Virginia Contractor Advanced Portion (Class A)

Virginia Contractor Advanced Portion (Class A) Exam: Complete 2026 Study Guide

Passing the Virginia Contractor Advanced Portion (Class A) exam is the final hurdle standing between you and the ability to take on unlimited-value construction projects in the Commonwealth. It's a focused, 60-minute test — but with 24 scored questions and a passing score of 71%, every point matters. This guide breaks down exactly what's on the exam, walks you through sample questions, and points you toward the right study materials so you can walk in confident on test day.

Virginia Class A Contractor Exam Overview

The Advanced Portion exam for the Virginia Class A contractor license is administered by PSI Exams. You can find registration details on the exam registration page and review licensing requirements on the state licensing website.

Here's what you need to know at a glance:

• Questions: 24 scored questions
• Time limit: 60 minutes
• Passing score: 71% — that means 18 correct answers out of 24
• Format: Multiple-choice

The exam covers business and legal knowledge rather than trade-specific skills — think contract law, financial management, labor regulations, and tax requirements. Many candidates underestimate this portion because it isn't about construction techniques, but the business side of contracting is where a lot of people get tripped up.

Review the official exam bulletin before you register to confirm any updates to the exam format or requirements.

Topics Covered on the Virginia Class A Advanced Exam

The exam spans nine topic areas. Here's how they break down by weight, from heaviest to lightest:

Financial Management (5 items) — The single largest topic. Expect questions on bookkeeping, financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, cash flows), ratio analysis, accounting methods (cash vs. accrual), and contract accounting approaches like percentage of completion.

Contract Management (4 items) — Covers the elements of a valid contract, Virginia's written contract requirements for residential work, payment structures (lump-sum, unit-price, cost-plus), retainage, and breach of contract rules.

Labor Laws (4 items) — The FLSA, lawful vs. prohibited interview questions, new hire reporting, child labor restrictions, and Form I-9 requirements.

Federal and State Taxes (4 items) — EINs, business tax types by entity structure, FICA withholding and matching, FUTA liability, and federal tax deposit schedules.

Risk Management (2 items) — Property and liability insurance types, surety bond categories, and how the bonding underwriting process works.

Safety (2 items) — OSHA fall protection rules, guardrail and personal fall arrest systems, ladder safety, PPE, and fire prevention on job sites.

Estimating and Bidding (1 item) — Bid documents, ethics in bidding (bid shopping, rigging, and peddling), quantity take-off methods, and labor burden calculations.

Project Management (1 item) — Scheduling methods (bar chart/Gantt, CPM), float time, cash flow management, and the roles of the project team.

Lien Laws (1 item) — Who can file a mechanics' lien in Virginia, the 90-day filing rule, notice requirements for residential projects, and lien priority.

Focus your study time where the exam does — Financial Management, Contract Management, Labor Laws, and Federal and State Taxes together account for 17 of the 24 questions.

Sample Virginia Class A Contractor Exam Questions

Here are five sample questions that reflect the style and difficulty you'll see on exam day. Work through them — then check out our free practice exam to see how you actually do.

Question 1 — Labor Laws (Hard)

A union representative approaches employees on one of your Virginia job sites and tells them they must join the union and pay dues as a condition of keeping their jobs. Under Virginia law, what is the legal status of this demand?

• A) It is lawful provided the employer consents to the arrangement
• B) It is permissible if the union files a written power of attorney with the State Corporation Commission
• C) It is a misdemeanor violation of Virginia law
• D) It is lawful only if a majority of employees vote in favor of union membership

This question tests your knowledge of Virginia's right-to-work protections — a topic that shows up in the Labor Laws section.

Question 2 — Risk Management (Hard)

A Virginia public body is awarding a nontransportation-related public construction contract valued at $600,000 to a prime contractor. What bonding is required under Virginia law?

• A) Only a bid bond equal to 10 percent of the contract amount
• B) No bonding is required for contracts under $1 million
• C) Performance and payment bonds in the sum of the contract
• D) A performance bond only, in an amount deemed satisfactory by the contracting agency

Surety bond thresholds and requirements for public contracts are a staple of the Risk Management section.

Question 3 — Project Management (Medium)

You are managing a large commercial construction project and notice that one task has been completed three days early, but the next dependent task cannot begin for another five days. What is the remaining time between the completed task and the start of the next task called?

• A) Critical path time
• B) Activity duration
• C) Free float time
• D) Contingency time

Scheduling terminology — especially float time — is exactly what the Project Management section tests.

Question 4 — Labor Laws (Medium)

You hire a new employee on Monday morning. By what deadline must the Form I-9 be completed with all required documentation?

• A) Within five business days of hire
• B) Within three days of hire
• C) Within 20 days of hire
• D) By the end of the first day of work

I-9 deadlines are a specific, testable detail the exam likes to probe.

Question 5 — Financial Management (Medium)

As a Class A contractor, you purchased a piece of equipment for $80,000 with an estimated salvage value of $5,000 and a useful life of 5 years. Using straight-line depreciation, what is the yearly depreciation amount?

• A) $16,000
• B) $17,500
• C) $15,000
• D) $12,000

Depreciation calculations are one of several math-based problems you'll encounter in the Financial Management section. Know your formula.

Not sure about your answers? Take the free practice exam to test yourself — no account required.

