Virginia Contractor License Exam (Rules and Regulations): What to Know Before Test Day
The Virginia Portion is the state law and rules part of your contractor licensing exam. It is short — 24 questions in 48 minutes — but it is dense. You get asked about license classes and dollar thresholds, Board regulations, the Uniform Statewide Building Code, the Transaction Recovery Fund, and erosion and sediment control. Nothing on it is about how to frame a wall. It is all about the paperwork, the deadlines, and the penalties that come with holding a license in Virginia.
This guide walks you through what shows up on the Virginia Contractor Virginia Portion (Rules and Regulations), how the practice questions tend to be framed, and how to study so you are not hunting through a book with the clock running.
Virginia Contractor Exam Overview (2026)
Here are the official details for this exam:
| Questions | 24 questions |
| Time limit | 48 minutes |
| Passing score | 18 correct answers out of 24 scored questions |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | The examination fee is $40 for one portion, $72 for two portions and $85 for three portions. |
On exam day
- Candidates must present one valid, non-expired, signature-bearing photo ID matching the name used to register, from the bulletin's list of acceptable documents.
- Candidates should arrive at the examination site at least 30 minutes before their appointment.
- All examinations are open book, candidates must bring their own bound, unmarked references, and study guides, sample examinations, loose papers and unbound references are not permitted.
- References may be highlighted, underlined and indexed beforehand and tabbed with permanent tabs only, but any writing in a reference makes it inadmissible.
- Handheld calculators are prohibited items at the examination.
- Test center candidates receive an LCD writing tablet for notes that must be returned at check-out, remote candidates may not use scratch paper, and a long list of personal items including electronic devices and writing materials is prohibited.
References you may bring
- NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business Law and Project Management, Virginia (11th edition)
- Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, USBC (2021 Edition)
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- Candidates schedule the examination online at PSI's registration website or by telephone with a PSI registrar at (855) 340-3910.
- An appointment may be cancelled and rescheduled without forfeiting the fee if notice is received two days before the scheduled examination date, and voicemail or email is not an acceptable form of cancellation.
- Missing the appointment, not being checked in by the scheduled start time, arriving late or failing to present proper identification causes forfeiture of the examination fee.
- A retake cannot be scheduled on the same day as the examination taken, but unsuccessful candidates may be able to retest within two business days depending on space availability.
- After passing, the candidate applies to the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, which issues the license once all requirements are verified.
Source: Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Contractor Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, 6/5/2024. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
Topics Covered on the Virginia Rules and Regulations Exam
The content outline breaks the scored items down like this.
Regulation of Contractors — 7 items (29%). The biggest block. Expect the class thresholds cold: a Class B covers a single contract or project of $10,000 or more but less than $120,000, or 12-month totals of $150,000 or more but less than $750,000; Class A begins at a $120,000 single project or $750,000 in 12 months; Class C covers single jobs over $1,000 but under $10,000 with totals under $150,000 (Appendix E, § 54.1-1100). You also get exemptions — for example, a person who performs or supervises work on no more than one primary residence he owns and uses during any 24-month period (Appendix E, § 54.1-1101(A)(7)). Add financial responsibility (for a Class A applicant, a $50,000 surety bond in lieu of net worth, Appendix E, § 54.1-1106(C)), penalties for unlicensed work (up to $500 per day, Appendix E, § 54.1-1115(A)), and reporting deadlines such as 30 days for a trade name change and 120 days for a change in corporate officers (NASCLA Contractors Guide, Chapter 3 — Reporting Obligations).
Board Rules and Regulations — 5 items (21%). This is the regulation side of the same coin: minimum net worth of $45,000 for a Class A firm (18VAC50-22-60(D)), qualified individual experience of five years for Class A, three for Class B, two for Class C (18VAC50-22-60(C)(2), 18VAC50-22-50(C)(2)), a board-approved basic business course completed by a member of responsible management for Class C (18VAC50-22-40(F)), licenses expiring two years from the last day of the month issued (18VAC50-22-110), and reinstatement available for up to 24 months after expiration (18VAC50-22-160(B)).
Building Codes — 5 items (21%). Permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy, and what a building official must do. A certificate of occupancy is issued within five working days after approval of the final inspection (USBC 2021 Construction Code, Section 116.1). Emergency work permit applications are due by the end of the first working day following the day the work starts (Section 108.1). Inspection may be waived at the inspecting authority's discretion where construction cost is less than $2,500 (Section 113.1).
Transaction Recovery Fund — 5 items (21%). Who can claim, what counts as improper or dishonest conduct, and the filing rules. A mere breach of contract is not improper or dishonest conduct (§ 54.1-1118). A verified claim must be filed with the Director no later than 12 months after entry of the final judgment (§ 54.1-1120(B)(3)), and each initial applicant is assessed $25 assigned to the Fund (§ 54.1-1119).
Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations — 2 items (8%). Only two items, but don't skip them. The VESCP authority grants written approval within 60 days of receipt of a plan that meets the requirements, and acts within 45 days on a previously disapproved plan that has been revised and resubmitted (Appendix K, Page K-2).
Sample Virginia Contractor Practice Questions
Try these before you read any further. Answers are not printed here — look each one up in your references, then take the free practice exam for a scored set of practice questions.
