Contractor Forms

In the state of Virginia (VA), a contractor's license is legally required for any work that exceeds $1,000 in labor and materials.

A Class C Contractor is any contractor that has single contracts from $1,000 or more but less than $10,000 or contracts totaling less than $150,000 over a one-year period. Virginia does not require Continuing Education for the Class C Contractor classification.

Create a business entity. Decide which license you need (A,B, or C as listed previously). Take a mandatory 8-Hour pre-license course (required for all license types) Pass the required exams. Complete your application and submit to the Board with the appropriate fee.

Becoming a contractor may be a smart move if you have the required experience or education, or simply have a passion for construction work.However, becoming a contractor takes several years of experience first, as well as licensing requirements that can be difficult to meet without the proper preparation.

All contractors of any kind must complete an 8-hour Contractor Basic Business course. Courses may be taken online or in a classroom as long as they are approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

It is a common misconception that since the construction exam is open book, it is not difficult to pass. In actuality the Virginia builders license exam is more difficult to pass than similar closed book exams due to the fact that you have books available as a resource during the contractor test.

Class B Contractors License: required when the total value of a single contract or project is $10,000 or more, but less than $120,000, or is $150,000 or more, but less than $750,000 over a 12-month period. The Qualified Individual identified for this license must have at least 3 years of experience.

Start by only answering the easy questions. Read the entire exam and only answer the questions you absolutely know the answer to. If you don't know it, wait. Don't second guess yourself. There is no penalty for guessing. Don't compete with other applicants.