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Virginia Contractor License Exam Prep Courses, Classes, and Webinars
Obtaining a Contractor's License in Virginia
The state of Virginia offers many opportunities to individuals who want to launch their own contracting business. However, just like every state, there are rules, laws, and requirements that must be met before legally performing work in the state.
Receiving your contractor’s license in VA can be difficult, and the process itself can be a bit overwhelming to start. While you are ready to get out there and start working, you won’t get very far without a Virginia contractor's license. For this reason, we help mitigate the hassle and stress by helping you meet all Virginia general contractors license requirements.
With Contractor Training Center, you’ll have your license in no time. Our experienced and knowledgeable team understands this process and is equipped with the right tools, resources, and exam prep services to support you through this process.
So, should you get a contractor’s license? This is a question you need to ask yourself before you go out, buy tools, and start building houses! Without a license, this is considered illegal and for several good reasons. If anyone could build homes, the quality of these living spaces would be seriously compromised.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US
On this page, you will find everything you need to know to embark on this journey! We’ll walk you through the steps of obtaining your license, discuss the different types of exams, and offer additional resources to make the process of you getting your license as easy and stress-free as possible. Don’t wait and get in touch with us today!
Contact usThe Benefits of Having a Contractor's License in Virginia
Construction laws vary from state to state. In the state of Virginia (VA), a contractor’s license is legally required for any work that exceeds $1,000 in labor and materials. As a contractor, you can work in the construction, plumbing, HVAC, or electrical field. There are many ways individuals benefit from obtaining a license, the two primary ones being:
- Gives you credibility
- Gives you a higher earning potential
Having a license increases your credibility, allowing you to build trust with your clients. There are other ways to gain their trust, but this is a big part of establishing yourself and your business, especially if you’re working with new customers.
Gives You Credibility
Having a license increases your credibility, allowing you to build trust with your clients. There are other ways you can gain their trust, but this is a big part of establishing yourself and your business, especially if you're working with new customers.
Gives You A Higher Earning Potential
Consequently, there are larger projects that you can't perform without a contractor's license. With one, you can take on big assignments, get more jobs, and increase your profit. More often than not, clients will pay a higher price to a licensed contractor than unlicensed handypersons.
In addition, a contractor’s license keeps scam artists from deceiving people and endangering homeowners. With this being said, there are some home services that you can conduct without a license, but the question you need to ask yourself is, “Should I invest in a Virginia general contractor license?”
HOW TO GET A CONTRACTORS LICENSE IN VA
On March 1, 2016, a VA DPOR regulation was established, stating that all new contractors must be pre-approved before taking PSI technical exams. There are specific steps that need to be followed, including applying to the state and filling out a License Application and an Experience Verification Form.
Before taking the PSI Technical Exams, you need to fill out these forms and send them to DPOR VA. If you are in a rush and taking the Class A exam, fill out the Expedited Form to speed up the process. The only way to speed up the process is to submit a Virginia Class A contractor license application. If taking the RBC/CBC and Highway Heavy exam, you need pre-approval.
If you are ready to begin the process of obtaining a VA contractor’s license, follow the 7 steps listed below to ensure the successful completion of this project.
CREATE A BUSINESS ENTITY
The first step is to create a business entity. A contractor’s license can only be issued to businesses, not individuals. The Board for Contractors in Virginia recognizes sole proprietorships, limited liability companies (LLC), corporations, and partnerships.
If you’re unsure of what business entity is best for you, you can seek the help of a professional CPA or attorney. They will also help you with other tasks, including registering with the State Corporation Commission, which several types of businesses require.
CHOOSE AND REGISTER A NAME FOR THE COMPANY
When it comes down to the name, it can be as simple as your name, or you can choose a more creative one. Whatever you decide, it must be registered with the appropriate authorities. For corporations, limited partnerships, or LLC companies, you need to register it with the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
Additionally, if you have a sole proprietorship or partnership, you must register with the court in the jurisdiction in which your company is located. You will need to provide proof or documentation of the name when you apply to the Board for Contractors.