1. You are forming a new contracting firm and preparing to apply for a Class A contractor's license. Which of the following requirements must a designated employee meet?
A. Be at least 21 years of age and pass a practical skills test
B. Be at least 18 years of age and hold a four-year degree in construction management
C. Be at least 25 years of age and have five years of field experience
D. Be at least 18 years of age and successfully complete an oral or written examination required by the Board
Tests the designated employee qualifications for a Class A firm.
2. A licensed contracting firm that holds only one classification or specialty wishes to delete that classification. What is the consequence?
A. The firm retains its license but cannot perform any regulated work
B. The license is placed on inactive status for up to 24 months
C. Deletion of the sole classification or specialty results in termination of the license
D. The firm must immediately apply for a new classification within 30 days
Tests what happens to the license itself when classifications change.
3. How many hours of continuing education must an elevator mechanic complete as a condition of recertification?
A. Twelve hours
B. Sixteen hours
C. Four hours
D. Eight hours
Tests a recertification requirement tied to an elevator mechanic certificate.
4. What is the maximum amount a single claimant can recover from the Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund based on an unpaid judgment arising from the improper or dishonest conduct of one regulant in a single transaction?
A. $100,000
B. $30,000
C. $50,000
D. $20,000
Tests the per-claimant recovery limit under the Transaction Recovery Act.
What Types of Questions to Expect (By Topic)
The practice questions follow a few repeating patterns. Learn the patterns and you stop being surprised.
Dollar-threshold scenarios. You get a single project value and a 12-month total, then pick the minimum license class. Both numbers matter, and whichever one points to the higher class drives the answer. Also watch the special rule in Appendix E, § 54.1-1103(C): landscape irrigation work and construction of a water well require a license regardless of the contract amount.
Date arithmetic. A course finishes March 1; pre-license education providers transmit completion data to the board within seven days (18VAC50-22-320), so you count it out. Same with claim filing, reinstatement windows, and entity changes — when a business entity is dissolved or altered, the original license is void and goes back to the board within 30 days, and the firm applies for a new license within 30 days (18VAC50-22-210).
"Which is NOT" questions. Classifications are a favorite. The Board grants licenses in building, highway/heavy, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and specialty contractor classifications at the Class A level (Appendix E, § 54.1-1106(F)); fire sprinkler contractor appears among Class B classifications under § 54.1-1108(F). Know what is on each list.
Who must do what. Building officials file a report with the Board when an individual practices as a tradesman without the required license (§ 54.1-1134), and issuing a permit without proof of licensure or a written statement of exemption is a Class 3 misdemeanor (§ 54.1-1111). An awarding authority must require a bidder's license or certificate number before considering a bid (§ 54.1-1115(A)(6)).
Fund mechanics. Claims may include court costs and attorney fees but exclude interest, punitive damages, and anything that is not actual monetary loss (Appendix E, Page E-16, § 54.1-1123(C)). If the Fund cannot satisfy all authorized claims, the Board pays in the order claims were filed (Page E-16–17, § 54.1-1123(D)). The Board can deny a claim on clear and convincing evidence of false information or collusion (§ 54.1-1123(F)).
Erosion control numbers. Civil penalties from the same operative set of facts cap at a total of $10,000 (Appendix K, Page K-1). The general plan exemption threshold is 10,000 square feet, but only 2,500 square feet in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (Appendix K, Page K-3).
Study Materials
Two books carry the weight for Virginia Contractor Virginia Portion (Rules and Regulations) exam prep:
- NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Virginia, 11th Edition — the licensing law in Appendix E, the Board regulations in Appendix F, the erosion and sediment control material in Appendix K, and the licensing chapter in Chapter 3.
- Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (Construction Code), 2021 — Chapter 1 Administration is where the permit, inspection, and certificate of occupancy questions live.
Useful for setting those books up:
- Sharpie Tank Highlighters — mark the dollar figures, day counts, and section numbers you keep missing.
- Redi-Tag Permanent Colored Tabs — one color per topic so you land on the right appendix fast.
Optional, for broader trade study: OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Standards for the Construction Industry.
Study Tips for the Virginia Contractor Rules and Regulations Exam
Put your hours where the items are. Regulation of Contractors carries the most weight, and Board Rules, Building Codes, and the Recovery Fund are tied right behind it. Erosion and sediment control is small — learn its rules and its handful of numbers, then move on.
This exam is open book, and that is a trap if you treat it like a research project. Looking up a rule you already know wastes the time you need for the questions that genuinely require a lookup. Know your references well enough to find a section in seconds, not minutes.
Your pace is about 2 minutes per question. Practice at that speed. Read the stem, answer from memory if you know it, flag it and keep moving if you do not. Come back with whatever time is left.
Drill the numbers as flashcards: dollar thresholds, day counts, year counts, net worth figures. When you miss one on a Virginia Contractor Virginia Portion (Rules and Regulations) practice test, open the book to that section and read the surrounding paragraphs.
Ready to Pass Your Virginia Contractor Exam?
Work timed sets until the numbers stick. Our full practice test gives you 24 questions on a timer, and the free version gives you 10 questions to start.