Virginia General Contractor License Requirements

Official classification: Contractor License (Class A/B/C) with a building classification: Residential Building (RBC), Commercial Building (CBC), or Building (BLD) · Issued by the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors.

🏗️ General ContractorVA ✔ Verified 2026-06-17

License types

Class C — Single project under $30,000; up to $250,000 total work per 12 months; no net-worth requirement
Class B — Single project under $150,000; up to $1 million total per 12 months; net worth $15,000
Class A — No monetary limit on project or annual value; net worth $45,000

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	The Qualified Individual for the building classification must have 1 year (Class C), 3 years (Class B), or 5 years (Class A) of experience in the classification and pass the trade/technical exam. No individual tradesman license exists for general building contracting.
Application fee	Class A $425, Class B $405, Class C $260. (CBC/CIC-only firms pay a reduced fee: Class A $400, Class B $380, Class C $235, with no Recovery Fund fee.)
License fee	Included in application fee above
Renewal fee	Class A $270, Class B $260, Class C $220, plus $30 Recovery Fund assessment.
Renewal period	Every 2 years
Continuing education	None required for the contractor license.
Bond required	No surety bond required. Class A firms must document $45,000 net worth/equity and Class B $15,000; a surety bond on the Board's Surety Bond Form may be submitted as an alternative way to prove financial responsibility. Class C has no net-worth requirement.
Liability insurance	Not state-mandated by DPOR
Property damage	Not state-mandated by DPOR
Workers' comp	Required under Virginia law if the business has 3 or more employees (including subcontractors' employees)
Background check	Disclosure of felony and recent non-marijuana misdemeanor convictions; Virginia residents with convictions must provide a Virginia State Police criminal history record dated within 90 days. No routine fingerprinting.
Credit requirement	Class A: $45,000 net worth/equity. Class B: $15,000. Class C: none. Class A/B applicants must disclose adverse financial history (bankruptcies, liens, judgments, defaults) within the past 5 (A) / 4 (B) years.
Reciprocity	None - Virginia does not offer general reciprocity for the contractor (business) license; out-of-state firms must apply and meet Virginia requirements, though existing credentials may be reviewed for experience
Processing time	Approximately 30 days for routine applications

Exams

Building classification technical exam (RBC/CBC/BLD)	Provider: PSI Passing: Not publicly disclosed Fee: Paid to PSI
Business exams - Class B: General + Virginia; Class A: General + Virginia + Advanced (Designated Employee)	Provider: PSI Passing: Not publicly disclosed Fee: Paid to PSI

Local / municipal notes

All applicants (every class) must complete a Board-approved pre-license education course (commonly the 8-hour basic course). Contractor license required for any single job over $1,000; firms must also comply with local (city/county) licensing where work is performed.

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-06-17 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors before applying. This is not legal advice.