit the license application and fee to DPOR within 1 year of the examination and complete mandatory fingerprinting.

Source: Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin (Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation), Last Revised 2/18/2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.

What's on the Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion Exam

The official content outline splits the exam into 6 topics:

Virginia Disclosure Requirements: Property Disclosure (including Chesapeake Bay Act); Aircraft Noise/Crash Disclosure; Septic Disclosure; Megans Law; Stigmatized Properties; HOA/POA disclosures (timing for review/cancellation, what constitutes delivery); Advertising Rules; Article 3. Duties of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons.
Virginia Agency Definitions and Relationships: Broker-Salesperson Relationships and Compensation; Limited Service; Disclosure of Agency; Agency duties (Document handling, Standard agent duties, Duties to client vs. customer, Misrepresentation/omissions, Brokerage agreements); Designated and Dual Agency; Unrepresented parties; Article 3. Duties of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons; Part V - Standards of Practice and Conduct.

Your Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion Study Plan

This one is closed book, so the goal is to walk in knowing the material. Work through the topics in the outline one at a time.

Put your energy where the points are. Virginia Licensing and Virginia Agency Definitions and Relationships make up 50% of the exam, so start there.

Practice with the clock running. Our timed practice exams help you build the pace the real exam needs: about 1 minute 6 seconds per question.

Learn from every miss. Each wrong answer on a practice exam shows you what to review. Read the explanation and the reference until it clicks.

Keep going until you pass practice exams consistently. A few passing scores in a row is how you know you're ready.

Books You'll Need for the Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion Exam

The bulletin lists possible study materials for the State Portion, which are study references only because the examinations are closed book.

Where to get them:

• Va. Code 54.1 Ch. 21
• 18VAC135-20
• VA Fair Housing Law + Regs
• VA RE-related Acts
• Va. Code 54.1 Ch. 23.3

Test Day Tips

Start with a quick pass through the whole exam. Answer every question you're sure about and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you return to bookmarked questions, so nothing is lost by moving on.

Then come back to your bookmarks and work through them one at a time. Keep an eye on the clock: you have 55 minutes for 50 questions, which is about 1 minute 6 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure every question has an answer. A blank can't earn a point.

Study Tips

The state portion tests YOUR state's statutes, deadlines, and agency rules — which differ from national principles. Don't rely only on a national prep book; study the state-specific material.

Questions on fiduciary duties, agency relationships, and required disclosures run throughout the exam. Be able to apply them to scenarios, not just define them.

Read the explanation for every question — right or wrong. Understanding the underlying rule lets you answer reworded questions you've never seen, instead of memorizing specific answers.

Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.

Try These Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion Practice Questions

Give these a try. They come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.

Sample 1 — Virginia Disclosure Requirements

Question: Each disclosure and consent to dual agency or dual representation must be retained in the firm's records for three years measured from:

• A. The date of closing
• B. The date the disclosure was executed
• C. The date the brokerage agreement terminated
• D. The date the contract was ratified

Correct Answer: B

18VAC135-20-185 C 1 requires each disclosure and consent to dual agency or dual representation (and each brokerage agreement) to be retained for three years from the date of execution, unlike transaction documents, which run three years from closing or from ratification if the transaction fails to close.

Reference: Virginia Real Estate Board Licensing Regulations (18VAC135-20), 18VAC135-20-185 C 1

Sample 2 — Virginia Fair Housing Law and Regulations

Question: A community your firm manages claims the housing-for-older-persons exemption from familial status protection under the clause for housing intended for and solely occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older per unit. At least what percentage of the occupied units must be occupied by at least one person 55 or older?

• A. 80 percent
• B. 51 percent
• C. 62 percent
• D. 100 percent

Correct Answer: A

Under the 55-and-older clause, at least 80 percent of the occupied units must be occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older, and the owner or manager must publish and adhere to policies demonstrating intent to provide housing for persons 55 or older. (The 62-and-older clause is a separate basis requiring sole occupancy by persons 62 or older.)

Reference: Virginia Fair Housing Law, § 36-96.7

Sample 3 — Virginia Acts Pertaining to Real Estate Practice

Question: You are a salesperson managing a residential rental for an owner client. Four different parties ask you for information about a current tenant, and none of them has the tenant's prior written consent. Under the confidentiality provisions of Va. Code § 55.1-1209, to which requester may the information be released?

• A. A prospective purchaser touring the property
• B. A collection agency retained by the tenant
• C. The tenant's commanding officer
• D. An employer verifying the tenant's residence

Correct Answer: C

Section 55.1-1209 (A) lists the limited circumstances in which tenant information may be released without prior written consent. Among them is a request by the commanding officer, military housing officer, or military attorney of the tenant. The statute permits release to the LANDLORD'S collection agency and to a CONTRACT purchaser who agrees in writing to maintain confidentiality — not to a collection agency retained by the tenant or to a party merely touring the property — and it contains no exception for an employer verifying residence.

Reference: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, § 55.1-1209 (A)

Sample 4 — Virginia Licensing

Question: Which of the following is identified by board regulation as an improper financial transaction or dealing?

• A. Charging a seller a flat brokerage fee
• B. Writing a listing that guarantees the seller a net price
• C. Splitting a commission with a cooperating broker
• D. Accepting a bonus paid by your principal broker

Correct Answer: B

18VAC135-20-280 A 5 lists as an improper financial transaction making a listing contract or lease that provides for a 'net' return to the seller or lessor, leaving the licensee free to sell or lease at any price obtainable above that net figure. Commission splits with cooperating brokers, compensation paid by one's own principal broker, and flat fees are permissible arrangements.

Reference: Virginia Real Estate Board Licensing Regulations, 18VAC135-20-280 A 5

Why Practice Online?

Reading questions in a PDF is a start, but it doesn't prepare you for the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you build speed along with knowledge. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic so you know where to focus next.

Ready to Start?

Take the free Virginia Real Estate Broker - State Portion practice exam and see where you stand today. Then focus on the topics that need the most work. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.