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF LICENSE YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS
You want to determine the type of license that your company will need. You first want to choose your license class and then your specialty. There are three classifications for licensure: Class A, B, and C. The Contractors Board will issue a license depending on the nature of the work you will perform.
Consequently, the class determines monetary restriction and the size of projects performed in a 12-month period. For example, a Class C license is restricted to all contracts or projects less than $10,000. In a 12-month period, they cannot exceed $150,000.
CLASS A LICENSE
This type of license gives contractors the ability to construct, demolish, or deconstruct any building or structure. Unrestricted in the dollar amount of projects they complete, the entire total cost of a contract/project will total $120,000+.
See MoreCLASS B LICENSE
Contractors with a VA Class B contractor license can perform projects less than $120,000 with a total amount of contracts less than $750,000 in a 12-month period. They can manage, perform construction, improvements, or repairs to properties when the value to one project totals $10,000+.
See MoreCLASS C LICENSE
This license grants contractors the ability to conduct work, manage or perform repairs on a project that is greater in value than $1,000 but no more than $10,000 (no more than $150,000 within a 12-month period).
Important Note: If you are in the Water Well and Landscape irrigation industry, as a contractor, you must hold either a Class A, B, or C license. This is required regardless of the amount of money that a project or contract costs.
See MoreIDENTIFY A QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL
Every business must have a Qualified Individual (QI) regarding both the specialty and classification mentioned in your application. This person must either be a full-time employee OR one of the members of the Responsible Management within the business.
Qualified individuals for Class A should have at least 5 years of experience, Class B needs at least 3 years of experience, and Class C requires 2 years of experience minimum. To complete the application, you need to provide some personal information regarding these individuals, including their birthday, Social Security Number or their Virginia DMV Control Number, address, and a copy of a government-issued photo ID.
REGISTER FOR THE PRE-LICENSE EDUCATION COURSE
No matter the type of contractor, all applicants are required to complete a mandatory 8-hour course for “Virginia Contractor Basic Business.” We offer the 8-Hour Pre-License Course on our partner website, Virginia Exam Training.
REGISTER FOR THE PRE-LICENSE EDUCATION COURSE
After you pass the mandatory sections of the exam for contractors, you will receive an application for the license. You can do this by contacting the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation at www.dpor.virginia.gov.
EXAM TIMES AND DATES
DPOR of Virginia requires individuals to get pre-approved to take the RBC and CBC exam, but not the NASCLA test. If you plan on taking any of the first two, you must apply for your Class A or B license first. You’ll need to add your specialty and wait 30 days.
As mentioned before, if needed, you can get an expedited application request only if you apply for Class A. The normal application process takes anywhere from 30-45 days unless you fill out the expedited application, which will only take 72 hours. Here are quick links to the application and forms on the Virginia DPOR license web site:
• License Application (Class A, B, and C)
• Temporary License Application
• Expedited Class A License Application - Who is eligible? Check out our "Guidelines for Expedited Class A License"
• Financial Statement Form (Class A and B only)
• Individual - Experience Verification Form
Again, you don’t need approval to take the NASCLA exam. You can view a complete list of exam times and dates by clicking here: PSI – Test Center Date and Availability Checker.
DELIVER THE APPLICATION
After completing the application in its entirety, send it along with any other necessary documents back to the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. You want to be sure to include a money order or a check made out to “Treasurer of Virginia” in the following amounts:
- $385 for Class A
- $370 for Class B
- $235 for Class C
Important note: If you plan on paying by credit card, be sure to fill out the form for the credit card.
Once these steps have been taken, you need to wait for the licensing staff to process your application and get back to you. You can visit Virginia DPOR’s website for a complete step-by-step guide on the process of receiving a Virginia Contractors License.
TAKE YOUR TECHNICAL EXAM
The final step to obtaining your contractor's license is, after receiving approval from DPOR, taking your technical exam as specified in your contractor license application.
