                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CONTINUING EDUCATION; RELICENSURE OF BROKERS AND SALESPERSONS (§ 54.1-2105.03)

A. Board regulations shall include educational requirements as a condition for
relicensure of brokers and salespersons to whom active licenses have been issued
by the Board beyond those now specified by law as conditions for licensure.

   1. Brokers to whom active licenses have been issued by the Board shall be
   required to satisfactorily complete courses of not less than 24 hours of
   classroom or correspondence or other distance learning instruction during each
   licensing term. Of the total 24 hours, the curriculum shall consist of:
   				a. A minimum of 11 required hours to include at least three hours of
   ethics and standards of conduct, two hours of fair housing, two hours of legal
   updates and emerging trends including flood hazard areas and the National
   Flood Insurance Program, two hours of real estate agency, and two hours of
   real estate contracts;
   				b. A minimum of eight hours of courses relating to supervision and
   management of real estate agents and the management of real estate brokerage
   firms as are approved by the Board, two hours of which shall include an
   overview of the broker supervision requirements under this chapter and the
   Board regulations; and
   				c. Five hours of general elective courses as are approved by the Board.
   				The Board may, on a year-by-year basis, adjust the required hours and
   course topics specified in this subdivision for the next succeeding year,
   applicable to a licensee in the next renewal period for his license, including
   the addition of topics deemed by the Board to be essential. Such designation
   or adjustment by the Board shall be made prior to September 1 of any given
   calendar year. The action of the Board in making such adjustment shall be
   subject to &#xA7; 2.2-4012.1.
   				The fair housing requirements shall include an update on current cases and
   administrative decisions under fair housing laws. If the licensee submits a
   notarized affidavit to the Board that certifies that he does not practice
   residential real estate and shall not do so during the licensing term,
   training in fair housing shall not be required; instead, such licensee shall
   receive training in other applicable federal and state discrimination laws and
   regulations.

   2. Salespersons to whom active licenses have been issued by the Board shall be
   required to satisfactorily complete courses of not less than 16 hours of
   classroom or correspondence or other distance learning instruction during each
   licensing term. Of the total 16 hours, the curriculum shall consist of:
   				a. A minimum of 11 required hours to include at least three hours of
   ethics and standards of conduct, two hours of fair housing, two hours of legal
   updates and emerging trends including flood hazard areas and the National
   Flood Insurance Program, two hours of real estate agency, and two hours of
   real estate contracts; and
   				b. Five hours of general elective courses as are approved by the Board.
   				The Board may, on a year-by-year basis, readjust the required hours and
   course topics specified in this subdivision for the next succeeding year,
   applicable to a licensee in the next renewal period for his license, including
   the addition of topics deemed by the Board to be essential. Such designation
   or adjustment by the Board shall be made prior to September 1 of any given
   calendar year. The action of the Board in making such adjustment shall be
   subject to &#xA7; 2.2-4012.1.

   3. The Board shall approve a continuing education curriculum of not less than
   three hours, and as of July 1, 2012, every applicant for relicensure as an
   active broker or salesperson shall complete at a minimum one three-hour
   continuing education course on the changes to residential standard agency
   effective as of July 1, 2011, to Article 3 (&#xA7; 54.1-2130 et seq.) prior to
   renewal or reinstatement of his license. If the licensee submits a notarized
   affidavit to the Board that certifies that he does not practice residential
   real estate and shall not do so during the licensing term, training in
   residential representation shall not be required. A licensee who takes one
   three-hour continuing education class on residential representation shall
   satisfy the requirements for continuing education and may, but shall not be
   required to, take any further continuing education on residential standard
   agency.
   				The fair housing requirements shall include an update on current cases and
   administrative decisions under fair housing laws. If the licensee submits a
   notarized affidavit to the Board that certifies that he does not practice
   residential real estate and shall not do so during the licensing term,
   training in fair housing shall not be required; instead, such licensee shall
   receive training in other applicable federal and state discrimination laws and
   regulations.

   4. For correspondence and other distance learning instruction offered by an
   approved provider, the Board shall establish the appropriate testing
   procedures to verify completion of the course and require the licensee to file
   a notarized affidavit certifying compliance with the course requirements. The
   Board may establish procedures to ensure the quality of the courses. The Board
   shall not require testing for continuing education courses completed through
   classroom instruction.

B. Every applicant for relicensure as an active salesperson or broker shall
complete the continuing education requirements prior to each renewal or
reinstatement of his license. The continuing education requirement shall also
apply to inactive licensees who make application for an active license.
Notwithstanding this requirement, military personnel called to active duty in
the armed forces of the United States may complete the required continuing
education within six months of their release from active duty.

C. The Board shall establish procedures for the carryover of continuing
education credits completed by licensees from the licensee&#8217;s current
license period to the licensee&#8217;s next renewal period.

D. The Board may grant exemptions or waive or reduce the number of continuing
education hours required in cases of certified illness or undue hardship as
demonstrated to the Board.

HISTORY: 2007, c. 809; 2011, c. 461; 2012, c. 750; 2015, c. 692; 2016, c. 334;
2018, cc. 60, 86; 2024, cc. 29, 120.