Which Virginia contractor class do you need?
Choose the class triggered by either your largest project or your total work over 12 months. A $20,000 average job does not keep a firm in Class C if its 12-month volume reaches the Class B range. A Virginia contractor license has two parts: a monetary class and a classification or specialty that controls the type of work allowed. DPOR explains the two-part license here.
The class answers how much work the business may perform. The classification or specialty answers what kind of work it may perform. A firm needs both pieces aligned with its contracts. Individual tradesman credentials can add another requirement for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work; they do not replace the business contractor license.
Current Class A, B, and C monetary limits
The current limits are not estimates or rounded planning numbers. They are the definitions in Virginia Code § 54.1-1100.
| Class | Single project or contract | Total during any 12 months | Practical reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Over $1,000 but under $30,000 | Under $250,000 | Both measures must stay below the Class B triggers |
| B | At least $30,000 but under $150,000 | At least $250,000 but under $1 million | Either measure can put the firm in Class B |
| A | $150,000 or more | $1 million or more | No upper statutory ceiling |
Class A starts at a project value of $150,000 or a 12-month total of $1 million, with no upper statutory ceiling. Class B covers a project worth at least $30,000 but less than $150,000, or a 12-month total of at least $250,000 but less than $1 million. Class C covers a project over $1,000 but under $30,000, or a 12-month total under $250,000. Read the current statutory definitions.
Who must complete pre-license education?
All new Class A, B, and C contractor licenses require eight hours of pre-license education. For Class A or B, a member of responsible management or the designated employee completes it; for Class C, a member of responsible management completes it. A Board-approved advanced contractor class can also satisfy the pre-license education requirement. DPOR states the eight-hour rule, who may complete it, and the advanced-course alternative.
This is a basic business course about Virginia regulations, statutes, and business-owner requirements. It is separate from the Class A and Class B examinations and is not tied to one trade classification or specialty. Build it into the application sequence instead of treating it as an individual course that every owner, employee, or qualifier must take.
Financial requirements for Class A and Class B
DPOR marks the financial verification forms as required for Class A and B applicants only. The Board page labels those forms for Class A and B. Class B must verify net worth or equity of at least $15,000 through a completed financial statement with supporting documents, a CPA-reviewed financial statement, or a CPA audit; a $50,000 surety bond on the Board form may be used instead. See the Class B entry rule.
Class A must verify $45,000 in net worth or equity through a completed financial statement with supporting documents, a CPA-reviewed financial statement, or a CPA audit; it may also use a $50,000 surety bond on the Board form instead. See the Class A entry rule.
The bond is an alternative way to meet the licensing financial requirement. It is not the same product as general liability insurance. Our contractor bonds versus insurance guide explains why those protections serve different parties and risks.
Class sets dollars; classification or specialty sets scope
Commercial Building Contractor (CBC) covers construction, remodeling, repair, improvement, removal, or demolition of commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and accessory-use buildings or structures. Residential Building Contractor (RBC) covers those activities for dwellings and townhouses and their accessory structures. The classification rule defines both scopes and their exclusions.
Roofing shows why the exact scope matters. Roofing contracting is a defined specialty, but the regulations also include roofing within CBC and RBC and within the HIC and CIC specialties. A roofing business should not assume that only ROC can authorize every roofing contract or that a broad building classification covers work outside its defined building scope. The roofing definition lists the broader classifications and specialties that also provide the function.
Map the contracts you actually sell to the regulatory definitions. The class letter alone never grants a work type.
Contractor business licenses and tradesman credentials are different
The contractor license belongs to the business entity or sole proprietor. A qualified individual supports each classification or specialty. For electrical, plumbing, and HVAC contractor classifications, the qualified individual must hold the corresponding Virginia master tradesman license. The qualification table lists a master electrician for ELE, master plumber for PLB, and master HVAC tradesman for HVA.
That means a Class A license does not automatically authorize electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work. It also means a master tradesman credential does not establish the business monetary class. Readers working in those trades can follow the separate paths in our Virginia electrician licensing guide and Virginia plumbing licensing guide.
Experience and exam requirements by class
For each requested classification or specialty, the qualified individual needs at least one year of relevant experience for Class C, three years for Class B, and five years for Class A. The experience must match the classification or specialty for which that person is the qualifier. Class C requires one year, Class B requires three, and Class A requires five.
Class A and Class B firms must name a designated employee who has passed the required Board-approved examination or qualifies for an exemption. Qualified individuals must also meet applicable prerequisites and examinations for the requested classification or specialty. Class C is not categorically exam-free: its qualified individual must meet an applicable Board-approved exam requirement unless the designation relies on another required certification or license. The Class C regulation uses the phrase where applicable.
DPOR currently lists PSI fees of $40 for one exam portion, $72 for two, and $85 for three or for a QI specialty exam. DPOR also says successful completion is required before applying. Check the applicable candidate bulletin before booking because the number and type of portions depend on the role and designation.
What examination waivers cover
Virginia lists limited examination agreements, not a blanket transfer of every out-of-state contractor license. North Carolina RBC and CBC contractors may qualify for the corresponding Residential Building Contracting or Commercial Building Contractor examination waiver. Ohio has a waiver covering Business and Law and Virginia Advanced and General Law examinations. Applicants using reciprocity or an examination exemption must submit a complete application and verification of licensure from the out-of-state board. DPOR lists the current agreements and submission rule.
A waiver should therefore be read by the named jurisdiction, designation, and exam portion. It does not justify skipping the Virginia application or assuming that an unrelated trade or class transfers.
Virginia contractor license FAQ
What are the current Virginia Class A, B, and C limits?
Class C stays under $30,000 per project and $250,000 during 12 months. Class B covers $30,000 to under $150,000 per project or $250,000 to under $1 million during 12 months. Class A starts at $150,000 per project or $1 million during 12 months.
Does every Virginia contractor applicant take the pre-license course?
Every new Class A, B, or C license requires eight hours of pre-license education, but the required person differs: responsible management or the designated employee for A/B, and responsible management for C. A Board-approved advanced contractor class can also satisfy the requirement.
What financial proof does Virginia require?
DPOR marks the financial verification forms as required for Class A and B applicants only. Class B verifies at least $15,000 in net worth or equity and Class A verifies $45,000. Each may instead use a $50,000 surety bond on the Board form.
Is a Class C contractor license exam-free?
Not necessarily. Its qualified individual must meet the applicable prerequisite and Board-approved exam rule for each classification or specialty.
Do electrical, plumbing, and HVAC contractors need a tradesman license too?
The qualified individual for ELE, PLB, or HVA must hold the matching Virginia master electrician, master plumber, or master HVAC tradesman license. That credential is separate from the business contractor class.
Did Virginia add a contractor licensing technology fee in 2026?
Yes. DPOR says certain fees include a separate $7.25-per-year technology fee from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2030.
Source: DPOR Board for Contractors.
A clean application sequence
- Project the largest contract and 12-month volume, then choose the class triggered by either number.
- Match each sold service to a classification or specialty definition.
- Name the right designated employee and qualified individual or individuals.
- Confirm experience, trade prerequisites, and every applicable exam.
- Complete pre-license education through an eligible person.
- Assemble the Class A or B financial proof, then use the current DPOR forms.
DPOR says it accepts only current application versions and is not responsible for delays tied to nonconforming forms. Download the current forms from the Board page.