Virginia requires all contractors to designate one (or more than one) specialty in their license application - Virginia does not offer a "General Contractor" license, as all specialties are separated into residential, commercial, or specialty categories; however, a combination of a Commercial Building Contractor (or National NASCLA) + Residential Building Contractor license designations will cover you to do all types of construction, both residential and commercial, in Virginia. Not sure what specialty is right for your type of work? Book our Contractor License Start-Up Consultation today! Receive a $45 credit back to your first class purchase.
Here is a recap of the steps that you will need to complete to get your license in Virginia:
- Take the pre-license course.
- Upgrade to A/B (optional) if you are doing projects over $10k. To upgrade to an A/B, take the course with CTC, then take the exams at PSI.
- Apply to DPOR to take a specialty exam such as RBC, HIC, CIC, CBC, etc.… (Standard application or Expedited Application) with all of the accompanying forms and documents.
- Once approved to take the specialty exam, you can take the specialty class with CTC.
- Take the Specialty exam at PSI.
- Submit your passing score to DPOR at contractor@dpor.virginia.gov
- Once your license number appears on DPOR's license lookup - you are fully licensed and can use it to pull permits!
Preparing for the Contractor's Exam
At Contractor Training Center, we offer several classes, among them being: A/B, RBC, CBC, Virginia Highway Heavy, Virginia Pre-License Courses, and Continuing Education. You can obtain the necessary books and study tools from our site to ensure the successful completion of your exam.
We’ve made it our priority to equip you with the materials you need to study—including practice tests and tabs for your exam books. Listed below is the information on the classes we offer, their costs, and the books needed to prepare for this exam. You need to purchase the books, manuals, and additional resources from the links provided below.
CLASS A/B COURSE
This training course is very concise and covers material on the Virginia General and Advanced exams. This course will give you practice on sample accounting and math problems that will help you with the exam. There is also be a review of test-taking strategies.
DPOR OF VIRGINIA CONTRACTOR PRE-LICENSE COURSE
This is a mandatory course for any new contractor in the state of Virginia. It covers the practices and regulations that govern the contracting industry. Within this course, we’ll review the required elements of preparing a contract to meet all regulations and explore methods in selecting customers and jobs based on license classification and experience.
Additionally, we will explore the various business structures to meet the client’s needs and give you tips that will help you avoid business problems. This course will guide contractors in making smart choices that will enhance their business while complying with all rules and regulations.
This course will teach the individual how to operate their contracting business; create estimates/bids; and act as a reference for insurance, banking, project management, employment law, and environmental issues. After you register and review the material, we will send the results to DPOR.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
An original contractor’s license will expire within two years from the month that the license is received and issued.
Contracting licenses vary from state to state; however, you can obtain more information regarding this by emailing the Board for Contracts at contractor@dpor.virginia.gov or by calling them at (804) 367-8511.
Temporary licenses are given out to those who are out-of-state contractors. Still, they must have the entities, and these licenses have set requirements, including they can only be used for out-of-state entities who need a license during the waiting period for their permanent one. Temporary licenses are valid for 45 days, can’t be reinstated, reapplied, renewed, or reissued.
On average, the price for a temporary license is $50. To receive this license, you need to send a letter of good standing from another state. They need to give you positive feedback. You will need to pay both application fees (temporary and permanent).
It is not required in the state of Virginia.
Yes, it’s accepted but you need to send in credentials with your license applications.
Yes, the state of Virginia requires it. It’s called the CBC – Commercial Building Contractor or the NASCLA. The NASCLA exam is accepted in 12 states.
In Virginia, a contractor’s license is required for any work that exceeds $1,000. There are different license specifications based on the type of work you wish to do. Make sure you get licensed for the particular type of work you intend to perform.
Due to Virginia’s Code, only business entities may be given a contractor’s license. Additionally, even if the business has only one employee, the individual would not receive the contractor’s license.