What Types of Questions to Expect by Topic

Here's a breakdown of the kinds of problems and skills each topic tests, along with how many practice questions we offer in each area:

• Estimating and Bidding (4 practice questions): Expect questions on reading bid documents, recognizing unethical bidding conduct, applying the quantity take-off method, and calculating labor burden costs.

• Contract Management (14 practice questions): Questions cover contract formation requirements, Virginia's residential contract rules, distinguishing lump-sum from cost-plus payment structures, calculating retainage, and understanding breach-of-contract remedies and statutes of limitations.

• Project Management (4 practice questions): Scheduling terminology (float, critical path, activity duration), Gantt chart vs. CPM distinctions, and how scheduling connects to cash flow management.

• Risk Management (8 practice questions): Builders risk vs. inland marine coverage, CGL and umbrella liability policies, types of surety bonds (bid, performance, payment, fidelity, lien), and what underwriters look for when qualifying a contractor for bonding.

• Safety (8 practice questions): The 6-foot fall protection trigger height, guardrail specifications, personal fall arrest system requirements, ladder safety rules, PPE selection, and fire prevention protocols — all grounded in OSHA 29 CFR 1926.

• Labor Laws (15 practice questions): FLSA overtime and recordkeeping rules, which interview questions cross a legal line, Virginia new hire reporting procedures, child labor hour and task restrictions, and Form I-9 completion requirements.

• Financial Management (19 practice questions): Balance sheet and income statement interpretation, liquidity and quick ratios, cash vs. accrual accounting differences, percentage of completion vs. completed contract methods, and depreciation calculations.

• Federal and State Taxes (14 practice questions): EIN application requirements, how taxes differ by business entity, Social Security and Medicare withholding calculations, FUTA deposit rules, and choosing between monthly, semiweekly, and daily deposit schedules.

• Lien Laws (4 practice questions): Who qualifies to file a mechanics' lien, the 90-day deadline and required content for a memorandum of lien, notice requirements for one- and two-family residential projects, and how lien priority works.

In total, we offer 90 practice questions across all nine topic areas.

Study Materials for the Virginia Class A Advanced Exam

The Advanced Portion is all about business and legal knowledge, so your study materials need to match.

OSHA Standards Reference

For the Safety section, the OSHA 29 CFR 1926 publication is the authoritative source. The exam draws directly from these standards — fall protection heights, guardrail specifications, and PPE requirements all come from this document. You don't need to memorize every page, but knowing the key thresholds and definitions will help you answer Safety questions with confidence.

Official Exam Bulletin

Always start with the official exam bulletin. It lists the exact topic outline and any approved reference materials. Some topics on this exam — particularly Contract Management, Labor Laws, and Financial Management — require knowledge you'll need to build from reference guides or a contractor prep course, since the exam tests Virginia-specific requirements.

Our Practice Exams

We offer two tiers:

• Free practice exam: 10 questions per attempt, drawn from a limited pool of free questions. Retake as many times as you want. No account needed. Great for getting a feel for the question format.
• Full practice exam (paid): Mirrors the real exam — 24 questions, 60-minute timer, same topic breakdown. Questions come from a large pool so each attempt is different. You also get a detailed score breakdown by topic so you know exactly where to focus.

Start with the free version to gauge where you stand, then move to the full exam for serious preparation.

Study Tips for the Virginia Advanced Contractor Exam

Prioritize by weight. Financial Management (5 items), Contract Management (4 items), Labor Laws (4 items), and Federal and State Taxes (4 items) together make up the bulk of the exam. If you're short on study time, these four areas deserve most of your attention.

Know the numbers. This exam tests specific figures — the FUTA wage base, the 6-foot fall protection threshold, I-9 completion deadlines, retainage percentages. Flashcards work well for these.

Do the math. Financial Management and Federal and State Taxes include calculation-based questions. Practice depreciation, ratio analysis, and FICA withholding calculations until they feel automatic.

Read questions carefully. Several questions hinge on a single word — "residential" vs. "commercial," "public" vs. "private," "prime contractor" vs. "subcontractor." Slow down and read the full question before looking at the answer choices.

Take timed practice exams. Sixty minutes for 24 questions sounds generous, but test-day nerves eat into that time. Practicing under a real timer helps.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Virginia Class A Advanced exam, and what's the passing score?

The exam has 24 scored questions with a 60-minute time limit. You need to answer 18 correctly — a 71% passing score — to pass.

How do I register for the exam?

Registration is handled through PSI Exams. Visit the exam registration page to schedule your test. You'll also find exam center locations and scheduling options there.

What topics are most important to study?

Financial Management carries the most weight with 5 exam items. Contract Management, Labor Laws, and Federal and State Taxes each have 4 items. Together, those four topics account for 17 of 24 questions — prioritize them.

Can I use reference materials during the exam?

Check the official exam bulletin for the current policy on approved references. Policies can change, so always verify before test day.

Is the Advanced Portion the same as the trade exam?

No. The Advanced Portion tests business, legal, and financial knowledge — not trade skills. If you're applying for a Class A license in a specific trade, you'll also take a separate trade-specific exam.

Ready to Pass?

The Virginia Class A Advanced exam is manageable when you know what to expect and prepare systematically. Focus on the high-weight topics, learn the specific numbers and deadlines the exam likes to test, and practice under timed conditions.

Start now with our free practice exam — 10 questions, no account needed, and a solid first look at what's waiting for you on test day. When you're ready to go deeper, the full practice exam gives you a complete simulation with detailed feedback by topic. Good luck — you've got this.