Virginia Contractor License Courses, Classes & Exam Prep

Overview & Benefits

Obtaining a Contractors 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.

Benefits of Having a Contractors 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?”

What's on the Exam?

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!

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Exam Preparation

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

Learn more about the licensing process

How long is my license Valid?

An original contractor’s license will expire within two years from the month that the license is received and issued.

Is a Virginia contractor license reciprocal with other states?

Contracting licenses vary from state to state; however, you can obtain more information regarding this by emailing the Board for Contracts atcontractor@dpor.virginia.govor by calling them at (804) 367-8511.

Will the commonwealth of the state of Virginia distribute temporary licenses?

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).

Is contractor continued education required in the state of Virginia?

It is not required in the state of Virginia.

Is NASCLA accredited commercial contractor license accepted in Virginia?

Yes, it’s accepted but you need to send in credentials with your license applications.