File with the Department a written application on a form prescribed by the Board. Deliver the application with the $385 fee. In addition, as proof of financial responsibility, the applicant shall demonstrate compliance with the minimum net worth requirement fixed by the Board in regulation by providing either a financial statement on a form prescribed by the Board or a balance sheet reviewed by a certified public accountant licensed in accordance with § 54.1-4409.1.
In addition, if the applicant is a sole proprietor, he shall furnish to the Board his name and address. If the applicant is a member of a partnership, they need to provide the Board with the names and addresses of all of the partnership’s general partners.
If the application is approved, the proposed designated employee will be required to take an oral or written examination to determine his general knowledge of contracting, including the statutory and regulatory requirements governing contractors in the Commonwealth.
The Board may grant a Class A license in any of the following classifications: (i) residential building contractor, (ii) commercial building contractor, (iii) highway/heavy contractor, (iv) electrical contractor, (v) plumbing contractor, (vi) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor, (vii) fire sprinkler contractor, and (viii) specialty contractor.
File with the Department a written application on a form prescribed by the Board. Deliver the application with the $370 fee. In addition, as proof of financial responsibility, the applicant shall demonstrate compliance with the minimum net worth requirement fixed by the Board in regulation by providing either a financial statement on a form prescribed by the Board or a balance sheet reviewed by a certified public accountant licensed in accordance with § 54.1-4409.1.
In addition, if the applicant is a sole proprietor, he shall furnish to the Board his name and address. If the applicant is a member of a partnership, they need to provide the Board with the names and addresses of all of the partnership’s general partners.
If the application is approved, the proposed designated employee will be required to take an oral or written examination to determine his general knowledge of contracting, including the statutory and regulatory requirements governing contractors in the Commonwealth.
The Board may grant a Class B license in any of the following classifications: (i) residential building contractor, (ii) commercial building contractor, (iii) highway/heavy contractor, (iv) electrical contractor, (v) plumbing contractor, (vi) HVAC contractor, (vii) fire sprinkler contractor, and (viii) specialty contractor.
File with the Department a written application on a form prescribed by the Board. Deliver the application with the $235 fee. The application shall contain information concerning the name, location, nature, and operation of the business and information demonstrating that the applicant possesses the character and minimum skills to engage in the occupation of contracting correctly.
The Board may grant a Class C license in any of the following classifications: (i) residential building contractor, (ii) commercial building contractor, (iii) highway/heavy contractor, (iv) electrical contractor, (v) plumbing contractor, (vi) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor, (vii) fire sprinkler contractor, and (viii) specialty contractor.
CONTACT CONTRACTOR TRAINING TODAY
If you’re ready to get started on obtaining your Virginia Contractor’s License, get in touch with us today! At Contractor Training Center, we’ve compiled all the materials and resources you need to pass your licensing exam with flying colors. Call now!
Contact us
Virginia DPOR Mandatory Contractor 8-Hour Pre-License Course
This is the course that is mandatory for any new contractor in the state of Virginia. It presents the regulations and practices that govern the contracting industry. We will review the required elements of preparing a contract according to regulation, explore methods in selecting customers and jobs based on license classification and experience, explore the various business structures to meet their particular needs, and tips that will help you avoid regulatory and business problems. The course is designed to guide contractors in making choices that will ensure compliance with regulation and maintain the license through business success.
The course provides guidance for operating a contracting business and can be used as a continued reference for topics such as estimating and bidding, insurance, banking and credit cards, project management, employment law, tax information, contracts, environmental issues, and other subjects. Once you register and review the material (PDF) and we transmit the results to DPOR. It’s that simple.
To register, please click here:
VIRGINIA TRADESMEN DPOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) requires continuing education training on the various codes to renew a trade certificate.
> Contractor Training Center. offers internet delivered training, recognized by DPOR, that focuses on major changes to the Trades portion of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) that will become effective in early 2008.
> The courses were developed by experts who helped write the codes.
To register, please click here:
