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Virginia Contractor – Virginia Portion (Rules and Regulations) Practice Exam

What This Practice Exam Covers

The Virginia Portion of the Virginia Contractor licensing exam is 24 questions, and you have 48 minutes to complete it. A score of 75% — 18 out of 24 correct — is required to pass.

This practice exam focuses exclusively on the Virginia-specific rules and regulations that govern contractor licensing, building codes, the Transaction Recovery Fund, and erosion and sediment control. There are two ways to practice here:

Free practice exam: Delivers 10 questions per attempt pulled from a limited pool. You can retake it as many times as you want to get comfortable with the question format and phrasing — a good starting point before you commit to a full study session.

Full practice exam (paid): Mirrors the real exam exactly — 24 questions, 48-minute timer. Questions are drawn from a pool of 91+ items, so each attempt gives you a different set. No duplicate exams, and every question is tied to the official exam topic blueprint.

Start free to get your bearings, then move to the full exam when you're ready to simulate real testing conditions.

What You'll Be Tested On

Regulation of Contractors — 7 items

This is the heaviest topic on the exam and the one where most candidates need to be most precise. You must know the contract value thresholds that define Class A, Class B, and Class C contractor licenses. Class C covers single-project contracts under the Class B ceiling; Class B is defined under § 54.1-1100 and covers projects up to a specific dollar threshold; Class A is required for anything above that. Memorize the numbers cold.

Beyond thresholds, you need to know which individuals and entities are exempt from licensing entirely under § 54.1-1101, what financial responsibility looks like (net worth requirements and surety bond amounts differ by class — see NASCLA Contractors Guide, Chapter 3 — Net Worth Requirements), and what the designated employee role requires. You also need to recognize prohibited acts — unlicensed contracting, misrepresentation on applications, and working outside your licensed class all appear here. Penalties for unlicensed contracting under § 54.1-1115(A) and § 54.1-1115(B) are fair game.

Board Rules and Regulations — 5 items

This topic overlaps with Regulation of Contractors but focuses on the administrative regulations codified at 18VAC50-22 rather than the licensing statutes. Expect questions on license expiration (two years from the last day of the month of issuance — see Virginia Board for Contractors Regulations, 18VAC50-22-110), renewal and reinstatement procedures, and what triggers each. You need to know reporting obligations: when a licensee must notify the Board about a change in business entity, responsible management, trade name, or address, and the deadlines that apply (see NASCLA Contractors Guide, Chapter 3 — Reporting Obligations). Specialty contractor designations and what scope of work each permits are also tested here.

Building Codes — 5 items

Questions here tie contractor licensing law directly to the Uniform Statewide Building Code. Key pressure points: which exempt persons must still comply with the Building Code (§ 54.1-1101(B) carves out specific exemption categories from this requirement), certificate of occupancy requirements before property conveyance, and how building code violations can be used as evidence in Board disciplinary proceedings. The building official's duty to report unlicensed or incompetent tradesmen is specifically tested. Continuing education requirements related to building code changes as a condition of license renewal also appear in this topic.

Transaction Recovery Fund — 5 items

The Fund exists to reimburse consumers harmed by licensee misconduct. You need to know: who is eligible to file a claim, what counts as "improper or dishonest conduct" that qualifies, the maximum recovery per claimant, the maximum aggregate recovery against a single regulant per biennium, and minimum Fund balance thresholds that trigger fee assessments. Relevant statutes include § 54.1-1120, § 54.1-1122(B), § 54.1-1122(D), and § 54.1-1123. Filing procedures — verified claims, documentation, and timing — are also tested. Dollar figures here require exact knowledge; the exam will give you plausible wrong amounts.

Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations — 2 items

Only two questions, but they're easy points if you prepare. You need to know who must hold a certificate for land-disturbing activities, what qualifies for an exemption from the erosion and sediment control plan requirement, and how plan review timelines and deemed-approval provisions work. Civil penalties for violations are also within scope. Source material is in NASCLA Contractors Guide, Appendix K, Pages K-1 through K-3.

