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Virginia Contractor License Requirements

A statewide license tiered by dollar volume (Class A/B/C), with a bond-or-net-worth alternative and confirmed reciprocity with two states.

License Requirement

Licensing body: Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) — dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Contractors

Virginia requires a statewide license, tiered by dollar volume, for contracts of $1,000 or more (Va. Code §54.1-1100): Class A (single contract ≥$150,000 or 12-month aggregate ≥$1,000,000), Class B ($30,000-$150,000, or $250,000-$1,000,000 aggregate), and Class C ($1,000-$30,000, or under $250,000 aggregate; Class C electrical/plumbing/HVAC work additionally requires a master tradesman license). The full specialty-designation list was not confirmed this pass.

Exam

PSI-administered: a separate Business & Law exam plus a trade/classification exam, and an 8-hour pre-license course is required.

Bonding

Not required outright — used as an alternative to net-worth verification. Class A: $45,000 net worth or a $50,000 bond. Class B: $15,000 net worth or a $50,000 bond. Class C has no bond or net-worth requirement.

Continuing Education

A 2-year renewal cycle is confirmed, but the continuing-education-hours regulation (18VAC50-22-250) was repealed effective September 1, 2025 — CE appears eliminated as of that date. Given how recent this change is, confirm current status directly with the Board.

Experience Requirements

For the qualifying individual: Class A requires 5 years, Class B requires 3 years, Class C requires 1 year.

Reciprocity

Confirmed reciprocity with North Carolina (exam waivers) and Ohio (Business & Law exam waiver). No broader multi-state reciprocity was found.

Licensing requirements change and vary by locality within a state. Always verify current requirements with your state's contractor licensing board before applying. This page is an independent informational reference — it is not legal advice, and ContractorLicense.org is not a government agency and is not affiliated with any state licensing board.

Research note: Sourced from dpor.virginia.gov and law.lis.virginia.gov (18VAC50-22, Va. Code §54.1-1100). Unconfirmed: the full specialty-designation list, and whether a liability insurance minimum is separately mandated.

Still Not Sure What Virginia Requires?

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