CHAPTER 513

An Act to direct the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to review the Commonwealth's process for obtaining licensure as a real estate salesperson; report.

[S 613]

Approved April 8, 2026

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) shall conduct a comprehensive review of the Commonwealth's current process for obtaining licensure as a real estate salesperson. Such review shall:

1. Evaluate all statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements governing each step of the application for, examination for, and issuance of real estate salesperson licenses, including any internal procedures affecting application intake, eligibility determination, examination scheduling, and timing from application submission to license issuance.

2. Compile and analyze data regarding the length of time required for applicants to obtain a real estate salesperson license, including, to the extent practicable, (i) average processing times; (ii) variations by application type or pathway; (iii) rates and causes of application deficiencies, delays, or denials; and (iv) any trends affecting timeliness or efficiency.

3. Identify administrative, procedural, or regulatory inefficiencies contributing to delays in the processing and issuance of real estate salesperson licenses and develop recommendations to improve efficiency, predictability, timing, and transparency in the licensure process while maintaining consumer protections.

4. Establish and convene a stakeholder advisory group to assist DPOR in (i) reviewing existing real estate salesperson licensure processes; (ii) identifying administrative, procedural, or regulatory bottlenecks contributing to delays in the licensure process; and (iii) developing recommendations to improve efficiency, predictability, and transparency in the licensure process.

5. Based on such review and stakeholder input, develop recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or administrative changes to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of the real estate salesperson licensure process and execute administrative changes that can be readily implemented.

§ 2. On or before January 1, 2027, DPOR shall submit a report of its findings, recommendations and actions taken in a written report to the Chairs of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology.