Required Books

The references listed below are allowed to be used during the exam and are used in our preparation seminar. These references may be tabbed (with permanent index tabs) and highlighted.

They are available for purchase from our online contractor’s bookstore or by calling our office at 1-800-992-1910.

Add All Required Books to Cart ($581.10)

2021 International Residential Code for 1 & 2 Family Dwellings, Tabbed & Highlighted

Bookstore

This comprehensive code comprises all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas and electrical requirements for one- and two-family dwellings…

$216.00
Add to cart
Carpentry & Building Construction, 6th Ed, 2016

Bookstore

.awq5 { POSITION: absolute } Help students get ready for professional certification and competitive events with Glencoe's NEWCarpentry and…

$152.00
Add to cart
OSHA 29. CFR 1926 for Contractors Highlighted & Tabbed

Bookstore

Occupational Safety & Health Standards for the Construction Industry (OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry), Published by American…

$55.00
Add to cart
Permanent Tabs for the Virginia Business & Project Management book

Bookstore

.awq5 { POSITION: absolute } American Contractors Exam Services has put together a package of permanent tabs for…

$12.95
Add to cart
VA-BLDTabs

Bookstore

One sheet of tabs for the Carpentry & Building Book and one blank sheet of tabs

$10.95
Add to cart
Business and Law NASCLA

Virginia Business & Project Management NASCLA - 1t1h edition

Bookstore

Virginia, Business and Project Management for Contractors, 11th Edition, published by NASCLA. Virginia Business and Project Management for Contractors…

$94.75
Add to cart
Electrical Plumbing

Virginia Tradesman Individual License and Certification Regulation Statutes, 9/23 (pdf.)

Bookstore

.awq5 { POSITION: absolute } Virginia Tradesman Certification Regulations is a 60+ page pdf available from the DPOR for…

$16.50
Add to cart
Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, 2018 .pdf

Bookstore

.awq5 { POSITION: absolute } Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, 2018 USBC, Department of Housing and Community Development Office…

$22.95
Add to cart

Additional Services

Virginia Application Processing

Application Processing

New Application Processing Fee for Virginia License

$299.00
Add to cart

Confirm This Is the Right License for Your Work

Every state licensing board defines the exact project types, sizes, and trades that fall under each contractor classification. Review the scope below to make sure this license matches the work you actually do — then enroll in the seminar that prepares you for that exam the first time.

The A, B or C license sets the monetary limit for which you will be allowed to bid. It covers all specialty categories in which your job would be over $120,000.00 for class A, and $10,000.00 up to $120,000.00 for class B.

"Residential building contractors" (Abbr: RBC) means those individuals whose contracts include construction, remodeling, repair, improvement, removal, or demolition on real property owned, controlled, or leased by another person of dwellings and townhouses, as defined in the USBC, including accessory buildings or structures on such property. The RBC classification does not provide for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting services and does not allow construction, repair, or improvement, to commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental use structures outside of dwellings and townhouses as defined in the USBC. The residential building classification includes but is not limited to the functions carried out by the following specialties for contracts of dwellings and townhouses, as defined by the USBC, and related accessory use buildings or structures: Concrete contracting Masonry contracting Home improvement contracting Painting and wallcovering contracting Industrialized building contracting Roofing contracting Landscape service contracting Swimming pool contracting

License Requirements

NOTICE: Effective March 1, 2016, all Contractor Specialty examinations will require pre-approval from DPOR prior to taking the examination. For more information please contact the Board for Contractors Licensing Section directly at (804) 367-8511.

Effective August 21, 2006, the Designated Employee or a member of Responsible Management of all contractors applying for initial licensure (for an entity that is not currently licensed) must successfully complete an 8-hour business class approved by the Board for Contractors.

This applies to Class-A, Class-B & Class-C Contractors. (Please note that individuals applying for a Class C license; A Owner/Officer/Partner of the Company must be the person to take the required 8-hour Business Course required by the Board.)

Class A license isn eeded for anyone wanting to do projects larger than $150,000.00 or wanting to do more than $1,000,000.00 of total work ina 12-month period.
Class A contractor must have a minimum of 5 years experience, and provide name and address of 1 individual that can attest to the satisfactory completion of building, home improvement, or commercial improvement projects.
Class A contractor must show a minimum net worth of $45,000.00.
Class B contractor is needed for anyone wanting to do projects up to $150,000.00 and can do up to $1,000,000.00 of total work in a 12-month period.
Class B contractor must have a least 3 years of experience, and provide name and address of 1 individual that can attest to the satisfactory completion of building, home improvement, or commercial improvement projects.
Class B Contractor are required to show a minimum net worth of $15,000.00.

Class C Contractor can now do projects up to $30,000.00 each and can do up to $250,000.00 of total work in a 12-moth period.

Reciprocity

Virginia has no reciprocal agreements in place for Class A or Class B Residential Building Contractor.

Continuing Education

There are no continuing education requirements for the Class A, B or Class C Residential Building Contractor at this time.

The Exam

These tests are administered by PSI.
These are open-book, Multiple-choice, timed exams.
Class A contractors are required to pass a 3 part exam.
Virginia Portion, has 24 questions, 48 Minutes to complete and 18 correct for a passing score.
Exam contents for the Virginia portion include: Regulation of Contractors, Board Rules and Regulations, Building Codes, Transaction Recovery Fund and Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations.
General portion, has 50 questions, 100 Minutes to complete and 35 correct for a passing score.
Exam contents for the General portion include: Business Organization, Estimating and Bidding, Contract Management, Project Management, Risk Management, Safety, Labor Laws, Financial Management, Federal and State Taxes and Lien Laws.
Advanced portion, 24 questions, 60 Minutes to complete and 17 correct for a passing score.
Exam contents for the Advanced portion include: Estimating and Bidding, Contract Management, Project Management, Risk Management, Safety, Labor Laws, Financial Management, Federal and State Taxes and Lien Laws.

Class B contractors will only need to pass the General and Virginia portions.
Residential Building Contractors will be required to pass an additional exam portion.
The Residential Building portion consists of 80 questions, 160 minutes to complete and 56 questions correct for a passing score.
Exam contents for this portion include: Layout, Excavation, Foundations, Framing, Insulation, Ventilation, Windows, Doors, and Skylights, Exterior, Decks, Walks, and Ramps, Finishing Masonry, Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs, Prints, Plans, and Specifications, Safety and Employee Protection, Construction Debris and Cleanup and Disposal.

The cost of the exam depends on the number of portions taken

Exam Fees:(paid directly to PSI)

$40.00 One Portion

$72.00 Two Portions

$85.00 Three Portions

$85.00 QI SPecialty Exam

How We Help You Prepare

American Contractors offers a 2-day seminar to prepare for the Virginia Class A or Class B Residential Building Contractor License Exam. This seminar will effectively prepare individuals to pass the four exams necessary in the licensure process.

To apply for licensure please contact the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation at 804-367-8511

Licenses belong to the business. A person can take the exam and pass and qualify his or her business. If they purchase a second business, they do not have to test, but they must submit a new application for the new business.

The Licensing Fees follow:

Class A $425.00
Class B $405.00
Class C $260.00

Important Contacts

To apply for a license, contact:

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
9960 Mayland Drive
Suite 400
Richmond, Virginia 23233
(804)367-8511

http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/

Virginia exams are given by:

PSI Licensure: Certification
ATTN: Exam Registration
Daniel Building
3805 Cutshaw Ave., Suite 310
Richmond, VA 23230
(800) 733-9267

www.psiexams.com

For Tradesman Testing Approval, completed applications should be sent to:
Board for Contractors
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, VA 23233

For more information, visit the website:

www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/tra_main.cfm

Full Seminar Schedule

Compare upcoming dates, locations, and class details. Use the Choose button to move a session into the registration selector.

Date	Location	Format	Location Info	Price
Sep 1, 2026	Web Seminar (with an Instructor)	Webinar	View details ACES Webinar online Nashville, TN 37211 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Sep 1, 2026	Richmond,VA	In-Person	View details ACES Richmond Office 13803 Village Mill Dr Suite 102 Midlothian, VA 23114 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Oct 6, 2026	Richmond,VA	In-Person	View details ACES Richmond Office 13803 Village Mill Dr Suite 102 Midlothian, VA 23114 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Oct 6, 2026	Web Seminar (with an Instructor)	Webinar	View details ACES Webinar online Nashville, TN 37211 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Nov 3, 2026	Web Seminar (with an Instructor)	Webinar	View details ACES Webinar online Nashville, TN 37211 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Nov 3, 2026	Richmond,VA	In-Person	View details ACES Richmond Office 13803 Village Mill Dr Suite 102 Midlothian, VA 23114 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Dec 1, 2026	Richmond,VA	In-Person	View details ACES Richmond Office 13803 Village Mill Dr Suite 102 Midlothian, VA 23114 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00
Dec 1, 2026	Web Seminar (with an Instructor)	Webinar	View details ACES Webinar online Nashville, TN 37211 800-992-1910 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Day 1, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Day 2 This is a 2 day course	$795.00

What Past Attendees Say

This two day course was the missing link I needed to pass the general contractors exam.

Jason C.

5-star Google review

With the help of their exam prep seminar I passed the licensing exam on the first try!

Jim C.

I have taken classes here and they are worth it! All their instructors were very knowledgeable and helpful.

Amy G.

Virginia Class A or Class B w/ Residential Building Contractor

What Is Included in Your Seminar

Required Books

2021 International Residential Code for 1 & 2 Family Dwellings, Tabbed & Highlighted

Carpentry & Building Construction, 6th Ed, 2016

OSHA 29. CFR 1926 for Contractors Highlighted & Tabbed

Permanent Tabs for the Virginia Business & Project Management book

VA-BLDTabs

Virginia Business & Project Management NASCLA - 1t1h edition

Virginia Tradesman Individual License and Certification Regulation Statutes, 9/23 (pdf.)

Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, 2018 .pdf