FAQ's About Letters of Good Standing

• Why Is a Letter of Good Standing Important?

  Staying in good standing is essential. It’s far better to do what’s required to keep a good standing status at all times.

• Who can request a Letter of Good Standing?

  Most REALTOR® associations, recognized and registered within the United States and its territories, can request a Letter of Good Standing.

• What Do You Need to Do to Stay in Good Standing with the Association?

  REALTOR® agents in all states have compliance requirements to fulfill to stay in good standing. The responsibilities can vary from state to state.

  Common requirements for staying in good standing with the association include:

  · Paying association dues renewal on time (national, state, and local dues)

  · Complying with the NAR Code of Ethics

  · Keeping business and professional licenses current

  · Maintaining as a registered agent

  · Following all association rules and bylaws, including the mandatory Code of Ethics training requirement

  If you’re unsure of whether you have completed the mandatory Code of Ethics training during the current cycle, you can review your records with NAR on REALTOR.org or e-mail membership@nvar.com.

• When Does a REALTOR® agent Need a Letter of Good Standing and How Do You Get a Letter of Good Standing?

  For your information, there are some associations that will not allow an agent to conduct business within their boundaries if the agent isn’t in good standing with their previous or primary state/local association(s). An active NVAR agent can email membership@nvar.com to assist them with getting their Letter of Good Standing. If the agent hasn’t paid their annual dues, has been inactive for more than 30 days or has pending/disciplinary actions, they are NOT in Good Standing and NVAR will state that in the letter. NVAR will NOT generate a Letter of Good Standing for licensees who have been inactive for more than 3 months.

  A Letter of Good Standing can be obtained for:

  1) Transfer to another REALTOR® association,

  2) Secondary or tertiary membership at another REALTOR® association,

  3) Access to another Multiple Listing Service,

  4) Access to utilize other forms of lockbox equipment within the state,

  5) DMV REALTOR® license plates,

  6) Utility or other companies that provide various discounts to REALTOR® s

  Depending on the entity receiving the Letter of Good Standing, they may require that the letter be dated no later than 30, 90, or 180 days from the date the letter is delivered. NVAR recommends that you ask the entity requiring the Letter of Good Standing regarding how recent the letter must be dated before submitting the Letter of Good Standing.

• How Much Does It Cost?

  A Letter of Good Standing is free. NVAR can issue them promptly online. Most letters can be issued immediately, but in no event will the process take more than a few days.

• What Can You Do If an Agent Falls Out of Good Standing?

  As mentioned earlier, it’s much less stressful and problematic when an agent stays compliant from the start and keeps in the good graces of the association.

  The steps for getting reinstated vary from association to association. Generally, they include:

  1. Find out why the agent fell out of compliance.

  2. Pay outstanding, fines, and fees; and file any other required compliance documentation and take the necessary courses for reinstatement.

• What is the difference between a Letter of Good Standing and a Certification of License?

  A Letter of Good Standing is a certificate that states that the Realtor® requesting it is a member "in good standing" (i.e. paid in full and without outstanding ethics violations), to their primary Realtor® association. A Letter of Good Standing is needed from their primary association if a Realtor® is interested in joining a different association as a secondary membership or transferring to a different primary association.

  A Real Estate Salesperson or Broker's Certification of License is a document that proves the agent is licensed to perform real estate business in their state. The Real Estate Board of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) licenses real estate salespersons, brokers, and firms who have successfully completed and passed a written exam to represent others in property transactions. A Certification of License is needed if the agent or broker is interested in taking an exam for a real estate license in a state that has reciprocity.

  To obtain a Letter of Good Standing, please click here.

  To obtain a Certification of License for the state of Virginia please visit www.dpor.virginia.gov