If you were appointed guardian in Virginia before July 1, 2025, there’s a deadline to put on your calendar: you must complete Virginia’s required guardian training no later than January 1, 2027.
As of October 2026, that’s less than three months away. The good news? The online course is free and takes about an hour. Here’s how to get it done, what to expect, and what to save when you finish.
First, make sure this is the deadline that applies to you
Virginia requires guardians to take training developed by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). The deadline depends on when you were appointed:
- Appointed before July 1, 2025: Complete the training by January 1, 2027.
- Appointed on or after July 1, 2025: Complete it within 120 days after your date of qualification.
The date of qualification matters for guardians appointed on or after July 1, 2025. If you’re unsure which date applies in your case, check your appointment paperwork or contact the clerk’s office for the circuit court that appointed you.
DARS says the requirement applies to all guardians, including parents who serve as guardians for their adult children and each person appointed as a co-guardian. It also applies to a skilled professional you retain to perform guardianship duties on your behalf. Ordinary care providers or facility staff don’t automatically count; the key is whether they are performing guardianship duties for you.
You can read the official deadlines and details on the DARS Virginia Guardian Training page and in Virginia Code § 64.2-2019.
How to complete the DARS training
The course is available online. You’ll need to register through DARS to receive access. A practical way to start is to set aside an uninterrupted hour and follow these steps:
- Visit the DARS Virginia Guardian Training page.
- Choose your preferred language and complete the registration form.
- Open the training link provided after registration.
- Complete the course and save your certificate when it becomes available.
DARS estimates the course will take about 60 minutes. It is free. The training page warns that your progress may not be saved if you exit before finishing, so try to complete it in one sitting if you can. If you need an accommodation or run into a technical problem, DARS lists contact information on the training page.
The training covers practical parts of the guardian’s role, including your duties and responsibilities, annual reports, medical advocacy, decision-making, and encouraging the adult you support to participate in decisions whenever feasible.
That last point matters. Guardianship gives you important responsibilities, but it doesn’t mean the person you support should be left out of decisions. Virginia law directs guardians, to the extent feasible, to encourage the person to participate, act on their own behalf, and develop or regain the capacity to manage personal affairs.
Who else may need to take the course?
If you’ve hired a skilled professional to perform guardianship duties on your behalf, that professional may also need to complete the training. DARS gives the example of a professional hired to conduct required visits for the guardian.
This is different from a person or organization simply providing services to the adult. For example, facility staff are not required to take the course just because the adult lives in a facility. The question is whether they have been retained to perform guardianship duties on the guardian’s behalf.
If you do have a skilled professional assisting with your responsibilities, check the DARS guidance and make sure you understand the deadline that applies to them as well. DARS explains the distinction and gives examples in its training FAQs.
Save your certificate, and keep handling annual reports
At the end of the course, DARS makes a certificate available to print or save electronically. Keep a copy with your guardianship records. DARS says you do not need to send the certificate to DARS or attach it to your annual report.
The annual “Report of Guardian for an Incapacitated Person” asks about training completion. When you file your initial or annual report, you’ll indicate whether you, and, if applicable, a skilled professional retained to perform guardianship duties, have completed the training. The report is a separate ongoing responsibility, so completing the course doesn’t replace your reporting obligations.
You can review the current report and training-related information through the DARS resources page. The Virginia court form instructions also explain the reporting form’s training section.
Already took the training for another guardianship?
You may not need to take it again right away. Under Virginia law, a guardian or skilled professional who completed the training within the previous 36 months in connection with another guardianship appointment generally does not have to repeat it for a new appointment. The law also says training is not required more frequently than once every 36 months.
Keep your completion records, and check with DARS if you’re uncertain whether your earlier training qualifies. The timing and connection to another guardianship appointment can matter.
A simple checklist before January 1, 2027
If you were appointed before July 1, 2025, use this checklist to stay on track:
- Confirm that the pre-July 1, 2025 deadline applies to your appointment.
- Register through the official DARS training page.
- Set aside about an hour to complete the course.
- Save the certificate when you finish.
- Check whether any skilled professional you retained to perform guardianship duties must also complete training.
- Keep your certificate with your records and report training status when your guardian report is due.
A short course is easy to put off when you’re already juggling appointments, care decisions, paperwork, and family responsibilities. But with the January 1, 2027 deadline approaching, it’s worth choosing a time now and getting it off your list.
Virginia guardianship involves more than training. If you have questions about your responsibilities or need help with a guardianship matter, we invite you to contact Don Shaw Law. You can also learn more about our Virginia guardianship services.
