West Virginia Real Estate Exam Topics: Complete Breakdown

West Virginia Real Estate Exam Topics

The West Virginia real estate salesperson exam contains 120 questions: 80 national and 40 state-specific, delivered by PSI. You have 4 hours total. A minimum of 75% is required on each section independently — 60 national and 30 state.

National Section Topics (80 Questions)

The national portion covers the same eight topic areas tested across all states:

• Property ownership — freehold and leasehold estates, types of co-ownership
• Land use controls — zoning, eminent domain, deed restrictions, easements
• Valuation — sales comparison, income, and cost approaches; appraisal process
• Finance — mortgage types, loan calculations, qualifying ratios, secondary market
• Agency — fiduciary duties, types of agency, disclosure requirements
• Property condition disclosure — material defects, stigmatized property, environmental hazards
• Contracts — essential elements, contingencies, breach, and remedies
• Transfer of title — deed types, title search and insurance, closing procedures
• Practice of real estate — advertising, antitrust, fair housing, professional standards
• Math — commission splits, prorations, area, loan-to-value, tax calculations

State Section Topics (40 Questions)

West Virginia's 40 state questions test WV Code Chapter 30, Article 40 and related WVREC regulations:

Licensing and the WVREC - West Virginia Real Estate Commission structure (5 members) - 90-hour pre-license salesperson requirement - License categories: salesperson, broker, non-resident licenses - 7-hour continuing education every 2 years - Grounds for discipline and license revocation

Mineral Rights and Surface Rights - Severance of surface and mineral rights - Types of mineral rights: coal, oil, gas, timber - Mining access rights and surface owner protections - Mine subsidence disclosure requirements in coal country - How mineral rights transfers affect property value

Property Disclosures - West Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Form - Coal mining disclosure requirements - Lead-based paint disclosure (federal, but tested in state context) - Environmental contamination disclosure

Deeds and Title - Deed of trust structure (trustor, beneficiary, trustee) - Types of deeds: general warranty, special warranty, quitclaim - Title examination and title insurance - Non-judicial foreclosure process in West Virginia

Taxation and Transfer Costs - County excise tax: $1.10 per $500 (or fraction) - Annual property taxes and assessment - No state income tax impact on real estate

Fair Housing - Federal Fair Housing Act protected classes - West Virginia Human Rights Act - Prohibited practices: steering, blockbusting, redlining

Study Priority

Mineral rights severance, mine subsidence disclosure, and the county excise tax calculation are the most uniquely West Virginia topics. Pair these with thorough national section prep to reach the 75% threshold on both sections.