Licensing Process

What you need to know about becoming a licensed Real Estate Agent.

Long & Foster Institute of Real Estate is a state approved real estate education provider that operates in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Foster Real Estate School is a state approved education provider that operates in Pennsylvania. Both offer the state required classroom course(s) for pre-licensing. In addition to the classroom programs, students in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania may take the program online.

For Virginia & Maryland, For Washington, DC For Pennsylvania 

Pre-licensing programs are given by the Long & Foster Institute of Real Estate, Foster Real Estate School  and by many degree-granting institutions and community colleges. These programs cover all the technical aspects of real estate - math, law, and theory.

It is highly recommended you take the State Exam Review class before the state licensing examination. We offer this course each month and it consists of eight or twelve class hours of intensive review; or you may choose a computer-based review. Call our Training Center at 1-866-WORK LNF, for schedules and locations.

Once you pass the Principles Course and the MD, VA, DE, PA, DE or DC examination, you must affiliate with a real estate brokerage firm (such as Long & Foster) in order to have your license activated. If you are unsure of what you wish to do and you want time to consider your options, you may choose to consider Metro Referrals. It offers an alternative to becoming a licensed agent that allows you to keep your license active, referring potential buyers and sellers to an actively selling agent and collect a referral fee.  Should you choose to affiliate with Long & Foster, you will join our post-license training program, Star builders®, which will teach you the practical aspects of listing and selling properties. Following our classroom and field training, you will be fully prepared to launch a successful real estate career.

If you have further questions, please call our registrar at 1-866-WORK LNF, or any of our branch sales managers.