Worked Sample Questions

Question 1

A Virginia-licensed contractor fails to submit a renewal form and fees within 30 days of the license expiration date. What must the contractor do to restore the license?

• A. Submit an appeal to the Director within 60 days of expiration
• B. Wait until the next licensing cycle and reapply as a new applicant
• C. File a new initial license application and retake the examination
• D. Reinstate the license through the Board's reinstatement process

Correct Answer: D

Missing the 30-day post-expiration window does not send the contractor back to square one — it triggers the reinstatement process, which is distinct from both an initial application and a renewal. This is a precise procedural rule, not a general principle, so the exam will offer options like C that sound plausible. Reinstatement is the right answer.

Source: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Chapter 3 — License Renewal and Reinstatement

Question 2

Virginia contractor licenses expire on what basis?

• A. One year from the date of issuance
• B. Two years from the first day of the month following issuance
• C. Three years from the date the application was approved
• D. Two years from the last day of the month in which they were issued

Correct Answer: D

Per 18VAC50-22-110, licenses expire two years from the last day of the month in which they were issued. Options A, B, and C all contain plausible-sounding variations on duration or date reference. The key distinctions are: two years (not one or three), and last day of the month of issuance (not first day of the following month, and not the application approval date).

Source: Virginia Board for Contractors Regulations, 18VAC50-22-110

Question 3

Which person exempt from contractor licensing must still comply with the Uniform Statewide Building Code?

• A. A material supplier who renders advice concerning products sold
• B. A governmental agency performing work with its own forces
• C. A person performing repair or improvement of residential rental units they own that are subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
• D. A person performing work for the United States government on land under exclusive federal jurisdiction

Correct Answer: C

§ 54.1-1101(B) identifies specific exemption categories that do not carry over into a Building Code exemption. Persons in exemption subdivision 10 — owners performing repair or improvement on their own residential rental units subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act — are still bound by the Uniform Statewide Building Code even though they don't need a contractor license. The other options describe exemptions that are not listed in § 54.1-1101(B)'s retained-compliance list.

Source: NASCLA Contractors Guide, Appendix E: § 54.1-1101

How to Read Your Score

The passing score is 75%, which means 18 of 24 questions correct on the real exam.

Treat your first practice attempt as a diagnostic. If you score well above 75%, identify which topics pulled your score down and prioritize those. If you score near 75% — say, 76% to 80% — that's not a comfortable margin; the real exam will present unfamiliar phrasing and edge-case scenarios that practice questions sometimes don't capture. Scoring near the line on practice usually means more work is needed before test day.

The full practice exam shows you results by topic area. Use that breakdown deliberately: a weak score on Transaction Recovery Fund (5 items) is worth fixing because those questions are among the most specific and number-heavy on the exam. A weak score on Regulation of Contractors (7 items) matters even more because it's the largest single topic.

Retake the full practice exam more than once. Because questions rotate from a pool of 91+, each attempt exposes you to scenarios you haven't seen before — closer to real exam conditions than drilling the same question set repeatedly.

Where Candidates Lose Points

Confusing license class thresholds. The dollar cutoffs between Class A, B, and C are close enough together that a misread costs the point. Know the exact figures.

Mixing up renewal and reinstatement. The exam will test the precise trigger and procedure for each. Candidates who treat them as interchangeable lose points on Regulation of Contractors and Board Rules questions alike.

Transaction Recovery Fund dollar limits. The per-claimant cap and the per-regulant-per-biennium aggregate are different numbers. The exam will offer both as answer options on the same question.

Building Code exemption carve-outs. Knowing someone is exempt from licensing is not enough — you must also know whether that person still owes Building Code compliance under § 54.1-1101(B).

Reporting obligation deadlines. The Board requires notification within specific timeframes for changes in entity structure, responsible management, address, and trade name. Candidates who know what to report but not when miss these questions.

Erosion and sediment control details. Because this topic carries only 2 items, candidates often under-prepare. Those are straightforward points — don't leave them on the table.

Exam Quick Facts