Virginia Contractor License Classes
Virginia's state credential surface is one ladder and two counter-models: the three-class firm licence (A/B/C — set purely by contract value under § 54.1-1100), the individual tradesman licence (Article 6 — set by craft), and the RBEA firm as the insurance counter-example. The firm licence issues to the business entity, never an individual; the class answers what the firm may contract for, the classification/specialty answers what work it may perform, and a tradesman licence never substitutes for either.
01 One ladder, two counter-models
- The floor is drafted into the definition — Class C begins at "more than $1,000," so work at or below $1,000 is below every class, no licence exists to hold, and the exemption line and the class floor are the same sentence. (Rule VA-LADDER.) S-VA-STAT-1100
- Both prongs bind every class — project value AND 12-month volume: a $150,000 project jumps B to A; a year under $250,000 drops B to C even with B-valued projects. (Requirement REQ-VA-LADDER-001.) S-VA-STAT-1100
- Class C alone skips the exam and the net worth — A501-27LIC Q13: "Class C applicants skip to question 19." Every class still needs the 8-hour education, a QI and the local licences. (Rules VA-EXAM / VA-ENTRY.) S-VA-APPLIC
- Master tradesman pins three trades to a person — electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors must hold a master credential as a condition of licensure (§ 54.1-1100). (Rule VA-MASTER-TRADESMAN.) S-VA-STAT-1100
- Irrigation and water well ignore the floor — licensed regardless of amount on their own bands (C ≤ $10,000 / B to $120,000 / A beyond). (Rule VA-IRRIGATION-LADDER.) S-VA-REGS
- The tradesman ladder is separate and older — no individual works without a licence since 1995-07-01, subject to the supervision exception and the $250 single-family de-minimis. (Rule VA-TRADESMEN.) S-VA-TRADEREGS
02 The class ladder — § 54.1-1100 (class set purely by contract value)
§ 54.1-1100 verbatim: Class A means a contractor 'whose single contract or project is $150,000 or more, or who receives $1 million or more in any 12-month period' — with NO upper monetary restriction. Entry (A501-27LIC): 8 hours board-approved pre-license education taken by responsible management; the PSI Designated Employee exam in three portions (Virginia Section + General Section + Advanced Section); a Qualified Individual per classification/specialty who is full-time or responsible management with FIVE years of experience, pre-approved by the Board; documented net worth of $45,000 evidenced by ONE of a financial statement, a CPA review/audit (no compilations) or the Board's Surety Bond Form (a two-year bond whose expiry must cover the licence term). Fees: $400 initial + $25 Recovery Fund + $14.50 Technology Fee = $439.50 (18VAC50-22-100); renewal $270 + $30 Recovery Fund biennial (18VAC50-22-140). Electrical, plumbing and HVAC applicants must ALSO hold a master tradesman licence (§ 54.1-1100). The licence issues to the business entity, not the individual.
03 Class B — $30,000 to $149,999 per project
§ 54.1-1100 verbatim: Class B means a contractor 'whose single contract or project is $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, or who receives $250,000 or more but less than $1 million in any 12-month period.' Entry: 8 hours pre-license education; the PSI Designated Employee exam in TWO portions (Virginia Section + General Section); a Qualified Individual with THREE years of experience per specialty; documented net worth of $15,000 by the same three evidences. Fees: $380 initial + $25 + $14.50 = $419.50; renewal $260 + $30 Recovery Fund biennial. Master tradesman licence required for electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors (§ 54.1-1100).
04 Class C — $1,001 to $29,999 per project (no exam, no net worth)
§ 54.1-1100 verbatim: Class C means a contractor 'whose single contract or project is more than $1,000 but less than $30,000, or who receives less than $250,000 in any 12-month period.' The $1,000 floor: work at or below it falls below every class and needs no contractor licence (the Class C definition itself is the source — A501-27LIC: 'Any applicant performing work over $1,000 must contact the Board for Contractors to obtain a Virginia license'). Entry: 8 hours pre-license education; NO business examination — A501-27LIC Q13: 'Class C applicants skip to question 19'; a Qualified Individual with ONE year of experience per specialty; NO net-worth requirement. Fees: $235 initial + $25 + $14.50 = $274.50; renewal $220 + $30 Recovery Fund biennial. Master tradesman licence still required for electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors.
05 Temporary licence — 45 days, one lifetime (A501-2703LIC)
Form A501-2703LIC-v13 (08/01/2026) verbatim rules: a temporary licence is valid 45 days, may be issued ONCE in a lifetime, is non-renewable and non-reinstatable; the applicant must furnish a letter of good standing from the out-of-state licensing authority; application fees are valid one year. Fee: the temp component is $85.00 (trans code 2703), combined 'temp + initial' totals A $499.50 / B $479.50 / C $334.50 on the current form. The $85 figure is the resolution of CONFLICT-VA-001 (recency method — the booklet's $50 and the Sep-2025 regulation table's $60 are superseded guidance; the operative form postdates HB 30's 2026-07-01 effective date).
06 Tradesman licence — Article 6 individual ladder (§ 54.1-1128 et seq.)
§ 54.1-1129 A verbatim: since July 1, 1995, no individual shall work as a tradesman without a licence — subject to two carve-outs: working under the supervision of a tradesman licensed in that specialty, and work incidental to one's own specialty (§ 54.1-1129 A); § 54.1-1131 C further exempts work on ships/boats/barges/floating vessels and single-family-residence work valued UNDER $250 where the individual does not hold himself out to the general public as a tradesman. Designations: electrical, plumbing and HVAC (each journeyman and master), gas fitting, LPG fitting, natural gas fitting provider, backflow prevention device worker (voluntary certification), certified elevator/accessibility mechanic, water well systems provider (trainee/journeyman/master — 1/3/6 years, § 54.1-1129.1) and certified automatic fire sprinkler inspector. Terms: electrical, gas, LPG, natural-gas-fitter-provider, HVAC and plumbing licences run THREE years from month-end; all others TWO years (18VAC50-30-120 A-B). CE: plumbing/electrical/HVAC 3 hours per designation, gas fitters 1 hour, elevator/accessibility mechanics 8 hours (§ 54.1-1133; 18VAC50-30-120 C). Fees: original $150, renewal $160 (18VAC50-30-90/-100).
07 RBEA firm licence — the chapter's only general-liability requirement
18VAC50-22-62 C: the RBEA firm licence requires a general-liability insurance minimum of $500,000, required again at renewal (18VAC50-22-130; disciplinary ground 35 for firms). Fees: initial firm licence $240, renewal $220 (18VAC50-22-100/-140). The individual RBEA counterpart carries a $100,000 GL minimum (18VAC50-30-46 A 4) at $150 initial / $150 renewal.
08 Entry requirements compared
| Class | Project band | PSI exam | QI experience | Net worth | Initial (form total) | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ≥ $150,000 (or ≥ $1M/12 mo) | 3 portions — $85 | 5 years | $45,000 | $439.50 | $270 + $30 RF |
| B | $30,000 – $149,999 (or $250K–$1M) | 2 portions — $72 | 3 years | $15,000 | $419.50 | $260 + $30 RF |
| C | $1,001 – $29,999 (or < $250K) | none | 1 year | none | $274.50 | $220 + $30 RF |