The Virginia Contractor License process through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board of Contractors is modified from time to time. Below, you’ll find the basic process as of October 10, 2016.
DPOR, Board of Contractors
Licensing Section: (804) 367-8511
Education Section: (804) 367-2224
Board Office: (804) 367-2785
Email: contractor@dpor.virginia.gov
FAX: (866) 430-1033
Step 1. Take Mandatory 8-Hour Pre-License Course
VA Class A Contractor License
VA Class B Contractor License
VA Class C Contractor License
Click link for more information and to register for Mandatory
8-Hour Pre-license Course.
Step 2: Decide on which Class of Virginia Contractor License based on several key areas
Class of Virginia Contractor License
Virginia Class A Contractor License
Virginia Class B Contractor License
Virginia Class C Contractor License
Requirements:
Minimum Net Worth:
No Minimum Requirement
Limitations:
Maximum Per Project:
Maximum Per Year:
Step 3: Pass the Business/Law Exam
State Test Administrator for the Virginia Contractor Business/Law Exam: PSIExams.com
Virginia Class A Contractor License
Virginia Class B Contractor License
All Three Sections:
Virginia, General and Advanced
Two Sections:
Virginia and General
Step 4: Decide on Your VA DPOR Contractor License Specialty (What types of projects you will do.) (Must be Pre-Approved by DPOR, Board of Contractors Before Actually Taking the Exam.)
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Sign up for your Contractor Specialty Exam Prep Course AFTER you've been pre-approved by DPOR, Board of Contractors to sit for the exam for at least TWO REASONS:
1) Ensure that DPOR Board of Contractors actually qualifies you for your chosen specialty. (Recently, with these changes taking effect March 1st, 2016, there are complaints of contractors paying money to take specialty exam prep courses with other exam prep providers, submitting their applications, but then not being approved for that specialty. We encourage you to save your time and money. Get pre-approved first.)
2) It's been reported that the pre-approval process can require as much as 45-60 'BUSINESS DAYS'. By waiting to schedule your exam preparation course until later, the information will still be fresh.
Click specialty link for more information and to register for Specialty Exam Preparation Course. Just one afternoon/evening session.
Virginia Class A Contractor License
Virginia Class B Contractor License
$235
VERY IMPORTANT: PLEASE VISIT THE DPOR WEBSITE TO ENSURE THAT YOU USE THE MOST RECENT FORMS.
Step: 6 Once Pre-Approved for Your Specialty Exam, Take an Exam Preparation Course, Schedule and Pass the Exam
State Test Administrator for the Business Exam: PSIExams.com
Click specialty link for more information and to register for Specialty Exam Preparation Course. Just one afternoon/evening session.
VA Contractor License Information
The PreLicense Training course goes by several names. It is also called the 8-Hour Prelicensing Course, the Mandatory 8-Hour Course and other variations. Some mistakenly refer to it as the Virginia Class C Contractor license training course. This is a mandatory course for all classes of Virginia licenses for contracting, VA Class A license, VA Class B license and the VA Class C license. This is a mandatory foundation course that helps Virginia contractor licensees understand much about running a successful construction business in Virginia. It also details your relationship, as a licensed Virginia contractor, with the government, local and state.
Classes of and Requirements for a Contracting License in the state of Virginia
The differences in the classes of contractor licenses in Virginia ultimately comes down to two basic things: money and experience. Below, we’ve shared the differences between the VA contractors license, VA Class A, VA Class B and VA Class C.
Class A Contractor License. This is the largest class of Virginia contracting license. There is no monetary limit on the size of individual projects nor on the annual revenue. Requirements for Class A contractor license in Virginia is a net worth of at least $45,000. Also, the qualified individual, the person in the company who actually knows the hands-on, field work, must have a minimum of 5 (five) years of verifiable experience.. The qualified individual can simply be an employee or a member of management.
Class B Contractor License. This is the mid-range Virginia contracting license. With the VA Class B license, there is the opportunity for larger projects and more revenue than the VA Class C license, but falls short of the potential of the VA Class A license. Projects just under $120,000 can be contracted. The maximum annual revenue with this class of Virginia license is just under $750,000. Requirements for Class B contractor license in Virginia is a net worth of at least $15,000. Also, the qualified individual, the person in the company who actually knows the hands-on, field work, must have a minimum of 3 (three) years of verifiable experience. The qualified individual can simply be an employee or a member of management.
Class C Contractor License. This is sometimes thought of as the ‘starter’ license. This is the smallest of the three contracting licenses in Virginia. Projects just under $10,000 can be contracted. The maximum annual revenue with this class of license is just under $150,000. For the Class C license in Virginia, there is no minimum net worth requirement. However, the qualified individual, the person in the company who actually knows the hands-on, field work, must have a minimum of 2 (two) years of verifiable experience. . The qualified individual can simply be an employee or a member of management.
The Contractor License Business Exam – For Class A Contractors License and Class B Contractors License (Taken by the Designated Employee)
To apply for and obtain a license for contracting in Virginia as a Class A or a Class B contractor, your designated employee must pass an examination or test, often called the ‘Virginia business exam’.
In total, there are three portions of the exam: the Virginia Portion, the General Portion, and the Advanced Portion. A Class B license applicant needs only to pass two portions, the Virginia and the General Portions. A Class A license applicant must pass all three portions. A Class C license applicant is not required to take any portion of this contractors business examination. The Designated Employee can be a full-time employee or a member of responsible management.
The class of contractor license in Virginia (i.e.-Virginia Class A license) is independent of the specialties the licensee is approved to perform. There are over 40 VA contractor licensing specialties (i.e.-Painting and Wallcovering) that licensees can be approved to perform. Some specialties are very specific and limited, whereas others are ‘umbrella’ construction specialties that encompass a number of smaller specialties. Some of the ‘umbrella’ Virginia contractor specialties are the VA Home Improvement Contracting (HIC), VA Residential Building Contracting (RBC), VA Commercial Improvement Contracting (CIC), VA Commercial Building Contracting (CBC) and the VA Highway Heavy (H/H). Typically, it is best to apply for the largest specialty you are qualified for, as this can open the door for increased opportunities in the future without the need to take additional specialty exams.
The VA Contractor Licensing Specialty Exam (Taken by the Qualified Individual)
The focus of this exam is to test your Qualified Individual’s knowledge of the type(s) of projects you will be approved to perform as a licensed Virginia contractor. The length of the exams, the reference materials allowed, and the subject matter vary greatly, depending on the specialty.
As of March 1, 2016, the Qualified Individual must be pre-approved to sit for all specialty/technical exams. The approval process can sometimes take months, so we encourage you to schedule any specialty exam course with us ONLY AFTER you’ve received your approval to sit for the Virginia contractor technical exam.
Dispelling a False VA Contractor Licensing Myth
It is not a requirement that a contractor first start with a Class C license in Virginia and then move up or upgrade. If a contractor meets the qualifications for a Class A contractors license or a Class B contractors license, they can apply directly for them.